Devotions By Jan


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God is Not a Genie!

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 27:4  “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord, to seek Him in His temple.”

As a child I was always drawn to stories of fairies or genies who could grant wishes.  Disney stories and television actress Barbara Eden fired the imagination of what I would ask for given that opportunity.  I knew that in addition to untold riches there would somehow be chocolate involved!  But it would annoy me no end if I had to limit myself to just three requests!

In no way is the God of the Bible a genie who grants wishes.  Unfortunately, there are those who have that erroneous idea and are quickly disappointed.  In His grace, God does give good gifts to His children through which He can be glorified.  In fact, for the believer, everything good in one’s life comes from Him (James 1:17).  But His gifts are unmerited and beyond any attempt to manipulate.

If I could ask only one thing of the Lord, what would it be?  In our verse for today, David (thought to be the author) asks for just one thing.  Most important to him was to stay in God’s presence.  It was his one burning desire to gaze on the beauty of the Lord each day of his life.

I cannot help but think that God was pleased with David’s request.   David asked something that God wanted too; close personal relationship.  Seeking His presence above all else puts all my other needs and wants in perspective.  This is a prayer I want to echo and I know He will answer, “Yes.”

( a re-post from October 18, 2013)


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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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Waiting Room

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 27:14 “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”

Who is it that designs waiting rooms?  The colors are subdued, the walls are mostly bare, and often the magazines are out of date.  It does not help that the chairs are sometimes hard and the lighting fluorescent.  Waiting rooms are not easy places to wait.  Why not have color and noise and distractions to keep our minds occupied?  Focusing on what we are awaiting only makes the time drag.

Our verse for today is all about waiting.  David is waiting to see God’s goodness.  He is seeking His face for mercy and help.  David knows that there can be no courage or bravery on his part without that wait.  He waits with expectation that God will come through for him.  His hope is based on God’s character and God’s promises to him.

When I wait to see God’s goodness I want to wait the way David did.  He did not seek color, noise or distractions to get him through the wait.  Nor did he focus on the problem of his enemies.  Instead, he thought about who God is; his Light, his Salvation, his Refuge.  He remembered God’s promises to him (verse 8).  David was able to move through the wait with a strong heart, full of confidence.  That is what I want to do.

Some waits are particularly difficult.  Concentrating on that looming problem with no apparent solution only makes the wait seem longer.  I want my waiting room to be wallpapered with His promises and reassurances of His character.  Keep my heart strong, Lord, while I wait for You.


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Frown LInes

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 42:11 “Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

I always thought that frown lines would be those around the mouth.  But apparently, they are all over a face.  I guess wrinkles from surprise or from concentration must qualify too.  As annoying as these lines can feel on a face, it has got to be better than a face so tight with face lifting that there is no expression at all!

It is true that one’s face can be indicative of what kind of life one has led.  There is the hard working laborer exposed to too much sun.  There is the hard drinking man whose face betrays his dependance.  There is the life-long smoker whose skin reveals their habit.  And there are those who have lived through great tragedy and rarely smile.

Our verse for today is a prayer.  David (thought to be the author) addresses his own soul and the despair he feels.  He had plenty of reason to have a soul disturbed within him.  He was under constant attack from his enemies.  Rather than focusing on his circumstances or giving in to despair, the psalmist reminds himself of the hope he has in God.  Because of that hope, he could look forward to a future where praise for God would come again to his lips.

I can almost see David’s face clearing as he reaffirms his hope.  Hope shows on a face.  Eyes widen with anticipation.  Smiles appear when thinking of His goodness and faithfulness.  Hoping in God changes and uplifts one’s countenance.

Lord, my hope is in You alone.  May this hope be visible on my face today!


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Stuck!

7-29-09 002Scripture for Today:  I Corinthians 10:13  “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can endure it.”

I will never forget this traffic jam.  It seemed to last forever.  Thankfully, we were comfortable with pillows, food and water.  There was nothing to do about it.  The exits were too far apart.  We just had to wait it out.  In French, the word for a traffic jam is the same as for a bottle stopper.  Whatever the image, it is not a fun experience!  There was no point in venting our frustrations as doing so changed nothing!  We were stuck and there was just no way out.

Our verse for today gives a promise regarding temptation.  Of course, God does not tempt us to sin (James 1:13).  The word for “temptation” in the Greek is a neutral word, meaning to prove or to try.  Though God allows our faith to be tested, it is never His intent that we sin.  In His grace, He makes the test bearable without falling into sin.  The tests He allows us to go through have a way out.   If we endure the test with our faith strong and intact, that means we have found the way out!

That “way out” promised is Jesus Himself.  He is the “Way.”  His strength, His riches, His grace, and His love are what make any crushing circumstance bearable.  The only way to move through a trial successfully is to run to Him for the solution.  Thank you, Lord, that You are my way out and with You I can endure!