4 Minute Devotions: The Secret of Success

An attitude of gratitude, especially towards God, paves the way for us to be more confident about what we do, and can lead us to success.

Podcast Version here

I’ve tried hard to overcome this failing of mine, but I can’t abide ungrateful people. I guess it’s because I grew up with so little that I feel the need to thank God for everything each day. When I see people in trouble, experiencing illness, or going through a crisis, they usually want God’s help. They turn to Him and the Church for guidance, counsel, support, and wisdom. After the crisis has been averted, most people are very thankful to God and keep on worshipping Him. They remember His kindness and use their experiences to help other people in similar circumstances.

Sadly, throughout my twenty five years in ministry, I have come across a handful of people who don’t change. I’ve seen God do mighty things in their lives and even what I would call miracles, but it didn’t change their character, their pride, or their ungrateful ways. And that just frosts and frustrates me. I guess it’s what Jesus calls ‘casting pearls before pigs.’ They just take the goodness and kindness from their blessings, and end up trampling the beauty of God’s gifts in the mud.

2 Chronicles32:25 But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD's wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

Hezekiah was a great king. In fact, he is one of my favorite characters from the whole Bible. But he also had some pride issues, which had to be dealt with and overcome. I am so glad that he managed to deal with his ingratitude and turned things around so that, as the Bible states, ‘He succeeded in everything he undertook.’ His new attitude of gratitude gave him a creed to succeed.

The lesson for all of us today is this: have we taken God’s goodness for granted and turned away from His blessings? Have we forgotten how to thank Him for His loving kindness, even for the kindness of granting us another day?

Prayer: Lord God, You have intervened in each of our lives and there have been many moments when we have called upon You for help. You have remained faithful to us; we are sorry if we have failed to do the same. Enable us to clearly see how much You have blessed, transformed, and even saved our lives. May we never take those blessings for granted, and may we always worship You. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church Devotions: Farmers - Sturdy Examples of Faith

Audio version here

2 Timothy 2:6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. (NIV)

For the first nine years of my work in ministry, I pastored a beautiful area in the South West of Scotland. The countryside was stunning and as I traveled throughout the area in my car, I often saw the farmers working in their fields. Their lives fascinated me and I was in awe of their work ethic. They do get up before light of day and work long, arduous hours.

Their families are all involved in working the farm. The children are taught responsibility at an early age and given their own areas of the farm to look after. It was a joy to be amongst them, and I sometimes miss visiting with them at the farmhouse, listening to their talk about livestock, crops, and machinery.

It’s no surprise to me that the Christian faith has much to say about farms and farmers, crops and harvests. Our faith grew out of agricultural religious cycles and many of our celebrations and feasts are long associated with the farming year. In Scotland, we used to celebrate Communion twice a year – in April and October. We did this after the lambing season had finished in March, and once the harvest was brought in during the Fall. It gave the farmers a special time to be with God, commune with His Son and people, and give thanks for the blessing of the lambs and the finishing of the harvest.

In many ways, our churches are also like farms. We plant the seeds of belief in the hearts of our children in the hope that those seeds will become fruits of faith. We are also given ministries and missions to tend, so that Christ’s work amongst us can grow and expand in our community. And we are each expected to bring a faithful harvest to God at the end of our lives, showing Him that we have shared our faith with others, and planted new seeds of belief in the hearts and minds of those we leave behind. We are each meant to be hardworking farmers of faith, so that we might expect the bounty of God’s blessings and receive an eternal share in Christ’s Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the work of our farmers and for the food they provide to our people. Bless them at this special time when their harvests are gathered and their work is done. Be with them as they plan ahead for next year’s crops and livestock. May they be respected and appreciated for all that they accomplish amongst us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Gentle Lochiel

(Celtic Moon O'er Brigadoon" - original artwork by John Stuart)

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Ecclesiastes 9:15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. (NIV)

Just over 260 years ago, my hometown of Glasgow, Scotland, was surrounded by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Highlander army. At that time, the people of Glasgow distrusted the Jacobite rebels and because they wouldn’t welcome the Highlanders, the city was almost looted and razed to ground. The order went out to destroy Glasgow and kill as many of the population as possible. There was no escape, because the Jacobite forces had cut off all of the roads and waterways. The city prepared itself for a savage assault, and its leaders realized that the government forces were too far away to help anyone.

Just as the Highlanders prepared to ransack and destroy Glasgow, one of the elderly Jacobite chieftains, Cameron of Lochiel (loch-eel), pled with the Prince to spare the city. He had been the first chieftain to support the Prince’s rebellion, and so his loyalty was not questioned. Lochiel suggested that instead of being ransacked, the city of Glasgow should be held to ransom for clothes, food, and supplies, which would enable Charlie’s army to retreat safely into the Highlands. The Bonnie Prince favored Lochiel’s suggestion and the city was saved.

After the Highlander army left the surrounding area, the city fathers made a proclamation that whenever Cameron of Lochiel or his descendants visited Glasgow, all the church bells would be rung to proclaim their arrival. “Gentle Lochiel”, as he came to be known, never heard those bells, for soon after this incident, Charlie’s army was defeated and Lochiel went into exile with the Prince, never to return to the shores of Scotland.

But to this day, the city of Glasgow honors their promise and in December of 2006, the Lochiel Camerons gathered in the city square to be welcomed and to listen to the peels of gratitude, favor and blessing from church bells all over the city.

Lochiel was a poor man, but he is remembered for the riches of his grace that saved Glasgow. In our own Christian faith, we also recognize that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was poor and lowly carpenter, chosen by God to liberate the world and to save our souls. Almost 2000 years have come and gone since His sacrifice at Calvary, but there has never been a day, a year, or century since then that His great work of deliverance and salvation has not been proclaimed, honored, and glorified. And even into eternity, as John Newton put it, “there will be no less days to sing God’s praise” to worship Christ, and to exalt His grace.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You struggled with poverty all the days of Your earthly life. You understood what it meant to have needs and to be in want. For a time, You were refugee, made homeless by powerful kings and corrupt politicians. For years, You trekked across the country, proclaiming the Gospel amongst the poor and outcast, the insignificant and exiled. And then, to crown all of Your triumphs, You laid down Your life for this poor world and all our poor sakes, so that we may experience God’s grace, be rescued from our sins, and restored to everlasting joy and favor. You are the Power of the Poor, the Wisdom of the Wasted, and the Love of the Lost. In Your Holy Name, we joyfully pray. Amen.