Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Hope


by Leave a comment

Playgrounds

Scripture for Today:  Zechariah 8:4-5  “….Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with a cane in hand because of their age.  The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

Probably if my Mother ever knew she would be horrified!  When I was very little, I used to play marbles in the middle of the street.  There was a manhole with grooves perfect for all kinds of creative play with marbles.  My friend and I lost a few, but it seemed a fun past time for two bored kids.  We did lots of looking over our shoulders for on-coming cars, but managed to survive the experience.  Thankfully, ours was the last street of a neighborhood so there was not much traffic.  Even so, the issue of safety did not concern us much.

Our verse for today is one of ten promises of blessing for the Jerusalem of the Messianic Age.  The description of peace and safety is beautiful and even idyllic.  There will be no more threats from invading enemies.  No longer will lives be cut short.  Children can once again play safely in the streets.  I love that the Lord concerns Himself with children and their quality of life.  Isaiah 11:6-9 also describes our future peace and safety with the image of children playing.  A little child will lead a lion, children will play near cobras and even a hand stuck in a viper’s nest will not come to any harm.  What a beautiful future belongs to children in a world without attack or disaster!

Imagine sending the children or grandchildren out to play without any worries!  I am so thankful for our loving Lord who does more than we can ever ask or imagine.


by Leave a comment

The Dawn

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 112:4 “Even in the darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.”

Trying to sleep on a transcontinental flight is always a challenge.  Sleep is cut short when someone lifts their shade after just a few hours to see the early dawn.  The proverb, “the darkest hour is just before the dawn” was first seen in print in 1650 written by theologian, Thomas Fuller.  I could never make that observation as I am the one always trying to sleep!  But I wonder if the inspiration behind that proverb came from this verse.

Often in Scripture darkness represents calamity and light represents well being.  No one is exempt from dark times.  Regardless of education, wealth, health or status, we all face some kind of crisis or suffering.  But for the believer, there is a dawn coming!  For the one made righteous through Christ, there is hope.

The Lord is first and foremost my Light (Psalm 27:10).  He is the loving Source of all that is positive in my life! (James 1:17)  When everything seems dark and awful and hopeless, I can still see that small glimmer in the distance.  I know He is there.  As I seek His face the Light of his love grows stronger and stronger.  Before long, the darkness dissipates and the dawn has arrived.  With the dawning realization of His love and presence, I feel His warmth and light and I am reassured.

There is another meaning to the dawn; our eternal home.  It is still on the horizon, but with every year it approaches.  And it is full of light.  There will be no need for any sun, moon or lamp as the Lord Himself will be our light!

Thank you, Lord, that You are my Light and my Hope.


by 1 Comment

Hiding

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 32:7 “You are my hiding place.  You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

What is it about cats and bags?  Every time I put away groceries I throw the empty bags on the floor, much to our Tiger’s delight.  He runs so quickly to hide in one of them that he and the bag slide across the floor!  Inside that bag he feels secure and invincible!  In his little cat brain he probably thinks no one can see him.  But when that bag starts moving across the tiles it is a dead give-away!

Our verse for today describes a different hiding place; the Lord Himself.  David has been hiding from God, unwilling to acknowledge his sin.  As with Adam and Eve, our first instinct with unconfessed sin is to hide from God.  Now that David has confessed everything, he is hiding in God.  He is hiding in His sure love and forgiveness.  He describes God’s love in verse 10 as a love that surrounds him.  There are songs and praise as those seeing and hearing of David’s deliverance celebrate the victory with him.

Hiding from God does not work.  Hiding behind a false sense of self sufficiency does not either.  But hiding in Him means protection and sure deliverance!  In Him is found such security.  His love is my retreat.  In His presence there is no fear of what man can do to me.  Whatever “mighty waters” (verse 6) may be in my future, they will not overwhelm me when I am hiding in Him.  He will fill my heart with song and praise as He proves Himself trustworthy yet again.

Thank you Lord, for hiding me in Your love.  It is such a good place to be!


by Leave a comment

Rewarding Myself!

Scripture for Today: Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

The only thing that kept me weeding today was the thought that I would reward myself when I was done with a particular patch.  There was ice cream in the freezer calling my name!  So, I kept pushing myself to reach my goal.  Somehow, making that ice cream serve as a reward made it all the sweeter and more satisfying!

The concept of reward for hard work is basic to our motivation.  The Lord understands this as He created us this way!  Our verse for today talks about the reward of our heavenly inheritance.  We are working for the Lord.  He is the One we are really serving.  And we are to work with all our heart.  Part of our motivation is knowing that we will be rewarded.

It seems somehow “unspiritual” to be motivated by reward.  It is fine in any other area of our lives, but it seems less than worthy of a pure selfless service to God.  And yet, the Lord is the One who in His grace has offered rewards.  Paul did not apologize for pressing on to win that prize (Phil. 3:14).  Looking forward to reward kept him self disciplined.  Thoughts of being recompensed helped Paul get through the hard times.

God’s rewards are a grace.  He does not owe it to me.  I certainly do not deserve reward.  How loving He is to want to recompense me!  I hope there are rewards awaiting me in heaven.  Why?  They will be for His glory as I humbly give them back to Him in worship.


by Leave a comment

Underwater

Scripture for Today: Psalm 77:19  “Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footsteps were not seen.”

We live in an age of amazing technology!  Underwater robots, or “Remote Operating Vehicles” plunge the depths of the oceans and bring up all kinds of new information.  Their unmanned exploration has been used in a variety of ways.  Some are able to do repairs on oil rigs.  Some can predict the magnitude of an approaching hurricane.  Others can locate, map and sometimes raise the wreckage of a downed airplane!  Their discoveries have increased our appreciation of God’s creation!  But there is one thing these underwater robots will never find on the ocean floor; God’s footprints!

We do not see His footsteps but we see the evidence of His creative work and His mighty deeds.  The verse for today uses the images of the sea and the mighty waters to represent the unseen reasons for the hard times in life.  The author begins this psalm feeling rejected and forgotten by God.  He decides to meditate on all God’s miracles of the past.  He reaffirms God’s mighty power and ends with trust.  Even though he does not see God’s “footprints” he responds with faith.

I sometimes feel that I am “out of my depth” with why God allows hard things to happen.  But it is true that He leads us into deep waters.  It feels so deep that we cannot find our footing.  We do not see His footsteps or any evidence at all of His being there in that moment of distress.  But He is.  We are not walking on that ocean floor by sight, but by faith (II Cor. 5:7).

Thank you Lord, that You will deliver me from deep waters and will not allow them to engulf me!