Tag: daily devotional

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. 
No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. 
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4

Today I have been contemplating grapes.   There is a cluster of them on my kitchen counter.

But they don’t look like they did a week ago.  They still look like grapes, but not quite as plump as they looked the day I put them on my counter.   They are still attached to their vine.  I pulled one off and popped it in my mouth.  It still tasted good, but it wasn’t nearly as juicy and yummy as the cluster of grapes tasted fresh from the market last week.  

It got me thinking…

The cluster of grapes were still on the branch, but the fruit  was no longer attached to the vine upon which it had grown.  It had been separated from the vine when it had been ripe enough to be sent to the market.  Now, on my counter, the small cluster of grapes, though still attached to their original little branch,  were losing their plumpness.  The little segment of vine had become brittle as its fruit had used up all that the little vine branch had provided for the grapes.   Though separated from the vine, their little, dried up branch to which the grapes still clung had used up all the “life”  it had stored up while attached to  the vine.  

Jesus is the Vine to whom we, His followers, are attached.  We are the “Fruit”  . . . the result of having begun our lives from the Vine.  Remaining firmly attached to our Vine, we grow, ripen, and become a source of delight to our world.  We provide nourishment, drink of refreshment, a pop of flavor, and, even when we reach the stage of “drying up” . . . becoming a sweet little raisin treat that young and old alike can enjoy . . .  even if a little “shriveled.”

Unlike the natural vines in our world, our Vine will never shrivel.  Never Die.  Whatever “branch” to which we were originally attached, our Tree of Life has provided the on-going nourishment to sustain our lives and grow . . . and produce the Fruit of our Tree from which we grew.   The Fruit of our lives is intended for the nourishment, enjoyment, pop of flavor, and a sweet refreshment  for our world.  Enjoy being a grape!

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

“The Official said to Him, 
‘Sir, come with me before my little boy dies.’
Jesus told him,
‘Go home.
Your son will live.’
The man believed what Jesus told him 
and left.”
John 4:49-54

Jesus was in Cana (region of Galilee).  It was a frequent stopping point for Jesus as He

traveled through the Land of the people of Israel, whom God had assigned to carry out His Purposes in His world.   Jesus had just been in Samaria, doing His “cross-cultural” Work among the Samaritan people of  “Arab” descent.  But Galilee / Cana was “home.”  

This Roman official, posted there to oversee Rome’s control in that region, would have been well aware of Jesus’ movements in this man’s assigned official oversight.  He carried the authority of the Empire that now controlled the Land of Israel . . . God’s Land.

But the Official was a daddy.  He had a son . . . the son who would carry out his family name and follow in his father’s footsteps some day.   His son, who enjoyed the privilege of his father’s status and the benefits of being a Roman citizen, was dying.  All of the power, strength, and standing this daddy carried could not save his precious boy.  His ‘gods’ were not doing anything to help him.  They were proving to have no power to help this father who was in official service to the mighty Roman Empire. In his deepest personal crisis, his ‘gods’ were proving themselves as powerless.

In his desperation, he could have used his power and authority to order Jesus to do his bidding. . . go to his dying son.  But, despite this official’s position and status, Jesus’ Words moved him to obey this One that he had been watching from a distance as a part of his job.  His heart and soul longed for a Power that Rome could not provide. . . his gods could not accomplish. . . his position could not make a reality. 

He had seen enough of this One to feel compelled to ask for His Help.  He was not a Follower . . . yet.  But in his Moment, his desperate heart was known to God, and Jesus brought Truth to this hurting father’s heart, as well as Life to his precious son.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

“Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress.”      
Numbers 18:27

I have seen a few different varieties of wine-presses.  None of them were appealing to me to imagine being a grape and going through the process of becoming wine.  One method I witnessed involved women holding onto suspended ropes from overhead while their bare feet stomped on juicy grapes piled in a long stone trough surface with carved-out little spouts that deposited the flowing juice into a stone trough.   The other process was a heavy wooden block of wood that was slowly lowered onto a pile of grapes and slowly squished down, the juices running into the little “ditches” and flowing into large pots at the end.  Both processes made me glad that I was not a grape.

God’s “picture” language gives us a glimpse of our human life.  “Grain offerings” and “Drink offerings” were visual examples of what God sees as “offerings . . . gifts” to Him.  They were not things that could be bought on a shelf in a market.  They required a process of selection, giving, and removing from the ‘source’ of life from which they had grown.  The culmination of the offering’s destiny was for consumption of people. . . for nourishment and health.

We go through experiences  . . . seasons of life where we feel like we’ve been “stomped on” …walked on . . . used. . . Jesus knew that feeling.  He spoke of being “poured out like wine”. . . kneaded and put through the fire, like bread.  But He always kept before Him the ultimate result.

It was all for us and for our good . . . life-sustaining essentials not only for our own personal world, but for those others in our world as well.

Imagine the grain opting to stay in the field to avoid the threshing floor.  They’d likely become birdseed.  Or the grapes clinging to the vine . . . they’d end up raisins. Or bird food.  Both alternatives end up as _________ on the ground.  (you can fill in the blank)

When we are being “squeezed” by life and circumstances, it’s time to trust our Vine-dresser. . . our Seed-Sower.  He sees the end result of His careful Work in our lives.   It’s not to be put on a shelf or in a sack or left on the ground.  His Purposes are for the good of the people in our world.  It’s the Purpose that we, who have been in His Field . . . and in His Hands . . .are His. 

Be available for Him to use to bring Life . . . Nourishment . . . Strength . . . Healing. . .  to your neighbor . . . your family . . . your world.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

“Jesus said,
‘Dear children, I will still be with you for a little while.
I am telling you what I told the Jews.
You will look for me, but you can’t go where I’m going.
‘I am giving you a new Commandment:
Love each other in the same way that I have loved you…
Everyone will know that you are My disciples
because of your love for each other.’
Simon Peter said,
“Lord, where are you going?”
John 13:34-36

Our human nature always seems to get in the way of a greater Point, doesn’t it!
Jesus was telling His dear friends what He knew to be some of His last words before
His arrest. His priority in those final hours before His arrest included. . .
‘Love each other the way that He loves us.’

But dear Peter had gotten stuck on words that seemed to signal something that he
knew would affect him. With that focus, he seems to have missed the greater Point that
Jesus was making. . . . Love each other.

We all do it, don’t we? We get stuck on something going on in our own minds, our own
emotions, our own fears, and that takes precedence over everything else. We start to
scramble to find a “safe spot” where we can be more comfortable. . . solid ground
where we can get our bearings and know what to do next. Uncertainty is not
comfortable. . . even though we know ‘He is with me.’

Jesus did not scold or ignore Peter, even though he was interrupting Jesus in this very
personal moment together with His “inner circle.”

We can easily get distracted by something said or done, even in the midst of a very
personal, “holy Moment” in Jesus’ Presence. He has a Message that He wants to share
with us, but we can miss it because of other things that have caught our attention.

Take the time to listen to Him. Let the questions wait for a bit, lest you miss a more
weighty Point He wants to speak to your heart. He knows what lies ahead, and will be
there . . .

“Be strong and courageous!
Don’t tremble or be terrified,
Because the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:6, 9, 18

Moses was dead. And now, Joshua had some incredibly worn sandals to fill. He was
literally stepping into a leadership role like none other. God’s People were still enroute
to their Promised Land, but now without their great leader. Was he the right man for the
job? Would this traveling nation – God’s chosen people – be able to follow this new
leader? Could he be trusted to hear God’s Voice as Moses had?

How might Joshua have felt as he stepped into his new, history-making responsibility of
bringing God’s People into their historic Homeland, and all the unknowns that were
ahead. He was stepping into some incredibly respected sandals, heading into a Land
that God had Promised them. . . but they had not yet experienced.

Sometimes we, too, experience a life-change that we’ve not lived before. We do not
know what lies ahead, and we do not have control. We can plan . . . we can research,
try to gather as much information to prepare us for this new step in life. But ultimately,
we have to put our hand into His and trust Him.

God’s people had history in the Land of Israel. But they had been in Egypt for a long,
long time. What lay ahead? They had some information, but none of them had first-
hand experience of the realities of the Homeland of their history.

Joshua gives us a glimpse of the condition of his people as they neared the Land of
their history. “Don’t tremble. Don’t be terrified. . . “ Joshua knew his people. And it
seems that they were a “hot mess” as they neared their final destination. Imagine a
whole nation “trembling” and “terrified!” Have you ever experienced that kind of mass
emotional melt-down all at the same time? Together? These are not merely internal
emotions . . . there was physical, visible terror being experienced on a national level!

Joshua had no military defense to surround them. There was no “back-up plan” for the
people. They were going into the “unknown” with no military protection or power. Men,
women, children, elderly, handicapped, etc. . . Refugees who had been surviving in thedesert for a long, long time. They knew the stories, . . . the history. But they had only
the reports of the few “spies” who had gone ahead to get a glimpse of the Land that
God had promised them. The Land of their history. The Land of their future.

As we today follow the Footsteps of Jesus on this earth. . . as we look to His
Promises… hold to His Hand as we walk through our life on this earth, we are aware
that this is not our eternal Home. It’s our “for now” . . . but He gives us glimpses of the
“forever Home” that awaits ahead. So we stay close . . . holding tightly and following
His lead, with the assurance that He is right here with us, and trustworthy to bring us
safely to our Final Destination. All that matters is that He Will Be There.

“Do you love Me?”… Jesus asked.
“Feed My sheep.”
John 21:17

Peter and Jesus were having a face – to – Face Moment. And Jesus was asking
Peter a very “simple” question. Four simple words. But Peter’s responses were not
what Jesus had been looking for.

Jesus was putting Peter “on the spot.” Four simple words. But Peter was having an
uncomfortable Moment with his response. He was not sure what Jesus was looking
for. He could have said many things, . . . easily coming up with a list of ways he had
served and followed Jesus in the past few years they had shared.

Peter had been following Jesus through years of ministry. . . the horrible experience of
His crucifixion, . . . the incredible experience of Jesus’ resurrection and the ripple effects
of that event. Peter was still with Jesus, despite his human failures through those days.
So what was Jesus getting at in his repeated question to Peter? “Do you love Me? …
Feed My sheep?” Was he thinking….Of course I love you! I’m here. I’m still following
You. . . But I’m a fisherman. I catch fish. I’m not a shepherd! I’ve never taken care of
sheep. Fish don’t need “care”. I just have to get in the water and throw out my nets. . .
and that’s it! Are you asking me to change the whole focus of my life? My way of
providing for my family? Walk away from the sea where I’ve spent my life for my
family?

Jesus disrupts our lives. He doesn’t look at our human “norms” as we do. His Plans
cannot be dictated by ours. His focus is on those He came to save. Those who are
lost. Those who have never known the Goodness of God. . . His Love . . . His Hope . . .
.
The fisherman did not “take care of his fish.” He simply used them for his own food and
as provision for others.

But sheep . . . now that’s a whole different ball-game. You don’t “catch sheep.” It’s a lot
of work and time and commitment to care for sheep. You can’t trust them. They can’t
defend themselves. They’re “kinda dumb” when it comes to good choices of avoiding
danger. It requires the life of the shepherd. . . day and night. 24 / 7.

“Do you love Me?” A simple question. Four little words.
But living out the answer. . . that is a life commitment that lasts a lifetime.

Order Janet’s book, Not Forgotten, Stories of a Refugee People on Amazon

Isaac and Rebecca
Genesis 24

Isaac was the “apple of his father’s (and mother’s) eyes.” He was a “miracle baby,” and it was
time for him to find the wife of his dreams. In those times, the parents of a young man and
young woman made the match. So Abraham had sent his trusted servant to the city where an appropriate future bride could be found. Abraham’s servant saw her, and gave her a little “test.”

He asked “the young lady of interest” to give him a drink of water, testing her reaction. (Drawing water for one’s household from a spring outside of the city is no small task. She would have to carry the water into the city and to her home.) The detail of collecting the water from the spring and into a jar for a household adds an even more challenging reality.
Rebecca was quick to respond, not only giving the male servant a drink of water, but offering to water all of his camels as well.

This would have been a daunting task for the male owner of the camels, but for a single young woman, it’s an enormous amount of heavy work. She had come to the spring for the sake of her own family’s needs, most likely. We don’t know how much nor how taxing that effort would have been for a young girl. The water pots alone were heavy, but filled with water, it would not be an easy mission. A camel can consume 32 gallons of water in a short amount of time. Add the detail of this being a young girl offering to provide water for a stranger’s camels, and it becomes even more of an exceptional, strenuous task. After helping the stranger, she would still have to accomplish the task for which she had come. . . adding distance to her task from the well to her home inside the city walls.

Without being aware of this “test”, Rebecca passed it with flying colors.

The next day, she began her journey to a home, to a new family, and to a young man who was waiting for his hoped-for bride. God used the young girl and her servant’s heart, to be woven into a family and lineage that would become part of God’s Story for the world. She had not been looking for an “Isaac” to come into her life when she went to the well that day, met the stranger from a different land, and offered to meet his camels’ needs. But God knew her heart and chose to weave her into the Story and History of God’s Plan for mankind to know Him.

God’s heart for this world continues . . . and He still uses common people to touch the life of
another . . . even strangers . . . to continue to fulfill His Purposes and Plans in our world. Be
open each day to hear His quiet Whispers to do something kind for a stranger . . . to care . . . to set aside your agenda when He touches your heart to pause the task at hand and touch the life of a stranger. You can be sure that He is at work. . . always.

Order Janet’s book, Not Forgotten, Stories of a Refugee People on Amazon