Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
FORSAKE ME NOT O LORD

Psalm 71
Verse From birth I have relied on you;
  you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you. I have become a sign to many;
 you are my strong refuge. (Psalm 71:6-7)

 Psalm 71 is recognized as a prayer for God’s help and it is viewed as an anxious cry of King David in his old age when enemies threaten him and his strength is fading. It is also a confident confession of hope, and a vow to praise God in anticipation of His deliverance.
Anxiety a grave disease that destroys the whole person: Human beings have the tendency to get anxious – anxious that something unpleasant is going to happen. We may have heard that ‘anxiety is not just worry, it is needless worry’ and that ‘anxiety is worry that is looking for a cause, rather than arising from a cause’. It drives personalities to become weak and feel threatened. It has the potential to destroy relationships as well as the individual. To overcome anxiety, society has either developed chemicals to calm it or developed psychological approaches for coming to terms with it. It is not a taboo to seek such interventions and remedies, which are important for restoring the well being of the anxious individual as well as the community they live in.

Hope a powerful panacea for renewal of life: The Psalmist appears to expect something ominous when saying, “I have become like a portent to many.” However, although none of his troubles are specified, he shares the robust faith that all things are in the hands of the one sovereign God, the God to whom he turns in prayer. He is confident that the One who gave him life will preserve and renew his life. His hope is an attitude to the future. It is built on past experience, just like a farmer who exemplifies hope when he sows his seeds onto the ground. If the farmer did not have past experience that the seeds would sprout and yield a plentiful crop he would sow nothing. Likewise, the children of God are called to live in the hope that God is our ‘strong refuge’ because we can vouch that He has carried us safely through our past difficulties. Every person with faith in God should view their real troubles of life as significant opportunities to experience God’s marvelous ways of challenging their faith, and demonstrating His glory.

We live in challenging times. There will be times when we feel that the whole world is against us and that even God may have forsaken us. In such times, all we have to do is look back and pray with confidence.

Prayer: Dear Lord, do not forsake me. I am a sinner and depend on your mercy and forgiveness. Be with me as my strong refuge. Bless me. Let your right hand guide me in everything I do. Let everything I do be in accordance with your will. Amen.

Dr. Mathew Thomas (T),
Mar Thoma Church of Greater Washington



Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more