Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Heaven


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Remembering Veterans

Scripture for Today: Revelation 3:12  “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.  Never again will they leave it.  I will write on them the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem……and I will also write on them My new name.”

Today we honor all of our war veterans.  For many soldiers the memories of their service remain poignant and mark them for life.  But for the rest of the family, we often need help in remembering.  War memorabilia helps  to keep those memories alive.  This is especially true of a soldier’s dog tags that record his name, blood type, identification number and religion.  It is unfortunate that many of these dog tags are lost on the battleground.  How touching it is to hear stories of them being found and returned years later by caring strangers!

Our verse for today teaches that one day, believers will be “wearing” three names that will identify us.  The meaning here seems to be symbolic.  Those who are victorious and enduring to the very end will bear three names.  The name of God will show that we belong to Him forever.  The name of God’s city will show that we are citizens.  And His own new name will indicate our special relationship with Christ.

Our war is a spiritual one.  And although it may seem that a battle is lost here and there, the overall outcome of the war has already been established!  I am victorious because of Christ!  How reassuring to know that I will remain in His presence forever!  There is no way to misplace this “tag” and be lost.

Thank you Lord, for loving me enough to identify me as Your very own for all eternity!


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Emeralds

Scripture for Today: Revelation 4:3 “And the One who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.”

The color and brilliance of these emeralds take my breath away!  This gemstone is a variety of the mineral beryl.  But what classifies it as an emerald is its deep bluish to pure green color saturation.  And the more it is transparent the more it is valuable with its shine.  The small fissures in the stone are called the stone’s “jardin” (garden).  Some are treated with oil to fill in these natural fissures.  Although the emerald has been mined for centuries, today one can buy synthetic emeralds.  But somehow it is not the same.

The shine of an emerald is the image John uses in today’s verse to describe a rainbow that encircles God’s throne.  Its brilliance will be awe-inspiring and fitting for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  But He Himself will have an appearance just as brilliant as the stunning ruby and the crystal-like jasper.  These precious stones, as beautiful as they are, do not come close to describing God’s magnificence.  His glory would be blinding if not for our new bodies with its new eyes.  We will be filled with the wonder of His beauty as we fall to our knees in worship and praise.

I need to be reminded of God’s incredible beauty and glory.  Too often I over-simplify God in an attempt to understand Him.  I can only know His reflection for now, but one day we will be face to face (I Cor. 13:12).  Then I will know Him fully, as fully as He knows me!  What a day that will be!  No more flawed impressions, wrong ideas, or ambiguity.

Lord, give me another glimpse of Your glory today.

 

 


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Incense

105214Scripture for Today: Psalm 141:2 “May my prayer be set before You like incense, may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”

This wooden figure is very much like the nutcracker, but in fact, it is an incense burner!  I love the beautiful wood craftsmanship of the Germans!  It almost makes me want to burn incense…almost.  I never got used to the smell of incense although my dorm roommates thought it was wonderful back in college days.

Burning incense has long been part of religious observances in Greece, Egypt, China and India.  It is also currently used in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church and in some Lutheran churches.  In the Old Testament, burning incense was part of worship in the tabernacle and temple (Ex. 30:34).  Now, because of Christ’s sacrifice we can approach God with confidence and without the many rituals of the Law (Heb. 10:19-22).

In our verse for today, David sees his prayers rising to God like the smoke of incense.  Any way we can visualize spiritual truths is helpful in worship.  Of course, burning incense does not make us more pleasing to God.  But burning incense is a great way to “see” our prayers reaching His ears, just as lifting our hands can help us feel worshipful and closer to Him.

In Heaven there will be golden bowls of incense presented to Jesus in worship (Rev. 5:8).  The incense represents the prayers of God’s people.  Accompanied by harp music and a new song, the incense of our prayers will proclaim Jesus as the Lamb, worthy of all glory and honor!  What a beautiful thought that my prayer might be in one of those golden bowls of incense!

Lord, may my prayers always be worshipful and a sweet aroma to You.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.


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The Spotted Dalmatian

Scripture for Today: Ephesians 5:27 “That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things (that she might be holy and faultless).”

Disney’s 101 Dalmatians always come to my mind when seeing one of these sweet dogs.  They come from the Dalmatia province in Croatia and were used in the past to run alongside a carriage and ward off highwaymen.  Now their high energy and agility make them a perfect choice for hunting, guarding, and circus performing.  The dalmatian is also known as a firehouse mascot.  They love to be in the middle of the action.  But what makes those dalmatians so adorable are their spots!

My spots are not so cute.  But today’s verse says that one day I will be spot-free!  No more age spots.  It is true that I will have a whole new glorified body for eternity.  However, this verse is speaking of the spots and wrinkles as sin.  Because of what Jesus did on the cross, I can look forward to being completely without sin in heaven.  As part of His Church, I will be presented to God without spot or wrinkle.

Christ’s love and sacrifice sets me apart and makes me clean.  Being washed by the water of His Word is a life-long process, but with a promised result of being one day holy and faultless before Him.  What a day that will be!  No more guilt or shame.  No more self-condemnation.  And no more interruption to a perfect closeness with my Lord.  I am tired of my own sin.  Those spots and wrinkles are plenty ugly.  But the future is all glorious splendor.  Spot, wrinkle, and all ugliness of any kind will be gone forever!

Thank you Lord, for Your cleansing perfect forgiveness!


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Earth Day

Scripture for Today: Psalm 24:1-2 “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.”

Today is Earth Day.  It was founded in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson to increase public awareness for all living things, and because of concerns over the environment and pollution.  So many good things have resulted including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.  The goal this year and for the next five years is to plant 7.8 billion trees worldwide to commemorate its 50th year anniversary!

Protecting our environment is such a good thing although we differ as to how that is played out.  For the believer, we have a mandate from the Creator of this world to take care of it and have dominion (Gen. 1:26).  But we are only stewards.  The earth is the Lord’s.

Our earth is so amazing and full of wonder that it is difficult for me to understand how one can deny God’s existence.  Creation is a visual aid that leads me to faith.  He proves Himself over and over in what He has made.  All the time and chance in the world could not produce the minute details in nature!  The earth is His handiwork.  But as beautiful as the earth is, He is even more beautiful!  As awe-inspiring as nature is, He inspires even more awe!  I love our earth because it moves me to worship the Creator!  But I do not belong to the earth.  This is temporary.  Here, I am an alien and stranger (Heb. 11:13 & 16).  I am to long for the “better country” that is coming; the heavenly one.

Thank you Lord, for creating such a beautiful world and for the perfect one in my future!