Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Grace and Forgiveness


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The Abacus

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 130:3-4 “If You, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness so that we can with reverence serve You.”

Counting on an abacus looks complicated and time consuming.  But in fact, the merchants we saw in Hong Kong and Taiwan seemed to have no trouble at all.  Their fingers would fly over the beads faster than a calculator!  The Chinese abacus dates back to the 2nd century BC.  Variations of it were used as well by the Greeks and Romans in ancient times to keep an accurate record.

Today’s verse mentions keeping an account.  If the Lord were to keep a record of our sins, the small abacus would not be able to keep up!  If He were to treat us according to our sins, we would be crushed.  We would not be able to stand or even to lift our head.  Thankfully, with His forgiveness the record is swept clean.  Because of His forgiveness, we can serve Him with reverence and a grateful heart.  He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).  Because of the loving sacrifice of Christ, He chooses not to remember our sin (Heb. 10:17).

His undeserved forgiveness is so amazing!  There is no other response I can make but to serve Him.  He does not forgive and forget my sin so that I can keep sinning.  He does it so that I can have the privilege of serving Him.  It is in this grateful service that I find purpose and significance in life.  He is worthy of all my praise, fear and obedience.  Not only does He forgive me but He allows me to stand in His incredible presence and enjoy Him forever!

Lord, where would I be without Your forgiveness?


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Heart Messages

Scripture for Today: Luke 6:45 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Growing up, I loved these conversation hearts, giving away to that “special someone” what I could not bring myself to actually say!  And receiving these from others would communicate to me something the giver may not have intended!  Today, one can special order these candies with your own personalized message.  That way you can say exactly what you want the other to hear.  Communicating what is in the heart is not always easy.

Today’s verse gives us a reliable way to know what is in the heart of another.  What is there is evident by that person’s behavior.  Expressing emotions can be lovely but the real indicator of feelings and the state of the heart is evident in our actions.  And one action is especially telling.  What comes out of our mouths demonstrates the good or the evil found in the heart.  That sincere compliment or word of encouragement shows love.  The snide remark or the profanity that escapes our lips signals that all is not well.

What slips out of my mouth can be shameful.  I am so glad that some of it happens when there is no one to hear.  However, there is always Someone who hears.  And whether others are around or not, those nasty words signal a need for some serious heart cleaning!  Thankfully, He is full of grace and forgiveness, ready to make me clean again and give me a new start!

Lord, clean my heart and fill it with good things to say!

Look familiar? This is a repost from 2018.


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Three Cups

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 116:12-13 “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits towards me?  I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.”

This ancient hostelry in Harwich, England may look unimpressive but it boasts a rich history!  Kings, queens. princes and nobility are among those who have stopped at the Three Cups since the 1500’s!  There are records of a previous building on this site with the same name as far back as the 1300’s!  The name of this establishment goes along with the old saying that to be “in one’s cups” is to be drunk!

In Scripture, the image of a cup is used with several different meanings.  In today’s verse, the cup represents salvation.  Lifting up and making known His salvation to others is the very least we can do for all that He has done for us!  He has saved us from our sin and His righteous judgement.  The second use of the cup image  represents His judgement (Psalm 75:8).  It is full of the wine of His wrath poured out on the wicked who reject Him.  But it is because of the third cup that we are spared.  The third cup represents the new covenant in Christ (I Corinthians 11:25).

Christ sacrificed Himself and took on Himself the wrath and judgement that should have fallen on me.  My cup would contain only the wine of His wrath for my sin had it not been for Christ paying my debt.  His salvation cost Him such anguish and pain as seen by His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Because of His grace I do not have to fear what is in my cup.  Do you know what your cup contains?

Thank you Lord, that my cup contains Your costly salvation.

 

photo credit to Harwich and Dovercourt at https://www.flickr.com/photos/harwichs/5820685642


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Sunlamps

Scripture for Today: Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”

People are not the only ones to appreciate a sunlamp!  This meerkat is soaking up the heat from one on a cold January day at a British zoo!  I am not so sure what it does for him, but for people there are some real physical benefits from sitting under a sunlamp.  It even improves one’s mood.  The light affects our brains by increasing the production of serotonin, a hormone connected with feelings of happiness.

Today’s verse describes the Lord as our Sun.  His sunshine is in the form of grace, favor and mercy.  There is no danger of getting too much of His light.  His love warms us and makes us grow.  And like sunshine, He improves our mood too!  His kindness and favor are the blessings He pours out on the one who trusts Him (verse 12).  In His wisdom He gives exactly what is needed and withholds what is not good for us.

I cannot say that my walk is blameless.  Who can?  But because of Christ’s sacrifice for my sin, I am righteous in His sight.  Even so, there are clouds that block His warmth and blessing when I knowingly choose my way over His.  When I am struggling to trust Him, I am not feeling the warmth of His favor.  Thankfully, His love does not change.  Coming clean with Him breaks up those clouds of rebellion and once again, the warmth of His love breaks through!

Thank you, Lord, for the warmth You bring my soul.

photo credit: Kevin Walsh https://www.flickr.com/photos/86624586@N00/10196142


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Bookworm

Scripture for Today: Revelation 20:12 “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.”

An avid reader is often called a “bookworm” and the idea is sweet.  But the other meaning of this word is pretty disgusting!  The term refers to any insect that bores or tunnels through a book, leaving behind some pretty serious damage.  They can range from silverfish to termites, although most of these insects are beetles.  Oddly enough, none of the culprits are worms!  Sometimes it is not the paper that they are after but rather the leather or the glue in the binding.

It is odd to think that there will be books in heaven, but according to today’s verse there are.  One book is singled out as incredibly important; the book of life.  It will be used at the Great White Throne Judgement and will determine one’s eternity!  Being judged according to one’s deeds is the future of those who reject salvation through Jesus.  There is nothing worse.  No one will be able to stand on their own merit.  “There is none righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10)  And the deed that condemns is choosing one’s own way of “good deeds” over the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

It is because of God’s promise that my name is written in the book of life.  Praise God there is no condemnation for me because I have accepted His sacrifice! (Romans 8:1).  What amazing love!  I am so thankful that there is no fear of judgement because of His saving grace!

Lord, thank you for writing my name in Your book.

Photo credit: Dominic Mason https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bookworm_Grub_and_the_damage_done.jpg