Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Holiness


by Leave a comment

Plumb Line

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 26:7  “The way of the righteous is smooth.  O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.”

My husband and I have only tried wallpapering together one time.  It was just before the birth of our first daughter and we confidently tackled the nursery with a bold geometric print.  But no matter how meticulously we lined up the print, nothing came out right.  Unfortunately, we had skipped a step.  We had not used a plumb line for that all-important vertical reference.  When we finally did use it, we found that the wall itself was not constructed correctly.  It was not straight!  No wonder we could not match up the print.  Our point of reference was crooked.

We never would have known that wall was crooked had it not been for that plumb line.  The error was so slight that it was not noticeable.  But to this day, I wonder what happened with those construction workers.  I am sure it seemed right to them at the time.

Our verse for today assures the believer of a smooth way and a level path.  The one who puts their confidence in the Upright One will have paths that are straight (Prov. 3:6).  This image is in stark contrast to the guilty man whose way is crooked (Prov. 21:8).  His way is strewn with pitfalls of his own making.  Unconfessed sin erodes the path and makes the going arduous.

That wall seemed right in our eyes.  In the same way, there is a way that seems right to man (Prov. 14:12).  But our thinking is crooked.  We need a plumb line.  We need the absolute uncompromising Truth of Christ and His Word.

Without You, Lord, my life would be a crooked wandering path.  Thank you for straightening me out!


by Leave a comment

Stubborn

Scripture for Today: Nehemiah 9:17a “They refused to listen (to Your commandments) and did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them.  So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt….”

We came across this donkey while hiking around a lake.  He was calmly grazing with his friends, paying us no attention at all.  As donkeys have the reputation of being stubborn, I imagine that if I had tried to move him, he would have resisted.  As it was, I could not make him look up at me for the camera no matter how much noise I made!  He just would not listen!

The Israelites were sometimes called, “stubborn,” in the Old Testament.  Our verse for today gives the reason for their stubbornness.  They refused to listen to the Lord’s voice.  God had made His commandments very clear.  They also chose not to remember all His miracles in leading them out of slavery in Egypt.  The result was a stubborn conviction that their way was best, even if it meant returning to that slavery!

It seems amazing to me that they could be that stubborn.  But perhaps it is easier to see it in others than it is to see it in myself.  Any time I refuse to listen to God’s voice of conviction, I am at risk of stubbornly returning to sin’s slavery.  Any time I forget all of what He has done for me, I am likely to stubbornly do what seems best to me.

Thankfully, God does not give up on me.  Our verse continues,”But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness.  And You did not forsake them.”

Thank you, Lord for not forsaking me.  Help me to listen and remember today!


by 1 Comment

Getting at the Fruit!

IMG_20130814_112011Scripture for Today: Hebrews 12:11 “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

This morning I had wild blackberries on my cereal!  I had no idea that the thorny weed I had been meaning to pull out would bear fruit!  I have been annoyed brushing past it but I kept putting off doing anything about it.  Now, I am glad I procrastinated!  Those berries were a sweet surprise!  Getting at the fruit was difficult without getting stuck on the thorns, but well worth the effort.

Our verse for today speaks of fruit as well; the fruit of righteousness.  It comes as a result of thorny sorrowful discipline.  Every believer goes through it from time to time.  The Lord disciplines those He loves.  And He does it for our good so that we can share in His holiness (Heb. 12:6 &10).  It is not exacting punishment as He took that on Himself at the cross.  His discipline is proof that He loves me and that I belong to Him (Heb. 12:8).  He uses it to correct and teach.  Nevertheless, it hurts.

Probably, when He is in the process of disciplining me, I resemble that thorny weed.  I wonder if other believers look at me and think I need to be pulled out of there!  Do I sometimes look at other believers the same way?!  We are all in process of becoming like Him and becoming more fruitful.  He is patient and loving with me and I need to be the same way with others!

I am thankful that at the end of sorrow, there is joy at seeing what He has produced!  As much as it hurts, thank you, Lord, for Your loving discipline.


by Leave a comment

Pyramid

Scripture for Today:  Genesis 2:24  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and shall become united and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Paris can be so romantic!  This newlywed couple makes a pretty picture posing in front of the pyramid at the Louvre.  But when I see a pyramid or any triangle, my mind goes back to the counsel we received as young newlyweds.  It is counsel that we have passed on to many other couples just starting out.

Our verse for today talks about becoming one.  Marriage can achieve that on so many levels.  For a believer who marries another believer, there is the potential to be united at a deeper level than non-believers can realize.  When we can share our relationship with Christ, a different kind of closeness is possible.

The triangle’s three sides represent the husband, the wife, and at the apex, the Lord.  There is the line at the base that connects man and wife.  Sharing life together, learning each other’s likes and dislikes, enjoying intimacy, these all make up that connecting line.

Both the husband and wife have their individual relationships with the Lord.  We each have our own struggles with obedience and growing faith.  But as we move along that line towards the Lord, the apex of the triangle, we also are actually moving towards each other!

I never feel closer to my husband than when I hear him pouring out his heart to the Lord when we pray together.  I feel our oneness when we together serve Him in some way.  When we share our struggles with trusting Him, I feel this oneness.  When we admit our failures and together ask Him for forgiveness, I feel this oneness.  Thank you, Lord, for making us one!


by 1 Comment

A Little Leaven

Scripture for Today:  Luke 12:1b-2 “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”

Working with yeast is not my strong point.  Waiting for dough to rise and punching it down is just too much of a hassle.  It is especially difficult to be motivated to bake my own bread when there is so much fresh wonderful bread available here in France.

The chemistry behind the leavening process is interesting being that yeast is a fungi.  This living organism as it reproduces creates two by-products; alcohol (evaporating during baking) and carbon dioxide.  It is this gas which filters through the dough creating loft.  It seems so mysterious as one does not actually see it happening.

Leaven is a symbol in the Bible often representing sin or false teaching.  In our verse for today Jesus was very specific about naming the leaven of the Pharisees; hypocrisy.  They had a public image that did not correspond with their private behavior.  They had a very high standard for everyone but themselves.  They could seem very spiritual but be leading a double life.

Christ warns that nothing remains secret.  One day, everything formerly hidden will be revealed.  Like leaven, my behavior or thoughts can be covered up for a time.  But eventually, the evidence of that leaven is seen.  I may be able to fool others around me but the Lord knows my heart!

When I read warnings like this I am reassured that God will not be mocked.  At the same time I need to examine myself.  Am I faking it?  Do I fall into this same trap of projecting a false image of “super saint?”  Lord, punch down this dough and keep me humble!