Sabbath Psalms - Lead Kindly Light

Psalm 43:3 Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. (NIV)

During the mid-1980’s a lot of people got interested in the reports of near-death experiences that seriously injured and gravely ill patients were having all over the world. Some critical event happened in each of their lives that made them feel they were finally dying. They felt as though they were floating above the surgeons, doctors, and nurses who were frantically trying to save their lives in an emergency room. As their spirits floated away, they were drawn to a pure white light, which attracted their souls away from their bodies into another realm.

Some of these NDEs, as they came to be known, said they met Jesus in the midst of the beautiful light and He told them that their time to be with Him had not yet come. All of a sudden, their free spirits rushed back into their bodies, just as a defibrillator, or an adrenaline shot was being used by the health care professionals to resuscitate them.

Documentaries were made about the people who survived death, and they seemed to be changed. They no longer had a morbid fear or fascination with death. To them, it was only a short journey to a better and brighter place. I came across one such person in Scotland, and after she expressed what she had similarly experienced, it also explained to me her change of character and rediscovered devotion to the Lord.

As we go through life, we face many challenges and sometimes we are fearful of what death will bring. This is where faith endures at its best. This is the time when our relationship to God and union with Christ will at last be sealed forever. We will go on enjoying and experiencing this life as much as we can on Earth, but ultimately every journey, no matter how long, successful, or powerful it has become, will end in death. The difference for the Christian will be that directly after death, we will find that sacred abode of light and at last see Jesus face-to-face.

Ponder: How does my faith in Jesus prepare for and lead me into the future?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World, but You are also our Light to the Next World. Guide us each and every day, so that when our human journey ends, may we experience our eternal one begin at the twinkling of an eye, through the power of Your compassion, mercy, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Sunday Shorts: A Woman's Courage

John 20:15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (NIV)

I admire the courage of Mary Magdalene and how she remains committed to Jesus, even in the face of adversity. After Peter and John have gone back into hiding after seeing the empty tomb, Mary stays in the garden because she is concerned about where Christ’s body may have been taken. She still wants to tend to the crucified corpse; she still wishes to restore dignity back to the broken body of Jesus. Mary is determined to find out what happened, so she does not leave the garden unlike the other disciples and women.

Her bravery is also evident when she is confronted by a stranger. She does not yet know that this is Jesus standing before her, she thinks that he is merely the gardener. Mary could have run away like the others at that moment, but she is still determined to carry out her mission. If anyone knows where Christ’s body has been taken, it will surely be this gardener whom Mary presumes to be working in the tomb area.

Mary does something dangerous here: she asks the gardener if he knows where the body is and tells him that she will take care of it elsewhere. Her love and devotion to Jesus are evident in those words and her simple request. Remember, Christ has just been crucified by the Romans and His death was welcomed by the religious authorities. Mary is choosing to side with a criminal and a failed Messiah; she is placing herself in a precarious position, one that could get her flogged by both the Romans and the temple soldiers. She does not care about her own safety; all she wants to do is the right thing.

I love the fact that Jesus makes Himself known to her at this point, just by speaking her name. She may not recognize the stranger because there’s something holy and transfigured about Him, but as soon as He says her name, Mary instantly knows Christ’s voice. It’s a wonderful moment when faith vanquishes fear, love lets go loss, and devotion disables death. The voice of Jesus does that for Mary and her courage reconnects her to the Lord.

This is Easter for me because it encapsulates the Good News of the Gospel. Beyond death, there is Christ and a miraculous moment waiting for all who love Him: to hear Jesus personally speak our name. We may leave the surly bonds of Earth one day, but in that same second of transference from mortality to eternity, we will first hear the voice of Jesus say our name and then be welcomed into God’s Everlasting Kingdom.

Point to ponder: What does Easter mean to me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, on this Day of Resurrection speak to us personally and restore us to Your love individually. Open our hearts and minds to receive Your words and ways, as well as Your love and life. Help us to reach out to Your abiding Spirit and know that we will never be abandoned, forsaken, or alone, in this world and the next. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

 

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

August 31 devotion - Happy Endings

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (NIV)

            Most of the stories that I read or heard as a child ended up with this unforgettable line: ‘And they all lived happily together.’ No matter how scary the wicked witch was in ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ or how terrifying the Giant was in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk,’ or how cruel the villain was in ‘Aladdin,’ everything turned out well and the heroes of the story ended up being blessed and happy. I guess that because most of those stories were told to me at bedtime, it was far better to go to sleep on a blissful note than to have nightmares about the villains. We all like good stories and prefer those that have happy endings, even if they are all contrived just to make us feel secure.

            Throughout my sixty years on Earth, I have watched folks go about their lives expecting a happy ending. I guess they figure that God will somehow work that out for them, granting them a blissful everlasting life no matter who they are, what they believe, or what they’ve done. Jesus has taken care of everything, so there’s no need to worship or serve Him; all we need is to acknowledge that Christ will do it for us, no questions asked. If only it was as simple as that – we could close our churches forever, stop printing the Bible, and put a halt to praying. After all, if Jesus understands how busy we are, how wise we have become, and how important we’ve made ourselves, He will give us a happy ending. We can get on with life and Christ will be there at its conclusion as our personal Caretaker, Assistant, and Guide into the next life.

            I wonder if it really is that simple, and if so, then why was Christ crucified? I wonder if eternal bliss is waiting for us somewhere beyond the rainbow just because we want a happy ending? In my heart, I may want to believe this, but I feel as though it would just be wishful thinking. If Jesus is the Resurrection and Life that we truly want, doesn’t actually obtaining it involve some sort of allegiance to Him?

            There’s much more to Christianity than just thinking happy thoughts and taking Jesus for granted. Wishing for a happy ending is not the same as truly hoping for eternal life. At some critical point in our lives, we need to connect the dots between Christ and us – without that full and final connection, we’re just whistling in the dark and deluding ourselves.

Point to ponder

Am I truly connected to Christ? Am I ready to receive everlasting life?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep us from deceiving ourselves that everything will turn out okay just because we want it to be that way. Help us to reflect on our commitment to You and enable us to serve You faithfully throughout all that is left in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. If you would like to ask questions or make a comment about today’s devotional, please send John an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Short devotion: Enjoy Life - Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

            Yesterday, I participated in a wonderful funeral service. That may sound weird, but it turned out to be a joyous celebration of a life lived well. The person concerned was a very gentle, humble, and kind man, who touched the hearts and lives of practically everyone that he knew. His family shared some beautiful memories and there was a lot of laughter, mixed together with our tears. It was a blessing to be there and a cheerful event filled with faith, hope, and love.

            In the afternoon at the graveside, I improvised on some of the words from the Church of Scotland’s Book of Order. I told the mourners “We are not meant for the darkness of despair or death, but are created to enjoy God’s light and love.” It was a touching moment and I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit with us. I think we all realized that the wages of sin may indeed bring about our deaths, but the everlasting life which Christ has won for each one of us, is the greatest gift we shall ever know.

            From time to time, we all contemplate our mortality and the impact that death makes in our lives. However, the beautiful gift of faith grants us an assurance that death is not the end; it’s just the inevitable transition to a new and eternal beginning. We may lose loved ones to death and feel an emptiness in our lives, but Christ promises us that we can be with Him and all our loved ones in God’s Kingdom through the faith that we embrace and share.

Questions for personal reflection

How has death affected my life? How can Christ’s love restore my faith and hope?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You experienced dying and conquered death so that we may be given the opportunity of everlasting life. Help us to live our lives in that hope, so that we may enjoy the light and love of God, both in this life and the one that is yet to come. 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 latest drawings called “Planet Maker.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Maker.

Holy Week devotion: Easter Sunday - John 20:1-18

Bible reading: John 20:1-18

Today’s verse:                  John 20:17

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

            Today is the greatest day of celebration on the Christian calendar. This is the Day that Christ was raised, so we should be glad and rejoice in it. This is the Day which makes our faith so important, not just for us, but for the entire world.

            As we read the Gospel narrative about Christ’s Resurrection, we should make time to re-pledge our hearts to Him, re-connect our spirits to God, and renew our hopes and dreams in Jesus, our Risen Savior and Almighty Lord.

            We are Easter people, redeemed from our sins by Christ’s sacrifice and restored to God’s Everlasting Kingdom by the power of Christ’s Resurrection!

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

How will I share my joy in Christ with the world today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of the world and our Almighty King. We rejoice in You this Day and forevermore. Amen.