Midweek Message - Lincoln

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (NIV)

            It's hard to know what to pray for these days. There are so many different areas of need and conflict in the world that it is difficult to focus and concentrate on what’s really important. Whether it is lives lost through war, property damaged by hurricanes, or political intrigue and hostility, there just seems to be so much pain, chaos, and suffering in the world that it overwhelms even the strongest of Christians.

            In my study, I have a small picture of Abraham Lincoln that someone gave me when I first came to the United States. Below the portrait, there is a sentence that Lincoln wrote during the Civil War. Whenever I get dismayed with what's happening in the world, I look across my desk and think about these words from Lincoln:

"I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord's side."         

            In the midst of all that's happening, we need to remember that God is right in the middle of all of this, working out His plans to thwart evil, and lead Christ’s church to overcome suffering. God’s side is the best side, so we should surrender our prayers, our anxieties, and concerns into the Lord’s will. When we do that, God will guide us about what to focus on, what to pray for, and what to do.

Point to ponder: How can I align myself with God’s compassion, love, and will?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You suffered an agonizing, painful and shameful death, which broke God's heart and yet it healed the world. In times like these, we need Your guidance, Your goodness, and Your grace to restore our hope, faith, and confidence in God's plan for the world. Be with us now and lead us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms - Lead Kindly Light

Psalm 43:3 Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. (NIV)

During the mid-1980’s a lot of people got interested in the reports of near-death experiences that seriously injured and gravely ill patients were having all over the world. Some critical event happened in each of their lives that made them feel they were finally dying. They felt as though they were floating above the surgeons, doctors, and nurses who were frantically trying to save their lives in an emergency room. As their spirits floated away, they were drawn to a pure white light, which attracted their souls away from their bodies into another realm.

Some of these NDEs, as they came to be known, said they met Jesus in the midst of the beautiful light and He told them that their time to be with Him had not yet come. All of a sudden, their free spirits rushed back into their bodies, just as a defibrillator, or an adrenaline shot was being used by the health care professionals to resuscitate them.

Documentaries were made about the people who survived death, and they seemed to be changed. They no longer had a morbid fear or fascination with death. To them, it was only a short journey to a better and brighter place. I came across one such person in Scotland, and after she expressed what she had similarly experienced, it also explained to me her change of character and rediscovered devotion to the Lord.

As we go through life, we face many challenges and sometimes we are fearful of what death will bring. This is where faith endures at its best. This is the time when our relationship to God and union with Christ will at last be sealed forever. We will go on enjoying and experiencing this life as much as we can on Earth, but ultimately every journey, no matter how long, successful, or powerful it has become, will end in death. The difference for the Christian will be that directly after death, we will find that sacred abode of light and at last see Jesus face-to-face.

Ponder: How does my faith in Jesus prepare for and lead me into the future?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World, but You are also our Light to the Next World. Guide us each and every day, so that when our human journey ends, may we experience our eternal one begin at the twinkling of an eye, through the power of Your compassion, mercy, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.