Devotions By Jan

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In God We Trust

pennyunnamedScripture for Today: Proverbs 11:28 “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.”

My neighbor recently held a garage sale and I came away with this bracelet.  Perhaps at her price I was not really out a dollar as there are eleven coins making up the bracelet!  It is surprising that our coins still bear the inscription, “In God We Trust.”  Despite some controversy this motto has been in continuous use since 1909, having been passed by Congress in 1865 at the request of the people.  This affirmation of faith came at a difficult time in American history; during the Civil War.

It seems incongruous to see the idea of trusting God on our coinage.  In fact, it would be more truthful to say that we trust in our own wealth.  Our verse for today talks about trusting in our riches.  It is a natural inclination both then and now.  With riches comes a sense of control and independence.  Trusting in our riches means we are trusting in ourselves with very little need for God.

Riches in themselves are not wrong but are sometimes even a sign of blessing in Scripture.  I do not often feel rich, but in the eyes of many from an impoverished world I am.  Unfortunately, being rich can be a pitfall.  It is easy for me to trust in my own resources rather than the One who provided them.  This verse tells me that if I continually trust in riches, I will eventually fall.  They will not hold me up.  But the Lord promises that I will thrive when I trust in Him.  I do not need riches to thrive, I need Him!

Help me Lord, to practice what is written on that penny.


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Moms and Comfort

Mom10333631_10152447962204311_5204876601782607400_oScripture for Today:  Isaiah 66:13 “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

It is a comfort to me to still have my Mom here.  At 93 she could soon be knocking on eternity’s door.  But for now, we still enjoy her and all the “mommyisms” that she still says.  I find myself sounding like her saying to my children, “This too shall pass,” or “You’ll do just fine.”  Her faith in Christ has kept her positive, hopeful, and sweet even when she is tired and hurting.  I still turn to her for comfort out of long habit.

I love our verse for today after just celebrating Mother’s Day.  We relate to God as our Heavenly Father.  But in this verse, God is also pictured as a Mother.  His comfort is as sweet and warm as a Mother’s is for her child.  That softness and empathy He shows when we are hurting is a side of the Lord on which we can rely.  This verse is especially for His people, the Israelites, in the promise of restoration and healing of their land.  But these beautiful qualities of comfort and caring are seen in the God of all comfort (II Cor. 1:3) being described as the “Father of all compassion.”  Our comfort also abounds through Christ (verse 5) and the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter (John 14:16).

I will not always have my Mother to turn to for comfort.  But I will always have the Lord.  He sees my tears.  He understands my heart.  He comes in close to comfort and assure me when I am feeling down and vulnerable.  There are times when I am convinced I am feeling His arms wrapped tightly around me.

Thank you Lord, for mothering me.


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The Partridge

Scripture for Today: Jeremiah 17:11 “Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those that gain riches by unjust means. When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools.”

The only partridge I am familiar with is the one “in a pear tree” as part of the Christmas song!  In reading about her, I have learned that up in a pear tree is the last place one would find a partridge.  These birds build their nest close to the ground in the fields and hedges of farmland.  The partridge hen produces some of the largest “clutches” of any bird species; up to 22 eggs!

Our verse for today refers to a partridge hatching eggs.  Not only is she hatching her own, but those of others.  This is not a behavior common to this bird but it makes the point.  The partridge produces more eggs than any other bird.  Wanting more is a good description of insatiable greed.  How many eggs are enough?  For some, gaining more and more riches is the goal of life.  As acquiring more does not satisfy, one is driven to continue amassing wealth by any means.

How sad to see a life impoverished by ill-gotten riches!  Reputations are ruined.  Relationships are irreparably broken and life ends up becoming meaningless.  The person described here proves himself a fool.  What a contrast with the one who puts their trust in the Lord! (vs. 7)  He will be blessed and rewarded for his honesty and integrity.  Riches “will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” (Prov. 23:5)  I want to be content with the number of eggs in my own nest.

Lord, thank you for the blessing and reward that comes from trusting You.


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Sleeping Security

starbucks-security-guard-sleeping-on-duty-videoScripture for Today: Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

I had to smile at this security guard asleep on the job.  He even has a cup of coffee in his hand, but his fatigue got the best of him!  Perhaps if he were standing instead of sitting, he could have stayed alert.  It seems unusual to post a guard at a Starbucks but perhaps this particular site was losing money from shoplifters.  With the security guard asleep on the job, there could have been all kinds of shoplifting without any consequences.  I would be surprised if this guard kept his job.

Our verse for today talks about the task of guarding our hearts.  It needs guarding as from it comes everything we think and do.  We guard our hearts because it is the center of our being, determining all of our choices and lifestyles.  For that reason, we guard what enters and we guard what comes out.

I would like to think that my mind is the source of everything I do.  My mind seems to be more easily controlled.  It can be taught, enlightened and stretched with new information.  Logic in decision making seems to make sense of what I do.  However, it never seems to work that way.  My head will say one thing and my heart quite another.  Emotions cloud the issue and veer me off course.  Somehow, knowing the best path does not always ensure that I take it.  My heart moves me in another direction.  Rather than trust my deceitful heart (Jer. 17:9) I need to guard it from betraying me.

Lord, I want to belong entirely to You.  Keep me awake and alert so that all that flows from my heart pleases You.


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Wedding Jewelry

bride-wearing-chinese-green-jade-necklaceScripture for Today: Isaiah 61:10 “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

This radiant bride reminded me of my own wedding day.  There were a few surprises marrying into a Chinese family.  An unexpected gift of jade was given me by my new Chinese Grandmother-in-law just after the ceremony.  She saw that I wore it right away with my wedding dress.  Jade is traditionally thought to ward off evil spirits and keep the couple safe on the wedding day.  This stone is historically thought to be royal, representing virtue, purity and righteousness.

Our verse for today brings all kinds of images to mind.  As believers we are clothed in the Lord’s righteousness.  The material is pure dazzling white because of the forgiveness we receive by faith.  As the Church, we are the Bride of Christ.  We are purified and presented to Him without spot or wrinkle.  We are glorious, set apart in a love relationship with Him (Eph. 5:27).  As if that were not enough, we are adorned with jewelry on that beautiful day that begins our eternity with Him!

My own efforts at righteousness are regarded as filthy rags (Is. 64:6).  They are as ineffectual as jade in truly making me virtuous or pure.  But the jewels I wear on that day will, like righteousness, be a gift of grace from His hand.  Jade will not make me royal either, but being a child of the King does!

What a day that will be!  Today I can “delight greatly” in just the thought of what is to come!  His salvation and righteousness make me beautiful!