Teacher devotions: Alaskan hummingbirds - Psalm 91 v 4

Psalm 91:4      He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 

I just watched an amazing video on Youtube this morning. A man was feeding hummingbirds from his hand in Alaska. Now first of all, I didn’t realize that hummingbirds went there. I thought it would be too far north and too cold. Every year, they fly 2,500 miles from Mexico to Alaska which in itself is astounding. How on earth those tiny little birds fly such a distance is beyond me.

Anyway, the man was taking pictures of hummingbirds at a feeder when he noticed that some of them were flying towards the red strip on the strap of his camera. It made him wonder that if he put red nectar in his hand, would the birds be attracted and feed from his palm? The results are remarkable to watch.

The wee birds rest on the man’s hand and those of his children. They feel safe and secure, knowing and feeling that no harm will come to them. The hummingbirds feed constantly and their birdsongs seem to express their delight.

I think that’s what the psalmist was trying to communicate when he penned the words “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” He writes of the security that faith can bring and he expresses his complete confidence in God. No matter what he faces, he will be secure beneath the feathers of God’s wings.

That’s a message that we all need to hear. Some of us are perhaps currently experiencing difficulties and crises that make us wonder where and when they will end. Knowing that God holds us securely in the midst of our trials can help us endure our troubles and give us hope for the future. As Jesus Himself once said, “Come to me, all of you who are heavy burdened, and I will give rest for your weary souls.”

Prayer:             Lord Jesus, You completely know everything that is going in our lives. We place You at the center of all that we are enduring and ask that You lovingly hold us and keep us safe. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is John’s drawing of a hummingbird feeding. If you would like to see a larger version, please click the following link:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4400739464_fbcc5af539_b.jpg

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to leave feedback on today’s message, please make a comment in the comments section or send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

You can also view the Alaskan hummingbird video at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEZkwJulBY&feature=player_embedded

Teacher Devotions: Light of Liberty

Matthew 5: 14 "You are the world’s light. You cannot hide a city on a hill.

The days following the 9/11 tragedy were amongst the weirdest that many of us ever experienced. To begin with, there were no planes in the sky anywhere, so it seemed empty and quiet. Mostly everyone hunkered down in their own homes, glued to the continuous coverage on television. Restaurants and malls were practically empty and it appeared as though large and small communities throughout the United States would never be the same again.

And then flags started to appear everywhere. People had them attached to their cars, in the front of their homes, and at their businesses. The local newspaper contained a magnetic flag to be placed on automobiles or fridges in every home. We were brutally broken and totally shocked by the turmoil, but we crawled out of our caves and restarted to live our lives as the means to honor the innocent dead and to defy the terrorists their complete victory.

Out of the ruined rubble of our society, we rose up and overcame the darkness of despair. Freedom and liberty were now even more precious to us because they had been snatched away from us for a couple of days. Lady Liberty still stood as a sentinel before the smoking Manhattan skyline and we became just as resolute. Our duty was to show the world not just our resilience and defiance, but our faith in freedom and our light of liberty.

Within a week, our skies were filled with vapor trailing planes carrying our people from state to state and city to city. Within our hearts, we all silently vowed that we would prevail and that this would never happen again on our watch, in our cities, and across our land. We have remained true to that promise, and maintained that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are still the noblest and highest of rights to which any nation, kingdom, or people on Earth can ever aspire towards.

Even after eight years, we are still that light of liberty which the world seeks. We are still that shining nation of strength and hope that the Earth still needs.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we remember the dark days of 9/11 and continue to live our lives in honor of those who died. We pray for the bereft families, who were most affected by the losses at the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania. Keep us mindful of those days and ever watchful of the days to come. In Your Holy Name, we humbly 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.