Bible devotion: From Afar - Psalm 138:6

Psalm 138:6    Though the Lord is exalted, He looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, He sees them from afar.

            Every day, I look at my Facebook page. Because most of my family live 3000 miles away in Scotland, it’s about the only regular contact I have with them. I like to read their comments and see what they are doing. I like to share a few jokes with them and look at their photos. I’ve not seen my family in person for over 11 years, so Facebook gives me the ideal opportunity to interact with them from afar.

            In today’s psalm reading, we are told that God kindly watches us from afar. He is really interested in who we are, what we do, and wherever we are situated. Even though God is in the highest halls of divine holiness, He is still focused on what is happening in the lowest levels of human lives. We are His created people; He is our wonderful God.

            So wherever we find ourselves today and whatever we set out to do, let’s be assured that God is always with us, and that the presence of Jesus Christ our Savior abides with us each day through the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit in our lowly lives.

Questions for discussion

What am I hoping to accomplish this day? How will I know that God is with me?

Prayer:            Ever present and Almighty God, thank You for being lovingly interested in our personal lives. Thank You for Your constant watching of what we do, where we go, and whatever we complete. Continue to be with us and bless us with the presence of Your Son Jesus throughout our lives. In His Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or comment on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s bulletin cover images for churches called ‘Bread of Life.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Life.

Short devotion: Real Acceptance - John 13:20

John 13:20    “Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts Me; and whoever accepts Me accepts the One who sent Me.”

            Acceptance plays a major part in who we are as 21^st century people. We all want to be accepted on our own terms as individuals. We all need to feel part of a society that accepts us totally. We all want to belong to a world where every single person’s life matters and every single choice is respected. This is a very high ideal and one that is impossible to fulfill. People on this planet have different ideas, philosophies, and versions about life. We live in different places; we have different histories; we belong to different cultures; we eat different food, wear different clothing, and speak in different languages. The chances of us completely accepting one another are very remote and, sadly, highly unlikely. We therefore look to a Higher Power and Wiser Being to show us what is acceptable and what is not.

            Today’s verse from the Gospel of John belongs to a passage where Christ is actually commissioning His faithful disciples for the work that is yet to come. Unknown to them, they are about to experience and endure the three most intense and grueling days of Christ’s three year ministry. Their cozy world is about to be turned upside down and inside out. Their lives will never be the same, and their mission will be enormous: they will be charged with broadcasting to the entire world Christ’s message of resurrection and salvation.

In this instance from the Gospel, the acceptance that is crucially important to Christ is the acceptance of His messengers of the new Faith. To accept His apostles is to accept Him; to accept Him is to accept God. This is foundational for the life-changing work of preaching and teaching the Gospel, which will continue to the end of the world. Rather than us being accepted by Him, which is what most of us want Jesus to do, we must accept His terms, His conditions, and even His messengers.

In the end, the work of the Gospel, the spreading of faith, and the expansion of Christianity will be the most important mission undertaken in all of the history of humanity. We may reach dizzying heights of technological wonders; we may discover amazing new facts and sciences in the future; we may even travel to other planets and journey across the stars in centuries to come – these are all glorious and magnificent goals for humanity to reach – but in the end, God knows all of these things that we may discover, for His wisdom is infinite, so the most important thing to God is our individual discovery of accepting His Holy and Only Son as our Lord, Savior, and King. The importance of acceptance, then, is not the acceptance by God of who we are on our terms, but our personal acceptance of Christ on God’s terms.

Question for personal reflection

Have I accepted Christ as my Savior, Lord, and King?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, You came down to Earth to offer us the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of accepting You as God’s Chosen One. Keep us from continually making excuses or avoiding this crucial choice. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make comments about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Church Meeting devotion: Topsy Turvy Teacher - Luke 9:48

Luke 9:48      Then Jesus said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest." (NIV)

            One of the earliest images of Jesus that most of us have, is usually of Him playing with and surrounded by children. Most church nurseries have pictures hanging on their walls with similar drawings. The best picture that I have ever seen was in an old Scottish Church where Jesus was encircled by children who came from all over the world, all wearing their national and ethnic costumes.

            We may not know it, but Christ upgraded the importance of children through His teachings. In His day, children were usually considered to be of little importance and their fathers had the authoritative right to fully direct their future. Indeed, in some Roman families, the father had the power of life and death over their children for their entire lives.

            When Jesus brought the little child into the midst of the disciples, He was teaching them a lesson about humility as opposed to pride, as well as weakness over strength. As usual, Jesus was turning everything upside down: in God’s eyes a little child was greater than an adult man. Christ was giving power to the powerless and a voice to the voiceless. He was exalting the least, as opposed to glorifying the best.

Question:       Who are the least in our present society? How should Christ’s Church highlight their value in the world?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, You constantly challenge us through Your teaching and example. The things and people that we think should be honored and exalted tend to be the very opposite of what You would consider. Help us to see the world through Your eyes, so that we may apply Your perception in all that we would do for You. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest Palm Sunday drawing called “Palm Cross.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Cross.