Devotions By Jan


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Mistaken Identity

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 44:5 “Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel.”

They took the wrong man off life support!  It happened in Chicago where a man was unrecognizable due to facial bruising and the ventilator tubing.  Rather than identify him through fingerprints, the staff used a mug shot.  The man’s sisters were called and because they had not had much contact with their brother, they took the word of the hospital staff and made the decision to remove him from life support.  Imagine the surprise of the family when later their brother just walked in the door!

There will be no such confusion for those who belong in God’s family!  Today’s verse talks about a time in Israel’s history where there was an influx of proselytes.  This verse describes the very public manner in which they made their profession of their new attachment to the one and only true God.  Some of these new converts went as far as writing on their hand, “the Lord’s.”  Just as a slave was branded with the name of his master or the soldier was marked with the name of his commander, so the new convert was identified with God and the people of God.

I am the Lord’s.  I belong to Him and have devoted my life to Him.  It seems the only logical response to His commitment to me.  He has engraved me on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16).  And on the palms of His hands are also the scars of the nails as He took my place on the cross.  What other response is there to such an unfathomable love?

Thank you Lord, that I belong to You.

 


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The Crucible

Scripture for Today: Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so no one can boast.”

The new recruit to the Marine Corps cannot be called a “marine” until he successfully completes what is called the “Crucible.”  This is a 54 hour training event that includes 45 miles of marching, plus food and sleep deprivation.  It is a long grueling exercise that is designed to improve leadership, teamwork and communication.  As the Marine saying declares, being a marine is “Earned, Never Given.”

Today’s verse is in direct contrast to this idea.  The marine has bragging rights for his accomplishment.  The believer cannot claim to have earned passage to Heaven.  None of us can boast about having anything to do with it.  Salvation being a free gift does not come through our own work or effort.  No matter how hard one works to earn Heaven, man will always fall short of the perfect standard of God’s holiness.  It is only through His unmerited favor that we can be saved from the just punishment our sins deserve.  In every way, our salvation is Given, Not Earned!

What an amazing and freeing truth!  Were it not for this declaration of God’s grace, I would always wonder if I were good enough.  I would always be in a state of fear and worry about my eternal destination.  He wants me to put my faith and trust not on what I can do, but on what He accomplished on that cross.  The works He has created for me to do are not tied to salvation (verse 10).  Anything I do to please Him is done out of gratitude for His amazing grace!

Lord, thank you for lifting the burden of being good enough!

 


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Hot Air Balloon

Scripture for Today: I Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening.”

What a thrill it must be to quietly glide through the air without the noise of engines!  The views from the hot air balloon must be amazing.  But there is no gliding above the earth without heating the air that fills the hot air balloon.  The burners use gas jets fueled by propane cylinders.  The pilot’s job is to fire a steady flame from the burner to climb and maintain altitude.

In today’s verse, Peter anticipates that the believers will be surprised at the fiery trials they will face.  He points out that there is something behind the intense crisis they encounter.  The Lord uses every difficulty to test our faith and make us strong.  However, this “fiery ordeal” is not something caused by our own wrong choices.  It is an ordeal that comes from living as a believer in a non believing world.  Rather than reacting with surprise, we are to respond with joy (verse 13) being confident that blessing and future glory are ours (verse 14).  That fiery trial allows us to fly higher and maintain our altitude!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to peacefully glide through life without difficulties?  But I need that flame to make me stronger.  With each problem my faith can grow.  With each difficulty I can see Him work and draw closer to Him.  Each time I respond as I should He takes me a little higher and gives me a more expansive view!  Of course, I wish the process were not so uncomfortable.  But I can trust Him to know what He is doing.  I can trust that He knows how to grow my faith.

Lord, may my attitude allow new altitude!

 

 

 

 

 


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Father’s Day

Scripture for Today: Romans 8:15 “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Our children never called their Dad, “Father.”  We were not quite so formal in our house.  He was always “Dad” or “Daddy.”  My husband was and is an involved father.  And I wanted to especially honor him on Father’s Day for the love, discipline, model and wonderful influence he has been with our children.  His role continues even though our children are now parents themselves.

Today’s verse teaches that the believer has been adopted into a spiritual family where we call the God of the universe our Father.  Not only do we address Him this way, but we can have such a close relationship that we can even call Him “Abba” or “Daddy.”   This is no fearful slave-master relationship.  It is not a relationship of do’s and dont’s and rules.  It is a relationship of love and service.  It is a relationship that can grow ever stronger with time and last into eternity.  Not everyone has had the privilege of a good relationship with their earthly father, but for the believer, the Heavenly Father is the perfect father we never had!

He adopted me because of His grace, not because I deserved to be chosen.  I did not deserve to be wanted as His own.  It boggles my mind to realize that I will always be His child.  And He is always approachable.  Nothing is too small for His notice.  It is an incredible thought that He waits for me to crawl up into His lap.  His desire is to love on me, to protect me and to teach me about Himself.

Thank you Lord, for being my Father.

 


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Raise Your Hand!

Scripture for Today: II Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God.”

While watching the NBA playoffs I was surprised to see Australian Andrew Bogut of the Warriors raise his hand.  This gesture of acknowledging a foul used to be mandatory and is still used in European play.  It helps the officiating crew in recording the number of fouls.  However, today it is something completely voluntary and rarely done.  Sometimes a player will raise his hand to take the heat off a star player, confusing the officials and taking the foul for the other player!

Today’s verse has Jesus Christ raising His hand for us!  He had no sin of His own.  He was completely innocent of any wrongdoing.  Yet, He took our place.  He paid the price God’s holiness exacts for sin; the price of death (Romans 6:23).  He did this so that those who raise their hand to admit their guilt could be declared righteousness and in right standing with Him.  Not only are believers declared righteous through His eyes, but we are to “die to sin and live for righteousness” (I Peter 2:24).

I am no “star player” that He should take the foul for me!  I am completely undeserving that He should take my punishment on Himself.  It is only because of His grace and love!  He loved me and sacrificed Himself for me while I was still an enemy of His! (Romans 5:10)  And His sacrifice for my sin makes it possible to share in His righteousness.  No longer will sin have the same power of death over me!  What an incredible love that He should die for me!

Lord, I am humbled and grateful that You raised Your hand for me!