Sunday Lectionary Devotion: February 28 - In Solitude

Lectionary verse: Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

Sometimes we find it hard enough to keep still in church for an hour on Sundays, that living in God's House all the days of our lives would seem like a punishment, not a pleasure. Yet for some people, the prospect of being in God's company all day, all week, all year round, is both comforting and delightful.

I have a cousin, on my mother's side, who is a nun in Germany. She was once part of a silent secluded order that was cut off from the rest of the world to live a life of prayer, solitude and devotion to God. Her family got to see her about once every seven years, but there was a glass partition between her and them. She could not touch them, be hugged by them, or be any part of their lives.

My cousin just loved being in contact with God so much that she could not bear to be apart from Him for any reason or anyone. However, as the years went by she missed her family and eventually left that order to join another one which specialized in community ministry.

Thankfully, we don't need to stay in God's house every moment of the day, because we're in God's presence every second of our life. Wherever we go, God is there, and so we can keep up that contact, that relationship, that prayer-life with Him for as long as we want to each day.

Prayer:            Lord God, Your presence is always around us. In fact we live, move, and breathe in Your presence at all times. Thank You for allowing us this sacred contact with You. Help us not to take it for granted, but to seek times, places and opportunities to strengthen our relationship with You. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.  He writes the devotional blog “Heaven’s Highway.”

Today’s image is called “Springtime at the Cove.” It’s a part of John’s Appalachian art series. You can view a larger version here: http://wp.me/pc6mz-7Y

Seven Last Words of Christ (4)

(For Holy Week, we’ll be posting daily devotions about Christ’s Last Words from the Cross. Some of our regular contributors – Sarahlynn, Quotidian Grace, Doug, and Stushie – will be writing them. If you have any comments, meditations, or prayers to add to each post, please put them in the comments section.)

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?" — which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:45-46 NIV

I am hesitant to speculate about what Jesus might have been thinking or feeling while he was hanging on the cross, when he was uttering these words. My own life experiences have taught me that I rarely feel what I would have expected to feel in any situation, and that I really can't experience anything the way someone else has. Especially not this event, especially not this Someone.

But I think that it is significant that Jesus quoted King David here:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
Psalm 22:1 NIV

Of course God had not forsaken King David at all. Jesus knew that, and must also have known what the Psalmist said soon after:

In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
Psalm 22:4 NIV

Even in his own despair, David trusted God. And God was with David. So, too, did Jesus trust God, even during his hours on the cross. God was with Him. And God is with all of us.

Several members of the congregation to which I belong participate in something that's listed in the bulletin and newsletter schedule as INAM Book Club. I often wondered what that meant, and felt excluded from the group by my ignorance. Last year, one of our associate pastors, a member of the INAM book club, asked me to attend one of their meetings.

"What does INAM mean?" I asked her, feeling a bit ignorant and foolish, thinking that I was probably already supposed to know.

"It's not about me," she said, simply.

Indeed! (Of course the acronym was used for space reasons rather than as a secret code, and was just another of the unintentional ways we Presbyterians occasionally close off our communities.)

Prayer: God, please help me to remember that you have not forsaken me; that, indeed, it's not all about me. It's so easy for me to become inwardly focused and forget about the example I might be for others. Remembering how others might see me reminds me of who I want to be and how I want to behave. Most of all, it reminds me about why I want to be this way, and whose example I attempt to follow. Thank you for your continued guidance. Amen.

Welcome Mat / Lenten Devotions

Lenten Devotions: Collected, Edited, and Published by Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Michigan.

"Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Michigan have been publishing a daily devotional during the season of Lent for many years. Meditations are contributed by people of the church. 2008 and 2009 are available here."

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Sunday Devotions: Back to the Future

Lectionary verse: Psalm 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

Most of the psalms in the Bible are written by David, Israel’s greatest king. Usually, they have been written during his moments of great strength, faith, and creativity. It’s as if the vitality of David made him want to write some wonderful songs. And, if you think of it, most songwriters compose their best songs, lyrics, and tunes when they are between the ages of 25 – 45.

Today’s sacred poem is a bit different. I think that it’s written by an elderly David who is reflecting upon his life, his past mistakes, and deepest regrets. He’s looking back on some of his rash choices and poor decisions in his long life. And like anyone else who happens to be an elderly citizen, he wishes that things had been different and hopes that God will be merciful. You see, David is preparing for his final finals – he knows that one day soon, he will be face to face with God.

I don’t know about you, but when I look back at my own crazy past I want to give myself a good shaking down - especially when I was a teenager and in my early twenties. In my mind’s eye, I see myself saying and doing foolish and despicable things, or what David so eloquently calls ‘the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.’ I wish that I could go back to the past and alter things, but I can’t. And if, at the end of my life, anyone asks me “would you change anything?” I would have to answer with a resounding “yes!”

David’s problem with his past causes him concern for his eternal future. He wants God to forget about the many mistakes and wicked deeds that even he, the greatest Israelite King, had committed. He’s begging God to set aside all of those sinful times that contaminated his faith, his family, and his friendships. In other words, David is looking for a mulligan, as far as his life is concerned. He wants God to bend the rules, show some mercy, and apply some grace so that he can die and rest peacefully.

You see David did not have the wonderful opportunity to cast his sins upon Christ’s Cross to be redeemed, and although he made many sacrifices in the Holy Temple each year, the king still carried the burden of a sinful past. Today, we are more fortunate because we can directly, sincerely, and humbly appeal to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. We can go back beyond our own sinful past to centuries before we were born and hang our mistakes, our guilt, and our regrets on a tree called Calvary.

We can also come to a Table full of mercy, forgiveness, and peace, instead of an altar streaming with blood, terror, and fear. If David knew then what we know today, then his anxiety and angst, troubles and tribulation over his youthful sins and rebellious ways would have been swept away by the blood of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

So, when we read today’s psalm and Gospel lesson, let’s give thanks to God that we live in a merciful time, where the Good News of salvation can be given to every sinner, just like ourselves, who personally comes to Jesus, seeks His mercy, and receives God grace. We go back to the past in order to move on to the eternal future where faith sets us free from fear, hope handles all our doubts, and love cleanses our sins forever.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He regularily writes a devotional blog called Heaven's Highway.

The illustration was drawn by John. It is called "Lenten Prayer." You can see more of John's liturgical art at his webpage Stushie's Art.