Word For The Day By Christian Education Forum

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WITNESSING IN NEW LAND



Deuteronomy 6: 4-12
The greatest gift that God has bestowed on humans is the ability to reflect on past events and analyze the same in the light of current possibilities and future opportunities. To the writer of Deuteronomy, this skill to recollect the past, especially in connection to remembering and recalling the ways of the Lord, contains the potential to steer life through the clouds of abundance and the waves of material prosperity without getting discolored or disfigured by the tempting wonders of cultural variations. To the writer who has tasted and seen the goodness of the Lord in the midst of challenging situations, ‘forgetfulness’ is the biggest threat to carrying out the lord’s commission-to be his witnesses in all circumstances. Here arises the question: “How do we persevere in our mission to bear witness in a new and rich land and help the growing generation to remember God?”

• Through concrete visual images: In order to assist people in seeing facts before their eyes, God’s children are reminded to inscribe God’s unchangeable words in places visible to the human eye (Deut.6:7-9), and are encouraged to uphold certain symbolic expressions (Joshua 4:6-7) that pave way to recount God’s redemptive act and build a strong defense to forgetfulness.

• Through indelible impressions on the heart: A deliberate choice to hide God’s word in the heart instead of merely interacting with it at the mind’s level is a sure way to allow the unchanging values to transform the individual from within and enable him/her to be channels of that change. Meditating on the word(Joshua 1:8), reflecting on its truth, and reconnecting it to one’s life situations are sure steps to lead individuals to remember God’s commands and reflect its truths in day to day living.

Moses warns the Israelites not to fall prey to forgetfulness when prosperity, success and self-sufficiency surround us on all sides. A constant reminder of our true citizenship (Phil.3:20), and the humility to learn to number our days (Psalm 90:12) are sufficient incentives to keep us geared to the heavenly call and stop from being forgetful of God’s guidance in our lives.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, help us continually to remember how you never forgot to save us from the clutches of sin, nor did you forget to help us wake up to a bright new day. Enable us to be your bold witnesses in the new Land.

O.C.Nirmala, Philadelphia





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