Sunday Shorts: The Gift

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

            Every day, I pray for my family, for those living here in the United States and those across the world. I ask God to bless and protect them, to guide and to support them, to love and cherish them. It’s a ritual I go through each morning and whether or not I’ll see or hear from them that day, they’re in my prayers, on my mind, and in my heart. No matter what they’re going through or how they are feeling, I know that God is with them and that comforts me.

            The most important part of my daily prayer takes place at the end. I ask God to give them opportunities to draw closer to Him and accept Jesus as their Lord in Savior in their lives and hearts. I want them to know the love of God and the price that He decided to pay so that all of them could be favored and forgiven, renewed and restored to God’s Kingdom. I pray this, not just because I want them to know that they are not alone, but I believe it’s what God wants for them, too. This is why He sent His Son to the Earth long ago to reach out to humanity and gather us safely from the chaos, confusion, and commotion that we all experience in our lives. You see folks, God didn’t create us to be fearful or lonely; He made us to be thankful and loved.

            I hope that you understand this devotion and these prayers are also for you, your families, and your loved ones. Jesus gave everything so that we can gain everything about God that is everlasting. Our lives on Earth may be finite and the years go by too quickly, but God cherishes us so much that He wants our lives and love to continue beyond our time on this planet. God doesn’t want us to perish at all, but to gain everlasting life.

Point to ponder: Do I know God loves me?

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for creating us to be loved and not to be alone. Help us to reach out to You today and receive the blessings of Your acceptance and eternal love. Enable us to overcome our doubts and fears so that we may cherish the gift of Christ and receive His peace in our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Short devotion: Fear vs Freedom John 3:16

 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

 We live in scary times because of all the uncertainty that we’re experiencing. We try to live our lives as normally as we can, but currently there seems to be so many setbacks that none of us can find a ‘normal’ routine. As creatures of habit, who have mostly relied upon things being stable, we find this deeply troubling and worrisome. As our worries increase, so do our fears; and as they increase, our freedom diminishes. Fear is the opposite of freedom – why? Because fear imprisons us.

 Freedom, however, is not the right to do what we want and act recklessly – that’s actually foolishness. Freedom is the God-given ability that human beings have to do the right thing at the right time, and not to do what we want just because we desire it. Sadly, so many people mistake selfishness for freedom and confuse their rights with their faith. Christ used His faith and freedom to save the world which involved sacrifice, humility, and love, so shouldn’t we as Christians be willing to show and do the same?

 God didn’t have to send Jesus into the world to become the cure for our sins, but love compelled Him.

 Jesus didn’t have to give up His life to grant us forgiveness, but our freedom required it.

 We don’t have to care for one another, but faith expects it, so we, who call ourselves ‘Christian’, should be at the forefront of doing what we can for others, not just for ourselves. If we are more concerned about our individual rights than the common good, then we need to get back to the Cross and look up at Jesus and ask ourselves this: what rights did He give up to fix our wrongs?

 Prayer: Lord Jesus, release us from fear by showing us the freedom that love provides. 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 see what’s happening at the church, please visit the website at www.erinpres.org.

 Today’s image is one of John’s drawings called “Son Set.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click here: Son Set.