Devotions By Jan

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Shutters

Scripture for Today: Psalm 139:5 “You have enclosed me behind and before, And You have placed Your hand upon me.”

I loved living with shutters in both Germany and France.  They completely blocked out noise and light, making it easy to sleep in!  When a storm came through, it was great to protect the newly washed windows from rain splatters.  During a hot spell, closed shutters kept the house cooler.  And for security reasons shutters were especially helpful.  In fact, some insurance plans would refuse to cover for theft if the shutters were open!  But the best thing about shutters was the sense of privacy they afforded.  I often felt a sense of peace with those shutters closing out the world.

Today’s verse describes just how well God’s Spirit knows me.  He knows when I am sitting, standing, when I go out and when I return.  He knows me so well that He knows what I am going to say before I say it.  Rather than this being an uncomfortable thought, it is a truth that is wonderful.  His thoughts to me are too numerous to count and they are precious (verse 17).  He lays His hand on me in a loving and protective gesture.  Like those shutters, He encloses and surrounds me with His presence and His love.

The world often needs to be blocked out.  Being enclosed in the Lord’s presence is only possible when I retreat from all the noise and activity around me.  To be still and listen to His voice often means turning off all the other clamoring distractions.  It is shutting the door to the room or closet to pray in private (Matt. 6:6).  When I make that effort, He is there, ready to meet me.

Lord, help me to shut out the world today and enjoy Your presence.

 


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White Christmas

marche JEKSI1jmb5pLdUmxH-bstxUx66sScripture for Today: Isaiah 1:18 “…Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

I am dreaming of a white Christmas, but in Southern California, that is all it is; a dream.  We enjoyed having snow in Alsace, France and sometimes even on Christmas day.  Pictured is a manger scene in the forest of the Christmas Market next to the Metz train station.  Somehow, the manger scene surrounded by snow makes it even more picturesque.  The Christmas markets with their quaint booths and twinkly lights looked magical when the snow gently fell.  It is lovely to see everything new and white.

Our verse today says that I can be whiter than snow.  The Lord’s forgiveness makes me that way.  My sin makes my heart dirty.  My guilt makes it dark.  But the Lord promises full cleansing when I confront and confess my sin.  His forgiveness makes everything white and bright again.

Like the snow outside, the whiteness of my heart does not seem to last very long!  Sin creeps back in little by little, dimming the white and changing it to grey.  Before long it is too noticeable to ignore.  The washing of my heart needs to be a daily routine.  Just as the washing of the disciples’ feet in John 13 is a daily necessity, so is my daily confession.

How wonderful to experience the new freshness of bright white snow!  How amazing that God’s forgiveness does the same for me!  His patient and consistent pardon means that each day can have a new white beginning.  One day, that whiteness will last forever!

Merry Christmas to all my readers and may your Christmas be white with His wonderful forgiveness!


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Wishing on a Star

Scripture for Today: Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

“Star light, star bright, The first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.”  This nursery rhyme from the late 1800’s still comes to mind when I see a bright star or planet shining on a clear night.  But I am sure those Magi from the east were not thinking of wishing on His star (Matt. 2:1).  Instead, they faithfully followed the star in order to worship the One born King of the Jews.

“Wishing on a star” pretty much describes the thinking of those who place their confidence in anyone but Jesus.  It is a poor flimsy substitute for real hope.  Hope for the believer is faith in what is sure.  Our hope is only as good as its object and that makes our hope in Jesus unshakable.  A star will not save.  A star cannot fulfill promises and save souls.  But a star can and often does move us to worship the Creator, as it did for the Magi.  His own hands stretched out the heavens (Isaiah 45:12).

Because of Christ’s birth, I have hope.  I not only have hope, I am overflowing with it as I trust Him.  He promises to fill me with all joy and peace as I live in that hope and trust.  The coming of Jesus is hope realized as He made a way to live eternally with Him.  There is a bright future ahead because of that hope.  The darkness of my despair is dispelled by the heavenly light of His presence!

Thank you Lord, for Christmas and for being my hope.


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Ugly Christmas Sweater

Scripture for Today: Ephesians 4:22 “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;”

It’s that season again of outdated, ugly and outrageous Christmas sweaters.  My daughter just attended a function where this was the theme.  Thankfully, she did not come to me to borrow what I would normally wear!  It seems unbelievable that these loud colorful sweaters use to be the “in” style.  It makes me wonder what will be considered ugly in twenty years that we now wear with pride!

Our verse today is about putting off our old self.  Like a piece of outdated clothing we are to take it off.  The old self or old nature is who we were before Christ changed us and gave us a new nature, resembling Him.  The old self is characterized by lies, sinful anger, stealing, unwholesome talk, bitterness, rage, brawling, slander and all malice.  How much better to put on the new self, created to be like the Lord in true righteousness and holiness (verse 24).

If you are like me, some of these outdated items are still hanging out in your closet!  Like a ratty comfortable robe, I slip back into habits that should not be a part of my wardrobe any longer.  I am often unaware of what I am wearing.  But those old clothes are NOT pretty.

I do have a choice.  Nothing obligates me to put my hand on that old worn out sin and wear it again today.  Because of Christ, I can be new.  I can have a whole new look, a look that resembles Him.

Lord, help me to recognize the old and throw it out!

 


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Bûche de Noël

Scripture for Today: John 6:35 “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.'”

The Bûche de Noël was always a fitting end to our Christmas meals in France.  This rolled sponge cake filled with buttercream was made to look like the traditional log burnt on Christmas Eve in times past.  They are often decorated with little figures made of marzipan and meringue  We always enjoyed the ones with ice cream fillings.  Having such a rich dessert after a heavy meal can sometimes be too much of a good thing!

In today’s verse, Jesus declared Himself the bread of life.  Bread is the perfect symbol of what is needed for daily sustenance.  He did not use the symbol of a rich gooey dessert as He provides just what is needed.  Often after too much dessert there is regret, but one can never have too much of Him!  He satisfies our hunger perfectly.  We are full without discomfort.  But there is a condition according to this verse.  We are simply to come to Him.

I often do not recognize my hunger.  There are days when I am soul sick because I am feeding on what does not satisfy.  That fancy pastry the world offers can be a big distraction.  But instead of feeling full and satisfied, I am left feeling a little queasy.  But when I go to Jesus, He more than satisfies what my soul really craves.  He offers Himself: His love, His peace, His joy.  Everything else is a poor substitute.

“Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.”  Thank you Lord, for being everything I need today.