A Worldly Psalm - Psalm 24:1

Psalm 24:1      The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (NIV)

            Psalm 24 has always been one of my favorite passages of the Bible, ever since I first read today’s highlighted verse. To me, this line epitomizes how God sees the world and all of the people on Earth. He doesn’t see boundaries or nations. He doesn’t look at economic classes or intellectual elites. He sees a beautiful blue planet with billions of people. He sees everyone as a special creature and a child of His grace.

            Sadly, human history is littered with events which depart from this divine outlook. Human beings have treated each other with disdain, disrespect, and disinterest, forcing the poor and powerless to become helpless and hopeless. Tyrants have often dismissed and inhumanely treated other people just for being weak and wallowing in their misery. Wars and famines continually break out in areas where people are downtrodden and life is worth nothing. To escape these tragic hardships and cruel conditions, people sell their children into slavery or abandon their communities completely to the aggressors. How God can look down and see what we’re doing to ourselves is incomprehensible to people of faith. We believe we are better than this, and that the world is truly worth saving, no matter where people come from, no matter who they are.

            As Christians, we are held to a higher standard by God than those of other religions. Why? Because we call ourselves the followers of Christ, the Son of God, who gave His life for everyone. He didn’t cast people off because they were poor. He didn’t castigate folks for where they came from – remember, Christ was born in a dirty stable because His parents were forced to leave their home by a greedy and oppressive Emperor. Jesus, the center of our faith and the King of our lives did not disparage people whose lives were wrecked because His family experienced this, too; instead, He told marginalized people everywhere, ‘Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest.’

So, if we still dare to continue to call ourselves Christians, are we not obligated by Christ to do and show the same?

Point to ponder

Who did Jesus die for? Why? Are we as Christians willing to love other people in the same ways as Christ? Are we willing to welcome those who are so much different from ourselves?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we call You the Lord of our hearts, so we seek to serve You with our lives. There is not one person on this Earth that You do not love, for we are all equal in Your eyes. Keep us from the sins of self-piety or of justifying unbridled prejudice. Enable us to see all others as children of Your grace, just as we hope that we are in Your eyes. In Your Holy Name, we pray.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to send feedback on today’s devotional, John would be delighted to receive your email at Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s early drawing called ‘Face to Face.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Face.

Into Your Hands - A Prayer for Today

Luke 23:46a Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (NIV)

Lord, do You have a moment?

I need to speak to You.

I’m worried about the world

And anxious about the future.

I don’t know where we’re headed

Or what’s going to happen.

There’s a lot of hatred

And it’s impacting my faith.

I’ve never known such turmoil,

So I’m concerned for the Church,

Society, and the World.

You see, Lord,

I think I am a Christian,

But I also see so much

Bitterness coming from other folks

Whose faith in You

Is meant to be the same as mine.

I don’t understand

Where this is coming from,

How it got here,

And where it will end up.

So I’m confused about my faith, Lord,

And need Your help to sort this out

In my heart, mind, and soul.

Lord, I only have

This moment called Life

And this space called Earth.

I want to do what’s right

And make this world

A better place

And not a bitter planet.

I want to spread Your love

And not shred other lives.

Lord, I want to be Christian,

A real one, not a religious one.

A true one, not a tormented one,

A faithful one, not a fake one.

Lord, thanks for giving me

This personal moment.

Into Your hands,

I commit my spirit,

My questions,

And my struggle.

Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. You can also contact John by email at Traqair@aol.com.

Camera Obscura

Audio version here

Job 28:24 “for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” (NIV)

At the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, there is a tall building in which resides the famous Camera Obscura. Thousands of people each year walk up the lofty stairs to the tower to gather in a small dark room around a large circular table. Just as their eyes are getting used to the dim lit room, a wonderful things happens – light boldly shines out of the table showing a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. The table is not table at all – it is a large lens – and it displays a mirror image of most of old Edinburgh.

People gasp as they watch the scenery unfold – the castles, the palaces, the gardens, great gothic churches and classical Greek buildings are clearly displayed on the Camera Obscura. It is an amazing event, giving each spectator a never to be forgotten view of the whole city. Every participant goes home with a sense of wonder in their hearts. They just didn’t experience a bird’s eye view of the old city; they felt that they have just been given a God’s eye view of the people and places of Edinburgh. They saw the divine bigger picture.

In the book of Job, we’re often confronted with this idea of God knowing everything and seeing the bigger picture all of the time. We get so caught up in our own lives, troubles and issues that we forget God is looking after the whole of humanity, not just ourselves. We think that we see clearly what needs to be done to fix the world and heals the earth, but only God knows what is required. Instead of advocating for political groups, justice organizations or personal rights, we should ask ourselves this first: what does God see that needs to be changed? And perhaps the answer to that question will be something like: He needs to change me first.

Prayer: Lord God, for countless generations You have watched over our people. You have seen kingdoms rise and fall; You have experienced the clashing of civilizations and the changing of cultures across the globe. Throughout all of those events and times, You have never abandoned nor forsaken us. Speak to our hearts today and let us know what You want us to do with our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray.

Prayers & polling

Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

Today is our National Day of Prayer, so a lot of church people will be gathering in towns and cities across America to pray for our nation. Meanwhile, over in Britain, it’s National Polling Day, when the people get to choose who will be their Prime Minister for the next five years. I wonder how many prayers will be said as votes are being cast in polling stations across the United Kingdom.

Both our countries are facing troubled times. We’re involved in a highly unpopular and still indecisive war. We don’t have any clear sense of direction for the future. Most people just want to get on with their lives without too much interference from government, for this is the age of secularism individualism and social anarchy. There is no loyalty to leadership, responsibility, or duty anymore. People are longing to be free to do their own thing, in their own time, and in their own way.

That’s why prayer on both sides of the Atlantic is very important today. We need to stop for a moment and reconsider where we’re headed as a nation, people, and civilization. If we cut God off from influencing our decisions, we are in danger of becoming a godless society where anything goes and everyone loses. If we stop and think about who we are and how we got here, we’ll remember that God, in Christ, has played an important role in shaping our cultures, building our freedoms, and growing our nations. If ever we needed God’s joy and peace before, we sure do need it now. If ever we desired hope for our people, then our desire should be that an overflowing of the Holy Spirit spreads throughout our lands, our nations, and our world.

So, let’s take time to go on our knees before the Lord and ask His blessing on our nations, our peoples, and our world. Ballot boxes and casting votes change leaders, but as Tennyson once said, “More things are wrought by prayer than the world dreams of.”

Prayer: Lord God, You are the Rule of the Nations and the Sovereign of this world. We ask Your blessing upon our peoples and pray that You will grant us the presence of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. Remind us that our first loyalty is to You and Your kingdom. Help- us to live according to Your ways and holy word. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.