Stewardship Devotions: The Swan Pond - Ecclesiastes 11:1

Ecclesiastes 11:1       Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. 

Some of the simplest joys that I can remember of living in Scotland were the times when Evelyn and I would take our two daughters to Culzean Castle to feed the birds at the Swan Pond. It was always wonderful to watch our girls smile, laugh, and be happy as they threw the bread to the beautiful swans.

The swans knew what to expect and they would majestically glide across the water to feast on the bread. Usually a number of mallard and tufted ducks would try to get into the action, but because of their bigger size, the swans would get most of the bread. As the sun shone on the water and we heard the giggles and laughter of our girls, life felt so good.

I wonder what bird-less waters that the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote about. Whenever we threw the bread on the Swan Pond waters, everything was soon eaten. If we went back there in three hours time, we would find nothing left, so this verse puzzles me.

I’ve heard people use this verse, including some preachers, to encourage others to give their money to God because it would be returned to them. I also know that some people claim this to be true, but I wonder about their motive for giving in the first place. If we give to God because we want to get something in return, is that an offering or bargaining? Isn’t it more Christian to give without expecting anything in return, in order to live by Christ’s teaching that “it is far better to give than to receive,” as the Apostle Paul pointed out? (Acts 20:35)

So, by all means, let’s cast our resources upon the living waters of Christ and His Church, but let’s also not look for anything in return. After all, aren’t the complete forgiveness of our sins and the promise of everlasting life more than enough?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for giving everything of Yourself so that we may be restored to God’s eternal love. Help us to give what we can of our time, talents, and money to those needful opportunities that will come our way this week. Enable us to do this selflessly so that You will receive all the glory and honor for the good deeds and charitable giving that we do in Your Name. Amen.

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

Today’s drawing is one of John’s wildlife drawings called “Swan Pond.” If you would like to see a larger version of it, then please click on the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4373092333_3d5cd56d51_b.jpg

Free Christian Devotions: Running Ahead of God - Psalm 37 v 34

Psalm 37:34a   Wait for the LORD and keep his way. 

Currently I’m on a four day personal prayer fast and vision cast retreat. For the last year, I’ve been so busy at church that I feel as though (and certainly know) that I’ve been running ahead of God and expecting Him to catch up with me. That’s not how our spiritual relationship is supposed to work. Like everyone else, I’m meant to stand and wait for His call to show me the way ahead.

I remember years ago, when I was about five years old, my family went on a vacation to Prestwick, Scotland. Each day, we used to walk down to the beach on a path alongside a small creek (which is called a ‘burn’ in Scotland). At the end of the path, there was a fork with two separate destinations. One day, I ran ahead of my family and chose my own path. I fully expected my parents and siblings to follow me. When they went the other way, I felt stupid, fearful, and angry.

My Dad called me back and when I reached him, he told me these words: “If you had asked me which way we were going before you ran on ahead, I would have told you.”

That’s why I feel that I need this prayer and fasting mini-retreat. I need to ask God where He wants our church to go, what He wants our Session to do, and how He wants me to lead. I don’t find stopping and waiting, praying and fasting easy, but I don’t want to go down the wrong path either.

Perhaps spiritually, you’re feeling distant or even isolated from God. Maybe like me, you’ve busily ran on ahead thinking that God will soon catch up. But it could be that you’ve stumbled down the wrong path and that He’s now calling you back to where He wants you to be.

Sometimes the path less travelled is not what God expects us to choose or follow.

Prayer:                        Father God, each day we are faced with choices that take us on new journeys and different paths. Sometimes we follow our own lead and end up distant from You. Give us the courage to turnaround, to wait for Your guidance, and to listen to Your directions. Keep us from straying and help us to be led by Jesus, our Shepherd and Savior. In His Name, we 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. John enjoys reading your own messages and stories that relate to the message.

Today’s image is from one of John’s Psalms series.

My Last Five Podcasts

If you enjoy hearing a Scottish accent, you might enjoy listening to my last five podcasts.

Power_of_Prayer.mp3

Prayer allows us to step back from our problems and let God step in to help us.

Faith_for_Hard_Times.mp3

In these uncertain economic times, how can our Christian faith help us?

Prisoner_for_Christ.mp3

Our government deplores torture against terrorists over here; but are our politicians willing to take a stand against China's continuing persecution of Christians?

Prison_Wall.mp3

Christ is our Liberator from our self-imposed prison walls. A tale from Scotland.

Sacred_Memory.mp3

Instant communication is wonderful today, but what about intra-generational communication?

4 Minute Devotions: Skint Knees and Soccer Fields

As a boy, I used to play soccer on a red gravel football field. They still exist and you can see them all over Scotland wherever local schools have soccer fields. The gravel was the color of Tennessee red clay and when it was wet, which was usually every second day in Scotland, it stained my clothing and caused my mom to have a fit.

It was a great surface to play on because the bounce that it gave the football was terrific. Controlling the ball was difficult and the game was always played at a fierce rate. Most of my sprint skills were learned on a soccer pitch. However, there was one almighty drawback about playing on the pitch. When you were tripped up by another player or fell to your knees, the red gravel would cut through the skin, gashing your knees and filling the wound with small gravel stones. The pain was excruciating at times, but most players got up, laughed it off, and kept on playing with ‘skint’ knees.

After such an incident, I dreaded going home; not because I was worried about the mess of my clothes, but I was anxious about how my mom would treat my wounded knees. She would wash them with a hot cloth, and then painfully take out the small stones with tweezers. Finally, came the most agonizing moment when she would apply antiseptic to the wound. That would usually make me jump with pain and I would limp to my bedroom, vowing that I would never let her do that to me again. Nevertheless, within a couple of days, I would have to go through the same painful process.

Psalm 145:14 The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.

Sometimes when we fall in life, it’s hard to get up and painful to recover. We all make foolish decisions and fall prey to temptation. We have to live with consequences of our stupidity and sinfulness, but we do not have to be defined by them. The Lord, who watches over us, is willing to help us get back on our feet by forgiving our sins, healing our brokenness, and restoring our lives. It may be emotionally painful for a while and we may have to experience shame and contrition, embarrassment and rebuke for a time, but in the end if we are truly repentant and deeply sorry, God will raise us up through the cleansing blood of Christ.

Prayer: Lord God, we are imperfect, impetuous, and impertinent. We cause others hurt and humiliation, disappointment and dread. Forgive us for being so self-centered and sinful. Teach us the ways of contrition and sorrow, repentance and restoration. Grant us this through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and Healer. Amen.

Pride

Audio version here ... or here

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (NIV)

My mom often used to say to me, “Watch out! Pride comes before a fall, John!” Usually, she said it when I was being a typical teenager and wouldn’t heed her advice. I’d be going to do something stupid and, in my ornery, essert, and stubborn way, I wouldn’t accept her maternal wisdom.

For example, I used to sit on the porch in my front garden and ridicule the kids who walked by in the street. We’d call each other names and I guess it was a twisted form of territorialism. My mom was never impressed with this, and scolded me on several occasions, which usually ended with me walking away as she voiced those awful words, “Pride comes before a fall.”

Inevitably, my mom was right, because one day a kid from the neighboring subdivision walked past my front gate. I did my usual jeering, expecting him to do the same. He didn’t. He walked through the garden gate and dealt me a swift uppercut to my jaw. His name was Eddie Connelly and he was training to be a boxer. I ran into my house in pain, whilst Eddie continued his journey. My mom had seen the whole incident and she was very unsympathetic to my plight. I didn’t know what humiliated me the most – Eddie’s first class punch or my mom’s words ringing in my ear. I had learned a lesson on both accounts. I had been taught what I didn’t want to hear.

Pride leads us into blind alleys and causes us to reject help. Pride paralyzes addicts from seeking a cure. Pride stops us from asking for forgiveness and keeps us from healing broken relationships. Pride is amongst the deadliest of sins to our souls, and it always comes before a fall.

Jesus discarded pride when He humbled Himself and became, as Paul states, ‘obedient to death.’ He didn’t have to sacrifice Himself for our sins. He didn’t have to go to Jerusalem to be falsely accused and corruptly judged by the authorities. He didn’t have to walk the way of suffering to the Cross at Calvary, so that our world may be saved. Pride could have kept Him from doing all of these things. Love, mercy, and grace empowered Him to overcome pride and bring salvation to sinners everywhere.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes our pride imprisons our spirits and damages our relationships. Sometimes our pride ruins our dreams and diminishes our faith. Forgive our vanity; pardon our stubborn ways. Grant us the strength and courage to overcome pride. Be with us and lead us by Your love. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.