Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Salvation: The Gift of God
Ex. 14. 15-31
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelite to move on.
“Salvation”- a word that is often thrown around, but often not fully explained, has many laypeople confused.  What exactly does this word mean?  What are the promises portrayed in it?  If your child asked you what ‘Salvation’ was, what resources would you point them to?
Well- let’s start by looking at something that Jesus taught all believers: The Lord’s Prayer.   Do you recognize the phrase, “Deliver us from Evil”?  (Matt 6:13)   That, right there, in a nutshell, is the gift of salvation!  It is God’s GRACE that has saved us from the sin that we knowingly and unknowingly commit!  So next time your child rattles off the Lord’s Prayer, have them pause and reflect on exactly what it is they are praying for: salvation.
But God’s gift of salvation is not limited to the spiritual sin, as we see in Exodus 14:15-31.  Ask any child about the “Parting of the Red Sea”, and you will probably be given a good synopsis of how the “Good Israelites” ran through a rose-tinged ocean, which then washed away the “Bad Egyptians”.  But the gift of salvation here is so much more than that.
When we look at this passage in its context, we see that, at first, Moses instructs the Israelite people to 'Be Still'.  However, when God speaks to Moses, he gives him instructions that require a more active effort. This wasn't a simple, 'watch and see what God does'. Moses was required to actually DO something more than be still. He listened and obeyed. In our lives, we often take a more passive mindset when it comes to our deliverance. What we can learn from this passage is that, although God gives us the gift of salvation - the gift of His grace, we must be more than bystanders, for the sake of ourselves and others.
While the Israelites were fearful, the actions of one man – Moses, led to the deliverance of the entire nation. Their salvation was thanks to an individual.  Imagine if we, as a faith-based community, can achieve if we go out and DO!
Prayer: Lord, help me to reflect upon your boundless love, mercy and grace. Give me the strength and endurance to listen and respond to your instruction in my life. Thank you for the gift of salvation, as you consistently deliver me from the difficulties in this world.
Thought for the Day: Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do. ~Thomas Aquinas

Anissa Kurian, St. Thomas MTC, NY

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