Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: The Body of Christ


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Team Effort

1208_NRBB_Game_023Scripture for Today:  I Corinthians 3:6-7  “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow.”

I am a basketball game enthusiast.  I kind of have to be as I am married to someone passionate for the game!  But over the years I have learned to appreciate it more and more.  I even know some basketball vocabulary to throw around so I can pretend I know what I am talking about!

The shot made in this photo was amazing!  What was more amazing is what led up to that basket.  There was dribbling, there was passing and there was setting of picks.  It was a real team effort.  When a team works together the score always reflects it.  If there is ball hogging and no assists, things tend to fall apart.  The game is never about just one player.

Although the context is division, our verse for today can also refer to a team effort.  Paul and Apollos both had different but essential roles.  The important truth is that God is the One at work changing hearts and transforming lives.  Neither Paul nor Apollos could take the credit.

When it comes to building God’s Kingdom, I am not anything.  I may think I am, but I am not.  Can I change a heart or transform a life?  Of course not.  No matter how well I think I am doing, it is God’s doing.  If there is increase than the glory clearly belongs to Him!  That means I do not have to be the one making the basket.  Sometimes He asks me to throw the ball at the player who is open!


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Flying Together

Scripture for Today:  Philippians 2:1-2  “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and consolation, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

This image of perfect synchronized flying is amazing!  These geese must have the same destination in their little bird brains!  But more than that, they are flying at the same height and speed to get there!  No one is jostling for position or lagging behind in fatigue.  Their united purpose brings them together and keeps them together.

In the verse for today, Paul seems to think that Christians can be united in spirit.  Not only that but he seems to be saying that believers can be in agreement, loving one another and intent on going in the same direction!  How does that happen?  When there is encouragement.  When there is consolation.  When there is fellowship and affection for one another.

I am going in the same direction as so many other believers.  Like them, my desire is to grow in faith and be more like Jesus.  It is a long life-time purpose.  But going it alone is not what the Lord wants.  Just as I take notice of these three geese flying in perfect harmony, so the world sits up and takes notice of believers that are showing love and unity.

Being united and showing love to one another is something supernatural.  It is what signals to the world that we are disciples of Jesus (John 13:35).  I not only need the love and encouragement of other believers to keep going, but “flying together” brings honor to Christ!  Through our unity we can keep on keeping on, together!


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Sharpened

Scripture for Today:  Proverbs 27:17  “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.”

Have you ever notice how many infomercials there are to sell knives and knife sharpeners?  One would think that life cannot be lived without them.  I am afraid the knives in my kitchen are quite dull.  I realize this can be a hazard.  One Christmas I received some steak knives.  My daughter was so accustomed to my knives being dull that she pressed too hard and we ended up in the emergency room on New Year’s Day.

Pictured here is the “steeling” method where the edge is realigned and sharpened.  There are in fact many different methods in sharpening metal, some for rough sharpening and some for fine sharpening.  Regardless of the material or method used, there is pressure, friction and grinding involved.  The  goal is always to remove unwanted metal to form a new more effective edge.

Our verse for today likens this process of sharpening to relationships.  We do grate on each other!  Where there are people there are challenging conflicts.  It is inevitable.  Even a relationship filled with love and mutual respect will have those sharpening moments.

It is in the context of relationship that we face our faults.  They surface and resurface as we interact with people.  I never realized how selfish I was until I got married and became a mother.  I do not realize that I have a problem with anger until someone else provokes it.  If I were never in a group of women I may not recognize a tendency to gossip.  The answer is not to isolate myself.  If I did that my edge would become dull.  The answer is the Lord’s help and forgiveness.

Thank you, Lord, for the sharpening quality of relationships to remove in me what does not belong!


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Sponges

Scripture for Today:  II Corinthians 1:3-4  “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves  are comforted by God.”

We go through sponges quite often in our home.  That is because Tiger, our cat, thinks of them as his personal property!  He loves to rip them apart.  Greeting me as I come into the kitchen are little pieces of yellow sponge all over the kitchen floor.  We have tried putting on the sponge a number of different cleaning products to discourage him.  But we do not always remember.  We would be rich by now if we had invested in whatever stock company sells those sponges!

Like sponges, we soak up the comfort God gives us.  Our verse for today reassures us of His mercy and comfort when we are experiencing trouble.  He is the God of all comfort.  His Spirit is called the “Comforter.”  His heart is touched by all our weaknesses and infirmities.   We can approach Him with confidence and receive His mercy (Hebrews 4:15-16).

There is a second purpose to the comfort He gives.  We experience His comfort so that we can share that same comfort with others.  There is credibility to comfort given out of a shared experience.  I can relate to those whose parents are experiencing failing health.  I am experiencing that same sadness.  He wants me to share His comfort with others experiencing this same heartache.

My sponge should not remain saturated.  I do not want to keep all His comfort for my own troubles.  Thank you, Lord for Your precious comfort and use me to share it with others.


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Sweet and Sour

Scripture for Today:  Proverbs 16:23-24  “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.  Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

There is a Chinese restaurant at the entrance to the long alleyway leading to our house.  When the wind is just right, we smell all their wonderful cooking!  Those aromas probably influence me to cook Chinese food more than I realize!  My Chinese cooking will never rival theirs, or especially that of my Chinese Mother-in-law.  But my husband always appreciates my efforts.

One thing I never cook is sweet and sour as my husband does not care for it much.  In fact, mixing sweet and sour is something that is not done too often in French cooking.  Our verse for today describes the mouth of the wise as speaking pleasant sweet words.  Those words are sweetness to the soul and have a healing effect, not only for the listeners but perhaps even for those whose who speak them.

More often than not, my words end up being sweet and sour.  James 3:10-11 tells me this ought not to be!  How is it that the same mouth can speak blessing and cursing?  A fountain does not normally give fresh and bitter water at the same time.  And yet, that is exactly my problem.

I do not seem to have too much of a problem with my mouth on a Sunday morning at church.  However, behind the wheel can be another story!  My words become sour.  This also seems to happen when I am overly tired or when frustrations mount!  Sweet becomes polluted with sour.  Instead of sweetness and healing, this mix produces bitterness and hurt.

Lord, keep me from becoming sour.   Make my words persuasive, pleasant and sweet.