Reflections

  Embracing God’s Guidance in Uncertainty Bible Reading:   Psalm 43 Key Verse:    Ps 43: v5 Why art thou cast down, o my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance and my God .  DEVOTION As humans, we have a constant desire to ensure certainty in our lives. Do we have enough food for sustenance? Do we have shelter, a warm bed? These basics are ensured by the means of our livelihood. But sometimes the certainty of these basics can be stripped away by forces beyond our control such as natural disasters, wars, pestilences. In a capitalistic world, we have insurance to protect us from uncertainty. Regardless of our preparedness, sometimes catastrophic events that can throw us into deep unchartered waters. How do we the navigate such Uncertainty?  This assurance we can see in the scripture in Matt 15:33-37. When the disciples came to Jesus worried about not finding enough bread i...

  Called by Grace. A life set apart for God Bible Reading:  Galatians  1 :11-17 Key Verse :Vs 15.But when it was the  good pleasure of God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through his grace. DEVOTION Sadhu Sundar Singh was originally born as a Sikh. As a young man, he was deeply opposed to Christianity, often mocking and burning Bibles to show his hatred for Christianity. However, his life took a dramatic turn after a personal crisis. In his desperation, Singh asked “The True God” to reveal Himself, and that night, he had a vision of Jesus Christ, who appeared to him and spoke words of peace. This encounter transformed Sundar's life, leading him to embrace Christianity wholeheartedly. Despite opposition from his family and community, Singh dedicated his life to spreading the gospel across India and beyond, living as a missionary and becoming known as "The Apostle with Bleeding Feet." In the above portion, St. Paul recounts his calling, e...

The Miracle of Birth and the Mystery of Purpose Bible Reading:  Luke 1:52-66 Key Verse : “For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49) DEVOTION The story of the birth of John the Baptist, as recorded in Luke 1:52-66, is a profound illustration of divine intervention and the unfolding of God's greater plan. The miraculous nature of his birth and the mystery surrounding his purpose remind us that God works in wondrous ways, often beyond our immediate comprehension. We are reminded of the words of C.S. Lewis: "Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see." 1.  Divine Reversal and Humility (Luke 1:52-53) Verse 52, the miracle of birth is a testament to God’s divine power to uplift the humble and reverse fortunes. Just as God chose a humble young woman, Mary, to bring forth Jesus, He continues to lift those who are humble and lowly in heart, ...

   Called and commissioned: preparing the next generation for God's work Bible Reading:  Acts 16:1-5 Key Verse:Vs2.The same (Timothy)was well reported of by the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium. DEVOTION The first few verses of Acts 16 describes the beginning of the partnership between Paul and Timothy. As we later see, Paul becomes a teacher and mentor to Timothy. Timothy is described as a disciple whose mother is Jewish and a believer. Thus, we see that Timothy's foundations come from his mother. When Paul takes Timothy under his wing and grooms him to become a future leader of the church, there begins the teacher - student relationship between Paul and Timothy.  As Marthomites, we are also called and commissioned just like Paul to take our next generation under our wing and teach them the Word of God. At the time of baptism, the parents, grandparents, godparents and the worshipping community as a whole take responsibility to raise the infant in Christ. Onc...

   A Divine calling and Destiny Bible Reading:  Jeremiah 1:4-10 Key Verse:    ‭Vs 5  Before i formed you in the womb i knew you and before you were born I consecrated you. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.  DEVOTION Glory to Jesus Christ, Glory Forevermore! As we continue to move forward during the 25 Day Lenten Period, we look towards the verses of Jeremiah 1:4-10. Let us turn to the 5th verse which says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”. This verse is so powerful and meaningful not only for Jeremiah but us as Christ’s children as well. God does not put us in difficult situations for no reason, he chooses us because he formed us for a purpose filled with love and hope. Even in verse 6, Jeremiah tries to justify that he does not know how to speak and is too young. Even during this time, Jeremiah was filled with insecurities, fear, and anxiety which we...

  A Mother’s Prayer and Child’s purpose Bible Reading: 1st Samuel 1:9-18 Key Verse: O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s ministry and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” DEVOTION In Samuel 1:9-18, the main focus is on Hannah’s heartfelt prayer to God, where she express her deep longing for a child and makes a vow to dedicate her future son to the Lord if He grants her wish, Hannah goes to tabernacle in Shiloh to pour out her heart to God in prayer. Hannah had a personal relationship with God and trusted in his plan. Hannah demonstrated her faith through obedience, even when it meant making a personal sacrifice. She dedicated her unborn son to God and promised to dedicate him to the Lord for his entire life. Hannah called herself “God’s servant” three times in her prayer.                A praying mother is a pillar of st...