August 12 devotion - House of God

Hebrews 3:6    But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

            Coming from Scotland, I am part of a network of millions of people who belong to the House of Stewart. My family’s own particular branch of that royal clan is Stuart of Bute, which influences most of the South West region of Scotland. Generations ago, my ancestors were tenants on a farm in Kintyre, which Sir Paul McCartney now owns. When the Industrial Revolution began in the 1800s, my folks left the countryside and moved to Glasgow, where they found work as weavers, clay pipe makers, and carters.

            As members of the House of Stewart, my family wears its tartan with pride and theoretically, our life-long allegiance is meant to be given to the living monarch of Scotland, presently Queen Elizabeth. In the past, this allegiance laid feudal obligations upon my family to defend the Scottish sovereign to the death and I am sure that some of them did. These days, however, that connection to the House of Stewart is a celebratory one, so whenever I go to Scottish festivals, Highlands Games, or Burns Suppers, I wear both the Royal Stewart and the Stuart of Bute tartans. It’s my way of identifying with the past, but also of proclaiming my Scottish heritage to my peers.

            I like today’s verse from Hebrews because I understand Christ’s loyalty to the House of God. He is faithful to His Heavenly Father and totally obedient to His will. He is proud of what His Father has accomplished and seeks to glorify God through all that Jesus does. And, as we know from the Gospels, Jesus proved His loyalty to God by sacrificing His own life because God demanded it from Him in order to save the world. Christ’s perfect allegiance to God cost Him His life, but it won for us the opportunity to become a privileged part of God’s eternal household, which is something that we could never have accomplished for ourselves.

            So let us rejoice in what Jesus has achieved. We are restored to God’s favor forever and are always welcome in His House.

Questions for personal reflection

What do I know of my own ancestry? How has it shaped my faith?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for honoring God with Your perfect obedience and total commitment to His will. We know that we have been blessed through Your loyalty to God, so we thank You for the gift of salvation which allows us to be embraced in the House of God. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s Scottish drawings called “Dunure Sunset.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Dunure.

June 2 devotional - A New Day

Isaiah 45:6      From the rising of the sun to the place of its setting, people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

            I’m usually awake before each sunrise, so I get to watch the sun’s red glow permeate slowly across the morning sky. It is a peaceful and sacred time which helps me get into the right frame of mind for my daily work. Soaking in a sunrise enables me to embrace the day ahead by allowing me some quiet time to collect my thoughts and plan out my working hours.

            Today’s chosen verse also reminds me that each day comes as a gift from God as another opportunity to praise and serve Him in all that I seek to accomplish. My life belongs to God, so whatever I do, it should reflect both His goodness to me and my glory of Him. I don’t always get it right, but when I do, I draw nearer to God and deepen my relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. Then, when sunset occurs at the end of the day and I rest my head upon my pillow, I can smile as I pray and thank God for all that I’ve experienced and completed.

            As we embrace this new day, let’s look for the opportunities that God gives us to share our faith with others through Christ’s compassion, care, and love. If we set out to do this, then the people around us may come to know of God as our Living Lord.

Prayer:            Lord God, thank You for the gift of another day. You know all that we seek to accomplish; You understand all that we need to do. Help and guide us to do whatever we can to accept, support, and encourage others, so that we may serve You effectively, positively, and lovingly. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Please feel free to share this message. You can also contact him via email at Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Easter drawings called “Like a Rolling Stone.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Stone.