Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: God’s Strength and Power


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Meteors

Scripture for Today: Psalm 103:11 “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.”

Pictured here is the Perseid meteor shower over Sieversdorf, Germany.  The light show happens annually between mid July and mid August.  This meteor shower is composed of fragments from the comet, Swift Tuttle.  These create what is called a “Perseid cloud” as a stream of debris is formed.   The unofficial name is, “the tears of Saint Lawrence” as the peak of activity coincides with the date of his martyrdom.  Rather than think of a man when looking up, I cannot help but think of the amazing creativity of our God.

Our verse for today compares the height of the heavens with the size and grandeur of God’s love for us.  The meteors burn up just fifty miles above our heads, but the distances when talking about the heavens are mind boggling.  How amazing that the vastness of the heavens is a picture of the size of God’s love for us!

It is so difficult to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love Christ has for me (Eph. 3:18).  It goes beyond my limited knowledge.  It eludes my finite comprehension.  Just as distances boggle my mind when gazing at the heavens, so His love for me boggles the mind.  How could He love me so much?  Does He not see my failings, my weaknesses and my black heart?  I am too small and insignificant to deserve this unconditional love.  But believing it changes everything.  His love and forgiveness makes me the “apple of His eye” (Psalm 17:8) and makes my life worth living.

Thank you Lord, for Your incredible surprising love.  Remind me today as I look up at the sky.


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Sipping Hot

Scripture for Today: Romans 12:11 “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

I only enjoy coffee when it is “sipping hot!”  When it gets room temperature or cold, I can hardly swallow it.  It either gets reheated in the microwave or dumped out in the sink.  Iced coffee seems a good way to reuse it but I have never acquired that taste.  The heat and the steam rising from the cup and warming me is all part of the coffee-drinking experience!  Many French friends enjoy their coffee in a bowl so as to warm their hands in the morning!

The verse that comes immediately to mind is God’s reproach to the Church in Laodicea.  They were lukewarm in their deeds, neither cold nor hot (Rev. 3:15-16).  The Lord wants us to remain hot or zealous for Him!  In our verse for today, Paul encourages the Roman church to never be lacking in zeal.  The context is our spiritual gifts used in the local church.

This fervor and zeal come from Him.  Just as the spiritual gifts are gifts of empowerment from His Spirit, so is this zeal.  When we try to manufacture zeal on our own, we run out of steam pretty quickly.  Our service becomes mechanical or ritualistic.  Our good works for the Lord come from a sense of obligation instead of being heartfelt.  We become lukewarm when we operate out of our own strength!

Not only does my zeal come from Him, but it needs to be an informed zeal that recognizes that my righteousness comes from Christ and not my own good works! (Romans 10:2)

I need some of that “spiritual fervor” today.  Lord, keep me zealous and energized for You.  I want to serve You but I cannot do it on my own.


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Teeter-Totter

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 75:6-7 “No one from the east or from the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.  It is God who judges.  He brings one down.  He exalts another.”

It has been a long time since I have seen one of these teeter-totters in a public park.  I remember playing on them as a child and coordinating my movements with a friend so we could enjoy the up and down motion.  More often than not, there were some rough landings.  Not all of them were accidental!  I managed to survive this now outdated playground equipment.  Being that it is considered a safety hazard there are very few still seen today.

Our verse for today teaches that it is our sovereign God who brings down one person and lifts up another.  Regardless of our origin we can not exalt ourselves.  This psalm of Asaph declares that God puts down the wicked and lifts up the righteous.  He has the right to do so and He does it with justice.

When we try to exalt ourselves we can make a mess of things.  That is because all who exalt themselves will be humbled (Luke 14:11).  There is nothing better than hearing compliments and praise from someone else for a job well done.  When one sings their own praises all that is heard is pride.  How much better it is to leave the matter of recognition to the Lord.

God does promise to exalt us in due time.  We are to hope in Him and faithfully keep His way as we wait to see that happen.  Not only will we see ourselves exalted but we will see the wicked destroyed (Psalm 37:34)  It is a comfort to know this.  He is just and I can trust Him.

 

 


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Drones

Scripture for Today:  II Chronicles 16:9a “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…”

It is not a very comfortable feeling to know you are being watched.  The Los Angeles Police Department just acquired two drones which could provide much more information than a helicopter.  Some are equipped with facial recognition software, infrared technology and even speakers capable of monitoring personal conversations.  Drone use can be thought of as negative in war, espionage, and law enforcement.  But they can also be used in research, tornado prediction and the search for survivors.  Of course, a lot of the controversy surrounds privacy issues.

Our verse for today describes another kind of surveillance.  The eyes of the Lord are looking throughout the earth.  For what is He looking?  He is looking for hearts that are fully committed to Him, to strengthen them.  The context is war, and though the people were outnumbered in horses and chariots, God saw their hearts and that they relied on Him.  Because of that, He strengthened them and gave them victory.

God’s eyes are watching me to see if my heart is fully His.  His surveillance is not to punish me but to strengthen my resolve.  That is a surveillance I welcome.  But there are other eyes watching too.  My enemy the devil is prowling around like a lion, looking and looking for someone to devour. (I Peter 5:8)  He is looking for the weak and uncommitted heart.  That kind of surveillance is unwelcomed, to say the least.  But as my heart belongs fully to the Lord, I do not have to worry about that pair of eyes.  God has already secured the victory for me!

Thank you Lord, that You are my El Roi, the God Who Sees!


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Dust Bunnies

dustbunniesScripture for Today:  Psalm 103:14 “for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.”

We have a scene just like this one in our future.  As soon as we move out our very heavy bookcases, there is sure to be  some “dust bunnies” hiding out.  Between bird dander, cat hair and dust from the yard, our dust bunnies continue to grow each year we are here!  I sneeze just thinking about it!  But it is nothing in the face of a little vacuuming and water.

I have no compassion for this dust, but our verse for today is written in the context of God the Father’s compassion for His children.  He is not only compassionate but gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love (verse 8).  For those who fear Him, He forgives rather than accuses and does not treat us as our sins deserve (verses 9-10).  He calls to mind how very weak we are.  We are formed from some weak material; dust.

There are times I need to remember how I was formed as well.  Prideful thoughts can have me believing I am really something and without a real need for God.  But in fact I am nothing without Him.  I am weak and as inconsequential as a dust bunny blowing around under the bed.  It is in the hands of my Creator that I can become something of value.  He works in me to give the desire and the strength to please Him (Phil. 2:13).  I may be as weak as dust, but in Him I can be strong.

God invites me to “Look to the Lord and His strength and seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4.  His strength is equal to anything He asks of me.

Thank you Lord, for your gracious patient compassion for me!