Short Devotion: Throne of Grace - Hebrews 4:16

 Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

I don’t know about you, but I need God’s grace to get me through each day. When I look over my whole life – which is what most folks do when they get older – I still feel embarrassed, foolish, or even ashamed about things that I’ve thought, said, or done in the past. I continue to remember old conflicts that I created with family, friends, and other people. Times when I was outspoken, self-righteous, and arrogant severely impact my soul. Moments of carelessness, madness, and recklessness are replayed in my mind and numerous incidents of wrong-doing, wrong paths taken, or wrong ideas overwhelm me now and then. I realize that I am imperfect, fallen, and sinful – which is why I need the perfect, upright, and holy remedy to my dilemma: God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

When I think about what Jesus did for the whole world – dying for our sins – it humbles, terrifies, and comforts me all at the same time. I am humbled because I don’t deserve such love; I am terrified because I know God could judge me; I am comforted because Christ saves me. I may not be the best of Christians, but Jesus is the best Savior I can ever know, so I place everything in His crucified hands – my sin, my shame, my past – then draw near to His throne of grace and seek mercy which He graciously gives when I most need forgiveness, acceptance, and love.

Maybe you’re going through a bad time. Perhaps you have deep regrets or wish that you could have said or done something differently. Maybe you’re carrying a burden which has been with you for a long time. Maybe you’re depressed about the past or worried about your future. Please know this: Christ understands you; Christ forgives you; Christ will restore you through the riches of His grace and the boundless love of God. 😊

Q: What is unresolved in my life? How can Christ restore me today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are all weak, wayward, selfish, and sinful. Our mistakes are many and our sins are countless. We are imperfect, foolish, and even wicked at times. Forgive our faults, accept our confessions, and apply Your grace to heal our broken and fallen ways. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

September 9 devotion - Still Amazed

Psalm 66: 5 Come and look at what God has accomplished; how awesome are His works in our behalf!

John Calvin called them ‘the attestations of God’s witness to the world.’ Today we would call them natural wonders, divine intervention, or even great escapes.

One of the challenges that Christians have in this world is how to show other people where God is actually present and working in their lives. Skeptics tend to think that we spiritually sugarcoat the truth and wear Rose of Sharon colored glasses. Our reality is seemingly skewed by our stubborn hold on a two-thousand-year-old faith, which has entered into the realm of religious myth and fabricated fable for modern-day beings. The world of Wii, Guitar Hero, Twitter, and Facebook has no need for charming parables or a ghastly Gospel where blood and tears, broken limbs and bread redeem the world. If God has any awesomeness left to impress upon the present generation, then He’d better do it through cyberspace, iPods, and anime. A sacred text is no longer needed, but a wicked ability to text while driving would be a major plus.

And yet sunrises and sunsets still attract us. Glorious mountains and the greenest of valleys captivate our souls. Christmas still touches something good even within the least religious among us, and Easter annually fills us with new life, new beginnings, and new wonders.

We may become distracted by the latest gadgets and are constantly obsessed with the latest trends, but God still walks and works among us, testifying to Himself in the most commonplace of natural events – the hearing of birdsong in the quiet of the morning, the rippling rhythm of a mountain stream, or the rushing of waves crashing on to craggy rocks – they all witness to the power and glory, creativity and activity of a God who still cares for His creation and seeks to heal a broken world.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we call You the Son of God because Your words and ways reveal to us the grace, peace, and love of God. We seek those divine blessings in each of our lives, for we pursue happiness and contentment, satisfaction and harmony for our souls. Instead of being restless, help us to be restful. Instead of being distracted, help us to become attracted. Instead of always doing, enable us to become beings. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship at 11:00 AM you will be made very welcome :)

Today’s image is called “Sunrise Communion.” The artist is also John Stuart, the author of this blog. To see the original drawing on the web, visit the following link: Sunrise.

My Greatest Hero - Matthew 20:1

Matthew 20:1             “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” (NIV)

            My Dad was a hard-working engineer for most of his life and he provided for my mother and our large family as best as he could. Like most of his generation, he was a proud man and would rather do an honest day’s work for an honest wage than taking benefits from the Government. There were only two times that I remember him being unemployed when the manufacturing and steel plants that he worked for were closed. He personally struggled during those hard times, but he got up each day and went out early in the morning to go and look for work. I don’t know how he did it, but he managed to maintain our family through those lean times. I think he took any job he could find just to make sure we were all fed, clothed, and sheltered. To this day, he remains the greatest hero in my life.

            Christ’s parable about the landowner and the workers in the vineyard used to seem unfair and unjust to me because I could picture my Dad toiling for a whole day and ending up with the same wages as the late comers. However, as the years have gone by, I realize that the parable is not about ownership, labor, or fairness – it’s all about the grace of God and how His mercy and love are available for everyone up until the last minute of life. I’ve tried to be a Christian for almost forty years, but I know that someone who just accepted Jesus as her or his Savior forty seconds ago will end up getting the same reward and eternal blessing. It’s how God works and this is why His grace is often called ‘amazing’.

            Whoever you are or whatever you’ve done, please know this today: God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace are available for you right now. By personally accepting Jesus as Your Savior, you automatically become a child of grace and will be loved by Him forever.

Point to ponder

Am I looking to be forgiven, accepted, and loved? Am I willing to come to Christ to receive these blessings now?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You know us completely and yet, despite our mistakes, regrets, and failures, You are still willing to accept and embrace us, as well as redeeming and restoring us to God’s everlasting favor and love. Help us this day, to place our hearts and minds, spirits and lives into Your precious hands. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s new Good Friday drawings called ‘Christ Mask,’ which is based on an African mask. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Mask.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The church’s website can be read at this link: www.erinpresbyterian.org.