Devotions for Teachers: A Living Covenant - Genesis 9:13

Genesis 9:13 “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the Earth.” 

Like most people on Earth, I love seeing rainbows. The colors are always fantastic and the whole experience is mystical, especially when the bow arcs across a dark gray sky and then gradually disappears as the rains move on. Sometimes a double bow will appear and once I saw three bows together. That always thrills the child within me and I feel blessed to having seen something naturally beautiful. I know that there are scientific reasons why rainbows occur and it all has to do with the refraction of light against droplets of rain. Whatever the cause, I still stop to look at rainbows and experience the wonder of it all.

I also understand the covenant that God made with the Earth when the first rainbow was produced after the Great Flood. That promise was made not just with people, but the whole of life on Earth. This tells me that God greatly cares for all of Creation and not just human beings. We are just one species of many creatures on Earth and God loves them all; after all, who among us doesn’t love the things that we have created and crafted with our own hands? Don’t we also sit back, enjoy, care for all that we have made?

Next time I see a rainbow, I will delight in its short existence and thank God for such a blessing. I will also remind myself that the rainbow is not just for me, but for every living creature under its vibrant arc.

Question for personal reflection

Where do I find God’s promises being fulfilled in my life? 

Prayer:        Lord God, thank You for the wonder and beauty that rainbows evoke in our hearts and minds. We also praise You for the Promise of sustaining the Earth with Your blessings and grace. We are grateful to be living on and enjoying a planet with an amazing variety of living things. Help us to help You take care of it all. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully 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. 

 Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings. It’s called “Pentecost Power” and is a stained glass design of the Holy Spirit descending to the Earth. Symbols of flames and the rainbow permeate throughout the drawing. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7224/7200604314_e1352d502e_b.jpg

Teacher devotions: Knowing - Isaiah 40:14

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 40:12-17 and Matthew 19:13-15

Isaiah 40:14    Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way? Who was it that taught Him knowledge or showed Him the path of understanding?

I have a simple mantra for my life: God knows what He is doing. As far as I can remember, even in my bleakest of moments, God has always been in control. I’ve suffered from addiction and heartaches; I’ve experienced the death of loved ones and tragedies; I’ve known what it’s like to be hungry and poor, cast aside and ignored. And yet through all of that, God has always known what is best for me.

My approach to the Bible is just as simple: God knows what He has accomplished. And if God says that Jesus is His beloved Son, I simply believe it. And if Jesus says that God can only be known through Him, I simply accept it. God knows everything, so therefore when God sent His Son into the world to die for us, God knew that this was the best possible way to restore us to Him forever.

I don’t question God. I don’t question Jesus. I simply believe and totally accept all that God did through Christ. If someone were to ask me, “How can I live forever”, I will simply say, “Believe in Jesus Christ.” If  I am asked, “Is there life after death”, I will say, “Of course, through Jesus alone.” And if someone were inquire, “Is Jesus the only way to salvation”, I would have to answer, “Yes, because God knew what needed to be done and Jesus was the only person who ever accomplished it completely.”

God knows everything; the question we have to ask ourselves is this: are we willing to trust Him and simply accept what He did through Jesus?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of our souls because You alone completed all that God expected You to do on Earth. You fulfilled the mission that God knew was necessary to restore humanity forever. We praise You for being our Advocate, our Redeemer, and King. In Your Holy Name, we 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.

Today’s image is John’s latest Psalm drawing for children. It’s from Psalm 112 and you can view a larger version at the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6651134643_e5a34e5fe7_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: White Noise - Matthew 13:9

Matthew 13:9  “He who has ears, let him hear.”

Have you ever heard of the term “white noise?” It’s used by broadcasters to blank out unwanted sounds on radio, television, and satellite programs. On its own, it sounds like a lot of static, but when it’s applied to a recording, the white noise gets rid of irritating sounds and unwanted frequencies.

We use “white noise” when we want to block out other sounds too. If workers are drilling in the street outside our homes or offices, we may increase the volume of our televisions or radios to cancel out the drilling noise. Or if we’re in a building where we can hear people talking in the next room, we might put a fan on to cancel out the sound of their voices. That would be white noise too.

There’s a lot of white noise in the world and in people’s hearts and spirits. The white noise that we’ve created with our lives has cancelled out Christ’s Voice. We make important choices without even consulting Him. We worship without even focusing on Him. We express our faith without even reading, knowing, or applying His Words. We’ve cancelled out Christ with all of the distractions in our lives. He still speaks His challenging words to us, but we’re either not hearing Him at all or we’ve distorted His words to suit our own ideas, opinions, and culture.

We’re afraid to listen to Christ’s Truth because He will radically change our ideas.

We’re afraid to follow His Way because we want to keep things going our way.

We’re reluctant to accept His Life because our lives will no longer be our own.

So instead of listening to Christ or hearing the Gospel, we create white noise to block out His irritating words and uncompromising demands. We want Jesus to be meek and mild – meek enough to mold Him our way and mild enough not to meddle in our lives.

The challenge that we face today and everyday is this: how can we block out the world’s white noise and really listen to Jesus?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have failed to follow You completely. We are guilty of setting You aside and blocking You from tampering in our lives and changing our ways. We want You to go along with us and listen to everything we have to say. We forget that You are the Lord and we are only Your servants. Help us to refocus our hearts and minds so that we will actually listen to You. In Your Holy Name, we urgently pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest 2011 Nativity drawings called
“Light of the World.” It features a silhouetted Joseph and Mary walking in the outskirts of Bethlehem beneath the Natal Star. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6469850593_46b13aa547_b.jpg

Devotions for Teachers: No More Night - Revelation 22:5

Revelation 22:5          There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

I love seeing the moon and the stars in the night sky, but I guess that I’m going to miss them in Eternity. This verse from Revelation makes it quite clear that night and darkness will have no place in God’s Everlasting Kingdom. God is Light, so there will be nothing to get in the way of Him and those of us who make it into Heaven. Everything and everyone will be bathed in the glory of God’s infinite glory.

Things will be different, which means that we will be different too. The lives that we live here on Earth are just mere shadows compared to the everlasting brightness to come. We have got so much ahead of us that the present changes, turbulence, and difficulties will quite literally pale next to the heavenly glories that we are still to experience. Compared to God’s Kingdom, the world will just be another dull place.

That doesn’t mean to say that I’m wishing my life away; quite the reverse actually. I’m hoping for more of God’s brightness, light and love to be seen and experienced in the dark places on Earth. I’m praying for a revival in my life, my church, and my faith through the opening up of the minds and hearts of our people, our communities, and our culture. For too long, we’ve let the darkness overshadow our society. It’s time to be truly enlightened by Christ and not artificially brightened by the world.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World. You come into our dark ways and times in order to show us the everlasting brightness and glory of God. Open the eyes of our hearts, so that we may truly see God’s everlasting brilliance in the world. By the power of Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask a question or make a comment about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing which is simply called “Surfer.” It features a surfer within a wave. If you would like to see a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6201329105_b1e187698e_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: Spirit Wisdom - Acts 6

Acts 6:10 …but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 

Eric Alexander was the most wise and spiritually gifted pastor that I have ever known. He used to preach at the St. George’s Tron Church which is situated right in the heart of my old hometown of Glasgow in Scotland. The church is located at one of the busiest junctions in the city and when Eric was preaching there, it was hard to find a parking space within walking distance of the church.

He was a powerful preacher and I can remember being in his church one lunchtime on Good Friday. My wife Evelyn was with me and we were both reduced to tears as Rev. Alexander graphically portrayed the agony and loneliness of Christ on the Cross. He was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and the doleful tones of his Scottish accent just added to the power of his sermon. It was a life-changing experience for the both of us, as well as many others who had given up their business lunch to hear the preacher.

I also firmly believe that Stephen from the Book of Acts must have been a powerful and Spirit inspired preacher in his day. From today’s scripture we read that no one could ‘stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.’ It must have been both remarkable and challenging to hear him preach. He was utterly devoted to Christ and fully open to the Spirit’s bidding. Stephen must have known that the religious authorities would try to shut him down, but he still persevered; he still valiantly preached the truth.

In today’s highly sophisticated and technologically driven world, preaching might seem outdated and redundant to some people. However, whenever and wherever a preacher is truly inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, lives are still challenged and changed.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, today we thank You for the preachers that have impacted our spirits and changed our lives through their wisdom and the presence of the Holy Spirit within them. Keep raising new preachers among us who will grow in wisdom and be truly touched by God’s powerful presence in their lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently 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.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings of Tybee Island Lighthouse near Savannah, Georgia, USA. You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4698463366_0495982384_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: Face to Face

3 John 1:14     I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

I enjoy using Facebook each day on the computer because it let’s me see what other people are thinking and doing. I can keep in contact with my family in Scotland and share their celebrations. I can see how my daughters are doing at college and empathize with them. I can also keep up with church families and friends and share prayer requests, thoughts, and jokes with them. It’s a wonderful invention and I think that the Apostle Paul would have put it to good use in reaching out to churches across the Mediterranean had Facebook been available to him.

Now it’s not all that good at times. There are too many silly quizzes and games – some with computer viruses attached – that fragment our leisure time. When I first start using Facebook this year, I did a lot of quizzes, but these days I’m beyond that. I’m more interested in the lives of the many people who use it to upload photos, comment on current issues, and share some good ideas about faith, family, and fun.

When I first started these devotions, it was to build up spiritual connections with our church staff and elders. Over the years, this has become a multi-national ministry with hundreds of thousands of readers in any given year. It’s amazing what God can do with so little to turn it into so much. I hope that one day, when we all get to heaven, I’ll get the opportunity to meet those people from other places in the world who read one of these devotions, which helped them to draw closer to God. Now that’s a face to face meeting that I will really look forward to!

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, help us to develop news ways of using the new media to share our faith. Give us opportunities to send words of comfort, sympathy, and prayer via email, Facebook, blogs, and texts. Thank You for this wonderful way of reaching out to the world from our churches and homes. In Your Holy Name, we 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.

teacher Devotions: Trying Times

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Podcast version here:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/stushie/Trying_Times.mp3

To paraphrase Thomas Paine, “These are the times that try the souls of men and women.”

The Stock Market has crashed again and the recession is getting deeper. No matter how many bail outs that our leaders employ, they just don’t seem to be working. We’re now at a 12 year low as far as the financial market is concerned, which means that we’re right back to where we were in 1997. If we follow the same pattern to reach our all time highs, it’s going to take about seven years to make up for the difference.

A lot of people are unsettled and sadly some have become unemployed. Everyone is tightening their belts and reducing costs. For the moment, gone are the days of unlimited credit cards, spending sprees, and buying luxuries. Most folks are doing well with what they have and just glad to be surviving.

In times like these, faith in God becomes a bulwark, an anchor, and a fortress. We need to feel that no matter what we are experiencing, He will help us to endure. That’s why today’s words, expressed and written by the prophet Isaiah 2700 years ago, are highly relevant to what we are going through.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

In other words, no matter what we face, our fears will not overwhelm us and our troubles will not destroy us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, these are anxious times and we all worry about the future. We pray that You will help us endure and support us in the coming years. Remind us also that our lives and our faith are eternally invested in You. Guide us, protect us, and love us. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly 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.

Teacher Devotions: No Favoritism

Acts 10:34, 35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

It’s a problem for every generation of Christians. How does God treat and judge those who do what is right, but have no knowledge of Jesus? Are they lost forever, or does God give them credit for being good people?

Over the years, I have struggled and wrestled with this. Scripture is absolute when it states that those who believe shall be given everlasting life, whereas those who have no belief shall perish (John 3:16-18). In our cosmopolitan and pluralistic society, those words of John seem to be unacceptable, archaic, and out of touch with the real world. And yet, they were written at a time when the world was just as cosmopolitan and pluralistic as it is today.

When I read Peter’s words this morning, I thought that they might provide the loophole that most of us look for when dealing with this subject. ‘God shows no favoritism’ - not even to Christians? ‘God accepts men from every nation, who fear him and do what is right’ – does this not validate that God accepts all of those who try to do good, no matter what they believe? On the surface, it appears to be that way.

And then, just when I think this serious issue is resolved, Peter adds something to the equation: “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

Knowledge of God’s message and the good news (Gospel) of peace through Jesus Christ is required. Universalism is therefore not the answer – knowing Jesus is.

People say that Christianity is dying out and they clutch at straws about salvation. However, there are more Christians in the world today than at any time in the history of our faith. Christ’s message is expanding and more people are being saved each day. The world may cling to its own understanding, but the Christian faith has never altered its message: those who know the Lord will know salvation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today there will be many people throughout the world who will turn to You and believe. They will set aside their fears and place their faith in You. They will give up on their doubts and give themselves to you. Thank You for increasing the number of Christians on Earth each day. Help us to do whatever we can to bring other people to You. In Your Holy Name, we 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.

Teacher Devotions: Oscar Month

John 6:15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

I love February because it’s Oscars month on Turner Classic movies. I get to record and watch the old movies with famous actors like Errol Flynn, Olivia de Haviland, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Greer Garson.

For the past two night, I’ve been watching Laurence Olivier in Richard III. He plays one of the sleaziest, greediest, and wickedest villains on the screen. I love Shakespeare’s plays anyway, but Olivier’s acting is absolutely amazing.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, cheats, conspires, and kills his way into becoming the King of England. Along the way, he makes many enemies and at the end of the play, he is left destitute on the battlefield. That’s when Olivier utters the immortal lines: “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” Justice is served and the villainous king is cut down and killed by his rival.

When I read the Gospel passage this morning, I was reminded that the people wanted to make Jesus their king, just because He supplied them with fish and bread. They wanted Him to provide for them, to heal their sicknesses, to satisfy their hunger, and to make their lives pleasant.

But Jesus was on a mission from God, so He couldn’t be tempted by such an offer. He was serving God, not Himself. He was doing God’s will, not His own.

This also reminds me that our faith in Christ is purely meant to glorify and honor Him. If we seek Jesus to bless us all the time and to make our lives easier, then we’ve crowned the wrong kind of king in our hearts. If we place our lives into His hands and seek to serve His kingdom here on earth, then we’ve truly made Him the King of our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to place You at the center of our lives and to honor You with our service to Your Kingdom. Enable us to keep You as the King of our hearts and Lord of our days. In Your Holy Name, we 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.

Teacher Devotions: Cold Water

Matthew 10:42 “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

In my opinion, Scottish faucet water is the best drinking water in the world. As I’m writing this, I can still remember hot summer days of my Glasgow childhood, with me running into my house and slaking my thirst with a cold glass of clear water from the kitchen tap. It had its own particular taste, almost like a cold mountain river, and was very refreshing. The water also made great tea, which I have never been able to make here in the United States.

These days, I drink my water from a refrigerated filtered Brita jug, which is about as close to Scottish water as I can get. It meets my needs, especially during the very hot summer months that we experience here in East Tennessee. The filter needs to be replaced about every two months, otherwise the water doesn’t taste as good. It makes me sometimes wish that I had a pipeline all the way beneath the Atlantic to my hometown in Scotland, so that I could drink the fresh water of Loch Katrine, from where Glasgow gets its wonderful water.

When Jesus mentions giving fresh water to the little ones around Him, He’s talking about the future disciples of the church. He’s stating that those who will support and encourage them, in a future time of persecution, will be blessed because of the help they give to these upcoming followers of Christ. These days, I think this is the equivalent of teaching the faith to our kids in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and any other church program that helps children to learn about God and come closer to Christ.

Christianity is facing many challenges right now, so the faith that our children and grandchildren possess will be tested and perhaps sorely tried by the society that they are growing up into. This makes it very important for older generations to do as much as they can to support church children, as well as the teachers and leaders of these programs. The future of our faith depends upon the dedicated discipleship of those who teach the truths of Christianity to our children. They are the cold water cup bearers of our kids.

So let’s stop and think about those who are called and charged to teach faith to the church of tomorrow today. Let’s thank God for their commitment and honor them for their work.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, the little ones of our churches and communities need to hear and experience the stories of God and about Your Life. As they grow up into a world which may become hostile to our faith, we pray that the focus, dedication, and commitment of our present day teachers may inspire, encourage, and strengthen our children’s faith. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully 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.

Teacher Devotions: Community Calamity

Ezekiel 7:26 Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor. They will try to get a vision from the prophet; the teaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders.

I cannot think of a more terrifying situation for a community of faith to be in. Ezekiel’s ranting about the loss of vision, teaching, and counsel reflects a time when the people of God were in absolute disarray. Their land was about to be overtaken and their people enslaved yet again. The political leaders could not parley with their enemies. God seemed to be absent from the whole situation and the religious leaders had no message of hope to give to the people.

As you know, faithful readers, I worry a lot about the National Church. I’m concerned about the lack of vision and leadership, sound teaching and spiritual counsel. We seem to be heading down into a dead end and even although we can see it, we don’t want to accept it. It’s as if we’re in some sort of huge spiritual denial and we don’t have the savvy to turn around and head back in God’s direction.

Recently, I’ve also been thinking about the wee church that I serve. It’s constantly growing, full of new ideas and people. We’ve been through some setbacks, but God always seem to lead us to something better and bigger. I just wish that our National Church would do the same. If a wee church like Erin can keep growing, there must be something that we’re doing that is right in God’s eyes compared to what’s happening nationally.

That’s why we’re entering into a new phase at Erin. We want to keep growing spiritually and numerically. We want to influence our community and make an impact for God’s Kingdom. We want to continue putting Christ at the center of who we are, what we do, and how we practice our faith. It’s not that we’re perfect, holy, or far superior than those around us – far from it. We’re just trying to please Jesus and help others experience that self-same joy of serving the Lord.

So this morning, we pray for a prophetic voice and vision to be heard and seen in our national Church. We pray for sound spiritual teaching to be placed before the people. And we ask that the counsel of all the elders across the church will emerge from being focused and centered on Christ. Otherwise the terrifying prophecy of Ezekiel could be our National Church’s ultimate destiny.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the blessings that You have given to our wee church. Thank You for the vision of things to come, the teaching of the truth, and the wise counsel of our elders. Help other wee churches in other places begin to experience the same, so that Your Name may be truly honored and glorified, praised and adored. 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.

teacher Devotions: Crossless Christians

Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

We live in a cross-less society, where people are not willing to carry their own burdens or endure any trouble. Even some Christians want their faith to be light, worry-free, and non-challenging to their life-style choices. It’s as if we’re saying to Christ and His first disciples, “that cross carrying stuff is old-fashioned. We want to emerge as new Christians, who are free to reject what we don’t like of the old ways and re-invent our faith. We want it all to be light and fluffy, likeable and popular. We don’t want to carry nasty crosses anymore.”

The trouble is this: when we do that, we’ve become a New Age religion and no longer cross-carrying Christians. We want our faith to be convenient instead of persistent. We want it to be experienced on our terms instead of Christ’s. Rather than place Christ at the center of all things, we want Him to be focused on us. We want Jesus to like us and love us, laugh with us and live with us, instead of confronting and challenging us, or converting and changing us.

Sometimes I wish that Jesus had never said things like ‘anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.’ I wish that He had uttered something like ‘disregard your crosses, have fun with Me, and you can be My friends.’ But He didn’t. Christ knew that life was hard and that in every generation Christians will be faced with two choices: to throw off their crosses and go their own way, or to wearily pick up their heavy burden and plod on, following Jesus all through life.

Having faith in Jesus is never going to be easy, but one day we will get to lay our crosses at His feet and enjoy His peace forever. But if we want it all now, we will never experience that everlasting joy and peace.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes we want to give up being Christians and just fall into line with the rest of the world. It would be a whole lot easier just to ignore Your words and to go our own way. Instead of feeling guilty, we would be unburdened and could live our lives free from any commitment, challenge, or change. But You have called us to carry our crosses, to endure the world’s dislike, and to experience the cost of faith. It isn’t an easy path to follow, but we pray that You will enable and empower us to keep on going, so that we may emerge as real Christians and not phony disciples. 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.

Teacher Devotions: Hudson Miracle

Yesterday, we all saw a miracle unfold on the Hudson River. A US Airways flight heading to Charlotte lost both its engines as it was taking off, and the veteran pilot had to glide the plane into the water. His remarkable handling skills enabled both he and his crew to ditch the jet into the river without causing an almighty explosion. Everyone on board was still alive and they all realized that they were still endangered.

What happened next was equally amazing. The Hudson River ferries started to cruise towards the floating plane. Within mere minutes, passengers were being rescued and taken on board the ferries. The US Coast guard arrived very quickly and the whole rescue operation was a complete success. It was a miracle. It was also a tremendous act of courageous humanity.

Job 38:30 …when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?

If the waters had been frozen over, then it probably would have been disastrous. If another pilot had been at the controls, he might never have been able to successfully land the plane. If the crew hadn’t been so highly trained and prepared, people might have panicked and drowned. If the ferry boat skippers had not changed their routes and put themselves in danger, lives may have perished.

Today, there will be a lot of families who will be thanking the captain and crew for their courage, tenacity in the face of danger, and leadership in the midst of potential disaster. It was a magnificent moment in the annals of human nobility. Everyone did their part, including the passengers, to rescue themselves from a dangerous situation.

When the Church works properly, we play the role of rescuing people, on behalf of Christ, from death and destruction. The world needs a strong, united, and fully focused Church to tend to its wounds and broken ways. Sadly, we are so splintered and divided that our witness and work in the world is not fully functional or effective. If only we could learn from this incident. If only we would set aside our differences and dedicate our lives to the rescue mission of the whole world.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the miracle on the Hudson River. Thank You for all of the courage, talents, and bravery of the crews of the plane, the ferry boats, helicopters, and rescue services who all saved the lives of everyone aboard the doomed flight. Help us to learn from this miraculous incident and apply it to our faith, our churches, and our Kingdom service in the world. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Teacher Devotions: Band Aids

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

The current economic situation gives us a wonderful opportunity, as Christians, to show our support to those who have greatest needs. We have a faith that not only gives us comfort in times of despair, but it also grants us the confidence not to be enslaved by our worries, anxieties, or fears. If Christians are insecure about life, then what is the point of our faith?

Last night, when I was watching the College Football Game for a while, I marveled at the Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. It wasn’t his playing that captivated me, but the fact that below his eyes he had placed two black band aids which read John 3:16. To the whole watching audience, Tim Tebow was using the broadcasted game to tell others that he was a Christian.

To some people, this might have looked like a piece of religious arrogance, but to me it reflected Christian confidence. He was going out to battle for his team and whether he lost or won, he was using the opportunity to let others know about his faith.

During this time of recession, a lot of people are going to have their confidence down-sized and their resources diminished. That’s when the church can step in to offer the opportunity of faith, compassion, and care. It’s a perfect time to witness for the Lord. It’s the right occasion to show others what God can do.

So today, let’s think about our families and friends, neighbors and colleagues who are going through tough times. And let’s also have the confidence to step up to the mark and offer them the friendship, understanding, and support that they need.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, these are tough days for all of us and many people are fearful about their future. Help us, as Your servants, to show them how faith works through good deeds, acts of compassion, and complete confidence in You, Your power, and Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.