Worthiness - 1 Corinthians 3:16

1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (NIV)

            There are days when all of us go through some sort of depression or low self-esteem. It may come after a family argument, or when a project fails, or as a result of being unjustly accused. We may feel worthless and empty, of no value to anyone or totally insignificant. We may think less of our gifts and strength and more about weaknesses and faults, especially when we see others around us accomplish much with their lives and be successful. It happens to all of us and if you remember Christ’s struggles throughout His life, you also know He hit rock bottom, too. (John 6:60-66)

            Today’s highlighted verse is a great comfort to me when I’m feeling down. It reminds me that God’s Spirit dwells within me, sinner though I am and so unworthy of such a presence. This tells me that God thinks more about me than I do of myself. Because God loves me, I understand that I am a child of His grace and still a servant of His Son.

            No matter what you’re going through and no matter what you’ve done; no matter how bad you feel about yourself or your present circumstances, please know this: God’s Spirit abides within you and in His eyes, you are precious, accepted, and loved, not just at this time, but forever.

Point to ponder

Am I feeling down about myself? Do I know that God loves me truly?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us so completely that You sacrificed Yourself so that we may be restored to God’s favor and love. In those dark moments when we are down and depressed, let Your Spirit embrace and sustain us from within. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s recent lectionary drawings based on a verse from Isaiah called “Diadem.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Diadem.

Devotion: Forgetting the Past - Isaiah 43:18

Isaiah 43:18     “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

            Living in the past is a sure fire way to spoil the present and sabotage the future. As human beings, we are both blessed and cursed with powerful memories. Some of them are really good and cause us to be cheerfully nostalgic. Other remembrances are very painful and can sometimes be unhealthy.

            Letting go of the past is something that God calls us to do. It’s not easy to accomplish, but neither is lumbering a lot of baggage which weighs us down emotionally, spiritually, and even physically.

            God urges us to forget former things and not dwell on the past. His Son Jesus died painfully on the Cross, but God does not dwell on that terrible moment. Instead, He looks forward to the brightness of an eternal future where we will abide in His Kingdom and enjoy His everlasting love. This is why God wants us to let go of the past – so that we can look ahead to our future with Jesus.

Questions for reflection

What am I still carrying as a burden from the past? Am I willing to let it go and allow God to grant me a better present, as well as a brighter future?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are our Savior; please save us from ourselves. Release us from the past and guide us to a hopeful future. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Please feel free to share this email with family & friends.

Today’s image is one of John’s Creation drawings called “Let There be Light.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Creation.