Short Devotion: Crying - Revelation 21v4

 

Revelation 21:4 God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (NIV)

 My best friend in ministry – Judd Shaw – was killed in a car accident this week. I was totally shocked when I heard this tragic news and couldn’t stop weeping. He was one of the best ministers I have ever known and he had a great gift of positively encouraging everyone that he encountered. I always enjoyed his company whether at Presbytery, at church, online or at ball games. One of my fondest memories of Judd was at a Lady Vols game when we were graciously given tickets to sit at court level. He was absolutely thrilled to be there and loved being so close to the players. In my mind, I still picture him laughing and smiling all the way through the game.

 I must admit, I was angry with God when I heard the news. I kept wailing at God asking, “Why did this happen to such a good person? Why him and not me?” It just felt so unfair and it broke my heart. The same thing happened thirty years ago when my best friend in Scotland died in a car crash. I couldn’t understand it then and don’t understand it now. The pain of tragic loss is so unbearable at times, more so, I think, for folks with faith.

 In the end, I rely on God’s promises, even when things are so raw. God tells us that one day death will be no more and that He will wipe away all tears from our eyes which I take to mean that all the hurt I feel today will be gone in eternity.

 Perhaps you’ve lost a loved one recently or have never gotten over the death of someone close to you, even though it may have occurred years ago. I hope that one day your hurt will be healed and that love will return to your heart. This is what I hold on to from God.

 Prayer: Father God, life is hard especially when we suddenly lose people that we love. The hurt is so painful and our loss is difficult to bear. Please be with us when we are overwhelmed with grief and deeply wounded because we have loved deeply. May Your comfort sustain us and Your promises give us hope. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

 John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to see what’s happening at the church, just click on this link: www.erinpres.org.

 Today’s image is one of John’s Celtic Cross drawings. If you would like to view a larger version, click on this link: Cross.

Devotion: Two Places at One Time - John 11:21 & 32

John 11:21    “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 

John 11:32    When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

            It seems that even Jesus could not be present in two places at the same time. His friend Lazarus died, and when Jesus finally arrived at his home, both the sisters, Martha and Mary, express their grief and disappointment. If Jesus had arrived sooner, they each told Him, their brother would still have been alive.

            Looking back over the whole story, we discover that Jesus deliberately delayed Himself and continued His teaching in Jerusalem when He first received the news that Lazarus was ill. We now know that He did this in order to perform an amazing miracle. However, the fact that He was only 2-3 miles away from where Lazarus was sick, must have confused, and possibly angered, the two concerned sisters. Jesus deliberately chose to stay away, despite their pain and their pleas.

            We all go through times like that. We can’t ever be in two places at the one time, so we make choices based upon our personal priorities. Sometimes we get it right; on other occasions we end up disappointing someone who could do with our help, encouragement, or even our prayers.

            At the end of the story, Jesus resurrected Lazarus and restored him to his sisters. There appeared to be a happy ending and the time of brief disappointment gave way to a wonderful celebration. However, this is more than just an amazing miracle; the whole incident is parable about how we deal with death and who has the power to resurrect our souls. We may encounter loss, grief, and disappointment on Earth, but through our faith in Christ, there is a special time ahead when He will wipe away all tears from our eyes and restore us to our faithful loved ones, who have undergone that mysterious journey before us, and have been welcomed into God’s everlasting Kingdom of peace, love, and life.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I ever disappointed someone by not being there for them when they needed me? Have I ever been disappointed by someone who did the same to me? Am I willing to seek or give forgiveness?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, sometimes we get hurt by other people because we expect too much from them. At other times, we disappoint others by not living up to their expectations. Help us to be sensitive and supportive to those who need us; allow us to be gracious and forgiving of those who have failed us. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently 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 image is one of John’s latest Celtic Cross drawings. It’s called Celtic Sunrise. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Sunrise.

Short devotion: A Much Needed Miracle - Psalm 30:11

Psalm 30:11              You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

            In ancient times, people had different ideas about what to do when mourning. Bible folk used to wear uncomfortable coarse goatskins to physically augment their set period of grief. The skins were normally used for making sacks and must have been very itchy to wear. Usually, they were worn for at least seven days; at the end of that time, the mourners went back to wearing their own clothes. Sometimes people wore their sackcloth for longer periods, depending on how severe their grief actually was.

            The wearing of sackcloth was also practiced by those who felt the need to repent of past mistakes. It was a public display of their remorse and must have been a very humbling experience. In medieval times, monks and priests still practiced the wearing of hair shirts beneath their tunics or robes. Their discomfort was meant to be a constant reminder of their own unworthiness and unholiness before God.

            These days, we tend not to go to these extremes when experiencing grief or expressing our regrets. We can cry out directly to God without adding any ritual in between. We can pray to Him privately about our grief and pain, or express to Him our remorse and shame. We can voice our feelings or vent our spleen; we can think about our regrets and inwardly confess our faults. No matter how we do this, God hears and knows what’s in our hearts and on our minds, even before we give voice to our grief, our repentance, or our complaints.

            In the end, we rest in God’s arms and sob in His presence. Then a miracle occurs – the one described by the Psalmist – He turns our wailing into dancing, removing our sackcloth, and clothes us with His joy. It may take a while and cost us many tears, but of this we can be assured: God’s love can heal our wounds, forgive our sins, and restore our lives.

Questions for personal reflection

Am I presently experiencing a hard time in my life? How am I expressing my feelings to God? What do I hope to receive from Him?

Prayer:           Lord God, we are human and frail, shaped by our experiences and affected by our feelings. You know what we are presently enduring; You understand completely all that we are currently undergoing. Be near to us and embrace us. Hold on to us and guide us. Grant us faith, hope, and love for the days and times ahead. In Christ’s 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 today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing for Holy Week. It’s called “Heaven Came Down.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Heaven.

Special devotion: Babs - Serving Others

Revelation 15:3           They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.”

            Of all the titles that are given to people on Earth by God, the word ‘servant’ is the most honorific. To serve God and to serve others in this life are wonderful gifts, and for those of us who have been the recipients of true service, the blessings are many.

            My mother-in-law, Barbara Smith, was such a person. She truly served her family all of her life. She looked after her ageing parents on a daily basis and her sense of duty toward them was both humbling and amazing to see. Babs cared extensively for her mom when she was dying of cancer; and she looked after her father lovingly each day when he became a widower. She did his laundry, cooked his meals, and looked after his medication without any real complaints. She was tired, weary, and exhausted at times because she had a full time job, as well as looking after her own family, but she always served her Dad respectfully and dutifully.

            Babs was also an excellent wife to Bill. She looked after everything for him, and devoted much of her life to serving him. Like most of their generation, Bill and Babs had their struggles. Their firstborn son John died of leukemia as an infant, which must have been a terrible heartache for both of them. However, in the midst of their pain and loss, they stayed together and raised three more children – Evelyn, Billy, and David – who were constantly loved and served by Babs. Whatever they wanted, she provided. Whatever support they needed, she gave. Her role as matriarch to her own family was built upon her decades of service that she sacrificially bestowed upon them as wife and mother. As expected, she cared deeply for Bill, especially in his later years when he was suffering from dementia. She served him as well as any wife could, right up until the time when he required full professional care.

            When grandchildren came into her life, Babs opened her heart and home for all of them. She was proud of each and every one of them. As usual, she served them fully with love and care, food and friendship. In her later years, after decades of working as a home help in the community, she devoted her retirement to all of her family. She lived for them because she loved them; she served them because cherished them.

            As her son-in-law, Babs and I had a good relationship. She allowed and welcomed me into her family life, as she did for Jacqueline, her daughter-in-law. We did have our moments, but overall I felt very fortunate to have someone as caring as Babs in my own life. When I lived with her Dad for two years, I also was well looked after. Her home cooking and wonderful baking were amazing. Her homemade tripe soup and coconut cake were the best I've ever tasted.

            Tragedy revisited Babs when her youngest son David died suddenly a couple of years ago. Her heartache at losing two sons in this life must have deeply wounded her emotionally, but she still continued on, living her life for the rest of her family. She truly was a remarkable woman.

            Her faith in God was severely tested throughout her life, however she remained a servant of His Kingdom despite the struggles and pain that she endured. She has now gone beyond the surly bonds of Earth into the eternal realms of Heaven, to be reunited with all of her loved ones, whom she served dutifully and beautifully in this world. As I stated before, there is no greater honorific title on Earth than to be called a servant by God. Babs exemplified that title with her own sacrificial life. The beauty about her is this: I see those same gifts and qualities in the life of her daughter Evelyn, who is my wife, as well as in the lives of my daughters Lynsey and Lauren.

May God bless you all this day; and may He also give us opportunities to serve our loved ones and others. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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