Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Contentment


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Storm Chasers

Scripture for Today: Ecclesiastes 4:6 “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”

Why would anyone chase a storm?  To risk everything and knowingly put one’s self in the path of danger seems insane!  Storm chasers include locals with cell phone cameras, news crews, researchers, photographers, university field trips and van loads of storm tour groups!  Whether they are motivated by adventure or science, those who drive hundreds if not thousands of miles to chase a storm are passionate!  I can understand the thrill and the awe of nature but my sense of self-preservation is too strong to join them.  After all, it is just chasing after wind.

Solomon in Ecclesiastes often repeats the phrase, “chasing after the wind.”   Today’s verse notes just one of the activities he lists as futile.  Chasing after more and more wealth may fill two hands rather than just one but it does not give us peace.  The more we have, the more we seem to want.  There is always more to acquire with the promise of peace, security and satisfaction.  But when we arrive, we find that the promise was false.

Just as one cannot catch wind, one cannot find meaning in the material world.  We were created with “eternity in our hearts.” (Eccl. 3:11)  Everything else is not only temporal but in the end, unsatisfying.  Having more handfuls does not insure having peace.  More often than not, having more creates its own worries and headaches and robs us of peace!

Some of the most contented and peaceful people I know have surprisingly little in their hands.  But how easily I forget that fact.  The truth is, I want heart peace more than any material benefit that exists.

Thank you Lord, for the peace and rest I find in You.


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Open Hands

Scripture for Today: Psalm 104:28 “When You give to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.”

Hands can be so expressive.  When curled up they indicate tension.  When folded they can communicate a readiness to listen.  When their palms are lifted, the hands express bafflement or confusion.  Anger is expressed when they form a fist.  But the open hand is a giving hand.  I remember when our children were small.  We tried to avoid spanking with our hand.  We never wanted our hands to be feared.  How terrible when children cringe from a helping hand!  We wanted our hands to have a positive association.

This beautiful verse for today mentions God’s hands.  They are open in a giving gesture to provide for His creation.  Although God is spirit (John 4:24) it is helpful to have this image of His hands.  He reigns, delivers and does mighty works with His powerful right hand.  His hands are like no others and when He opens them, it is with loving provision.  All that is good in our lives comes from those open hands.

For the over zealous parent, a hand can be lifted in anger and punishment.  Wrath and judgement come from His righteous hands as well.  But for the believer who has placed their trust in Christ, His hands are full of mercy and grace.  His hands bear the scars from the nails that held Him on the cross.  I do not fear those hands as His perfect love has cast out all fear. (I John 4:18)  His outstretched hand provides not only for my physical needs but offers me forgiveness and peace for which my soul longs.  His hands provide for me what truly satisfies!

Thank you Lord, for opening Your hands to me.


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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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Early Riser

Scripture for Today: Psalm 127:2 “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for He grants sleep to those He loves.”

It goes without saying that “the early bird gets the worm.”  Yet I feel compelled to say it when I see this photo!  For his worms I wonder if that early bird stays up late too.  Perhaps the bird does not sleep so well wondering where to nab his next worm in the morning.  There are other birds out there to compete with after all.

Our verse for today was written by Solomon who has lots to say about vanity.  It is vain to make life all about acquisition.  He should know as he did not deny himself any possession or pleasure (Eccl. 2:10-11).  Yet when he surveyed all that he had toiled to achieve, it was meaningless.  God chooses to bless His loved ones and does so apart from our own toil, even in sleep.

The Bible is full of verses on being a good conscientious worker and not a sluggard.  But toiling incessantly is not the goal of life.  Living with constant stress is not God’s plan.  This world is so fast-paced seeming never to stop.  One is always in a hurry to do more, be more and produce more.  But when I put God’s Kingdom above everything else, God blesses me with everything needed (Matt. 6:33).  There is no point to burning the candle at both ends.  I can take that eight hours of sleep and not feel guilty.  I belong to Him and I trust His care and provision.  I can rest easy knowing He is faithful to provide.

Thank you Lord, that there will be sweet sleep tonight, knowing You love me.

 

 

 


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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.