Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Christmas Season


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Do You Hear What I Hear?

Scripture for Today:Matthew 13:16 “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

I never quite understood the symbolism in the carol, Do You Hear What I Hear, until I looked at its history.  It was written in 1962 by a couple named Noel and Gloria Regney.  Each stanza asks the question and the conversation is not resolved until the end where the king declares that all people should pray for peace and that the Child born would give us goodness and light.

This carol was written as a prayer for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Knowing that gives new meaning to the “star” that is seen in the sky with a “tail as big as a kite,” and the so-called song above the trees with a “voice as big as the sea.”  I love that the carol uses the lamb as a picture of innocence.  But for each of the images in the carol, there is a corresponding spiritual truth!

The star can also be seen as the star of Bethlehem heralding Christ’s coming and the birth of hope.  Jesus was called the Lamb of God, His sacrifice taking away our sin.  As the song says this Child, “will bring us goodness and light.”  And the Lord did just that!  John declares that God is light (I John 1:5) and David affirms that His goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6).

Not everyone sees.  Not everyone hears.  The message of Christmas is so often lost in the beautiful distractions of the season.  I want to keep my focus on the Giver of goodness and light.  Do you hear His invitation to, “come and see?” (Psalm 66:5)  Do you see Jesus for who He really is; God’s only Son?

Lord, keep me seeing and listening for You.

 

 


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“Lo How A Rose”

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

I love all the old Christmas carols, the older the better.  “Lo How A Rose” is not so well known, written in the 15th century and translated from German.  I was surprised to hear the instrumental version in the mall!  Its poetic lyrics liken Jesus’ coming to the blooming of a rose, like a bright flower in the dark of night.  The fourth verse says that the fragrance of this Flower, “dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere.”

Today’s verse is a prophesy about the death of Jesus and what it will accomplish.  We celebrate His birth this season, knowing that His life and death changed history.  He came to this earth to die.  Just as the fragrance of a rose comes from crushing the petals, so  the fragrance of His salvation and grace was realized through being “crushed for our iniquities.”  The deep dark red of the rose reminds me of His precious blood.  Peace with God was not possible until sin was punished.  Because Christ took on Himself that punishment, our sick souls are healed.

I will forever be grateful for His birth, His life and His incredible sacrifice.  His coming that first Christmas meant hope, beauty and light in a dark desperate world.  What is so amazing is that He did it for me!  He did it for all those who will accept His love for them.  “Like a rose trampled on the ground, You took the fall, And thought of me, Above all.”

Thank you Lord, for coming to this earth for me!


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Counting Blessings

IMG_20151222_105135Scripture for Today: Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

I was the lucky one!  During an ornament exchange I felt that I was the big winner taking home this royal vial.  The crown on top reminded me that I am a child of the King.  And the word, “blessed,” is such a good reminder to me of all that I have received.  I especially needed to keep that truth in mind when surrounded by the glitz and glamour of store displays and the draw of the next new thing.  I loved this ornament so much I made it into a necklace!

Today is the last day of the year and a good time to reflect on all His blessings.  Today’s verse is full of praise for blessings already given to those who know and love the Lord.  These blessings are not material but spiritual.  That means they will last into eternity!  He has blessed His own by choosing them, adopting them, granting redemption and forgiveness, marking them with the Holy Spirit, and giving them an inheritance!  What an incredible list of blessings!

I sometimes get distracted by what I consider “blessing” here on this earth.  But whatever I think I am lacking is of no importance when compared to the riches of His grace and the blessing of an eternal home with Him.  If He never blessed me with another material blessing, I would still be unbelievably blessed by what He has already done for me!  My heart is so blessed that the only way to respond is to praise Him!

Lord, make my heart grateful today for all Your incredible blessings!


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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.