4 Minute Devotions: Coyote Ugly

Encountering a coyote early one morning in Knoxville, TN, gave me a greater appreciation of the need for a sacred sanctuary. A short reflection on Psalm 96 v 6.

Psalm 96:6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
I saw my first coyote, very early, the other morning. It was beside the place where I like to fish. I had just put my fishing tackle back into the car, when I saw this thin looking, ugly dog cross the path. It was carrying the remains of a dead fish in its mouth and headed over to some rocks to chew awhile.

At first I thought it was an abandoned puppy. It was gaunt and thin, but as I watched it, I realized it had the wizened look of a fox. There was no bushy tail, so I counted that out. It was the eyes that made me realize this wasn’t an abandoned pet. Dog’s eyes are usually big and round; this animal’s eyes were small and peering at me.

I tried to take a picture of the creature, but my camera was out of focus. When I got home, I looked up a few images of coyotes on the Internet. My suspicions were confirmed. It was a coyote – an ugly looking scavenger, if ever I saw one.

I guess my fishing hole must be part of the coyote’s territory. With all of the development that is going on, its refuge must be constantly diminishing. The woods next to my fishing hole must be its sanctuary. Perhaps I’ll get the chance to see it early one morning again. I hope so.

When we talk about sanctuaries in the church, we’re usually referring to our churches. They have become the centers of our spiritual habitats, where we can feel safe and experience the presence of God’s peace and love. As spiritual places and values begin to diminish around us, our havens of holiness become crucial to our relationship with Christ. In the midst of our troubles, worries, and anxieties, we need the church to be a solid foundation of hope, healing, and holiness for our lives.

So, today, let us give thanks to God for the churches where we engage in worship, experience fellowship, and enhance our discipleship. These sacred sanctuaries add so much to our hearts and spirits, helping us become better followers of Christ and servants of His Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the places where we gather for worship, prayer, and praise. We are grateful for these spiritual sanctuaries in our communities where we can feel and know the love of God. Help us to do what we can to support our churches, so that future generations of worshippers will gladly gather in these sacred places, too. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to send him some feedback on today’s message, send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

4 Minute Devotions: Small Fish in Jelly Jars

When I was a kid, I used to love visiting Springburn Park in Glasgow, Scotland. It had three massive ponds, full of sticklebacks, minnows, and perch. The park was about three miles from my home and, during the long days of summer, my brothers and friends used to walk to the park and spend all day there.

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We each carried cane nets and empty jelly jars. As soon as we got to the ponds, we would walk around the edge trying to catch as many small fish as we could. By the end of the day, our jars were full of black, blue, green, silver and red fish. Just before we left the park, we would tip our jars back into the ponds. By the time we walked home, we would all be tired and head to our beds. Sometimes I would dream of catching more fish the next day.

Psalm 33:7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.

I’m fascinated with how psalmist describes God’s ability to gather the waters of the sea in jars. I guess he thought that the world was flat and that God filled up the seas from His heavenly storehouses. These days we would laugh at such a notion, but I like the image of God doing this. I can see Him with gigantic jelly jars, peering at all the different forms of aquatic life. I know that it isn’t real, but at times I wonder if God looks at our entire planet and sees a global aquarium and world-wide safari park.

I think what the psalmist was trying to convey was this: God is in control and rules over nature. Now that I can accept, for it is one of the true foundations that solidifies my faith. God is in control, so no matter what I go through or experience, He will have a grasp of the situation and grant me guidance when I need it.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the wonders of creation and the mysteries of the universe. You absolutely know everything that goes on in every place, every time, and every person. Thank You for being in control of the entire cosmos. Thank You for watching over our lives with interest, grace, and love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Jest Fishin'

I went fishing today on Lake Loudon. The fish were biting, so I decided to join them, but broke my front tooth! On the way back to the dock, I decided to improvise...




I guess I'm a real Bluegrass preacher now!