4 Minute Devotions: God is Our Future

The economic crisis and stock market meltdown makes us all feel uneasy. Where is God in these uncertain times?

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Psalm 46:5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

Economically, people are hurting all over the world. The stock markets are fluctuating wildly; businesses are closing down; unemployment is at an all time high for decades. There just doesn’t seem to be a lot of hope going around and some of us are wondering what we should be thankful for this year.

Spiritually, people are also hurting around the world. When uncertainty creeps into our society, God becomes a scapegoat for our frustrations and fears, our anxieties and anger. How can He allow all of this suffering to continue? Why doesn’t God do something about it? With all of His power, He could straighten things out and let us all lead healthy, wealthy, and successful lives.

But then we would just become puppets and wouldn’t know freedom. We wouldn’t experience triumph over hardship, or even learn from our mistakes. Each day would be the same and eventually, in my opinion, all of our feelings – good or bad – would shut off entirely.

So what does God do about uncertain times? How does He help us overcome our present troubles?

God abides within us, giving us guidance and encouragement, as well as granting us mercy and grace. It may seem trite to some people, but for those who maintain a strong spiritual connection to God, it is a wonderful blessing. Our future is in God’s hands; in fact, God is our future. As Christians, we look forward to an amazing day when we will be with God. Jesus, our Savior, has given us an everlasting opportunity to enter God’s Kingdom here on earth. Stock markets may rise and fall; jobs may come and go; but the love of God endures forever.

Prayer: Lord God, everything seems to be changing in our world, and at times we are fearfully anxious. Help us to cling to Your promises and allow us the holy experience of Your comforting presence in our hearts, minds, and souls. We pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord forever. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Uncertain Times

During the present economic crisis, it's time to remind ourselves that our trust is in God, and not in greed.

Podcast version here

Psalm 77:8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?

We are living in uncertain times and we are all anxious about the economy. It seems that we have just about outlived our greed, and that we will all be tightening our belts and becoming more frugal about how we spend our money. I even saw a report the other day that teenagers are beginning to reject designer label clothing. Instead, they are starting to buy cheaper items in an effort to reject hyper-commercialism, in order to save their own money. That, in itself, is a sign of a more frugal society which will affect our economy.

We’ve all been here before. In every society and civilization, there is a time when profligate spending and financial speculation comes to an end. It usually coincides with a religious revival because people begin again to trust more in God rather than the economy. It’s a reality check on using greed to succeed. It’s usually replaced with integrity, frugality, and, oddly enough, generosity. Instead of thinking about what’s best for the individual, people become more altruistic and philanthropic. Instead of investing capital to gain more interest, people become more interested in community projects, charity organizations, and those in need.

That’s when we recognize that God’s love never fails. Economies and civilizations come and go, but the love of God, which is in and around us, remains. Instead of focusing upon where the market is each day, we recognize that each day is a gift from God. We give of ourselves in ways that glorify the goodness of God, instead of the greed of the market.

Perhaps you’re worrying and fretting over your finances today, and are wondering what to do about the economic crisis. This is the perfect time to come to God and ask His guidance, seek His presence, and acknowledge His sovereignty over the situation. Eventually, the market will sort itself out, but if we make and take time to place ourselves under God’s bidding, we will discover that our faith is stronger than the economy because faith, hope and love endure forever.

Prayer: Lord God, in these uncertain times, You are the Rock of refuge and the Anchor of our salvation. Help us to take time to ponder on Your influence over our lives, and see Your guidance over what’s happening in the world. Give us hearts that are full of hope and spirits that are encouraged by Christ. In Jesus’ Name, we mightily pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.