Devotions By Jan


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I Heard the Bells

Scripture for Today: Psalm 44:23 “Wake Yourself up, why do You sleep, Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever.”

I love hearing the bells here in San Juan Capistrano everyday. They toll longer on December 8, marking the day of the 1812 earthquake. Unfortunately, that quake brought down the great stone church. The remaining ruins remind folks of the forty Native Americans who died that day during mass. The Christmas carol, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, declares,”Then pealed the bells more loud and deep; ‘God is not dead nor doth He sleep.’ The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth goodwill to men.”

Today’s verse is a honest heartfelt cry by the psalmist. He feels God is asleep and is unaware of the affliction and oppression the people are experiencing. (verse 24) With God’s silence the psalmist feels ignored and rejected. The reality is that God never sleeps or slumbers. (Psalm 121:4) But this psalm is full of accusations and bitterness. At the close, he acknowledges that any help from God would not be because of their faithfulness, but because of His mercy. God shows favor by not giving to us what we deserve!

God will right all wrongs because He is just and because He has promised. But at no time do I deserve His justice. If I feel like He is late acting on my behalf, I am being as demanding as the psalmist. But He has revealed that His justice is perfect and perfectly timed. I can trust not only His justice but His mercy and grace. Without it I would stand condemned. But because of Christ’s birth, merciful love and sacrifice I am not rejected. We see baby Jesus sleeping in the manger at Christmas, but the reality is that our God is awake and in control!

Thank you Lord, for Your perfect justice.


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Winter Begins

Scripture for Today: Psalm 42:8 “By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.”

Today is the official start of winter, marking the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The winter solstice makes for a very long and dark night. These days I awake before the sun just to take advantage of as much light as possible! For some people these dark nights can represent holidays that do not quite deliver.  Expectations not met, hopes dashed and keen disappointments can mark these long nights.  Sweet “Hallmark” moments do not match up with one’s reality.  For some, the darkest nights occur when everyone else seems to be celebrating.

Ralph Waldo Emerson has said when it is dark enough, men see the stars.  But today’s verse is no pithy saying.  It is truth.  His love is ours in the daytime. His control is seen in that He directs and commands His love toward us. His song is ours in the night, even in the long, darkest night.  Circumstances can disappoint.  People can disappoint.  But HE does not.  Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11).  What an incredible truth! 

During the darkest night, I can sing!  He is God, yes. But like the psalmist, I can say that He is the God of MY life. He is my light when there is none around me. The hope He gives me lightens the gloom and keeps me looking forward. A song, a prayer, a praise and I feel that light-giving hope begin to burn inside and turn things around.

No matter how dark the night, thank you Lord, that my heart can sing because You give me hope.


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Upside Down Tree

Scripture for Today: II Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

Does anyone else feel that this sort of tree would be appropriate for Christmas this year? There was a time when the upside down Christmas tree was all the rage (and judging from this advertisement from Wayfair, they are still available!) I would see them decked out and hanging from the ceiling in boutiques. Aside from the fact that bumping my head was a possibility, the logic of something being top heavy escapes me! But logic may not be important here. Maybe it is all about how something looks! And Christmas looks a lot different this year.

Today’s verse puts the accent where it belongs. And it is not on how we decorate, what foods we enjoy nor what gifts we exchange. Christmas first and foremost is about the gift of Christ. What a pivotal moment in history this was, that God would humble Himself and enter our world as a baby!  At that instant, everything changed.  From the courts of Heaven He lowered Himself into our messy world to redeem us.  He brought light and life to a hopeless hurting world.  And He did it out of love for each of us!

It does seem to be a messy world right now. For a variety of reasons, divisions run deep in families. Disappointments and dashed hopes mark the Christmas season for many. The usual distraction of concerts, parties and even family gatherings have been stripped away. But what remains is a baby in a manger. What remains is an indescribable Gift. The truth of Christmas can never be stripped away. We celebrate His first coming. We look forward to His second coming. And before too long, He will be asking each of His children to come home.

Lord, the gift of Yourself is indescribable.


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To Toss or Not to Toss?

Scripture for Today: James 1:5-6  “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

It’s a dilemma. If I toss my salad before serving, all those tasty colorful additions get covered up and often end up at the bottom of the bowl. This means that the last one to serve himself gets the lion’s share! But there is a similar problem if I keep everything visible at the top. The first few to serve themselves get most everything, leaving the late-comers with only lettuce. No more tossing for me! At my house, it’s build your own salad and that solves the problem!

Today’s verse describes a person who is tossed. This is the individual who doubts. He is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. The one who doubts is hesitant, uncertain and wavering. There is no stability as he first goes in one direction and then in another. However, God promises wisdom to those who ask Him in faith.  He never reproaches.  He is generous and gives to everyone liberally.  The condition is to ask in faith without any doubting.

His wisdom is something for which He wants me to ask. It is not part of the fruit of the Spirit. He waits for me to come to Him with humility, recognizing my need. And when I come believing, His gift of wisdom makes me stable and resolute.  His wisdom makes me single-minded and focused.  How much better it is to ask for His wisdom than be tossed by doubts! 

Thank you, Lord, for the wisdom You give.


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Mistletoe

Scripture for Today: Romans 16:16 “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.”

Today is our 42nd wedding anniversary and no one needs to remind us to kiss today! But this mistletoe has long been associated with kissing. It seems strange as it is just a parasitic plant feeding off its host tree. But kissing under mistletoe has been part of Christmas tradition since the 18th century. In fact, it goes much further back having supposed magical powers to fend off evil spirits! I prefer the idea of love and romance!

Today’s verse tells us that believers are to warmly greet one another. The custom then was to greet with a chaste kiss. This custom continues today around the world. After more than three decades in France, I am accustomed to greeting others with a kiss on the cheek. It could be twice, three times or four depending on the region. But the idea is to acknowledge one another’s presence and make the other feel loved and important in whatever way is socially acceptable. In these days of hyper-sensitivity to germs, the elbow tap or fist bump has become another way to greet.

That warm greeting is so important. I love it when churches actually have folks at the entrance who officially greet you with that smile and handshake. We need to affirm one another and show genuine interest. We are all members of the same “body” of Christ and we need each other. My problem is that I am so centered on myself and my own needs. I forget that we all have the same need to be encouraged. It takes such little effort to greet as we should, but how much it can do to lift one’s spirit!

Thank you Lord, for mutual encouragement!