Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Grace and Forgiveness


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Paradise Lost

Scripture for Today: Luke 23:42-43 “….’Jesus, remember me when You come in Your Kingdom.’  And He said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.'”

I am heartbroken when seeing images of the ongoing fire in Paradise, California.  To date, 146 thousand acres are burned and the town itself devastated.  So many structures were destroyed, over 11 thousand.  But most importantly, 71 souls have been lost.  And with over 1,000 unaccounted for, that number is sure to rise.  The survivors run the spectrum of emotions, from thankful to bitter.  I cannot imagine this pain of loss but I was saddened to hear one survivor blame God and ask how He could allow a town with the name, “Paradise” to burn.

Today’s verse is a promise of Paradise for a thief.  He hung on the cross next to Jesus because he deserved to be there.  He did not deserve Paradise.  But Jesus made a way.  He offers Paradise anew as mankind has lost it.  With the sin and banishment of Adam and Eve from the garden, Paradise can no longer exist on this earth.  There will always be fire, natural disasters, evil, sickness and death.  God did not intend life to be like this.  We brought it on ourselves.  But He did give us a solution in the sacrifice of His Son.

There, in Paradise, I will live life as it was meant to be.  There will be no pain, no sin, no guilt nor ugliness.  There will be no regrets or dashed expectations!  There will only be unending joy in His presence!  It is so hard to imagine.  But one thing is sure.  It will be so much better than my imagination!

Thank you Lord, that because of You, Paradise can be found again!


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The Tarantula

Scripture for Today: I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

My grandson loves spiders, the bigger and hairier the better!  A tarantula certainly qualifies!  Their size and appearance are frightening and I would not relish even the idea of them crawling all over me.  This off-putting creature burrows into the ground and does not bother with webs.  They will sometimes spin a trip wire at the approach of their burrows.  The venom in their bite is weaker than most typical bee stings but that does not stop them from provoking fear in most people.

Today’s verse talks about fear having no place in a perfect love.  In fact, this is a love that drives out fear.  The one who struggles with fear of punishment does not have that complete and perfect love.  Because God showed His love by sending His Son to die in our place (verse 9-10) we can know and rely on the love God has for us (verse 16).  The punishment for sin has already taken place for those who place their faith in Christ.

How awful it would be to try to love and serve the Lord out of fear of pain and punishment!  That is not love at all but obligation and coercion.  But because He took the initiative and paid for my sin, I can enjoy a complete, undivided and sincere love for Him.  I am not weighed down with guilt and shame.  There is no doubt that He loves me.  He has paid the price for my sin and guilt forever!  I am free to love Him completely and enjoy His love without fear.

Thank you Lord, for Your perfect love without fear.

 

 

 

 

 


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Misty

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 44:22 “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me for I have redeemed you.”

After living in Europe so many years, we have ridden our share of Alpine gondolas or cable cars.  It is always exciting to be suspended over deep gorges and valleys.  It is always a rush to be teetering over herds of cows with their bells around their necks.  Although the destination is usually a peak or high point on a mountain, the view going up is just as important.  It is always a letdown to have that view obscured by the mist.

Today’s verse is a call to return to the Lord.  The prophet, Isaiah, is reminding the people of how useless their false gods are.  Fabricating and worshipping a block of wood reveals to what point their “eyes are plastered over so they cannot see” or understand (Verse 18).  Their sins were like a cloud that obscured their vision.  Their rebellion created a mist that blocked their view of the True God and His love and power.  Despite their betrayal in turning away from the One True God, He is inviting them to return to Him.

I know where I am going.  My destination is already secured.  I can say that as my salvation is based on His finished work on the cross and not my own works.  But the views on my way there can be obscured by that mist of my own sin.  I miss out on those breathtaking vistas of His power, love and beauty when I turn away from Him.  Life is not quite so exciting when my view of the eternal is shrouded by my own rebellion.

Lord, thank you for sweeping away the clouds and mist and allowing me to enjoy You!


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DIY Fail!

Scripture for Today:  Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” 

What happened here?!  This do-it-yourself tile job has a serious flaw.  Someone was not paying attention!  There is no question that there is a clear pattern to follow.  Perhaps the worker laying the tile was not paid and this was the way he sought revenge.  Or perhaps there was drinking on the job and vision was impaired.  Or maybe it was just a style choice, although I find that last explanation hard to believe!  All that is needed to fix this is for that one tile to be turned.

Today’s verse was part of a sermon given by Peter to the Israelites.  They had been living a pattern of behavior shared by their ancestors.  After enjoying a time of blessing, they would rebel and ignore the prophets.  When punishment followed, they would cry to God in repentance.  He would forgive and restore them and renew His blessings.  Then, before too long the pattern would be repeated.  Peter pointed out how God fulfilled everything foretold through the prophets when He sent His Son, Jesus. (verse 18)

I am so grateful for Christ’s incredible patience with me!  I find myself following this same pattern of turning away from Him.  In my pride and self-sufficiency, I think I know better how to live my own life.  When things start following apart, and they do, I finally turn back to Him in humility and cry for help.  He is always there.  He is always ready to forgive and restore.  His love is unconditional and unchanging and He waits for me to turn to Him.  Then I can enjoy once again that “time of refreshing.”

Refresh me today, Lord.


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“Walking the Line”

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 2:26-27 “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

It was 1956 when the famous country singer, Johnny Cash, sat backstage and wrote the song, “I Walk the Line.”  As a newlywed, he wrote it as a pledge to his wife.  The lyrics are all about personal responsibility and avoiding temptation.  I love the line, “Because you’re mine, I walk the line.”  This expression has long been used to mean behaving or abiding by moral standards.  Or in other words, walking the straight and narrow.

Today’s verse tells us to think carefully about where and how we walk through life.  We do not walk close to edge, courting disaster as the thoughtless might.  Rather than wondering just how far one can go in a particular behavior before it becomes sin, we need to walk with a healthy fear of falling.  We need to stay away from that tempting edge.  We do not turn to the left or to the right.  We stay right in the middle and away from temptation.  In other words, we walk the line.  Walking on a dangerous edge gives no room for error.  One moment of inattention or one small misstep can mean disaster.

When I am walking the line, I feel His pleasure.  Walking in obedience to His commands is how I show my love for Him (II John 1:6).  And His commands make the path smooth, straight and manageable.  It is when I veer left or right and start to compromise on His standards that life becomes more difficult.  Thankfully, He offers His forgiveness and helps me get back on track.

Lord, help me love You by walking the line today.