Devotions By Jan


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Kneeling Cows

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 45:23 “By myself I have sworn , my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked; Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.”

It seems this cow has an audience to his ungainly rise! Unlike other farm animals, cattle will get up and lie down by kneeling on their front legs. Their clumsy movements can look comical but it is this change of position which possibly gave rise to an old folklore. It says that when the bells sound at midnight on Christmas Eve, all the cattle bow in homage to the baby Jesus.

In today’s verse, God swears. He swears by Himself as there is no one higher than Him. Of course, everything God says is true and trustworthy. But here, added weight is given to His words. What He says cannot be disputed. There is no human knee every created that will NOT bow to God. There is no human tongue that will NOT swear, confess or agree with God as to who He is! This acknowledgement takes place when we give an account of ourselves to God. (Rom. 14:11-12) What a sobering thought for the ones who have mocked and denied Him their whole lives!

Because I have acknowledged Jesus here on earth, bowing before Him will be a joyful worshipful experience. I am not worthy in the least. But because of receiving His righteousness through faith (Rom. 4:5) I am “in Christ” and not condemned. (Rom. 8:1) However, there is bowing here on earth as well. Bending the knee is bending my will to conform to His. This is my daily struggle as a subject of the King. I want to want what He wants, but my own silly selfish desires are oh so strong!

Lord, help me submit to what You want today.


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Crowning the New Year

Scripture for Today: Psalm 65:11 “You crown the year with Your good blessings and You leave abundance in Your wake.”

This crown belongs to Queen Elizabeth and being that it weighs three pounds, the quote from Shakespeare, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” can be understood two ways!  It is so heavy that the Queen will practice wearing it a few days before having to don it for an official ceremony.  But the crown is impressive with its valuable jewels.  More than that, it impresses as a symbol of power and authority.

Today’s verse describes a power and authority much larger than that of an earthly monarch!  We serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  It is in His power to crown a year with His blessing and abundance!  He came in order to give His followers a life that is abundant (John 10:10).  He promises His blessings for those who are obedient to Him.  His eyes search over the entire earth to see whose hearts are fully committed to Him, in order to strengthen them (II Chron. 16:9).  He looks to bless His own with good things as a Father does for his son (Matt. 7:11).

How reassuring to be His own and face the future with trust and confidence in His provision!  I do not know what the new year will hold, but like the saying says, “I know who holds the future.”  He is worth trusting.  He will crown this new year with His goodness toward me.  I know this with every fiber of my being because He has promised, and because He has been so faithful even in that strange previous year.  Whatever this new year may hold, I can look forward to an eventual fulfillment of every hope and every dream!

Lord, thank you for Your goodness toward me.

(Look familiar? This is a repost from a previous year.)


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Planning the New Year

Scripture for Today: Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

This pencil is just a little bit different.  If you look closely, you will see that there is an eraser on both ends! This must be what I am figuratively using right now, as my own plans seem to be in a constant state of change. I know I am not alone in feeling this way. As we begin the New Year, what we could possibly plan on becomes the burning question. Not only do we write in our agendas in pencil, but we are very likely to need double the amount of eraser!  

Today’s verse reveals the Lord’s plans for His own.  He is good, merciful, loving and compassionate. It only follows that His plans are good as well. He sees the beginning and He sees the end and knows every hidden outcome. But His plans for the believer will include hard times that grow our faith and glorify Him. He erases our ideas of what is good and replaces them with what He knows is best. He is the only One who has the power and the control to do that. He is the only One I can trust to do that.

In looking back, I can see that His plans have been for the best. I do not regret His eraser. If left to myself and my own warped desires, I  am pretty sure I would have made a mess of things. His way leads to a life that is richly blessed with His presence and love. With His plans, there is always hope and an incredible future!

Lord, help me to trust Your plan for this new year!


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Hindsight

Scripture for Today: Psalm 147:5 “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.”

Today, the last day of the year 2020, it seems appropriate to look back and remember all that has passed. The saying, “Hindsight is 20/20,” is from the mid 1900’s and combines the idea of understanding a past event with good vision. It describes that clarity in regarding our past choices and contrasts it with the uncertainty felt when the choice was made. Often it is only in looking back that we understand an outcome with information not formerly available to us.

Today’s verse reveals that hindsight is never needed by our God. He is great and mighty in power. And there are no limits to His understanding. He does not need to look back over 2020 to make plans for 2021! He never wishes He could change an action taken in the past as all His ways are perfect. (Deut. 32:4) He would never regret His own perfect decisions nor would He be surprised at their outcomes. There is no need for God to look back to improve His understanding of events. He is all-knowing and eternal, seeing all from outside the confines of time.

What a mighty God I serve! There is nothing He does not understand. He is aware of every thought, every motive and every circumstance. How unsearchable is the depths of the riches of His wisdom! (Rom. 11:33) And this is why I can trust Him for 2021. He not only completely understands the past but He already sees what is ahead. There is a plan already in place, globally and personally. (Jer. 29:11) My understanding will always be limited. But I can trust my All-Knowing Father and face the future with confidence.

Thank you Lord, for everything ahead in this new year.


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Whack-a-Mole

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 to you.”

My grandson practically trembles in anticipation as he stands ready to whack! The game “whack-a-mole” can use moles, sharks or anything else that can pop up and defy being bonked. But in fact, there is little anyone can do to be really ready. That is because the sharks are ready as well and their sequence is random and unpredictable. By the time the mallet comes down, the moment has passed and up pops a new challenge!

Today’s verse tells believers not to be surprised at the hard times we suffer. They are not the exception but the norm. We are not exempt from difficulties, although sometimes we think we should be. It is easy to be lulled into thinking that an easy life is our right and privilege as God’s own. Then something suddenly happens and we are surprised! And as soon as we feel we have mastered a situation, up pops something else. Nothing strange is happening. God uses it all to test our faith.  

This testing of my faith is never very comfortable. When am I ever ready for multiple troubles to arrive? But I can be sure that the hard times are never random, even in their timing. When I feel that I just can’t anymore, that is when I learn dependence on the Lord. He does not ask me to face life in my own strength. Instead, He shows Himself strong and able through my weakness. Whatever threatens to defeat me, He has already conquered! I can share in His victory as I place my trust in His powerful arm.

Thank you Lord, that You help me pass these tests of faith.