Short Devotion: Psalm 42

 Psalm 42:1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.

Psalm 42 tells the story of someone who is going through a hard and painful time. The psalmist has endured some personal suffering which has caused those around him to question God’s existence. The writer’s faithfulness to God has not protected him from this tragedy; in fact, it has made the burden of pain heavier to carry. In order to deal with this unhappy event, the person writes down his feelings and ends up crying to God in prayer.

Of all the psalms written in the Bible, this is the most human. Vulnerability and pain, bewilderment and frustration are all expressed by the psalmist – he longs for God’s comfort like a thirsty deer pants for water. He yearns for God’s compassion to lift up his weary soul.

It’s a beautiful psalm because it deals with pain and suffering honestly. The writer is freely permitted to question God, and not just to seek His comfort. It is a psalm that any one of us could write or recite when painful events occur. It is the raw edge of faith encountering the perplexity of God; it is the plaintive song of every person living on Earth.

The question that is asked and the longing that is sought are never really answered in the psalm. The writer still maintains his faith because he has no where else to go and no one else to turn to. He cannot let go of God despite what has happened and yet he seems to understand that God is with him, experiencing the same pain and enduring the same suffering. They are both in this together – human and divine – in a Christ-like moment of truth and frailty which foreshadows the Cross that is yet to come, for, just as the psalmist asks, “Why have you forgotten me, God?” - Jesus will also exclaim, “My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me?”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we long for God, especially during troubled times and painful moments. Help us to endure and grant us faith to overcome. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

 

One of the best renditions of this psalm is the modern song “As the Deer.” You can watch and listen to this beautiful interpretation at this Youtube link: https://youtu.be/UZv3jzOTE70

 

 

From a Distance - Psalm 10:1

Psalm 10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (NIV)

            I love the absolute honesty in the Book of Psalms. Whoever wrote those ancient poems certainly wore his heart on his sleeve. Psalm 10 is a good example of someone who finds it difficult to deal with the greed and injustice in his society. His complaint to God is that the rich get richer, the wicked become more powerful, and the proud are brazen about their vanity. If ever a psalm was written for our times, this one is very fitting, meaningful, and highly relevant.

            The psalmist’s complaint, however, is directed at God for what appears to be His very significant absence in the midst of so much injustice. The poet finds it difficult to see what is happening around him and that the God of his heart is doing nothing to change things. God seems to be impotent, unmoved, and distant. Evil triumphs when God is silent; good is cast aside when God does not respond. The author has put a lot of time, commitment, and devotion into his religious belief. He is perplexed when God is inactive; he is deeply disappointed when God does not challenge or remove the evildoers.

            Sometimes I deal with the same frustration. I want things to be fair and just for everyone. I want the world to be a place that is free from fear or cruelty. I want the oppressed to be delivered and the marginalized to be accepted. I want all sorts of godliness to be apparent in our leaders. And if these things don’t happen, I want God to come bursting into our world to set things right, to make things smooth, to restore hope, peace, and love for everyone.

            And then I remember that God has already done this on the Cross at Calvary. Every wrong has been pinned to that tree of shame. Every sin has been nailed to that broken body of Christ. Every injustice has been impaled on Jesus. Instead of being at a distance, God has come beside us; instead of being far off, God has penetrated our unjust society.

            Changing the world began with Christ, but it has to continue through me. I can complain about things around me and fill my prayers with my personal frustrations, but if I am not willing to make the necessary changes in my life, how can I criticize God? I may air my grievances and vent my spleen to my heart’s content. I can carry a thousand placards and march down a million streets, but if I do nothing to change my personal acts of injustice, prejudice, and indifference, I am only a clanging cymbal of cynicism, I am only a crashing drum of discontent.

Point to ponder

What things would I like to change in my community, society, and the world? What am I doing to accomplish those changes?

Prayer: Lord God, it’s very easy for us to complain and shift the responsibility for our broken and divided world onto someone else. We forget our sinful part and ignore our own wicked deeds. None of us are perfect; not one of us is innocent. Challenge us to change; teach us to transform; encourage us to evolve. In Your Holy Name, we 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 this message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest fun t-shirt designs called ‘Turtley Awesome.’ If you would like to view a larger version, click this link: Awesome.

Human Nature - Matthew 26:38

Matthew 26:38           Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

            Being human means that we’re subject to all sorts of feelings, injuries, or troubles. When I’m in pain, physically or emotionally, I very quickly talk to God to release me from what is causing it and look to Him to heal or solve my problem. I rely upon His power and promises to mend whatever I’m experiencing, especially when it is something that is beyond my capability or control. Being human, then, also means that we need God to help us time and time again.

            When I read about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and His emotional turmoil, I feel deeply for Him. This is the all-too-human Jesus who is painfully aware of what He is going to face. There’s no escape, so perhaps He feels boxed in, isolated, and vulnerable. His anguish is almost unbearable and I get the feeling that He is desperately struggling to surrender Himself to God’s will. It makes me sad to read about His torment; it also makes me ashamed because my sins put Christ in that painful predicament.

            I’ll never fully understand what Jesus went through to save me and the rest of the world, but I hope that I am always grateful for what He has excruciatingly accomplished. Without Christ’s eventual surrender to God’s will, I could never be forgiven. However, with His acceptance of the cup of wrath, I can be accepted and fully restored to God’s love.

Point to ponder

What do I feel when I read about Christ in Gethsemane? How does His submission affect me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, when You struggled to accept Your Father’s will, You must have been tempted to refuse it and run away. Instead of remaining safe, You sacrificed everything for us. We can never truly understand what You experienced that terrible night, but we will always be thankful for its everlasting outcome. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s Holy Week drawings called ‘Star of Gethsemane.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Star.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can view the church website at this link: www.erinpresbyterian.org. Come by and see us anytime. J

Free Daily devotions: Alaskan Hummingbirds - Psalm 91 v4

Psalm 91:4      He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 

I just watched an amazing video on Youtube this morning. A man was feeding hummingbirds from his hand in Alaska. Now first of all, I didn’t realize that hummingbirds went there. I thought it would be too far north and too cold. Every year, they fly 2,500 miles from Mexico to Alaska which in itself is astounding. How on earth those tiny little birds fly such a distance is beyond me.

Anyway, the man was taking pictures of hummingbirds at a feeder when he noticed that some of them were flying towards the red strip on the strap of his camera. It made him wonder that if he put red nectar in his hand, would the birds be attracted and feed from his palm? The results are remarkable to watch.

The wee birds rest on the man’s hand and those of his children. They feel safe and secure, knowing and feeling that no harm will come to them. The hummingbirds feed constantly and their birdsongs seem to express their delight.

I think that’s what the psalmist was trying to communicate when he penned the words “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” He writes of the security that faith can bring and he expresses his complete confidence in God. No matter what he faces, he will be secure beneath the feathers of God’s wings.

That’s a message that we all need to hear. Some of us are perhaps currently experiencing difficulties and crises that make us wonder where and when they will end. Knowing that God holds us securely in the midst of our trials can help us endure our troubles and give us hope for the future. As Jesus Himself once said, “Come to me, all of you who are heavy burdened, and I will give rest for your weary souls.”

Prayer:             Lord Jesus, You completely know everything that is going in our lives. We place You at the center of all that we are enduring and ask that You lovingly hold us and keep us safe. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is John’s drawing of a hummingbird feeding. If you would like to see a larger version, please click the following link:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4400739464_fbcc5af539_b.jpg

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to leave feedback on today’s message, please make a comment in the comments section or send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

You can also view the Alaskan hummingbird video at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEZkwJulBY&feature=player_embedded

Daily Devotions: Light of Liberty

Matthew 5: 14 "You are the world’s light. You cannot hide a city on a hill.

The days following the 9/11 tragedy were amongst the weirdest that many of us ever experienced. To begin with, there were no planes in the sky anywhere, so it seemed empty and quiet. Mostly everyone hunkered down in their own homes, glued to the continuous coverage on television. Restaurants and malls were practically empty and it appeared as though large and small communities throughout the United States would never be the same again.

And then flags started to appear everywhere. People had them attached to their cars, in the front of their homes, and at their businesses. The local newspaper contained a magnetic flag to be placed on automobiles or fridges in every home. We were brutally broken and totally shocked by the turmoil, but we crawled out of our caves and restarted to live our lives as the means to honor the innocent dead and to defy the terrorists their complete victory.

Out of the ruined rubble of our society, we rose up and overcame the darkness of despair. Freedom and liberty were now even more precious to us because they had been snatched away from us for a couple of days. Lady Liberty still stood as a sentinel before the smoking Manhattan skyline and we became just as resolute. Our duty was to show the world not just our resilience and defiance, but our faith in freedom and our light of liberty.

Within a week, our skies were filled with vapor trailing planes carrying our people from state to state and city to city. Within our hearts, we all silently vowed that we would prevail and that this would never happen again on our watch, in our cities, and across our land. We have remained true to that promise, and maintained that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are still the noblest and highest of rights to which any nation, kingdom, or people on Earth can ever aspire towards.

Even after eight years, we are still that light of liberty which the world seeks. We are still that shining nation of strength and hope that the Earth still needs.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we remember the dark days of 9/11 and continue to live our lives in honor of those who died. We pray for the bereft families, who were most affected by the losses at the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania. Keep us mindful of those days and ever watchful of the days to come. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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