Sunday Shorts - Such is Life

Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

It’s a question that we all ask at some time in our lives: “How can I overcome death and obtain everlasting life?”

When I was eighteen, I overdosed on tranquilizers and almost died. I was saved by three friends, to whom I will forever be indebted. I spent three days in hospital to get my stomach cleaned out to check if my organs were still working. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I could have permanently damaged my kidneys and other vital organs, which would have meant that I would have unavoidably died days later. Thankfully, and providentially, that did not happen. My life had been spared by the quick action of my friends and the medical emergency team at the hospital.

Through being so close to death, it made me think about Life. I was faithless at the time, so if I had died, I could have been lost to everyone forever. I did not know this because I held a childlike belief of God in my heart. However, when I later turned to the scriptures to learn more about God, I was startled by some of the forthright views of Christ because sometimes His words stung me.

I no longer dabble with death or take my life for granted. My attempted suicide has given me a different perspective from most people. Life is something to be cherished, but it is also a gift of God that shouldn’t be wasted or squandered. The purpose of life is to give it back to God. Everything that we accomplish, all of our achievements, and every resource that we own, are nothing compared to the riches of God’s grace and everlasting love. That’s why Jesus asked the young man in this much told story to give up his wealth and esteem – for when he is old and dying, the young man is going to have to give them up anyway.

Health and wealth won’t last forever, but faith and love do. If we want life – a real abundant and everlasting life – then we are also invited to surrender ourselves to God through Jesus Christ.

Point to ponder: What is the purpose of my life and how can Christ make it more abundant?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each day You challenge us to give up our lives and place them in Your hands. In other words, You’re asking us to have faith in You by surrendering ourselves to Your Church and Kingdom. Help us to do this willingly so we may realize that our lives are gifts from the Lord, which we will eventually give back to God. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Today’s image is one of John’s crayon drawings called “Cosmic Surfer.”

September 7 devotion - Embracing Eternity

Ephesians 1:19b-21 That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Sometimes we get so preoccupied with what’s going on each day that we forget about the everlasting qualities of our faith. We get so involved in the ‘here and now’ that we neglect to meditate and ponder about our eternal future. We have an immortal King and He grants us everlasting life, so why do we continually get stuck in an earthly rut that is both temporary and fleeting?

Some Christians believe that we shouldn’t become so heavenly minded that we’re of no earthly use, but what if the reverse is also true? What if we become so earthly grounded that we have no use for heaven? Aren’t we making the mistake of believing that life revolves us individually, instead of having Christ at the center?

I wish that more people would take time to think about everlasting life. According to scripture, it will be a time and a place where peace abounds, pain is gone, and God shall wipe away every tear from our faces. Being with Christ forever is a wonderful prospect to me. To hear Him speak, to watch Him rule, and to serve Him forever are precious to me and keep me from being chained to insecurity and doubt, anxiety and depression.

When Paul was writing to the young Christian churches so long ago, he wanted them to understand Christ’s eternal sovereignty. They lived under the rule of the Roman Emperor and had suffered for their faith. Paul was constantly reminding them that Jesus reigned forever, whereas Caesars would come and go. In other words, kingdoms and empires may rise and fall, but Christ’s words endure forever.

I think that Christians should meditate on the everlasting component of our faith. I believe that we should embrace eternity in our everyday lives. Some anti-religious people may call it deluded escapism, but millions of others believe it to be an everlasting hope that gives us a purpose to live our lives in meaningful, faithful, and Christian ways.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the gift of eternal life and for the many ways in which it enriches our spirits and strengthens our faith. Help us to share this wonderful hope with many people, so that they may also experience Your everlasting promises. 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 pastor@erinrpesbyterian.org.

Only God - Psalm 130:8

Psalm 130:8 The LORD Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. (NIV)

            There’s an old saying: “If you want something done well, do it yourself.” It was once attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, who liked to be in control of every maneuver on the battlefield. He had no time for failure and often dismissed his generals or other officers who displeased him. Eventually, this led to his downfall because the very thing that Napoleon considered to be his strongest talent turned out to be his greatest weakness. His obsession to be in control of everything was unsustainable; all his enemies had to do was to coordinate their attacks on many flanks until he was overwhelmed, which is precisely what happened to him at Waterloo.

            To be in control of everything, you need to have infinite power. Only God possesses this, which is why when humanity was unable to crawl out of the mess that sin had caused, God took control of the situation and personally redeemed the world through Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. For generations, God’s people had tried to remedy the situation and bridge the gap between God’s holiness and humanity’s unworthiness, but no matter how many animal or agricultural sacrifices were made, the deficiency and separation were still there. It was only when Christ chose to die at Calvary that the debt could be paid and the gap filled. God took it upon Himself to fix what we had broken; He personally redeemed us from all of our sins, at great cost to Himself.

            We all make mistakes and choose to do sinful things. We hurt other people by breaking our promises and offend God by ignoring His commands. We make bad choices, which we often regret, and create a gap between ourselves and God which could be eternally disastrous. However, because God is in control, He remedies the situation and graciously offers us redemption and restoration. Our foolish ways are totally forgiven and our offenses are fully pardoned. We are saved from our selfish stupidity and allowed to receive God’s favor. As the psalmist wrote long ago: The Lord Himself redeems us from our sins.

Point to ponder

What sins have I committed recently that could potentially separate me from God? Am I willing to seek forgiveness? Am I aware of God’s redemptive love for me through Jesus?

Prayer: Lord God, we know that we are not perfect and that our sinful ways separate us from Your Kingdom of holiness and love. Forgive the foolish choices we make and the unholy sins we commit. In Christ’s Name, we pray for mercy and grace. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called ‘Lent Journey.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Journey.