Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: God’s Love


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In His Hands

Scripture for Today: Scripture for Today:  John 10:28-29  “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from My Father’s hand.”

What a beautiful picture of love, care and protection for the most vulnerable; a little baby!  Those strong hands cradle and soothe this little one to sleep and that peaceful smile is a trusting one.  There are no disturbing thoughts of approaching waves suddenly coming up from behind to snatch him from those hands.

Today’s verse describe God’s hands as being more powerful than any others.  Although God is spirit (John 4:24) the Bible is full of references to God’s eyes, arms or hands to help us understand Him.  There can be no sudden sneaky move on the part of the enemy that can snatch us out of His hand.  Those who belong to Him are held safe and secure in the same hands that formed the universe.  His are the hands that stilled the waters and calmed the seas.  Those hands touch and heal.  And they are scarred with the proof of His love.

I, myself, can not cause Him to let go.  My faith in Him put me there.  His power and love keep me there. They are hands that I can trust and He will not let me go.  My life and all of my tomorrows are in His hands, but more than that my eternity is in His hands!  If life is suddenly cut short, those same hands will gently and lovingly bring me into His very presence.  His hands are beautiful.

Lord, help me to be aware of Your loving hands today.


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Autographed

Scripture for Today: Revelation 22:3-4 “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face and His name will be written on their foreheads.”

What devotion!  This girl has the names of thirteen celebrities written on her body!  She asks her idols to sign somewhere on her arms or on her back in marker.  She then goes to her local tattooist to make her souvenir permanent.  Apparently she is choosy, allowing only those who she deems an icon to have this privilege.  The autographs she wears include Angelina Jolie, Celine Dion and Lionel Richie!

Today’s verse describes a time in eternity when those who belong to the Lord will wear His name.  And the privilege will be all ours!  We, as His servants, will have a closeness to His throne and will daily see His face.  His name will be on our foreheads, figuratively or literally.  More than an autograph, His name will mark us for all eternity as His very own.  And our service to Him will include forever reigning with Him (verse 5).

I may not have His name on my forehead now.  But hopefully, I am so closely identified with Him that I and others know that I belong to Him and He is mine!  His is a name that is above every other name (Phil. 2:9).  So exalted is this name that one day every knee will bow at even the sound of it!  He is the One who lifts my head high with His forgiveness (Ps 3:3).  When I look to Him I can be “radiant” and my face is not covered with shame (Ps. 34:5).

Lord, how unworthy I am.  Thank you for the incredible privilege of bearing Your name!

 


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Passion Fruit Flower

Scripture for Today: Hebrews 12:2b “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

I have always wondered why this flower is called the “passion flower.”  But it seems obvious when seeing the original Latin genus name of “passiflora,”  However, there is another explanation.  In the early 1700’s missionaries in Brazil used this flower as a teaching aid to explain the crucifixion.  They called it the “flower of 5 wounds” referring to the nail wounds in the hands and feet of Jesus and the lance wound in His side.

We are nearing the end of “Passion Week” which refers to the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.  Passion motivated the Lord to endure great suffering out of His love for us.  The word, “passion” or “passio” in Latin originally meant to endure suffering.  Later it came to mean any intense emotion.

Today’s verse gives us a glimpse into the passion Jesus felt as He hung on that cross.  He endured the pain, the humiliation and the shame.  He endured the scorn and the excruciating separation from His Father for the first time in all eternity.  He did it all for the joy set before Him.

Why was He so passionate?  What was the joy set before Him?  Could it have been me?  He rescued me because He delighted in me (Psalm 18:19).  He takes great delight in me and in His love will no longer rebuke me but rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17)  Because of His sacrifice an eternal love relationship is now possible.  It has always been a joy for me.  How amazing that I am a joy to Him as well!

Thank you Lord, for being a passionate God!

 


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Yield Sign

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”

It looks complicated.  I would have to stop a minute to figure out who would have to yield to whom!  It looks as if the bike has to yield to everyone and the horse and rider to no one!  But I do not suppose there are many intersections to worry about on this trail.  If there were confusion I would think common sense and common courtesy would go a long way.  In any case, yielding is often the safest choice.  When maneuvering through those huge traffic circles in Europe, I do not argue with a yield sign!

Today’s verse tells us we are to yield or submit to the Lord in each and every way we choose to take.  By acknowledging His control, His superior knowledge and His goodness, we travel a path much less complicated by twists and turns.  He makes our paths straight, unencumbered by lengthy unnecessary detours.  We reach our destination in good time, or in His time.  When we give way to Him rather than insisting on our own plan, we find He had a better idea all along!

Yielding my will to His is so often a struggle.  Even knowing that my own understanding is limited, I stubbornly resist.  I like being the one who makes the decisions.  Trusting Him with all my heart is scary without having some measure of control.  But He promises that when I do, He will make my paths straight, choosing the best way.  No time will be lost in making U turns or encountering dead ends.

Thank you Lord, that I can fully trust Your heart of love for me!


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Chocolate Citroen

chocolate-citroenScripture for Today: Psalm 90:14 “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

My husband is passionate about cars and I am passionate about chocolate.  This creation seems to cover all our bases!  My husband always turns his head to see one of these “Deux Cheveaux” go by.  But my head turns at any sign of chocolate.  This Citroen is made of 2,645 pounds of chocolate so both our heads turn!  It was created by eleven students in France as part of a project at their school for restaurant management.  This masterpiece took 4,000 hours of painstaking effort and the result is impressive.

Satisfaction with both cars and chocolate is not so easy to find.  Today’s verse tells us where true satisfaction can be found.   This psalm is a prayer of Moses.  After recounting all the times the Lord disciplined the Israelites in the desert, Moses recognizes that God’s love remained faithful and constant.  The people had experienced “trouble and sorrow” over many years.  Now Moses prays for the satisfaction that comes from God’s unfailing love.  That satisfaction will bring them joy and gladness every day, despite the hard times.

Chocolate, cars, or any other earthly passion can fail to consistently bring me satisfaction  But God’s love does not fail.  His love and compassion are renewed every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).  When I am feeling an emptiness and lack inside, lots of good things can be a temporary distraction.  But nothing can reach that deeper longing of my soul like an awareness of His love.  That reassurance not only satisfies but replaces the emptiness with a song of joy!  And what a wonderful way to begin a day, to be satisfied in the morning!

Lord, thank you for Your love that never ever fails me!