Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: God’s Love


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Falling in Love

chocolate-a19de532014ed9ad141b3e71154e499eScripture for Today: Psalm 89:2 “I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in heaven itself.”

I had to chuckle when I saw this same saying inscribed over the doorway of a cafe!  I admit that I am a “chocoholic” but I do have my standards.  I am most tempted with the dark and only in certain forms.  Indulging in that creamy satisfying taste never lets me down.  Chocolate always lives up to my expectation.  But before long, I would have to “fall” into it again to have that same satisfying experience.  The expression, “falling in love,” makes love seem haphazard and unintentional.  If we can fall in, perhaps we can climb out as well.

Today’s verse speaks of a love that stands firm forever.  It is a love that is constant and true because of the One who is doing the loving!  Beginning this relationship does not involve falling into it, unless we are falling to our knees in repentance and humility!

It is understandable that love can disappoint.  Love between flawed humans is in a constant state of flux.  Our ever-changing emotions make our love unreliable.  But there is a love that does not change.  God’s love is so great that it reaches to the skies! (Ps. 57:10)  He will never disappoint.  That is because His love does not depend on me but on His faithful promise.  His faithfulness to His Word is untouchable there in Heaven itself!

What a huge comfort to know that the Lord is never going to give up on me!  Nothing is going to change His love.  God is Love in its most beautiful and purest form.

How amazing it is that You can love me, Lord!  Help me believe it on this Valentine’s Day!


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Carob Pods

Scripture for Today: Luke 15:16 “He longed  to fill his stomach with the  pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”

I have never seen a carob pod growing although they have been cultivated in California since being imported in 1873.  They almost look like locusts the way they hang off a branch, which is why they are also called, “locust bean.”  This tree grows well in the Mediterranean climate and the pods are used to feed livestock, but we enjoy them too.  The seeds when pulverized are a great substitute for chocolate.  Carob chocolate has only half the fat of regular chocolate, but then I only enjoy it half as much!

Today’s verse from a parable describes a young man who was desperately hungry.  After asking for his inheritance from his Father and then squandering it, he finds himself feeding carob pods to the pigs and wishing he could fill up his stomach with them as well.  It is finally at this point that the “prodigal son” comes to his senses and returns to his Father.  His Father, representing our Heavenly Father, runs out to welcome him.

So many are living contentedly with carob pods in the pigsty when they could be dining at their Father’s table (and with real chocolate!)  So many do not come to their senses.  And the Father did everything right.  There was no lack of love or failure to communicate truth.  He raised that son perfectly.  Yet, the son rebelled.  It serves no purpose to second guess or feel guilty that something more could have been done.  It is the Lord who does all the “doing” to draw us to Himself.  And thankfully, there is always hope that a loved one will return to God’s waiting arms.

Lord, keep me hoping and praying.


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No Longer New

wrapping-paper-messScripture for Today: Lamentations 3:22-23  “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are NEW every morning: great is Your faithfulness.”

I am not sure that any Christmas present can live up to the hype we give it.  The surprise and thrill of something new is great!  The problem is that newness can quickly wear off and become mundane, leaving us dissatisfied and bored.  Old news, old hat, been there, done that.  We feel compelled to search again for the next new thing!  How long until the next Christmas or birthday?

Our Creator God understands our need for the new!  His promises of new are not found “under the sun” where King Solomon searched.  Rather they are found in the spiritual realm.  Today’s verse tells us that His compassions are new every morning.  He continually reveals something new about Himself.  His compassion today is not leftovers from yesterday.  His relationship with me is new and fresh and timely every morning.  In fact, His renewed compassion for me is the reason I get up in the morning!

Perhaps you are like me.  Even as a child of God I can sometimes be bored.  Desiring something new in my day is fine.  But when I look for satisfaction in the new, I find it a quick but temporary fix as the new eventually becomes old.  However, experiencing His compassions never gets old!   Discovering something new in His nature is a discovery that begins now and lasts for all eternity!  Every morning I can look forward to something NEW!  And this “new” will never grow old!

Thank you Lord, for renewing Your love for me this morning.

 


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O Come O Come Emmanuel

Scripture for Today: Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us.’)

This carol is sung to a slow majestic tune sounding like a Gregorian chant.  No one knows its author but it is thought to be written in Latin by a monk sometime before 800AD.  The text is replete with Old Testament prophesies regarding the Messiah.  The words are deep and meaningful as in, “O come, o come thou Dayspring bright! Pour on our souls thy healing light. Dispel the long night’s lingering gloom and pierce the shadows of the tomb.”

Our verse for today comes from the words spoken by an angel to Joseph in a dream.  After realizing Mary was pregnant he was contemplating divorcing Mary quietly.  The angel explained that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and he was not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.  Not only was he to name the baby Jesus, but people would refer to Him as Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”  This would fulfill a prophesy spoken many years before by Isaiah.

God with us.  Have I heard the Christmas story so often that I have lost the meaning somewhere?  What a pivotal moment in history this was, that God would humble Himself and enter our world as a baby!  At that instant, everything changed.  He lowered Himself into our messy world to redeem us.  He brought light and life to a hopeless hurting world.  And He did it out of love for each of us!

There are many sweet and good traditions surrounding Christmas.  They can create warm feelings and special family times.  But the real wonder and delight is that this baby is God with us!

Thank you Lord, for being with me today.


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The First Noel

Scripture for Today:  Luke 2:10-11  “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'”

The French do not have to worry about who they may offend in wishing strangers “Merry Christmas.”  Their word for this holiday is “Noel” and so the word, “Christ” is not apparent.   And yet, Noel is all about the incredible news of our Savior’s birth.

The word,”noël” was first used in the English language in the 14th century.  There are two ideas about its origin.  The first thought is that “noël” is a variant of “nael” derived in turn from the Latin word, “natalis” meaning, “birth.”  As Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus, that makes sense.  Then there is the idea that “noël” is derived from the French word, “nouvelles” meaning, “news.”  In either case, the emphasis is on the good news of our Savior’s birth.

Today’s verse is all about that good news announced by the angel to the shepherds in the fields.  It is surprising enough that first one angel and then a host of them appeared to these men, but just as surprising are the recipients of this message.  Shepherds were considered as dirty lower-classed people in this society.  Yet, God chose them to be present at a very intimate private scene.  They were part of a pivotal moment in history!  Not many wise, influential or noble were called.  But God chose the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong (I Cor. 1:26-27).  God’s gift of salvation through His Son is for everyone.

Thank you Lord, for calling me.