Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Hope


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Do You Hear What I Hear?

Scripture for Today:Matthew 13:16 “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

I never quite understood the symbolism in the carol, Do You Hear What I Hear, until I looked at its history.  It was written in 1962 by a couple named Noel and Gloria Regney.  Each stanza asks the question and the conversation is not resolved until the end where the king declares that all people should pray for peace and that the Child born would give us goodness and light.

This carol was written as a prayer for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Knowing that gives new meaning to the “star” that is seen in the sky with a “tail as big as a kite,” and the so-called song above the trees with a “voice as big as the sea.”  I love that the carol uses the lamb as a picture of innocence.  But for each of the images in the carol, there is a corresponding spiritual truth!

The star can also be seen as the star of Bethlehem heralding Christ’s coming and the birth of hope.  Jesus was called the Lamb of God, His sacrifice taking away our sin.  As the song says this Child, “will bring us goodness and light.”  And the Lord did just that!  John declares that God is light (I John 1:5) and David affirms that His goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6).

Not everyone sees.  Not everyone hears.  The message of Christmas is so often lost in the beautiful distractions of the season.  I want to keep my focus on the Giver of goodness and light.  Do you hear His invitation to, “come and see?” (Psalm 66:5)  Do you see Jesus for who He really is; God’s only Son?

Lord, keep me seeing and listening for You.

 

 


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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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Plenty of Fish

Scripture for Today: Psalm 119:116 “Sustain me, my God, according to Your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.”

“There are plenty of fish in the sea,” is a phrase often used to console those who have loved and lost.  The idea is that there are plenty of potential mates still to be discovered out there.  There is even an online dating service called, “Plenty of Fish,” with 40 million fish in its waters.  The problem comes from those “predators” who raise hopes in others only to dash them.  One predator in particular decided to dine and dash, leaving his online date stuck with the bill!

Today’s verse is found in the longest psalm extolling the joys of knowing and following God’s law.  The author prays that God would sustain him.  He acknowledges that true meaningful life is found in following God’s ways.  He can pray for God’s sustaining power with hope as it is a prayer calling on the Lord’s promises.  When God makes a promise, He will always be true to His word.  Hope placed here will not be dashed.

If I were to place all my hope exclusively in human love, my hopes would sometimes be dashed.  No one can love me the way the Lord does.  Placing my hope in His promise to never leave me is a hope that will never be disappointed.  He sustains me when I am feeling weak.  He upholds me when I am discouraged.  His peace has kept me close to Him.  No other relationship can be this consistent.  His love will never let me down.  I can always count on Him because His word means something!

Thank you Lord, that with You my hope is never disappointed.


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The Hope Chest

Scripture for Today:Romans 5:5 “And hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

I never owned a hope chest, although I hoped!  It was a tradition that was already obsolete by the 1950’s.  The practice of filling a hope chest with items useful in setting up house came from Europe around the 18th century.  A young girl’s “trousseau” consisted of handmade bed linens, table linens and embroidered items.  I often wondered what happened to that hope chest and its contents when it was clear that marriage had passed one by.  Perhaps giving it away signaled the end of hope.

Today speaks of a hope that never puts us to shame.  Unlike unfulfilled hope in a human love, our hope is placed in a love that has already been poured into the heart of a believer.  The Holy Spirit is our seal of ownership, guaranteeing what is to come! (II Cor. 1:22).  Hope in this sense is a sure thing with no possibility of disappointment or shame.  This hope grows stronger and stronger as we see the Lord come through for us when experiencing suffering (verse 3).  Hope grows by persevering through that impossible situation.  Our hope is obvious to everyone through the strength of character that comes from hanging in there (verse 4).

Hope that is ill-placed is wishful thinking that makes the heart sick when unfulfilled (Prov. 13:12).  My hope is sure being based on God’s faithful promises.  My longing for love is absolutely fulfilled in my relationship with my Creator.  He never disappoints and I am never put to shame.  He always comes through and someday I will see the glory of God up close and personal!

My hope will forever be in You, Lord.

 


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Wishful Thinking

2014-05-07 14.04.18Scripture for Today: Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

How can one visit Rome without seeing the famous Trevi Fountain?  Sculpted in 1762, it was built as an outlet for an ancient aqueduct.  This Baroque fountain with its figure of Neptune is touted to be the largest and most famous fountain.  And yes, I did the tourist thing.  Like so many others, I threw a coin in with my right hand over my left shoulder!  The original tradition involved drinking the fountain water to insure good fortune and a return to Rome.  But today it is coin tossing that is said to guarantee a return.  Since the 1954 film, “Three Coins in a Fountain” one coin does not suffice.  Now it is expected to throw in that second coin to get me a new and exciting romance, and a third coin to lead to marriage. But I couldn’t get my husband to hand me more than one coin!!

Our verse for today speaks of hope.  Hope in Scripture is not just wishful thinking.  That is because the object of our hope is something sure.  We are to hope in His Word (Psalm 130:5) as well as His unfailing love (Psalm 147:11).  Hope like that does not disappoint.  But hope in anything else has the potential to disappoint.

The Lord has plans for me.  He has my future in His powerful and loving hands.  He promises blessing for obedience.  I cannot possibly know what is ahead but with hope I am confident that it is all good.  It is amazing to me that He loves me enough to plan it all out.

Thank you Lord, that my hope is in You, and You never disappoint.

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