Sunday Devotional - Comfort and Joy

Lectionary verse: Jeremiah 31:13c I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

I love to sing the old Christmas hymn "God rest ye Merry Gentlemen" all year round. You'll sometimes find me walking down the church hallway whistling it to a jazz beat. Our band, Glenfinnan, even played it last Advent during the worship service, and I just delighted in the words and music.

The best part of the hymn is in the refrain, you know, the bit that goes, O Tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, etc."
I love those words and the feelings that they convey, and I always thought that they echoed what the angels sang above the hillside in Bethlehem, so I was really surprised this morning, to find those words in Jeremiah's prophecy.

Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet, the one who was always wailing and whining because of the harsh times he lived in. But in this passage, he is declaring that God will be able to turn things around; that all the calamities, which the people suffer, will one day come to an end; and that comfort and joy will replace mourning and grief.

It's a beautiful prophecy and one that a lot of people, including myself, need to read and hear again and again. No matter what we go through or all that we endure, pain and sickness, suffering and sadness will come to an end, to be replaced with gladness and love, comfort and joy.

Isn't God wonderful?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You came into the world to save it from suffering and to heal all our wounds. You saved us forever through Your own sacrifice and we are blessed with a great comfort in Your strength, along with a wonderful joy in Your salvation. Help us this day to share from our hearts all the blessings that You give us with the people we love and all whom we meet. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Stushie is the writer of the 4 minute daily devotional, Heaven's Highway.

Sunday Devotions: Sonrise

Autumn sunrises are beautiful to behold. They remind me of the power of God and the healing that Christ brought into the world.

Podcast version here

Malachi 4:2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

I love this time of year, especially at sunrise. The sun peeks over the horizon dressed in scarlet. The sky glows with a mixture of crimson reds and yellows, bathing the whole earth with a soft rosy hue. It makes me feel glad to be alive and as I watch the sun arc across the morning sky, I feel renewed and refreshed at the same time.

I guess the prophet Malachi must have experienced the same when he talks about the sun rising with healing in its wings. That’s a wonderful description of being re-energized by God’s power. In these uncertain times when everything is changing, it’s good to know that God’s presence is never taken from us. Even as I write this today, I feel His presence as if He’s watching me over my shoulder.

Generations ago, Native Americans used to get up before dawn and face east. As the sun rose, they felt the power of the Great Creator Spirit enter their bodies and souls. It was a good start to a new day. It was a powerful connection to God that even the Hebrew prophets like Malachi would have understood.

Perhaps sometime this week, we should all make time to get up before dawn and await the presence of the Lord. As Christians, the rising sun reminds us of the Rising Son, who overcame the desolation we call death, to open up an eternal opportunity to always be with God. To me, and to many other Christians, Christ is the Son of Righteousness, who rises to bring healing to a broken and sinful world. He arcs across the sky of our days so that when we come to the last horizon, He will be there to heal and restore us at last to the Great Creator.

Prayer: Almighty God, the skies declare the glory of Your works, and the sun reveals Your holy power. We are fortunate to see and experience these wonderful things. Refresh and renew us today. Heal us of all our weariness, anxiety, and pain. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Stushie is the writer of the Presbyterian daily devotional Heaven's Highway

Sunday Devotions: Prayer Warrior

Today's Lectionary Psalm 145:4 - One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. (NIV)

My great-aunt Cissie was a prayer warrior. Her family had belonged to a Temperance Society in Scotland called the Rechabites. They were named after the devoted Kenite clan mentioned in Jeremiah, chapter 35. She was born before World War I and dedicated her life to the Lord as a teenager. For decades she prayed for her whole extended family, daily asking God to raise up a minister amongst them.

I knew her as a gentle old lady, and when I became a minister in the mid-1980s, her seventy-year-old prayer had been answered. Her immediate family told her the good news, and because God had fulfilled her hopes, they expected her to stop praying for a pastor. But she continued each day, and when asked why, she simply said, "After John's generation comes and goes, the people will still need ministers." She kept praying into her nineties before the Lord took her home.

We need to do the same; after all, who is going to minister to our people when we are gone? If we commend God's works to those in the generation being born, telling them of His mighty acts, and if we pray for their pastors, they will achieve far more with their faith than we have ever done.

Prayer: Lord God, raise up pastors among us who will lead our people in faith, hope, and love. Let the women and men who minister to Your Church throughout this 21st century be strong, dedicated, and compassionate. May they accomplish great things, bringing glory, honour, and blessing to Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

Sunday Devotions: True Teachers

Lectionary verse:

Romans 12:7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;

The faith that I have in my heart was planted by three teachers. One was a young man called Billy, who wanted to be a missionary in Africa, but he couldn’t go because his eyesight was too weak. If he had lost his thick rimmed glasses in the middle of nowhere, he would have been almost blind and helpless. So Billy decided to teach Sunday School instead and he was the most encouraging teacher of the faith I have ever known.

I also owe my faith to an old lady in her seventies who taught my class when I was older. She was very patient and kind, but above all else, she was a great story teller. She could weave Bible passages into great patterns of understanding and thrilled her students by making the scriptures come alive. She may have been a senior citizen talking to a different generation, but she faithfully conveyed to us Christ’s compassion, love, and teaching.

My third great teacher of faith was an elementary school teacher, Miss McKenzie, who ran an after-school scripture club for all the pupils. She presented the kingdom of God in a highly attractive and jovial way. She made being a Christian fun, instead of making fun of Christians. She taught me many choruses and songs that she had learned at the Billy Graham Crusade. She was a genuine Christian and her humility and humor captivated my heart.

It’s good to reflect upon the teachers of faith who made a difference in our lives. We should remember them for their commitment to expressing faith through stories, crafts, songs and prayers. Let’s never forget them and give thanks to God for each of them. And then we should pray for those among us today who have chosen to become Sunday school teachers. Encourage and empower them; respect and resource them; support and strengthen them; for they are the ones that our children, grand-children, and great-grand-children will remember as their messengers of faith and the chosen servants who planted Christianity in their hearts.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for those special people that You call to be teachers of the faith in our churches. We thank You for their commitment, for their time, and their focus on presenting the Gospel to young, impressionable people, as well as to adults who are still learning about Your ways in the midst of their lives. Bless our Sunday School teachers and study leaders. Be with them as they prepare this week’s lesson and inspire them with Your kindness, favor, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Stushie is the writer of the daily devotional blog "Heaven's Highway."