Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Hope


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Stylish Hats

hat unnamed Scripture for Today: Isaiah 35:10  “And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads.  And they will find gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

My husband loves his hats!  However, the one pictured here is only a distant memory!  It was the perfect hat!  It had metal in the rim and could be twisted this way and that for the perfect look!  He was able to enjoy it for only a few days.  On a ferry ride, it blew off his head and into the waters of the Atlantic.  Oh, the shock and regret of that moment!  There was nothing to do but watch it drift away.

In our verse for today, there is something very different on the head!  Hats will have to make way for everlasting joy!  This prophecy of Isaiah made reference to a literal return of the Israelites from exile in Babylon.  They would one day return to Jerusalem or Zion.  But in a larger sense it can refer to all whom the Lord has redeemed.  One day there will be a highway traveled only by the redeemed and it will lead right into God’s Millennial Kingdom.  There will be uninterrupted joy in the presence of our King!

In God’s presence is fullness of joy! (Psalm 16:11)  In the future there will be no sorrow nor sighing.  One day there will be no tears.  Even the memories of struggle and disappointment will completely fade.  It will all flee away in the overwhelming joy and gladness of His very presence!  What a day that will be when I see Christ!  “One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase.”

Thank you, Lord, that even today in Your presence I can live a bit of that joy!


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Under Guarantee?

Scripture for Today: Psalm 89:2  “I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in Heaven itself.”

Our egg cooker finally died.  It had a good run.  Because we do not use it all that much, it lasted a good seven years.  Of course, it was no longer under guarantee.

I have yet to meet an appliance that is guaranteed forever.  In fact, in production, there is usually a planned year when the appliance is expected to breakdown.  It is in the interest of the manufacturer that the consumer spend money to replace it!  And of course, most often it will happen after the guarantee has expired.  We shrug our shoulders and say that nothing lasts forever!

Our verse for today contains a truth I want to declare today and every day of my life.  The love of God lasts forever!  Regardless of our limited perception, His love is faithful.  His love is firmly established and nothing can shake it!  How could the psalmist, David, declare such a thing?  His life was not easy.  Circumstances must have tempted him to doubt this truth.  He lost his baby son.  Yet he continued to believe in the love of God.

Over and over in Scripture God proclaims His love for me.  His Word often reads like a love letter.  There is nothing that can separate me from His constant and unconditional love.  Unlike any human relationship, it is under guarantee!  He has committed Himself to me and He is faithful.  He created me for this relationship.  All other loves in this life pale in comparison.

In our fallen world filled with broken relationships, sin and sickness, it is easy to lose sight of His love.  But today, regardless of the hard times, I declare His love for me!


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Chestnuts

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 45:3  “I will give you hidden treasure, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

These chestnuts are all over the ground of the forest up above our house.  They are brown and furry by the time they drop and look like something out of a Star Trek TV episode (the mythical “tribble”).  When they are still green and fresh, the chestnut is difficult to handle with its spiny bur.  But getting at that delicious treasure is worth all the effort!  There can be up to seven chestnuts in one bur.

The chestnut here in France is most often roasted but is also candied, boiled, steamed and grilled.   For Christmas and New Year’s the “marron glacé” is traditional fare, a chestnut that has been glazed in sugar syrup.  For some, the chestnut is an acquired taste, but I enjoy them!

Our verse for today talks about treasures that are hidden.  The riches that the Lord reveals are not so obvious.  Like the chestnut, they are sometimes stored in places difficult to see.  The outside of that hidden treasure makes it easy to miss.  Getting at that treasure may involved going through some tough prickly times.

It is through the hard times that I see God’s love and gentleness with me.  It is when life is difficult that He reveals the treasure of who He is.  His comfort and His grace are the unexpected surprise behind that negative experience.  Through a trial He becomes MY Lord, calling me by My name.  Faith becomes very personal as He reveals to me the treasure of His power and presence.

Help me, Lord, to discover that treasure.  Reveal to me the secret places of Your love!


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Waiting Room

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 27:14 “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”

Who is it that designs waiting rooms?  The colors are subdued, the walls are mostly bare, and often the magazines are out of date.  It does not help that the chairs are sometimes hard and the lighting fluorescent.  Waiting rooms are not easy places to wait.  Why not have color and noise and distractions to keep our minds occupied?  Focusing on what we are awaiting only makes the time drag.

Our verse for today is all about waiting.  David is waiting to see God’s goodness.  He is seeking His face for mercy and help.  David knows that there can be no courage or bravery on his part without that wait.  He waits with expectation that God will come through for him.  His hope is based on God’s character and God’s promises to him.

When I wait to see God’s goodness I want to wait the way David did.  He did not seek color, noise or distractions to get him through the wait.  Nor did he focus on the problem of his enemies.  Instead, he thought about who God is; his Light, his Salvation, his Refuge.  He remembered God’s promises to him (verse 8).  David was able to move through the wait with a strong heart, full of confidence.  That is what I want to do.

Some waits are particularly difficult.  Concentrating on that looming problem with no apparent solution only makes the wait seem longer.  I want my waiting room to be wallpapered with His promises and reassurances of His character.  Keep my heart strong, Lord, while I wait for You.


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Frown LInes

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 42:11 “Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

I always thought that frown lines would be those around the mouth.  But apparently, they are all over a face.  I guess wrinkles from surprise or from concentration must qualify too.  As annoying as these lines can feel on a face, it has got to be better than a face so tight with face lifting that there is no expression at all!

It is true that one’s face can be indicative of what kind of life one has led.  There is the hard working laborer exposed to too much sun.  There is the hard drinking man whose face betrays his dependance.  There is the life-long smoker whose skin reveals their habit.  And there are those who have lived through great tragedy and rarely smile.

Our verse for today is a prayer.  David (thought to be the author) addresses his own soul and the despair he feels.  He had plenty of reason to have a soul disturbed within him.  He was under constant attack from his enemies.  Rather than focusing on his circumstances or giving in to despair, the psalmist reminds himself of the hope he has in God.  Because of that hope, he could look forward to a future where praise for God would come again to his lips.

I can almost see David’s face clearing as he reaffirms his hope.  Hope shows on a face.  Eyes widen with anticipation.  Smiles appear when thinking of His goodness and faithfulness.  Hoping in God changes and uplifts one’s countenance.

Lord, my hope is in You alone.  May this hope be visible on my face today!