Daily Devotion: Mother's Favorite Bible Verse - Matthew 6 v 26

Today’s Bible readings are: Isaiah 17:1-6 and Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 6:26                         Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

This was my mother’s favorite verse from scripture. She used quote it to me when I was a teenager. Like any other young person, I was worried about what the future would bring and anxious about the direction my life was already taking.

I can still see my mom sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea and smoking a cigarette as she patiently listened to my worries and woes. It was one of those precious moments when her mind was clear and her spirit was calm.

“Consider the birds of the air,” she softly said, “and how God feeds them.” Her words reassured me each time because, although we were a large family with limited resources, there was always food on the table at teatime and we never went hungry.

These days, we are all anxious about our lives, especially in hard economic times. We worry about our finances, our families, and our futures. During these moments, it’s good to go back to the Gospel to read the words of Jesus. He speaks to us across the centuries and reassures us that God continues to provide for His people. The birds of the air do not starve and we still have food on the table.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, these are anxious times and most of us are burdened by our worries. Help us to rely upon Your promises and to live according to Your words. Be with us this day and guide our decisions. 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 verse or ask a question, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s popular bird drawings. It’s called “Hungry Hummingbird.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4400739464_fbcc5af539_b.jpg

Short devotions: Church Weary - Isaiah 16:12

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 16:6-13 and Matthew 6:16-24

Isaiah 16:12 When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail.

One of the saddest events that I’ve sometimes seen over 25 years of being a pastor occurs when people give up on church. It happens in every congregation, in every community, and in every country across the world. People leave the community of faith because they are sometimes spiritually weary and burned out.

They leave for different reasons; sometimes it’s because the pastor hasn’t visited them enough or has said or done something which displeased them. Sometimes they leave because they’ve been asked to do too much or more is expected of them than they want to give. Sometimes they just drift away because life takes them on a different journey. And sometimes they leave because their faith is shallow, so they don’t have any real and substantial roots to keep them in church. Just like Moab of old, their faith is futile and their prayers are left unanswered.

Every institution goes through this sifting out of members; even Jesus faced this in His ministry. If you don’t believe me, then please read John 6:60-68 – at that time, many walked away from Christ, never to return.

I sometimes wonder what happens inside of people who have left the church when they are faced with a terminal illness, sudden disaster, or even death itself. Do they regret what they have done and seek forgiveness, or do they justify their staying away from church and hope that Christ will be merciful? This puzzles me and I guess I will never know the answer.

However, this I do know: Christ’s ministry and mission on Earth can only be accomplished by those who remain faithful and who work through the church. To be part of His work is the most important thing we can do with our lives. To support His mission through what we give of our time, talents, and money is a true act of persistent faith. Those who remain in the church, in whatever community or wherever on the planet, will experience a two-fold blessing: the knowledge that they are making a difference in the world through Christ and of knowing that they are pleasing Him too.

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, You ask us not only to be followers, but also to be servants, messengers, and disciples. This takes commitment and perseverance, constancy and faithfulness. Sometimes we get weary of the burdens and obligations that our churches place upon us. Help us to see that these responsibilities and duties are necessary to maintain Your ministry and to sustain Your mission in the world. In Your Holy Name we seek Your favor and humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s stained glass designs. It’s called ‘Lenten Prayer.’ If you would like to see a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3315772938_83ceb0c3f4_b.jpg

Devotions: Why Debts? - Matthew 6:12

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 16:1-5 and Matthew 6:5-15

Matthew 6:12                         Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

Whenever I’m at a funeral or an ecumenical service where the Lord’s Prayer is spoken by all of the participants, there’s always an awkward moment when some people say debts and debtors or trespasses and trespassers, or sins and sinners. Whichever Christian tradition folks belong to will determine what they recite at that moment in the Lord’s Prayer.

But why do Presbyterians use the word ‘debts’ instead of ‘trespasses’ or ‘sins’? Is it an important distinction or can we all just get along and recite sins and sinners?

Most of what we believe as Presbyterians comes from Scotland. In Scotland, there is no law of trespass, unlike their English counterparts. This meant that when it came to saying the Lord’s Prayer, the words ‘trespass’ and ‘trespasses’ had no meaning for the Scots people. Scots, however, knew all about debts and debtors because it was mainly a merchant economy in the 16^th century. Calvinists also believed in the substitutionary atonement of Christ, which emphasizes the fact that Jesus sacrificially substituted Himself on the Cross for us. This means that we are completely indebted to Him, so when we say ‘ forgive us our debts’ in the Lord’s Prayer, we are actually saying, “Forgive us of the sinful things in our lives that nailed Jesus to the Cross.” And when we add the phrase ‘as we forgive our debtors,’ we are actually asking God to forgive us in the same way that we deal with the personal injuries, wounds, and hurts which other people inflict upon us.

The older I get, the more important it becomes to me to maintain the traditions of the church in a very tradition-less world. But I’ve also come to realize that without the proper historical context, people cannot hold on to something which they do not understand. As a teaching elder, it’s my responsibility to get that information out to the people of God that I serve and love, so that they may confidently hold on to the essential tenets of our Reformed Faith. Substitutionary atonement is one of them.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, we are all indebted to You because You sacrificed Yourself as a ransom for our souls and as a substitute for our atonement. We did not deserve such a loving act of mercy and forgiveness, compassion and everlasting kindness. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s 2011 Christmas drawings. It’s called ‘Heavenly Peace.’ If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6292689266_aab484f86b_b.jpg