Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Holiness


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Herding Cats

Scripture for Today: II Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

I thought herding cats was impossible!  But much to my surprise I discovered there is actually a Cat Herders Day on December 15!  However, my original thought holds true.  Cats are just too independent and stubborn to be herded, or cooperate when moving them from here to there.  This day is actually to recognize the frustration of trying to “manage the unmanageable.”  This day is a day for all of us who feel like we are saddled with an impossible task!

Today’s verse seems like the impossible task of herding cats.  Taking thoughts captive can be much the same scenario.  Our thoughts run away with us, leading to wrong attitudes and actions.  Those thoughts sometimes just do not cooperate.  The thinking of the believer is not to be the same as that of the world (verse 2).  But the world’s influence is so strong that thoughts just naturally conform to wordly independent thinking, leaving God out of it.

Thankfully, the Lord does not make this task impossible.  He has given us His divine power to control and redirect our thoughts (verse 4).  On my own, my thinking becomes full of pride and disobedience.  But because of His Spirit in me, I am not subject to merely human judgements. As a believer, I have the mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:15-16.)  What a wonderful thought that is!  He is there to turn my heart and mind from what is false and harmful.  He brings those wandering thoughts back into the corral of His unchanging truth!

Lord, may my every thought today please You.


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Nuts and Bolts

Scripture for Today: Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”

It is simple, right?  Hold the nut against the bolt and turn the nut/bolt to the left.  With a right-handed thread, one feels a “jump” and hears a “click” as the threads jump over each other and you are in business!  “Righty tighty, lefty loosey.”  No problem.  Except that the nut would not screw off of the bolt no matter how hard I tried!  There was corrosion making the nut/bolt stay stubbornly in place.  Even though there are a number of inventive solutions available, the first reaction is pure brute force!

Today’s verse reminds the believer that there will be tension and stress in our lives as a direct result of God’s work.  The Lord is in the business of creating in us the image of His Son, Jesus.  The problem is that our “corrosion” or sin keeps us stuck in one place.  Our sinful habits keep us from moving forward.  The pressure of His hands as He works can seem harder and harder to bear.  There are times when we stubbornly hold on to sin.  He loves us too much to allow us to remain stuck.  He has a purpose to be fulfilled in our lives.  So He lovingly disciplines us to rid our lives of that corrosion.  The sooner we submit, the more quickly we can be done with that pressure.

What He has in mind for me is a life full of purpose and meaning.  My small ideas are nothing compared to what He can do.  He is creating something far and above what I can ask or think because it is His power at work (Eph. 3:20).

Lord, keep me from becoming stuck and stubborn!


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Piñata

Scripture for Today: Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

Being so close to Mexico, it is not unusual in our area of California to include the piñata at children’s parties.  Our oldest daughter celebrated her seventh birthday whacking one open with her friends.  The colorful, papier-mâché-made figure is filled with candy and hung on a string.  The children take turns putting on the blindfold and hitting the piñata with a stick until it at last opens and the sweets pour out.  That is the signal to scramble for those candies and stuff mouths and pockets!

I was surprised to learn that the piñata originally represented temptation in the Mexican Catholic Church!  It has long lost its  symbolic roots but it did make me think of today’s verse.  The natural reaction to being hit or persecuted is cursing, bitterness, and the desire for revenge.  Paul’s words to the Romans were contrary to what a normal response would be!  Instead of responding in anger, we are to respond sweetly with blessing, wanting the good of the other person.  Blessing others when we are wronged makes us not only sweet, but peaceful.

If I am able to respond this way to any attack, then I can enjoy living in harmony (verse 16) and can leave to the Lord the business of revenge (verse 19).  As a believer, I am to overcome evil with good (verse 21).  It seems an impossible standard.  But oh how thankful I am that Jesus did not respond to His persecutors with cursing.  His forgiveness meant taking on the pain of His attackers and not responding in kind.  He is my example and the source of my strength to bless and not curse.

Lord, whatever mockery or opposition I face, may my response be like Yours.


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Chinese Noodles

Scripture for Today: Ecclesiastes 8:12 “Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before Him.”

We recently celebrated the Chinese New Year with my Chinese Mother-in-Law and menu choices were very important to her!  To insure that the coming year would be positive, fish was ordered to symbolize abundance. Chicken had to be part of the meal as it represents prosperity and the noodles were a must as they stood for long life.  The longer the noodle perhaps the longer the life!  All I know is that there is no graceful way to eat those noodles!

Today’s verse contains the words of Solomon, a king to whom was given great wisdom.  He notes that a wicked person may live a long time, but somehow there will always be something lacking.  Those who fear the Lord have His promise that their lives will be better for it.  Fear and reverence for our Maker gives us a quality of life that makes it worth living!

Long life is found in the right hand of Wisdom (Prov. 3:16).  And wisdom is exemplified by our fear and obedience to God (Ps. 111:10).  One command in particular comes with a promise of life going well and being long; honoring your Father and Mother! (Eph. 6:2-3)  Sin and rebellion complicate life and have the potential to shorten it.  But the goal is not so much long life, as a life that is well lived and better!  How gracious the Lord is to promise me a better life when I fear and obey Him!

Lord, regardless of the length of my life, I praise You for making it a better one!  Keep me faithful to obey You today.


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The Lemming

Scripture for Today: Exodus 23:2 “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.”

This sweet little creature is so misunderstood!  The myth out there that lemmings commit mass suicide is just that, a myth.  It is true that the lemming will migrate in large groups when their population becomes too dense.  And sometimes there are unfortunate accidents as they follow one another into a body of water too large or into a terrain too steep.  The term, “lemming suicide,” is unfounded but often used as a metaphor describing people who unquestioningly follow the crowd, even at their peril!

Today’s verse commands the Israelites not to follow the crowd in doing wrong.  The temptation to fall in with the majority is a strong one.  But this tendency has the potential to pervert justice, especially in the court setting.  The crowd mentality makes impartial judging impossible!  The crowd mentality is a force that can sweep an individual to go against his conscience.  There is something about being on the side of numbers that silences that voice of doubt or caution.  “Might makes right,” is the thinking of those who are in power and are the majority.  By blindly following the crowd one risks to forgo the blessing God promises to those who follow Him!

I find it difficult to stand up and do differently than everyone else.  It is much easier to fall in with the crowd.  But as a believer, the Lord wants me to consider my ways and turn my steps to His statues (Psalm 119:59).  The steps of the crowd are taking them away from the path of life.  Those green pastures and quiet waters are in the opposite direction!

Lord, keep me from following the crowd today!