Following the themes in his recent Bible study book Transformed Living in Tough Times, John Ed Mathison offers individuals 60 devotions that inspire a new level of faith and living in the midst of life’s greatest challenges.Rooted in Scripture and reinforced by Mathison’s decades of pastoral ministry, the devotions declare that Christians are people of faith rather than fear. They inspire courage among those mired in financial, family, health, and other crises.With characteristic gentle but profound wisdom, Mathison stresses the importance of returning to priorities, focusing on fundamentals, exercising God’s creativity, and developing a Christlike attitude.

Transformed Living in Tough Times Devotions

By John Ed Mathison

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2009 The United Methodist Publishing House
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-687-66032-2

Chapter One

Lift Your Feet

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (John 3:16, NRSV)

A missionary was working in another country, translating the New Testament into a cultural language. He had been working on translating John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who ..." What? "Believes." He couldn't come up with an appropriate cultural term for belief.

The missionary took his problem to one of the local men. He asked the man, "What is belief?"

The man said, "Well, what are you doing?"

"Right now? I'm sitting in a chair," the missionary replied.

The man said, "Are your feet are on the ground?"

"Yes. That's right."

"Lift your feet," the man directed.

The missionary did as instructed and lifted his feet.

The man nodded his head and said, "Now, what are you doing?"

"I'm putting my whole weight on the chair," the missionary replied.

"That's what faith is," said the man.

The missionary was then able to complete the translation of John 3:16.

Faith is when you put your whole weight on who God is in Jesus Christ.

F—orsaking

A—ll

I

T—ake

H—im

The transformed person focuses on how much he or she is worth to God, not to the world. We are worth everything to him. We are worth so much that he sent his only son into the world so that whosoever believes in him should never perish but have everlasting life.

Father, my God; I praise your name. You have done marvelous things, things that you planned long ago. Hold me up as I put my whole faith in you and you alone.

Chapter Two

Hold My Hand

"He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice." (John 10:4b, NRSV)

In 2010, just as in biblical times, a shepherd spends many hours every day with his sheep. In fact, he spends so much time with his sheep that the sheep learn to identify his voice. When sheep hear their shepherd talking, and see him with a staff, they have a sense of security. They know that everything will be OK.

When I was young, my family lived in Wetumpka, Alabama. My dad was a preacher there, and we lived next door to the church. I remember when I was around six years old, maybe younger, Dad would ask me to go over to the church and get a book, some papers, or something like that for him. It was always at night, and that big old dark church was scary to me. The light switches were not always easy to find, and I didn't like going in there by myself.

Have you ever been in a dark church by yourself? Every time there's the slightest little sound, you can imagine all sorts of things.

You know what I'd always say when Dad asked me to go over there in the dark? "Daddy, you go with me." If he walked over there with me, I wasn't afraid at all. When we went through the door together, you know what I'd do. I'd reach up and grab his hand. If I held my Daddy's hand, I'd go anywhere. I knew he would take care of me.

Transformed people have the same relationship with the Holy Father. When we are scared, we can ask him to go with us. We can reach up and hold his hand. We can be assured that he will take care of us— everything will be OK.

Heavenly Father, when I hear your voice, I know everything is OK. I rejoice in the shadow of your wings. Thank you for holding my hand.

Chapter Three

Money Doesn't Give Happiness

"'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!" But God said to him, `You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God." (Luke 12:18-21, NLT)

God understands profit differently from us. Luke 12 records a story Jesus told that shows us what profit means in God's economics. When the very successful farmer gathered his crop, his barns were not sufficient to hold the harvest. So the farmer reasoned, "Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!" (The Message). Notice how many times personal pronouns are used.

By human economics standards, the man needed bigger barns. But God's economics is different. God came to the man and told him that he was a fool. He asked, when you die, this very night, who will get everything that you worked for? Then, Jesus drove home the message by agreeing that only a fool will store up earthly wealth and not have a rich relationship with God.

The world thinks that if we can just have a little more, we will be happy. A lot of folks are working long hours and some people take second jobs just so the family can get more things.

Let me tell you, money— the love of money— becomes the root of all evil. Take a look at John D. Rockefeller. After he died, people asked his accountant just how much money Rockefeller left behind. The accountant's answer? "All of it; every cent of it. He didn't take a bit of money with him."

Lord, you are my strength, the reason for my song. Majestic and holy! Fearsome and glorious! Miracle worker! I praise and honor you.

Chapter Four

Leave the Pigpen Behind

"After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt.... He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any." (Luke 15:14-16, The Message)

Jesus told a story about a man who had two sons. One son worked hard, put in a full day's work every day. But the other son had lofty ideas. He came up with what he thought was a better financial plan than what his father had.

The son with lofty ideas talked his father into giving him his inheritance, and then he went out to seek his fortune. He focused on the wilds of the earthly life and of course, his plan quickly became a disaster. He unintentionally lost every cent he was given. He ended up working for a farmer, slopping pigs.

This wasn't his plan. He didn't set out to wind up in a pigpen, but he did. Misaligned priorities— focusing on earthly ways— always lead to a pigpen. The good news is that the prodigal son "came to his senses" (Luke15:17, NLT). He woke up and began to think rationally.

The best part of the story is that the boy's father was already looking for him. He was ready to take his son back into his home.

In tough times, when transformed people consciously decide to leave life's pigpens and return home, we find our Heavenly Father is already waiting for us with open arms.

Lord, my God, thank you for keeping me going while times are tough. You are my bedrock. You are my hope.

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