Devotions By Jan


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Ornate Frames

Scripture for Today: Psalm 115:1 “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.”

I appreciate a fancy picture frame but this one goes a little overboard!  The frame is so ornate that it cannot help but distract from whatever picture it surrounds.  The whole point of a frame is to highlight and draw the eye to the photograph.  A photo inserted in this frame would be completely swallowed up!  Sometimes, the simpler the frame the more effective it is in showcasing the picture.

This ornate frame made me think of the concept in today’s verse.  We can get carried away with our own importance.  We forget that our role as believers is not to showcase ourselves and our own accomplishments, but to draw attention to our Creator.  He is the central figure, not us.  He is to be glorified and honored for His incredible love and faithfulness to us.  Our role is to showcase all He has done and His perfect attributes.  The frame that detracts is the frame that is full of self-importance.

Of course, God’s glory is too immense to be overshadowed by anything man can do or create.  But anytime I take credit for something He has done for me, than I am failing to do what I am created for; glorifying His name.  To acclaim Him is my purpose for living.  To exalt Him, to praise Him, to extol and tell of His powerful and awesome works is why I am placed on this earth (Psalm 145).  Whether the frame is made of gold or wood is of no importance.  He is the One most worthy of all praise!

Lord, don’t let this day pass without me praising Your name to others!


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Shutters

Scripture for Today: Psalm 139:5 “You have enclosed me behind and before, And You have placed Your hand upon me.”

I loved living with shutters in both Germany and France.  They completely blocked out noise and light, making it easy to sleep in!  When a storm came through, it was great to protect the newly washed windows from rain splatters.  During a hot spell, closed shutters kept the house cooler.  And for security reasons shutters were especially helpful.  In fact, some insurance plans would refuse to cover for theft if the shutters were open!  But the best thing about shutters was the sense of privacy they afforded.  I often felt a sense of peace with those shutters closing out the world.

Today’s verse describes just how well God’s Spirit knows me.  He knows when I am sitting, standing, when I go out and when I return.  He knows me so well that He knows what I am going to say before I say it.  Rather than this being an uncomfortable thought, it is a truth that is wonderful.  His thoughts to me are too numerous to count and they are precious (verse 17).  He lays His hand on me in a loving and protective gesture.  Like those shutters, He encloses and surrounds me with His presence and His love.

The world often needs to be blocked out.  Being enclosed in the Lord’s presence is only possible when I retreat from all the noise and activity around me.  To be still and listen to His voice often means turning off all the other clamoring distractions.  It is shutting the door to the room or closet to pray in private (Matt. 6:6).  When I make that effort, He is there, ready to meet me.

Lord, help me to shut out the world today and enjoy Your presence.

 


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White Christmas

marche JEKSI1jmb5pLdUmxH-bstxUx66sScripture for Today: Isaiah 1:18 “…Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

I am dreaming of a white Christmas, but in Southern California, that is all it is; a dream.  We enjoyed having snow in Alsace, France and sometimes even on Christmas day.  Pictured is a manger scene in the forest of the Christmas Market next to the Metz train station.  Somehow, the manger scene surrounded by snow makes it even more picturesque.  The Christmas markets with their quaint booths and twinkly lights looked magical when the snow gently fell.  It is lovely to see everything new and white.

Our verse today says that I can be whiter than snow.  The Lord’s forgiveness makes me that way.  My sin makes my heart dirty.  My guilt makes it dark.  But the Lord promises full cleansing when I confront and confess my sin.  His forgiveness makes everything white and bright again.

Like the snow outside, the whiteness of my heart does not seem to last very long!  Sin creeps back in little by little, dimming the white and changing it to grey.  Before long it is too noticeable to ignore.  The washing of my heart needs to be a daily routine.  Just as the washing of the disciples’ feet in John 13 is a daily necessity, so is my daily confession.

How wonderful to experience the new freshness of bright white snow!  How amazing that God’s forgiveness does the same for me!  His patient and consistent pardon means that each day can have a new white beginning.  One day, that whiteness will last forever!

Merry Christmas to all my readers and may your Christmas be white with His wonderful forgiveness!


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Wishing on a Star

Scripture for Today: Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

“Star light, star bright, The first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.”  This nursery rhyme from the late 1800’s still comes to mind when I see a bright star or planet shining on a clear night.  But I am sure those Magi from the east were not thinking of wishing on His star (Matt. 2:1).  Instead, they faithfully followed the star in order to worship the One born King of the Jews.

“Wishing on a star” pretty much describes the thinking of those who place their confidence in anyone but Jesus.  It is a poor flimsy substitute for real hope.  Hope for the believer is faith in what is sure.  Our hope is only as good as its object and that makes our hope in Jesus unshakable.  A star will not save.  A star cannot fulfill promises and save souls.  But a star can and often does move us to worship the Creator, as it did for the Magi.  His own hands stretched out the heavens (Isaiah 45:12).

Because of Christ’s birth, I have hope.  I not only have hope, I am overflowing with it as I trust Him.  He promises to fill me with all joy and peace as I live in that hope and trust.  The coming of Jesus is hope realized as He made a way to live eternally with Him.  There is a bright future ahead because of that hope.  The darkness of my despair is dispelled by the heavenly light of His presence!

Thank you Lord, for Christmas and for being my hope.


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Ugly Christmas Sweater

Scripture for Today: Ephesians 4:22 “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;”

It’s that season again of outdated, ugly and outrageous Christmas sweaters.  My daughter just attended a function where this was the theme.  Thankfully, she did not come to me to borrow what I would normally wear!  It seems unbelievable that these loud colorful sweaters use to be the “in” style.  It makes me wonder what will be considered ugly in twenty years that we now wear with pride!

Our verse today is about putting off our old self.  Like a piece of outdated clothing we are to take it off.  The old self or old nature is who we were before Christ changed us and gave us a new nature, resembling Him.  The old self is characterized by lies, sinful anger, stealing, unwholesome talk, bitterness, rage, brawling, slander and all malice.  How much better to put on the new self, created to be like the Lord in true righteousness and holiness (verse 24).

If you are like me, some of these outdated items are still hanging out in your closet!  Like a ratty comfortable robe, I slip back into habits that should not be a part of my wardrobe any longer.  I am often unaware of what I am wearing.  But those old clothes are NOT pretty.

I do have a choice.  Nothing obligates me to put my hand on that old worn out sin and wear it again today.  Because of Christ, I can be new.  I can have a whole new look, a look that resembles Him.

Lord, help me to recognize the old and throw it out!