Devotions By Jan

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Rear View Mirror

Scripture for Today: Psalm 25:7   “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions.  According to Your loving kindness remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.”

I am a careful driver but I have never been very comfortable using mirrors to drive.  I do not know why.  I just do not trust them as much as seeing something directly.  There is a lot of neck turning when I am at the wheel!  Many side mirrors have the warning seen here; “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.”  Perhaps it is this warning that shakes my confidence in the image I am seeing.

Our verse for today is a wonderful reassurance of the complete forgiveness we can enjoy when we confess our sins.  David is asking the Lord not to remember the sins of his youth.  It must be that David is remembering them.  Rather than looking ahead, he is looking back behind him.  His memory is making an issue of what had already been forgiven.  God’s forgiveness is close up and personal.  His love and grace are closer than they appear.  His forgiveness is bigger than we realize.  As far as God is concerned, He does not remember our sins (Isaiah 43:25).

I do not think there is a person alive who does not have some regret about his past.  There is always something said or done that should not have been!  And because memories cannot very well be erased, we remember, but our forgiving Lord does not.  However, when I think back I can choose to focus on His grace and forgiveness rather than my failure.  I can enjoy looking ahead rather than be paralyzed with guilt over the past.

Lord, if I do look behind me, may I only see the closeness of Your loving forgiveness.

(Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.)


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Ramparts

Scripture for Today: Habakkuk 2:1 “I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved.”

The view from the ramparts of Haut Koenigsbourg seems to go on forever on a clear day!  This castle was less than an hour from our house and we often took visitors there.  Half the fun is walking these ramparts and identifying the villages in the distance!

Today it is all about tourism, but when this castle was inhabited, these ramparts were important for security.  Its elevated position gave those on watch ample time to see approaching danger and prepare to meet it.

In our verse for today Habakkuk is standing on the ramparts.  He is watching, but not for the enemy.  This prophet of God is wondering when God will deliver them from the evil and violent Chaldeans.  He is watching and waiting expectantly for God to answer.  I can just see him, shielding his eyes and squinting into the distance, thinking, “How long?”  He expects the Lord to reprove him for all his questions and his doubts.  But God does not.  Instead, he is promised that a vision is coming describing the destruction of their enemy.  “Though it tarries, wait for it; it will certainly come.” (verse 3)  So, Habakkuk still had to wait, but with a promise.

God asks me to wait too.  He allows those delays to test my faith.  Having to wait develops in me patience, calm, serenity and strength.  I am to watch and to wait on those ramparts, looking for His answers.  But I wait with His precious promises in my heart, and that makes all the difference!

Lord, help me keep watch with faith!

(Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.)


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Pac-Man

Scripture for Today: I Timothy 6:11  “But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.”

The video arcade game, Pac-Man , has been around since 1980 and is considered a classic.  Not only is it viewed as a landmark in video game history, but it is even part of the collection of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC!

The movements of Pac-Man’s enemies seem random.  But in fact, they are predetermined.  The player knowing them has a distinct advantage.  What is surprising about the game is that it emphasizes avoiding enemies rather than fighting them.  This game is considered foundational to the stealth games that followed.

In our verse for today, there are vices from which to flee and there are qualities we are to pursue.  From the context, “these things”  refer to the love of money (verse 10).  Somehow, the love of money is a formidable enemy.  We do not try to engage it in battle.  It is the source of many other evils.  Longing for money draws us away from our faith and causes grief.  We are to flee.  We are to do everything we can to avoid this unhealthy desire that can destroy faith.

Rather than pursuing riches, our lives demonstrate other priorities!   The list in our verse sounds very much like the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).  The qualities here are intangibles.  They do not normally improve our standing in the world or our social status.  But in God’s eyes, they are precious as they show that we resemble His Son.

The pull of that enemy, the longing for riches, is a strong one.  I need the help of the Spirit to see what is truly valuable in God’s economy.  Lord, keep me pursuing what is important to You!

(Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.)


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Noise Abatement

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 62:5  “My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.”

There are times when silence seems very elusive!  At my in-laws’ home near the airport, the planes seem to fly over continually.  There is no need for an alarm clock if one starts the day at 7 am as that begins their noisy passage overhead.  However, the noise could be much worse.  The John Wayne airport is one of the country’s most noise sensitive airports.  It sits in the center of Orange County’s residential areas.  Their noise abatement rules are very strict with ten monitors making sure the airplanes stay within specific noise limits.  Even so, I am often distracted with the sound of their engines.

Sometimes I need to insist on some “noise abatement” in my own life.  The television blaring, the music playing, or the neighbor’s noise can all conspire to keep me from turning my thoughts to spiritual things.  Our verse for today talks about waiting for God in silence.  When all the noisy distractions are gone, my soul can finally listen for His still small voice.

It is in the silence that I wait for God to speak, wait for Him to answer prayer, or wait for Him to act on my behalf.  In the stillness my soul is quieted with thoughts of His love and His power to save.  In His reassuring presence I am reminded that He is my hope; my only hope.  In the silence, thoughts of my Lord calm me down.  I so need those quiet times.  My soul can then continue to be quieted when I need to re-enter my noisy world.

Thank you Lord, for those precious silent moments with You.

(Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.)


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Birds of Paradise

Scripture for Today: Luke 23:42-43 “….’Jesus, remember me when You come in Your Kingdom.’  Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'”

These beautiful flowers are everywhere in southern California.  Their vivid orange petals grow vertically and the deep blue ones horizontally, giving them a peculiar bird-like appearance.  Their blooms do not appear until three to five years after planting the seeds.  Florists like to use them to mark a ninth wedding anniversary, suggesting that they represent faithfulness.  However, these flowers are also said to symbolize a clear perspective on life!

Today’s verse is a request to Jesus from one of the thieves hanging on a cross next to Him.  Jesus promises him that because of his faith, he will be in Paradise that very day.  The word, “paradise” is the Persian word for “garden.”  One very important tree grows there; the tree of life (Rev. 2:7).  There, in Paradise, we will live life as it was meant to be.  There will be no pain, sickness or death.  There will be no sin, guilt or ugliness.  There will only be unending joy in His presence!

It is so hard to imagine Paradise.  But one thing is sure.  It will be so much better than my imagination!  And thinking about Paradise gives me a clear perspective on life here and now.  I can face the hard times with hope because of Paradise.  I can look past the failures and dashed expectations when I think about that future place of indescribable beauty!  I can even endure those painful separations when I know with certainty that one day there will be no more goodbyes.

Thank you Lord, for the promise of Paradise!