Short devotion: Abide with Me

Ezekiel 37: 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

 There's an old hymn that we used to sing frequently at funerals in Scotland. It's called "Abide with Me." It was written by a Scottish Anglican cleric, Henry Francis Lyte, who was suffering from tuberculosis which he knew would soon end his life. The song is all about a person who faces sorrow, trouble, and even death, yet in the midst of all these things, God's presence is still there. The songwriter prays that God will be present in his darkest moments and lead him beyond death into everlasting life. The hymn was first sung at Lyte’s own funeral and has been a favorite choice for the funerals of many people in Scotland and other places since then.

 In today’s highlighted Bible verse, the old Hebrew word that Ezekiel uses here for 'dwelling place' also means to abide. The prophet is telling his people, as well as us, that God is always there for us, wherever we are and whatever we are doing. It's a reassuring thought and a sacred gift. It's something that should comfort us. The God who created everything - the moon, the stars, and planets - is always with us; is always concerned about who we are.

 One of the biblical names for Jesus is "Emmanuel" which can be translated "God with us." God is so close to us, there is no room in the word to add "is." This is what it means when God abides with us and makes His dwelling place amongst us. This is also what it means when God calls us His people. In God's reassuring way, He is saying there is no room for anyone or anything else, it’s just Him and all His people. Just you and me and God.

 Point to ponder: How close is God to me right now? How close am I to God?

 Prayer: Lord God, thank You for dwelling where we are. Thank You for being so concerned about our lives that You are willing to make Your dwelling place with us. In all that we seek to do today, abide with us. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

Midweek Message - Troubled Times

Midweek Message – Troubled Times

 Psalm 29:11   May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace! (ESV)

 When we go through troubled and anxious times, we can quickly use up our energy and strength by worrying about current things we cannot change or negatively focusing on events beyond our control. The present instability in the world can make us fearful which impacts our faith and diminishes our connection to God. We can feel weak, isolated, and vulnerable, especially when we are affected by the uncertainty and chaos that is currently happening globally.

 During these critical moments, I find comfort in many verses from the Book of Psalms. It seems to me that the writers of those ancient holy songs experienced a lot of turbulence and trouble in their lives, too. In the midst of their difficulties, they relied on God instead of themselves, making them seek strength and peace from the Only One who could provide it. This is why verses like today’s highlighted one can restore our confidence and build up our faith in God’s power. God promises to give us strength to endure and grant us peace in our lives.

 Whatever circumstances you experience this week, whatever’s happening to you or your family, whatever is going on in your lives, please know this: God has more than enough strength to carry you through this time; God will graciously help you find the peace that you need.

 Q: What issues am I currently experiencing? How can God’s strength and peace help me endure and overcome them?

 Prayer: Loving Lord, You know everything about us, so You perfectly understand what we need at this critical moment in our lives. If we are weak become our strength; if we are agitated, be our peace. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

 Pastor John

Midweek Message - Living in Love

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (NIV)

As part of the history class that I took in High School, I had to study the origins of World War 2. Our class spent several weeks focusing on FDR’s Presidency and how he motivated the American people to deal with the Great Depression, as well as leading them through the dark days of the global war. We also had to learn his exceptional words - which are still often quoted - from his first inaugural speech in 1933: ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’

There’s no doubt that we are living in anxious times. Most of the good folks I know are fearful of the future because uncertainty has robbed them of their confidence. Others feel that partisan politics have become an extreme problem and that we are heading toward a severe conflict which will divide our communities, our congregations, and our families. The longer this insecurity continues, the deeper our divisions; the more our unfettered concerns grow, the fewer connections we will have with one another. Fearing our fears will erode our trust; fueling our fears will break our nation.

All this has happened before. Centuries ago, when Christians were actually being persecuted and the survival of the church was questionable, old men like the Apostle John called upon the community of faith to face their fear by replacing it with love. To be fearful was to punish yourself with anxiety; to be faithful was to replenish yourself with love. John fully believed that our lives were meant to be focused on love and not overwhelmed with fear.

Today, Christ’s Church, as always, has the remedy to reduce our fears and relinquish our anxieties. The Spirit of Christ within us has the power to overcome the spirit of spite outside us. Fear is a manipulator which imprisons our souls with lies; faith is a motivator which frees our spirits with love.

May you bring all your fears to Christ and exchange them for His love.

Prayer: Loving God, help us to live lovingly rather than existing fearfully. Enable us to follow Jesus faithfully and share His love generously. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.