Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Cat Images


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Good Taste

Scripture for Today: Job 34:3-4 “For the ear tests words as the tongue tests food. Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.”

This cat looks to be enjoying ice cream almost as much as I do!  Our Tiger never tasted the stuff because I was always unwilling to share.  However, I have given him as taste of yogurt and he was thrilled.  I imagine many cats enjoy foods that involve milk or cream.  But I still remember the veterinarian warning us that the digestive system of an adult cat does not take too well to drinking milk.  Although the taste is delicious, it is not so good for him.

Today’s verse records the advice of one of Job’s three friends.  Elihu was eager to help Job discover the reason for his troubles.  He had a lot to say but it was off the mark.  Certainly, we are to test what we hear and listen with discernment.  Just as we taste food to see if it has a pleasing flavor, so we “taste” what we hear to decide if it rings true.  The problem is that we all have differing taste buds.  What seems right and good to one can seem wrong and sour to another.  Our subjectivity gets in the way of finding absolute truth.

Thankfully, we do not have to discern for ourselves what is right.  It is not up to us to come to some sort of consensus.  God’s Law goes beyond individual opinion or cultural norms.  God’s Law does not change with the times.  Surveys and votes do not change what God has put in place.  And not only does it taste good, but it is good for us!

Help me Lord, to discern what You call good and right.


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Holding a Grudge

Scripture for Today: Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

They say that cats do not hold grudges.  There is supposed to be some other reasonable explanation for their behavior.  However, when returning from a trip, it would always take our Tiger a bit of time to warm back up to us.  He would hold himself aloof and look at us sideways as if to say, “Where have you been and how dare you leave me?”  After a few rebuffed overtures he would eventually be his loving self again.

Today’s verse can be convicting.  It is repeated throughout Scripture that we are not to take revenge (Romans 12:19).  That job is done much better by the Lord who sees hearts and is righteous.  However, holding a grudge is something that we feel entitled to do.  Holding a grudge is reminding ourselves that it is not OK what was done to us.  Holding a grudge keeps the memory alive and keeps the offender at arm’s length.

So often, the guilty one is unaware of that unforgiving spirit we harbor.  It certainly does nothing to him.  The pain we continue to feel is self-inflicted and often becomes more important than the original offense.  Still, it is hard to let it go.  To forgive and forget seems as if we are letting that person get away with something.

We are told to love our own people and our neighbor.  These are the people who are close to us, making their wounds so much deeper.  It is impossible to forgive and let go without the Lord.  It can only happen as I continually give it to Him.

Lord, help me to forgive with even a tiny fraction of the pardon You have shown me!


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Struggle-Free

Scripture for Today: Psalms 46:10  “Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations!  I will be exalted in the earth!”

Our Siamese cat, Chin-Chin, lived for eighteen years.  Most every year she had a beautiful litter of kittens that my Mother would sell.  It was not unusual to see Chin-Chin carrying around her kittens by the scruff of their necks.  As a young girl, it always bothered me to see that, thinking that it must hurt the kitten.  But of course, the kitten was fine, as long as he did not struggle.  I have since learned about this odd reflex that causes the kitten to hold its body stiffly, its hindquarters raised with its tail and hind legs curled.  It is not that the kitten goes limp.  Its body is not flaccid, remaining firm.  But there is no struggle.

Our verse for today calls for stillness.  Just as for that kitten, there are times to be still and allow the Lord to have His way.  The context of this verse describes insurmountable obstacles such as changes in the earth, troubled waters and mountains trembling.  In all of this upheaval well beyond one’s control, the trusting response is stillness and quiet trust in the sovereignty of God.  He reassures us of His powerful presence.  That stillness allows Him to carry us.

Being quiet and still, carried through trial by His presence is such a beautiful image of His love.  It is never His intention that I worry or fret or struggle with questions and doubts.  He wants to carry me but He cannot until I stop struggling and fussing.

Help me, Lord, to be still and in that stillness feel you carrying me through.

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


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Tiger Care

Scripture for Today: I Peter 5:6-7  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you.”

Meet Tiger, our spoiled cat.  He looks like he does not have a care in the world!  And with the way we look after him he really doesn’t!  It is to Tiger’s advantage to be an “indoor cat.”  There are plenty of feral cats that multiply in the vineyards behind the house.  They are not very pleasant being big, mean and riddled with disease.  Our ferocious Tiger is a real pussy cat.  He does not have to worry where his next meal is coming from or if he can find shelter from the rain.  But in some strange way he has to “be humbled.”  He has to be dependent on us rather than hang with the big cats!  But by doing so, all his needs are met.

Our verse for today talks about humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God.  It means being indoors under His care.  His hand is mighty and powerful to take care of each and every need.  In being humble and submissive to Him I am in a place of receiving His care.  I am indoors.  I am sheltered, well fed and my needs are met.

What is so strange is that sometimes I want to hang with the big cats too.  The world has such a pull on me.  Like Eve, I can be deceived into thinking that God is somehow holding out on me, when in fact all my needs are met in Him.  To venture out into the world is to turn my back on His care.  Why ever do I do that?  He cares for me.

Thank you Lord, for Your perfect care.


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Waking Up

Scripture for Today: Psalm 3:5 “I lie down and sleep. I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.”

We miss our Tiger.  But one thing I do not miss is him waking us early in the morning.  The door was always closed but in our old house, he was able to push it open.  He would then jump on the bed and nudge us until we either threw him out or got up.  I can think of worse ways to wake up.  A blaring buzzer on the alarm pulls me out of sleep a little too rudely.  I can still remember my children waking me up with their first cry of the day.  Waking up is just sometimes hard to do.

Our verse for today makes me realize that it is a gift to wake up at all.  It is the Lord’s grace that allows me to lie down and sleep.  I am warm and protected with a roof over my head when so many do not have that privilege.  I awake without fear of danger or war and I awake in good health.  Waking up with joy in my heart is not my strong point.  Yet, I am convinced that it is the Lord who allows me to wake up to one more day.  He sustains my life.  Each breath and each heart beat occurs because He has allowed it.

The Lord of course, never slumbers or sleeps.  He watches me wake up and waits for me to turn my thoughts to Him.  Do I awake with thankfulness in my heart for His gift of life?  Or do my thoughts immediately turn to deadlines and pressures of the day?

If I have not said it yet today, “Good morning, Lord.  Thank you for allowing me another day.”