Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Hope


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Cheerleaders

IMG_20130219_095627Scripture for Today:  Romans 15:4  “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

When our daughters were young they were thrilled to wear these cheerleading outfits.  At that time my husband taught at a public high school.  He had these outfits professionally made so the girls could cheer along with the “real” cheerleaders at sporting events.  They were quite the hit!

Anytime spirit lagged among the spectators, all the girls had to do was look cute and shake their pom-poms and the crowd would find their voice again!  With just a little encouragement from the girls, the crowd would cheer.

Our verse for today gives us another source of encouragement; Scripture.  We need its encouragement to hold on to our hope.  We need the encouragement of Scripture to endure.  Our spirits sometimes lag.  We get discouraged waiting for that answer to prayer or His promise to be fulfilled.

God’s Word is so much more than a pep talk though.  His Word is a love letter where the Lord reveals His heart as well as His plan for me.  He so often points me to just the right passage to encourage me when I am down.  He speaks to me through His Word when I am tired and feel like giving up.  He knows just what I am feeling.

Nothing in this world can give me the same kind of encouragement to hope that God’s Word does.  Hope in what is certain, true and unchangeable is a sure hope and not some flimsy wishful thinking.

God’s Word cheers me on.  He is on my side and He wants me to succeed.  He gives me daily encouragement to keep on keeping on!  Thank you, Lord!


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The Turtle

Scripture for Today:  Romans 5: 3-4  “…but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope:”

While growing up our family had a turtle hanging out in our back yard.   I don’t remember how he came to be there, but I do remember using him like a garbage disposal.  He took care of all the vegetable scraps.  It was fun to watch him eat lettuce, although it seemed he took forever to do it.

We also grew up with cats.  Because our turtle was so slow, our cats would often corner him.  Of course, there was no way he could out run them but he survived these encounters by stopping and withdrawing into his shell.  Sometimes it would take a long time but eventually, the cats would lose interest and leave him alone.

Our verse today is an encouragement in facing the hard times in life.  They corner us and often there is no way to avoid them.  Yet, the Lord promises a positive outcome: perseverance.  That patient endurance forms a godly character in me.  The more difficult my situation, the more likely I am to think about the hope of eternity.

God gave the turtle a wonderful coping mechanism in that shell.  He could easily wait out the cat’s assault.  By His presence God provides me with a similar way to cope.  He is my refuge.  He is my hiding place.  He provides shelter.  Through Him I can endure and wait it out.

It is God who gives perseverance and encouragement (Rom.15:5).  I do not know what tomorrow may bring.  But I do know that He is there and He will give me what I need to persevere.  At the first sign of trouble, may I hide myself in Him.


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The Pits

Scripture for Today:  Psalms 40:2  “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings.”

January can be the pits.  The hoopla of the holidays is over, the days are dark and short and the sun is reluctant to put in an appearance.   The next vacation time seems to be an eternity from now.

Sadness can seem like a deep dark hole like the one pictured here.  When I indulge my negative thoughts and feelings, I can make that hole even deeper and quite quickly.  Believers are to always be joyful, regardless of the circumstances.  So let’s call the miry clay of our verse the guilt one can feel for being sad.

I am thankful that David was so expressive of his feelings in his Psalms.  When he was feeling discouraged and down, he said it.  When he was feeling abandoned, he said it.  When he was feeling despair, he said it.  When we as believers answer the question, “How are you?” we usually do not say it.  But David was honest with the Lord about his feelings.

David cried to the Lord in this passage.  The Lord listened and heard and drew him up out of his despair.  He also gave David purpose and direction , placing his feet on rock. The pit for David did not disappear.  He is no longer in it, but it still exists.  There is always the temptation to return to the pit of sadness and self-pity.  Even after a miraculous rescue, we sometimes turn around and climb back in, especially when our circumstances do not change.

Thank you, Lord, that when I am in the pits, you hear my cry.  May I, like David, continually praise You.


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Remembering

Scripture for Today:  Lamentations 3:21-23  “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

What on earth does an iron have to do with today’s topic of remembering??  Except maybe the problem of remembering to turn off the iron!  This is one of those times when speaking another language gives some fun insight.  The words “call to mind”or “remember” are translated in French as “repasser.”  This word means to pass over something again and again.  The iron in French is a “fer à repasser.”  Of course in ironing that is what we do, go over a wrinkle over and over until it’s smoothed out.

We are told in our verse to remember His GREAT love, His compassions and His faithfulness.  In doing so we can live with hope.  My problem is that I often forget.  My heart must be made of linen, a material difficult to iron.  I have to go over and over these truths to make them stick.  But if we continue with this image of an iron, we can see how it takes pressure and heat to be effective.

It is because of trials that I can say with confidence that God is loving, compassionate and faithful.  Somehow, the heat and pressure of hard times improves my memory.  I wish it did not take trials to remember, but it does.  When I look back on the difficulties He has brought me through, I am always reminded of His love and faithfulness to me.  Today I want to call these truths to mind without the stimulus of a trial.

Lord, help me to focus on Your great love, Your compassions and Your faithfulness!