Office Devotions: Hopes and fears - Advent 3 - Job 23 v 16

Job 23: 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

I feel sorry for Job. He was living at a time when people believed that personal pain and suffering occurred because God was angry with them. This meant that any tragedy was clouded with a terrifying fear that God was punishing the people. Any illness or sickness, any setback or obstacle was seen a sign of God’s wrath. Only repentance and sacrifice would suffice to appease God. Only humility and contrition would placate the Almighty.

Thank God then that we are New Testament people! We are no longer bound by those primeval fears. Christ has come into the world to tell us not to be afraid. Christ has given the ultimate sacrifice for all of our mistakes and sins. The threat of divine punishment is no longer to be dreaded. Instead of being terrified of God, we are attracted to Him through the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

Out of the 6.5 billion people on this planet, about 5 billion live under the religious fear of God’s wrath. They are terrified of plagues and famines, wars and earthquakes, floods and disasters. They are anxious about offending God and worry over the smallest of mistakes. They constantly spend their resources on appeasing false gods and try to buy divine blessings. Christianity, however, has a real message of hope for all of these people who are plagued by superstition: Do not be afraid and be of good cheer.

In this pre-season of Christmas that we call Advent, we should constantly pray for the world to be open to Christ’s message of goodwill, forgiveness, and peace. It has the potential to save the entire world from its fears and to lovingly restore everyone to God’s favor and blessings. If only Job knew way back then what we know now, he would never have been driven to despair through his fear of God. He could have been comforted, embraced, and encouraged by God through the presence of Jesus Christ in his life.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we all carry hopes and fears in our hearts and minds. We pray that You will diminish our anxieties by graciously responding to our concerns. Guard us and guide us. Embrace us and bless us. In Your Holy Name, we confidently pray. Amen.

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

Office Devotions: Mourning and Dancing

Ecclesiastes 3: 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.

I think I must have conducted about 750 funerals over my 23 years in ministry. When I was a pastor in Scotland I looked after two parishes, so on average I officiated at about 2 funerals a week. I can even remember one busy week when I completed five funerals within seven days. I don’t know where I got the energy to do that, but it was expected of parish ministers all across Scotland.

After the services were over in Scotland, close friends and family often shared soup, sandwiches, and tea at a local hotel or in someone’s home. It was a community gathering and frequently family and guests shared some funny and worthwhile stories about the deceased. Instead of weeping and mourning, people honored the dead by laughing and celebrating. It also helped loved ones begin their process of grief and healing.

It’s no surprise that in the Bible we find these opposites side by side. Weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing all have their special places in our lives, even at funerals. It’s not just a way of coping with loss, it’s also a remarkable fact of the human experience – life goes on around us, no matter what we go through.

The Church of Scotland Book of Worship states it this way in the funeral liturgy: We were not meant for the darkness of death; instead we were created for light and life, and to share these with God forevermore.

I think that’s a beautiful way of dealing with death, finding faith, and eternally embracing God.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the precious gift of life and the priceless blessing of faith. In the midst of our pain and loss, grant us healing and comfort. Throughout those times of weeping and mourning, let us also experience laughter and dancing. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Office Devotions: Dead Reckoning

I can see the headlines now: “Palestinian Preacher Distresses Grieving Family,” with a possible quote: “He totally dishonored my dead Dad, dude.”

Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Sometimes Jesus comes across as being hard-headed, uncaring, and insensitive to our modern hearts and minds. After all, how could anyone who claimed to be giving a message of God’s love, be so mean spirited about a death in the family? Was Jesus just having a bad hair day, or is there something hidden in His words?

I think what Christ is really saying is this: anyone who chooses not to follow Me is dead to God. In other words, Jesus is the only source of eternal life for each one of us and if we hold back on believing in Him, then our life is wasted.

But even that is highly controversial these days because our modern cosmopolitan society does not want to diminish anyone’s religious beliefs, or even their non-beliefs. Surely all religious paths bring us to God’s Kingdom? Isn’t Jesus being a bit presumptive and narrow-minded by insisting that those who don’t believe or don’t follow Him are better off dead?

It’s a tough choice and one that is very difficult to preach, hear or accept these days. But despite our objections, different opinions, and one world choices, there’s no denying this: Jesus said it, so we have to choose to live with or without it.

I wish that the Gospel was much easier to accept. I wish that Jesus hadn’t expressed those hard-headed, My Way or the highway words. But wishing is not going to change a thing about what Jesus said in the past. However, whether I choose to accept or reject them will shape and change my eternal future. One thing is for certain in my mind: I’d rather be alive with Christ than be dead to God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, following You is not an easy path. Time after time, You say things that bother us, in order to challenge our cherished ways and put us on the right track. Open our hearts and minds to Your words and ways. Keep us from rejecting Your truth and help us to embrace Your Gospel. 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 message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.