Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Faith and Trust


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Planning

pencilindexScripture for Today: Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

This pencil is just a little bit special.  If you look closely, you will see that there is an eraser on both ends!  This must be what I am figuratively using right now, as my own plans seem to be in a constant state of change.  That is pretty normal when taking care of a fifteen month old baby.  His needs take priority over any plans I might have envisioned for the day.  I might have planned to shower.  I might have planned to sleep.  I certainly did not plan on a crying meltdown!

Today’s verse reveals the Lord’s plans for His own.  He is good, merciful, loving and compassionate.  It only follows that His plans are good as well.  He sees the beginning and He sees the end.  He knows the outcome that we cannot know.  But His plans will include hard times that grow our faith and glorify Him.  He erases our ideas of what is good and replaces them with what He knows is best.  He is the only One who has the power and the control to do that.  He is the only One I can trust to do that.

In looking back, I can see that His plans have been for the best.  I do not regret His eraser.  If left to my self and my own warped desires, I  am pretty sure I would have made a mess of things.  His way leads to a life that is richly blessed with His presence and love.  With His plans, there is always hope and an incredible future!

Lord, help me to trust Your plan for today!


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Eagle Wings

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 23:5 “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”

How amazing to see an eagle in flight!  Their wings are impressive, often measuring six and seven feet across.  They can climb ten thousand feet up into the air and soar for hours.  This amazing “King of Birds” can cruise at forty miles per hour.  The eagle wing, being concave on its underside and convex on its outerside, is created to maximize the wind passing over it thereby giving it lift.

Today’s verse describes how riches often up and fly away.  We are better off to cast but a glance at them rather than to focus all our attention on riches.  We are told not to wear ourselves out to get rich (verse 4).  Those riches somehow sprout wings and fly right out of the wallet.  I am always amazed to hear stories of lottery winners who end up bankrupt!  But some part of me can understand.  I just broke a twenty dollar bill for a small purchase and before I realized it, it was gone.  How does that happen?  Where does it go?  A glance is all I get as money seems to disappear almost as quickly as it appears!

Riches are often a blessing coming directly from God’s hand.  The problem comes when I place my confidence in my own resources rather than in Him.  Riches are uncertain (I Timothy 6:17) but the Lord is worthy of my trust.  He wants me in a place of dependency on Him.  As it turns out, knowing and loving Him is the best kind of riches!

Help me Lord, to give riches but a glance and instead fix my eyes on You.

 


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Gluten Sensitivity

Scripture for Today: John 6:35-36 “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.'”

I would hate to have problems with gluten and I feel badly for those that do!  Those gastrointestinal symptoms plus the fatigue and headaches are no fun.  The more serious condition of Celiac even damages the small intestine.  Doctors caution that the gluten free diet does not automatically mean a more healthy diet or lead to weight loss unless it is done properly.  I am fortunate not to have to deal with this as I really enjoy my bread!

In today’s verse, Jesus uses the image of bread and water to show just how much we need Him.  He satisfies the hunger of our souls in a way that nothing else can.  But there is a condition.  We are to come to Him in faith.  Jesus is speaking to those who He had just miraculously fed.  They were only interested in having their stomachs filled (verse 26).  Somehow they were not seeing that Jesus was offering, “food that endures to eternal life” (verse 27).  They could not bring themselves to believe in Him as the bread of life from the Father (verse 33).  Their physical appetites were masking their deeper spiritual need.

I can’t be too hard on them.  I wonder if I only come to Him for what He can do for me.  Or do I find satisfaction just in loving Him and serving Him.  Do my temporal physical needs get in the way of enjoying a deep satisfying relationship?  I want to seek Him first and above all else.

Lord, help me to go deeper with You today.

 


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Bowed Down

bowed cactusindexScripture for Today: Psalm 145:13b-14 “The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”

I was intrigued to see this odd plant on my walk at the harbor.  It is an agave succulent native to Mexico.  The nectar or “honey water” from this plant has long been used as a sweetener.  Its vertical flower stalk can grow up to ten feet!  Because it arches back toward the ground it is sometimes called, Fox Tail, Lion’s Tail or Swan’s Neck.  To me it looks just a bit sad and depressed .  But in fact it is producing so many small blooms that the weight of them bows it down.

Today’s verse is an encouraging promise.  The Lord is trustworthy because He is faithful to all His promises.  He promises to uphold all who fall and lift up those who are bowed down.  He sees when life becomes a heavy burden and we fall and stumble under its weight.  He understands when the struggles we face bow us down so we see only the ground.  But He promises to lift us up!

What is so incredible is that like this plant, I can still be producing something beautiful even when I am bowed down!  When I successfully move out of that depression or funk, I can share with someone else who is struggling (II Cor. 1:4).  My life can speak to others of the faithfulness of the Lord.  He does lift me up when I am down.  But even the experience of being down can be turned around by Him to be something beautiful and useful to Him!  How gracious He is!

Thank you Lord, that You are faithful to lift me up!

 


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Stalagmites

stalagmites12791091_10153848573085115_8988916661256579868_nScripture for Today: James 5:11 “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

What an incredible sight to see these stalactites and stalagmites so far underground in the north of France!  Our tour guide had to constantly prod us to keep moving.  But between the picture taking and the spontaneous singing of our chorale group, we made slow progress!  These magnificent cone-like structures are formed by slowly dripping water that deposit calcite.  They only grow one fourth to one half inch every century!

Today’s verse talks about how important it is to persevere in order to appreciate the compassion and mercy of the Lord.  The one who perseveres is blessed or happy.  Certainly Job did not feel especially blessed when going through all the heartache of loss and calamity.  In fact, he argued with his well-meaning friends and questioned God about what was happening.  But Job did persevere in staying true to his Lord.  Even though he was ignorant of the reasons for his trials, he did not give in to the pressure from his wife to curse God and die.  And in the end Job was blessed!

God finally brought about a positive outcome though it took years and years.  We may also be asked to wait for that “finally” or that positive outcome that the Lord in His mercy and compassion brings about.  Just as those stalagmites take years to form, so God’s plan can take a lifetime to accomplish.  I may never understand it all but I can persevere and be true to Him because He is loving and faithful, no matter what!

Regardless of what this day brings, keep me faithful to You.