Daily Devotions

November 21

"I have come that you may have life and that more abundantly." - Jesus in John 1:10 (NLB)

November days can sometimes leave us feeling listless as gray skies linger and leaves fall and die. Life can appear to diminish as geese fly south, darkness increases, and the morning sun arises with a chill in the air and frost on the ground. Yet Jesus promises in today's scripture that he has come to give us life and that more abundantly! How can this be we may wonder? John also says about Jesus that, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never overcome it."(1:4-5) Jesus does indeed give us a life that darkness can never overcome or diminish. The Greek word for life is zoe and the Greek for light is phos. John wrote his gospel in Greek and is telling us that both life and light in Jesus are intertwined, abundant, powerful, and everlasting. The life Christ gives right now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of his overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance. He doesn't just preserve but also imparts life in rich and unfailing exuberance. What a promise! Yet it is only an echo of Christ's complete teachings. Our Lord who spoke these words is no less than "God with us".

While we may often think Jesus' primary purpose was to "save us from sin," his purpose was far greater. As we come to trust Christ does what he says, we can also begin to let go of limited thinking, despair, and negativity and enjoy a life not only of better quality but one of amazing abundance. Colors become brighter, pessimism is transformed to optimism, and each moment is expanded as we are filled with a new appreciation of the beauty of creation and preciousness of life. What a gift! We are not only made more aware of God's love but of God's absolute provision. You don't have to wait for eternal life- it begins the moment you invite Jesus to live in your heart. If you are struggling this November with despair or depression as the light begins to fade and darkness increases, don't hesitate to draw closer to Christ and ask him to give you a new life that is more abundant here and now!

Prayer:

Jesus,

Please be my light and life in darkness.

Amen.

Meditation For The Day:

Darkness never kills God's Light or Life!

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Fall Renewal Paperback – August 23, 2017

by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author) Available from Amazon

Used with permission of the family of the late Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson.

Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson, D.Min., (1942-2018)

Mary was Ordained in 1975.
She served both as a Parish Pastor and in multiple Specialized Ministry Settings.

She worked on the Clinical Staff of New England Memorial Hospital and Middleton Pastoral
Counseling Center in Massachusetts and was a Director of Green Pastures Counseling Centers in N.H.

She was a state Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor,
Nationally Board-Certified Counselor (N.C.C.), and Nationally Certified Pastoral Counselor (AAPC)
and held certification as a Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (A.C.P.E.).

She received a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology and Clinical Studies
from Andover Newton in Newton, MA.

Dr. Johnson also founded Good News Specialized Ministries, Inc.
This unique ministry provided education and Clinical Christian Counseling to thousands of people over the decades and trained numerous Clinical Counselors and Counseling Ministers while offering weekly non-denominational worship services to the community for more than 20 years.

I had the honor and privilege of working with Pastor Arnie Johnson
when I served as the pastor for the Richmond Community United Methodist Church

in Richmond, NH from 2019 - 2022.
I personally have been deeply touched by Mary's writings.

Her family has graciously allowed me to share them with you.

- Pastor Sharon Sargent

"I always considered my ministry at Richmond as a shared ministry. Mary had the expertise that helped me function as well as I did. I received critiques on the way home after the services. I finally realized that I may have “arrived” when one day she was pleased with my performance with no critique! That took several years! So, I would love it if you would use the picture of the two of us and mention Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson as my spouse and partner in ministry, and she continued to be until the day she died, four days before the end of my appointment at Richmond." - Pastor Arnie Johnson

Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson is the author of eight other published books including:

"Activating The Power Of Pastoral Care: A Team Approach";

"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Renewal"(Vol.1-4);

"Flying Free: Transforming Grief and Loss into Renewal";

Following The Angel Trail: In The Steps Of Jesus";

"Love In Action: The Healing Heritage Of The Counseling Ministry Of The Church";

"Visions Of Hope: Voices Of Americana";

"Healing Streams: Journeys Of Healing".

She has also been published in the AAPC professional Journal "Journeys" and in the Keene Sentinel.