Daily Devotion: After Easter - Exodus 33:13

Exodus 33:13 “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

We had a beautiful Easter service yesterday at church. It always good to see many people with their families worshipping God. Because I’m an ‘Easter person,’ I get energized by the whole day.

The day after Easter is quietly different. The celebrations are over and life continues with its own routines. It’s not an anti-climax or depressing; it’s just different.

This is a good time to renew our connection to God. Hopefully, the energy and enthusiasm of the Easter worship experience have given many people a new start to their lives. Spring is bursting with life all around us, so why not make this delightful time a precious moment of spiritual growth when we reconnect to God?

Today’s passage from Exodus 33:7-14 reveals to us Moses’ need of being reconnected to God in the midst of the Wilderness Wanderings. He felt the burden of leadership upon his shoulders and even although he had a special prominence among the people of God, he still needed to know that God would be constantly with him, guiding his decisions, and supporting his choices. The great thing about Moses’ prayer is that God answered it perfectly: "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Whatever your plans for the rest of this week, or indeed for the rest of the year, may you know the blessing of God’s Presence and the joy of His rest.

 Questions for personal reflection

Is there something really important currently happening in my life? Have I asked God to be beside me throughout it?

Prayer:            Lord God, thank You for the wonder of Easter and the spiritually refreshing blessings that we have experienced. Be with us now and guide us; carry us through our present circumstances and help us to make good choices that benefit us, as well as glorifying You. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Easter drawings. It’s called “Rising Star” and depicts the wonderful moment of Christ’s Resurrection. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8379/8605348590_5eb2124c1e_h.jpg

Daily Devotions: Remembering God

Psalm 111: 4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

Sometimes I envy the people of the past, particularly those in the Old Testament. I wonder what it must have felt like to escape from the clutches of Pharaoh and wander around in the wilderness for a whole generation, in the holy presence of God.

God seemed so immediate and near to them, probably because there was nothing else to distract them. They weren’t surrounded by the busy-ness of today’s urban communities. They weren’t inundated with the sounds of the city or urgency of our world. They were isolated in the desert, so perhaps they were more open to hearing God’s voice and seeing His wonders.

It must have been both amazing and terrifying to have God in their midst. They were given first hand experiences of God’s power, grace, and compassion. In the daytime, they followed a pillar of smoke and at night they looked to a pillar of fire. It must have daunted and comforted them at the same time.

Today, we mainly learn about knowing God through the scriptures. We read the Bible stories and study the events. We try to imagine what really happened and build upon theological teachings and archaeological findings to increase our understanding of God and His people. But we also look to other people in order to know what God is doing in the world today. We hear of personal experiences, answers to prayer, and other events which convey to us that the God of Old is still in control of what’s new today.

In the end, we remember God’s wonders from the Bible and we embrace personal stories of His work in the world today. We know God through what we read in the scriptures and in the faithful lives of other people. And through both of these channels, we begin to understand, embrace, and experience for ourselves that God is still gracious and compassionate.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the stories of old that we have read and learned from the Bible and people of faith. We praise You that You continue to be known in the personal lives of so many people around the world. Thank You for Your gracious and compassionate interest in our planet. We are grateful for the opportunity to truly know who You are and how You continue to work in and bless the world. 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 passage, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.