August 9 devotion - God Will Find You

Ecclesiastes 7:29         “This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”

When I was seventeen years old, I can remember deliberately telling God that I was finished with Him. I gruffly told Him thanks for all that He had done, but this was my life and He wasn’t welcome in it anymore. I wanted to go my own way, do my own thing, and not be hampered by Bronze Age mythology or ancient morality.

God must have heard me because for the next 3-4 years I was on a path of self-destruction and joylessness. Like the writer of Ecclesiastes once wrote, I tried everything under the sun and found it to be meaningless. I got my fill of untold pleasures but my soul was empty. I ate and drank and made merry practically every night; in the morning, I hated the man in the mirror and just wanted to die, not because I was having a hangover, but because I was wasting my life.

At one time, through various people in my past, God had planted seeds of faith in my arrogant heart. Even as I was in search of many schemes to satisfy my body, mind, heart, and soul, God was already making plans. And when He rescued me from my own rotting pit and nasty drunken self, He placed me back on the path that He wanted me to walk. I had dishonorably discarded God in the past, but He did not destroy my future. When I was unfaithful to Him, He remained faithful to His purpose. When I walked away, He kept an eye on me. And when I eventually turned back and surrendered myself to Him, God allowed me to get off my knees and work for His Son Jesus. I had searched many schemes, but Christ’s predestined scheme for my life was not discarded by God.

Perhaps you also have walked away from God. Maybe you have been hurt by the church or wounded by church people. It could be that you don’t want to be burdened by God’s commands or Christ’s demands upon your life. Or perhaps you just feel so far away, that you don’t how to get back into God’s good graces or Christ’s embracing welcome.

Wait for Him to come to you. You don’t have to run away any longer. God knows your weaknesses, your sin, and your secrets. Through Christ, you can be totally forgiven, completely restored and truly loved. Turn and wait. He will find you. He will rescue you. He will redeem you. You are a child of God’s grace and a beloved friend of Christ.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we’ve all gone astray at times and have done foolish things. We carry sinful regrets in our hearts and are burdened with shameful secrets. You have the power to forgive all things and You have the loving grace to grant that mercy to all of us. Thank You for such a wonderful gift! Thank You for such amazing love. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is John’s latest print of the month called “Fall Retreat.” You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following location: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/6014988935_76c01bd78d_b.jpg

July 29 devotion - Talking to Jesus

Revelation 20:14-15   Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (NIV)

            When I first read today’s passage from Revelation, I was a teenager who had rebelled against God and my family. The words shocked me and cast a dire shadow over my soul. I felt quite anxious about the whole scenario depicted in Revelation 20 and fearfully convinced myself that God was waiting to punish me for all of my sins on the other side of death. I felt miserable and alone, unloved and hopeless.

            Instead of making me turn my life around, this frightening knowledge only made me worse. I flippantly cast aside God’s judgment for two reasons. Firstly, I was in denial about my own selfish and sinful ways. Secondly, my self-destructive attitude was summed up in an old saying: “I may as well be hanged for stealing a sheep, rather than a lamb." Defiance and rebellion against God fed my despair. Since God was going to punish me anyway, I might as well just sin as much as I could.

            Thankfully, Jesus saved me from myself, as well as from God’s wrath. Giving my heart to Jesus was the best decision that I have ever made in my entire life. It did not make me perfect, holy, or sinless, but that personal commitment offered me a hope to hold on to, as well as a Savior who has never let me go. Each day, I depend upon Him to accept, correct, and direct me; each day I need Jesus to both forgive and fortify me. Without His grace, I cannot truly find God. Without Christ’s love, I cannot truly live.

            Perhaps you are worried about your future with God. It may be the case that you’ve been burdened with a personal mistake, or a deep regret, or a secret shame which makes you fearful of God’s final judgment. Whatever it is, know this for a fact: it can be forgiven; it can even be forgotten. All it takes is a simple act of faith, a prayer of sincere confession to Jesus. Talk to Him about it and ask for His pardon. He will forgive you. He will save you. He will always love you.

Questions for personal reflection

What sins am I still carrying from the past? When will I bring them to Jesus and ask Him to forgive me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Only One who can forgive our past mistakes and bless us with an everlasting future. We carry our burdens too long and ask too little of You. Forgive our pride and resentment, pardon our shame and disappointment. Help us to come to You today, praying for mercy and asking for love. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make comments about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s drawing is John’s latest digital glass image called ‘Tree of Life.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Tree of Life.