Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Submission


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Heart’s Desire

Scripture for Today:  Isaiah 26:8 “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.”

I am amazed to see the variety and quantity of heart shaped boxes of chocolate displayed on the shelves for Valentine’s day!  I am a recovering “chocoholic” so I dare not linger long in front of those tempting displays!  If addiction means intense craving, loss of control, or continued use despite negative consequences, than that could be me if I am not careful!  According to the Nielson consumer study group, in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold!  There is something about that “dark master…the cocoa bean” that creates strong desire!

Our verse for today mentions a desire of the heart.  It is much deeper than any other desire.  A desire for God’s glory completely changes a life.  Wanting His name to be known means saying,”Yes, Lord” to what He asks of us.  Wanting His name to be more prominent than our own means we will follow Him.  His glory in our lives will be evident by the way we walk, following His commandments.

The best way my husband loves me is when he praises me to others!  In turn, I honor him at every opportunity.  I want him to be recognized for all his hard work and sacrifice.  It is the same principle with our Lord.  We show Him that we love Him when we praise Him to others!  We show we are jealous for His name and glory when we walk in a way that honors Him.  It is the best way I can love my Lord.

Lord, You are the desire of my heart!  Help me to live that truth today!


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Building Up or Tearing Down?

house unnamedScripture for Today:  Proverbs 14:1  “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.”

I stopped to watch this demolition the other day.  I wondered how long the house had stood there.  Living in Europe, I am accustomed to older buildings and appreciate their charm.  Our own home is over one hundred years old.  But in just one day, this home came down.  All the memories associated with those rooms are gone.  All the stories lived out behind its walls are now a little harder to recall.  It made me a bit sad.

Our verse for today describes a house coming down.  It is very much in the power of a woman to make or break a household.  A foolish woman needs no help to bring the house down around her head.  But a wise woman will fight for her home and her family.  She will do everything in her power to protect those precious walls.

Who is the wise woman?  She is the one who fears the Lord first and foremost (Psalm 111:10).  Following God’s commandments in a marriage relationship and as parents is the surest way to keep that house standing.  A foolish woman will consider God’s way as old fashioned and antiquated.  Without realizing it, the foolish woman will tear her own house down little by little.  Before long the roof caves in and she wonders what has happened.

There are cracks in my walls every now and then.  Sometimes following God’s way is just difficult.  I need His help to obey.  Unless the Lord builds my house all this work will be for nothing (Psalm 127:1).  But the result is well worth the effort.

Thank you, Lord, that my house is still standing!  Keep me building my house Your way!


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Controls

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 37:5  “Commit your way to the Lord.  Trust also in Him, and He will do it.”

This array of remote controls is impressive!  I cannot imagine trying to keep them all straight.  Seriously, I would probably mix them up to the point of inadvertently turning on or off the wrong thing.  As it is,  I pointed our phone at the television the other day and wondered why nothing happened!  Maybe that is better than trying to make a phone call from the television remote!

All these controls must give one a sense of command.  I imagine that homes in the future may become more and more automated.  With voice recognition we can tell lights to come on or heating to turn off.  It must be a powerful feeling to have one’s environment obey one’s every command!

Our verse for today teaches believers to give up control of our lives to the Lord.  There are plenty of things over which we have no control.  But for those things we do, we are to entrust even those to Him.  This is not a natural reaction to a problem.  In fact, in facing a difficulty beyond one’s control, the first inclination is to somehow find a sense of control.  But committing one’s way to the Lord is yielding it all to Him.  It is an intentional decision to allow the Lord His perfect way and to relinquish control.

My basic problem in relinquishing those controls is a lack of trust.  Why ever do I think I can do a better job of it than He can?  Trusting in myself and my own limited understanding may keep control in my feeble hands but His way is always better.  Thank you, Lord, that You are trustworthy and Your control is always loving.


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My Way

Scripture for Today:  Ezekiel 18:29 “But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’  Are My ways not right, O house of Israel?  Is it not your ways that are not right?”

My Dad will never let me live down the fiasco I created when trying to make popcorn balls.  I was fairly young at the time but figured I could follow a recipe.  I confidently put all the ingredients together in a big bowl in the order listed.  Not having read ahead, I did not realize there were steps to be followed!  I did it my way and with silly sticky results!

The music of the famous song, “My Way,” was based on the French song, “Comme D’Habitude.”   The words describe a man facing his own mortality and reflecting on a life done his own way.  It says, “For what is a man, what has he got?  If not himself, then he has naught.”  How glad I am that this is not true!  I am not on my own.  I have the Lord!  My life has a plan and a purpose, created by the One who created me!

I know what happens when I do things my own way.  I get in trouble and I make a mess.  Proverbs 14:12 (and 16:25) says, “There is a way which seems right to a man….”  I can so easily fool myself into thinking my way is the right way.  This happened to the Israelites as well in our verse for today.  They did not understand what was truly righteous and they reasoned that their way was better.

I know His way is often the harder way.  I sometimes do not understand the logic behind His way either.   But one thing is sure.  His way is better than mine.


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Calculator

IMG_20130423_164037Scripture for Today:  Luke 14:28  “But do not begin until you count the cost.  For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it.”

I find I need a calculator quite often when dealing with two systems of measurement.  Especially in the kitchen I am always figuring the equivalents between grams and kilos versus ounces and pounds.

I am flattered when a French friend asks for a recipe but usually annoyed to have to change it all to the metric system.  How easier things would be if we were all using the same measurements!  Maybe then I could move this calculator to a desk drawer.

Our verse for today talks about calculating the cost of constructing a building.  How foolish to begin such a project without evaluating the cost before beginning!  In the same way, we are to evaluate the cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Jesus spoke these words at a time when His popularity was at its peak.  Multitudes were following Him.  The world would call that success.  But Jesus was not interested in the number of followers, but rather those who were truly committed to Him.

What are the costs of following Jesus?  The context names one in particular; putting Christ above all family members (verse 26).  My love for Jesus is to far outweigh the love I have for my husband, my children and grandchildren, and my extended family.  My relationship with Him is to take precedence.

Loving any family member more than Christ can lessen my commitment to follow Him.  He wants all of my heart.  My love for my family is strong, fierce and all-consuming.  Is my love for Him much more than this?  His love for me cost Him everything.