June 24 devotional - Bannockburn Day

Psalm 60:12    With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.

Today is Bannockburn Day in Scotland. On the 24^th June 1314, the Scots defeated the invading English army at a place called Bannockburn and firmly established their independence. Robert the Bruce was the King of Scots and his fearless leadership won the battle for the outnumbered Scots. Bruce was the military leader who followed in the footsteps of William Wallace (Braveheart).

For ten years after the execution of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce labored hard at getting the Scots ready to win their independence. Just like George Washington centuries later, Bruce lost minor skirmishes but when it came to the one crucial battle of the War for Scottish Independence, he outwitted the English forces at Bannockburn and won the day. Ever since then, the Scots have celebrated the battle and their independence.

On the deciding day of the two-day battle, the outnumbered Scots advanced on the English but before they commenced fighting, the whole army knelt in prayer. Edward II, the English king, was reported to have been surprised by this and mockingly said, "They pray for mercy!"

"For mercy, yes," one of his attendants replied, "But from God, not you. These men will conquer or die."

It seems strange to ask God for providence and mercy on the battlefield, and yet when men are faced with the prospect of death in war, prayer is what they often resort to. In Western history, the winning of battles actually helped to expand Christianity. A victory was often interpreted as God’s favor through Christ, no matter how bloodthirsty or gory the battle might have been.

These days, we pray for the safety of our troops and still ask for God’s blessing and guidance in the midst of our wars. We look for justice and peace more than overwhelming victory and the complete annihilation of our enemies. We want Christ’s peace to be truly promoted, as opposed to that militaristic religious righteousness which only festers future divisions and engenders wasteful wars.

Prayer:                        Lord God, we thank You for the liberty and independence that we experience in our lives today. Sadly, we recognize that much of our freedoms were given to us through the battles that our people fought in the past and by the lives that were laid down in defense of our nation. Help us not to take our liberties for granted and remind us to pray for wisdom for our leaders and safety for our troops. In Christ’s Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is of a statue of Robert the Bruce on the field of Bannockburn. You can read more about the battle at the following link: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Battle_of_Bannockburn

How a Teenager Changed Scotland

How a Scottish teenager touched the hearts of her people with her resolute faith, and enabled them to overcome their persecutors during the Killing Times of the 17th century.
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Podcast version here

Margaret Wilson was eighteen years old when she gave her Christian testimony. She and her younger sister Agnes used to visit an old lady, Margaret McLachlan, in the village of Wigtown, Scotland. They enjoyed her stories and shared prayers together, and all three loved the Lord completely. They lived in troubled times, but their friendship and faith that they shared was personal and beautiful.

One day, however, the elder Margaret was arrested by the King’s dragoons and charged with being a dissident. She was ordered to swear her loyalty to the King and his prayer book, but the old lady refused, knowing that it would cost her freedom. Her trial was quick and her sentence was cruel. She was to be chained to a post and drowned by the incoming tide of the Solway Firth on the banks of the town. During the arrest, someone informed the authorities about the two Wilson girls and they were also arrested, judged, and sentenced to death.

Gilbert Wilson, the father of the two teenagers, was frantic. He practically sold everything that he owned and borrowed from friends and family. He rode to Edinburgh to buy his daughters’ pardon. He managed to raise one hundred pounds, which was the equivalent of a lifetime of earnings in his day. Sadly, Gilbert could only buy back one of his daughters, so he chose the youngest, Agnes, who was only thirteen years old.

On the morning of 11 May, 1685, the two Margarets were chained to their posts. As the tide came in, faster than a running horse, Margaret McLachlan quickly succumbed to the mighty force of the waves. Young Margaret Wilson had been chained nearer to the shore, from where her friends and family begged the young maiden to recant of the National Covenant by swearing loyalty to the king. Even her own mother frantically pleaded with Margaret to give up her faith in order to save her young life.

The town officer tried to intervene and held young Margaret’s head above the closing waters. He asked her to pray for the king, to which she answered: “God save him, if he will, for it is his salvation I desire.”
Her relatives clamored for mercy, but the officer asked Margaret once again to renounce the Covenanters.

Summoning all of her energy and faith, this wee lassie of no nobility, prosperity or esteem, calmly replied: “I will not, I am one of Christ's children, let me go.” Soon after, the waves overwhelmed her and she drowned.

God chooses foolish things to shame the wise and weak vessels to shame the strong. Both Margarets are known to the Scottish people as the Solway Martyrs. And even today, when their stories of injustice and cruelty are told, we are in awe of their courage, devotion, and faith. Margaret Wilson may have been a young and carefree teenager, but she will be forever known in history as a remarkable and faithful servant of Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, throughout the centuries You have called upon people to witness to Your words and ways. Sometimes people, young and old, have sacrificed everything in order to be faithful to You. In this day and age, Lord, we have trouble in making the same commitment and we forget the true cost of the faith that we place in You.

Challenge and change our lives today, so that we may effectively witness to Your Power. Keep us from being fearful and insecure. Help us to be faithful and sincere. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.