Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Faith and Trust


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The Pied Kingfisher

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 31:5 “Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; He will shield it and deliver it, He will pass over it and rescue it.”

This is one amazing bird!  The Pied Kingfisher lives in Asai and Sub Saharan Africa and is referred to as the “King of Kingfishers!”   The black and white markings make him easily recognizable.  But it is his specialized hunting skills that make him remarkable.  He is the largest hovering bird, scouting his prey from 50-60 feet above water.  He uses no air currents but instead will flap his wings 8 times a second to hold himself in place.

Today’s verse describes God’s promise to His people to shield, deliver and rescue them.  They had turned to Egypt for help from their enemies rather than to God.  They had turned to the silver and gold idols they themselves had made rather than to God.  This promise is made despite their revolt and with the promise comes a call to return to Him (verse 6).  He is the One who hovers and sees every distress.  He is the One who not only surveys from above but like the Kingfisher, descends with amazing precision.  Nothing escapes His watchful eyes and nothing is beyond His power.

He sees it all.  And He uses that knowledge to show me His goodness, mercy and love.  The plan He is unfolding in my life takes into account every tear.  He is my “El Roi,” the God who sees.  He saw Hagar’s tears and He sees mine (Gen. 16:13).  He hovers.  He stays in the place of tender concern.  I can be assured that my circumstances, though difficult, are working towards a good that I may not ever see this side of eternity.  He has promised.

Thank you Lord, that your love and protection hover over me!

 


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Are We There Yet??

Scripture for Today: II Corinthians 4:17 “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

“Are we there yet?” must be the most often-asked question while going through this tunnel!  The Laerdal tunnel in Norway is the longest land tunnel in the world at 24.5 kilometers.  Because of concern for the well-being of the travelers, advice was sought from industrial psychology consultants.  To keep people positive, three large caverns were built every six kilometers with blue lighting to suggest daylight and yellow lighting on walls to represent sunrise!  But what would keep me positive is the sign with the length posted!

Today’s verse encourages positivity as our troubles are said to be “momentary.”  Regardless of the duration, every difficulty in life is temporary when compared to eternity!   Pain is momentary but glory is eternal.  And the glory experienced in Heaven grows in direct relation to our afflictions here on earth.  The hard times experienced by the believer are not only momentary but are working for him.  What awaits us far outweighs any sadness and pain on earth.

To answer the question, no, we are not there yet.  But we will be.  Ten thousand years from now I very much doubt that I will give this pandemic a second thought.  All the trials and difficult times I experience are but for a moment  They are a temporary condition.  And as hard as they feel, it is a pain that is never wasted.  My sorrow is not for nothing.  This truth keeps me from “losing heart” (verse 16).  Remembering this keeps me looking forward to what is unseen and eternal.

Thank you Lord, that life’s trials can seem small when compared to You and eternity!


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Blind as a Bat

Scripture for Today: II Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith, not by sight.”

It certainly does not seem as if these Mexican free-tailed bats are blind.  Although pitch dark, they seem to know exactly where they are going.  They are not bumping in to each other or the walls of Bracken Cave, their summer home in Mexico.  Theirs is the world’s largest bat colony housing more than 15 million.  It is actually a myth that bats are blind, although some species prefer relying on echolocation rather than their sight.

Today’s verse states that a believer will not rely only on his sight to navigate this life.  The one who places their confidence in his Creator has the advantage of faith or “spiritual sight” to guide him.  It may sometimes seem like a “blind faith” as we cannot understand the work of God completely (Eccl. 11:5).  We do not see the path of the wind or how the body is formed in the mother’s womb.  There is so much we do not understand.  But we trust our Heavenly Father without knowing all the details.

What is reassuring about our faith is that it is not really blind at all.  We know the One in whom we place our trust and that makes all the difference!  When I cannot understand what He is doing, I can still trust that He will be true to His character; loving, good, faithful and true.  I can trust that He will be true to His Word.  He is never random or capricious. My faith is not blind as it is placed in the One who sees all.  I can even, like Corrie Ten Boon, “trust an unknown future to a known God.”

Thank you Lord, that my faith in You is never blind.


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Walls Closing In

Scripture for Today: Psalm 118:5  “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place.”

It feels as if the walls are closing in.  I love my house but lately, it has been feeling smaller and smaller.  With stay-at-home expectations and social distancing, there is a deep longing for not only connection but for wide open places and big sky.  This must be a little bit like what the claustrophobic feels.

In today’s verse it was not so much walls closing in but enemies.  This psalm is full of praise for deliverance as God has proven Himself faithful yet again.  Enemies have been vanquished and the people are celebrating!  The king had cried out in distress because of the enemies’ attacks and the Lord answered and put him in a wide open place.  No longer does he feel surrounded and closed in by the enemy (verse 10-11).  The Lord becomes his strength, his song and his salvation (verse 14).

I may not have the distress of enemies attacking, but I do feel surrounded on all sides by different pressures.  There is fear of the unknown.  The distress of finances, health issues, coming changes or family issues can all feel like walls  closing in on me.  If I allow my imagination to join in I can easily slip into a state of panic!  The only and best thing to do is to cry out to the Lord.  He is there to be my strength, my song and my salvation.  In His lovingkindness, He pushes back the walls.  He leads me to wide open places where there are green pastures and quiet waters. (Psalm 23:2)  I no longer feel confined when he restores my soul!

Lord, help me to stay in that wide open place of trusting You.


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The Blue Jay

Scripture for Today: Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.”

This clever scrub blue jay is carefully looking left and right before hiding away his treasured peanuts.  His behavior is called “caching” rather than “hoarding,” a term used for rodents.  Caching is normally more short term and seasonal.  And though he lives in a family group, he will not share.  He selfishly hides the food and retrieves it in secret!  There are no posted store signs to discourage this behavior and there is no one to see an overloaded shopping cart!

Today’s verse reassures the believer that not only is the Lord aware of shortages, but He promises to meet our basic needs.  There is never a question that God will not have enough.  Riches in Christ Jesus are infinite and not subject to the variance of supply and demand.  Paul says he is “amply supplied’ and that he even has more than enough (verse 18) thanks to their gifts.  He then assures them that because of their sharing, God will see to it that they do not lack for anything needed.

When I see shortages at the stores during this unusual time of pandemic, there is the temptation to “squirrel away” much more than I need.  To some extent, stockpiling can be a reasonable response.  But when it becomes hoarding or caching is when I have no intention of sharing with others.  I know the Lord does not honor that kind of selfish spirit.  Panic-induced hoarding can signal in me a lack of trust in my Heavenly Father.  He does not ask me to put toilet paper first, but His Kingdom (Matt. 6:33).  And when I do He takes care of all the rest.

Thank you Lord, that You meet all my needs.