Presbyterian 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.

Presbyterian Devotions: A Loving Handful

John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.

I’m the eldest son in my family and in Scotland that means I would have been given the responsibility of looking after my father’s estate. But because I live in America, that wasn’t possible, and so my Dad entrusted it all to my brother Andy.

Andy did a terrific job with what was entrusted to his care. He saw to all the funeral arrangements, the bills that had to be paid, and all of the hundreds of loose ends that had to be tied up. In fact, Andy did a better job of it than I ever could, and my Dad would have been proud of how he handled everything.

Even to this day, Andy looks after the royalties that are still paid on my Dad’s books. Every year, Andy receives them from the publishers and he carefully distributes them to all of the family. In this way, he honors my dad and does what it fair.

I love the fact that God placed everything into Christ’s hands. He knew that Jesus would fulfill His obligations and complete the task of salvation. God had made promises to His people for thousands of years, and when at last He placed them into Christ’s hands, God was giving Jesus the responsibility of keeping God’s Word. It was an awesome thing to do and we are blessed because Jesus did what was required of Him.

Christ honored God by perfectly accomplishing His mission. And we are the benefactors of that complete trust and obedience. If Jesus had wavered one little bit from His task, we would never have been forgiven by God. If He had left one single thing undone, we could never be restored to God’s goodness, perfection, and holy love. God placed everything in Christ’s hands because He loved Him. And Christ returned that love because He completed all that He was told to do.

Christ’s continues that mission by placing into our hands opportunities, responsibilities, and tasks that both honor God and expand His Kingdom. He does this because He loves us. The question for us today is this: are we willing to return that love by completing all that He entrusts to us?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for completing all that God expected of You when He placed everything into Your hands. We are truly grateful for all that You did, for Your accomplishments have brought us eternal blessings. Empower and enable us to fulfill all that You call us to undertake for God’s Kingdom and His glory. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.