Office Devotions: God's Timeline

2 Peter 3: 4     They will say, "Where is this 'coming' He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."

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Every now and then, I have to remind myself that Christ can return at any minute. I often take it for granted that the world will continue indefinitely and that the seasons will come and go, just as they usually do each year. But then I remember that I am a Christian first and a citizen of this world second. The Earth will not last forever and when Christ appears, human history will be over.

I get so caught up in my own routine and my own wee world that I forget about God’s intentions and Christ’s promises. The ultimate reality is the eternal reality and my ways, my words, and my works are just mere blips on God’s timeline. He is center of the Universe; He is the real thing.

It sounds cliché to some, but perhaps today is the Day when Christ will come back. Am I ready for such a cataclysmic event? Or will I just put it to the back of my mind and trivialize it, so that I can focus upon what’s in front of me and what’s happening now?

Within me, a quiet voice is saying: “Time marches on, John, but not forever.”

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, forgive us when we unintentionally set aside the thought of Your Return. Pardon us when we are so selfishly focused upon ourselves, that we forget about Your words, Your ways, and Your works that are still to come. Help us to remember that we serve You and await Your arrival on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we expectantly 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.

Office Devotions: Clean Water

Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Our church has a team of four people traveling to Guatemala tomorrow. They’re going on a special mission to find a site in a small village where a clean water well can be established. The team has been in training for months and they’re all excited about providing such a wonderful source of refreshment and health for the local community.

A couple of years ago, we would never have attempted such a mission, but we had a family who came into our church that had been supporting a Guatemalan school in the same region. Their enthusiasm and knowledge became a touchstone of interest for our church people. We started to support the school on a regular basis and then helped to finance sending a college student team for a week’s mission with the village kids.

These were great projects but we also wanted to do something that would have a lasting effect on the whole community. That’s when someone on our mission team was inspired by the Holy Spirit to suggest training an engineering team to build the water well. It would mean that the kids at the school and in the village would have access to clean water, which would diminish the amount of parasites they suffer from, increasing their health, and lengthening their lives.

So the Word of God is fulfilled in a beautiful way. The original church family, who generously gave of their time, talents, and resources to the Guatemalan school, has now refreshed the mission life of our church, which in turn is now refreshing the lives of an entire village. God truly works in mysterious ways!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we give You thanks for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in lives of church people. We thank You for motivating generosity and concern, compassion and goodness which helps and saves other people in far off lands. May we always look for opportunities to refresh others in our community and across the world. And may we also know of the life changing refreshment of the Holy Spirit in our congregation. In Your Holy Name, we pray.

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.