A Tax Break - Luke 18:13

Luke 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ (NRSV)

Do you ever have one of those days when you feel as though you’ve taken a wrong turn, done something stupid, or been very selfish? Me, too. I don’t know how you personally cope with those kinds of days, but they sometimes make me feel as though I can’t approach God for any help, hope, or healing. My foolish mistake or sinful act separates me from God, and so my pride or shame won’t let me immediately turn to Him for pardon, grace, or restoration. It’s as if I’m angry with myself or feel as though I’m wasting God’s precious time. However, at some crucial point, I reluctantly traipse back to Him like the tax collector in today’s verse, hang my head in shame, and mumble a plea for forgiveness.

Almost immediately, I experience a sense of relief and of being reconnected to God. I know I don’t deserve His gracious love, but I am very glad to receive it. By forgiving my sin, God restores me to His delight; by pardoning my mistake, I not only feel better, but I want to do things better for God and His Kingdom. To be forgiven is a precious gift that I hope I will never take for granted; to be restored to God’s favor is a wonderful way to begin my life again.

Perhaps you are feeling burdened by past mistakes, sinful deeds, or personal failures. Maybe you’ve been carrying a whole boatload of guilt that is keeping you back from reconnecting with God. Or perhaps you just feel as though you’ve disappointed God and can’t approach Him for mercy or restoration. Please do not despair: God’s grace is far bigger than any or all of our sins; God’s love is far greater than any mistakes we have made. He allows us to ask for forgiveness, not because He wants to shame us, but because He wants to restore us and reconnect with our hearts and spirits. In other words, we may be great sinners, but Christ is an even greater Savior than all of our sins combined.

Point to ponder

What is my deepest regret or costliest mistake? Am I willing to bring this to God in prayer and ask for forgiveness?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us completely and are aware of everything we have foolishly or sinfully done. You ask us to come to You for mercy to give us the gift of God’s grace. We are truly thankful and totally humbled by Your merciful ways. In Your Holy Name, we joyfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come along and join us for worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s worship drawings for Transfiguration Sunday. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Transfiguration.

Once and For All - Hebrews 9:14

Hebrews 9:14  How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

            Sometimes when we disappoint people, they find it hard to trust us. We may try to make things better or show some remorse about what has occurred, but that cannot guarantee things will ever be the same again. People have feelings, so when they are hurt, injured, or disappointed, they feel vulnerable and unprotected, perhaps even gullible or stupid. We may regret causing some injury, but we cannot make others forgive us or forget what happened. The sad consequences of our actions may ruin relationships or fracture friendships. We cannot change the past, nor can we insist on mending the matter.

            With God, things are different. His Son has died for us in order to heal the breaches we have caused between ourselves and our Creator. When we disappoint God, He could punish us severely; instead, He chooses to forgive us completely. The death of Jesus, as bloody and as brutal as it was, paid the price for our sins, so our contaminated spirits can be cleansed once and for all. This is what it means to be washed in the blood of Jesus – His sacrifice makes us whole once more; His death deletes the disappointments; His crucifixion wipes out every sin we have ever committed.

            So today, let’s all rejoice in the wonderful fact that Jesus is our Savior and we are eternally restored to God’s grace and love.

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for deleting our sins and eliminating our faults forever. We are grateful that You cleanse us of our past mistakes, so we can joyfully serve God from this moment on. Be with us and bless our spirits this day. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Lent devotion: Sorry to God - Luke 7:48

Luke 7:48      Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (NIV)

            There is not a day that goes by that I do not end up saying “Sorry” to God. There is not a Sunday in worship, when the prayers of confession are read and said, that I don’t feel guilty and in need of those prayers. Some folks would say that this is because of my Presbyterian Calvinist roots; however, I personally know it’s because I am a sinner who falls short of God’s standards, day after day, week after week, and year after year.

            Without Christ, there could be no forgiveness for any one of us. He was given total authority from God to pardon our mistakes. He compassionately listens to our personal pleas, especially when we humbly and honestly confess our mistakes to Him. He helps us overcome temptation, but He also is willing to forgive our faults when we recognize them.

            This forgiveness from Jesus can also be found in the Gospel story (Luke 7:36-50). The heartbroken woman who cried at Christ’s feet must have been carrying a lot of guilt, perhaps for many years. She saw in Jesus the source of her salvation. She recognized her unworthiness, but at the same time she clamored for His Holiness. She understood what the host of the house had failed to see: that Christ was the Only One who could forgive her, save her, and restore her as a beloved child of God’s grace.

            At the end of today, like many other Christians, I will remorsefully come to God and ask Jesus to forgive me. There is no other person or power that I can appeal to for real mercy. There is no other source or entity that I can pray to for total absolution. And at the end of my confessional prayers, from within my mind and heart, I feel the same beautiful words of Christ being conveyed to me, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Question:      When and how do I ask Christ to forgive me? Am I willing to see that same forgiveness at work in the lives of other people?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of the world, as well as our individual souls. You allow us to come to You each day to confess our faults in order to receive Your grace. Thank You for this blessing, as well as for Your patience and love. In Your Holy Name, we 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 drawings called “Mountain Hummingbird.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on this link: Bird.

Devotion on Grace: The Gift of Grace - Matthew 20:15

Matthew 20:15        Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?

            Today’s Gospel passage (Matthew 20:1-16) has nothing to do with workers’ rights, shrewd employers, or salary compensation; it’s all about the grace of God and how He freely and independently chooses to bestow it upon anyone that He selects. Grace belongs to God, so when He blesses someone that we think doesn't deserve it, then we need to ask ourselves this question: who does deserve God’s grace?

            Of course, the honest answer to that question is no one deserves God’s grace, otherwise it would simply be a meritorious award or an honorary gift. We all for short of the standards that God expects of us; we all sin on a daily basis, so if God simply gave His grace to those who deserved it, no one would experience or know of God’s grace ever again.

            It’s because God is gracious that we can begin again each day with a clean slate. It’s because of God’s grace that we can turn away from our sin and turn toward His love. It’s because of God’s grace that we can live our lives not under the fear of judgment and wrath, but with the joy and gladness that only grace can bring. As the old hymn emphatically states, grace is absolutely amazing!

            Perhaps you still feel guilty about something you did in the past, or some wrong that you committed which hurt someone else. Maybe you regret something that you said or did which disappointed God and still makes you feel ashamed. Perhaps you believe that you cannot be forgiven, so all you deserve is God’s wrath and eternal punishment for a horrible sin in your life. To tell you the truth, every Christian feels that way; every church person knows that reality; every follower of Jesus has experienced those kind of faults and failures.

            However, because God is gracious and because He wants to give grace, we can all be forgiven and restored, pardoned and accepted of anything and everything that we have ever said or done. There are no limits to God’s grace when we come to Him humbly and sincerely seeking His pardon. When we acknowledge our sinfulness before Him in prayer, He gives to us His grace through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior.

Questions for personal reflection

What is the biggest regret in my life? Am I willing to confess it to God, in order to receive His grace?

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, You are the instrument of God’s grace and the channel of His mercy. We know that we do not deserve such a wonderful and amazing gift. We thank You for sacrificing Yourself so that we may be given God’s amazing and absolute grace in our sinful lives. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Nativity drawing for kids. It’s called “Babushka Nativity.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Nativity.