Christian Poem - Giving Back

Luke 20:25     

Jesus said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Lord Jesus,

I want to give back to You

What I have taken and given

To other things.

I want to give back Sundays to You

For they were always meant

To be little Easters,

When Christians would gather together

To sing God’s praises

For forgiving our sins

And raising You from the dead.

Give me the courage

And the fortitude

To make Sundays

Full of grace again

By placing You,

Your Church,

And Your people

At the heart

Of these holy days.

Help me to seek You,

And fill me

With Your Spirit.

Teach me

To walk in Your way

Each and every Sunday,

No matter where I am,

No matter what I’m doing,

No matter how I’m feeling,

Help me to give

Sundays back to You.

Amen.

John Stuart 2017

Love One Another - 1 John 3:23

1 John 3:23      And this is God’s command: to believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. (NIV)

            We have a great Youth group at our church, made up of Middle and High School students. I’ve watched most of them grow up since they were very young. Their love for one another both impresses me and deeply touches my heart. If they are representatives of their own generation, then both the church and the world will be in very good hands.

            When I was their age, I didn’t have such a strong and faithful group of friends, which is probably why I ended up taking a wayward path. However, when I was just into my twenties, I did become part of a fellowship of young Christian adults who helped to steer me back in the right direction.

            I think this is what church can do for anyone of any age. The friendship and fellowship that congregations can offer to everyone are beautiful gifts from the Spirit of God. I often wish that more people would take the opportunity to participate in church and discover this wonderful truth for themselves. If they did, they would find a great source of strength and love; they would be blessed with a company of caring and compassionate people.

Questions for personal reflection

When have I experienced the love and friendship of God’s people? With whom can I share those same blessings?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of true Christian love. Help us to share Your love and compassion with our families and friends, our neighbors and colleagues, as well as our own church and congregation. In Your Holy 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 Traqair@aol.com.

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