Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
How Prepared are you?
Luke 2:42-52
“Everyone
who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When
his parents saw him, they were astonished.” (47-48a)
This
is the story of Jesus being in the Temple when he was 12 years of age.
There are two relative key words that I want to highlight as people of a
faith built community the first being “everyone” and the second being
“parents”. Why this is important is that Jesus was doing exactly what was
said in the first letter of Peter, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an
account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence,” (1
Peter 3:15). This particular verse is what we call as Apologetics, a field that
enables us to present facts about why and what we hope for through Jesus
Christ.
Jesus
was sitting among scholars and he was able to amaze them with what he had to
present, this not because of what they knew, but because He must have studied
the word as a devout Jew. The question I raise here is: if the Lord felt that was
important what you think our stand should be?
One
day, Sir Isaac Newton wanted to convince that we were not evolved, but were
created and he went to his room and arranged a complex array of the solar
system. The system was so complex that it took real strategic thinking on how
what moved and when. He invited his skeptic friends over and they were amazed
at that. They asked him “Isaac how did this come about?” to which he
replied ...” oh, I have the faintest clue. I got up this morning and this
came about.” “Impossible “they said and then Isaac asked, “why do you think
that Gen 1:1 is impossible “In the beginning God Created? You claim that it
just happened” The question we need to ask ourselves is: what does the world
think about our view? Are we prepared enough to show them where they lack or
are we still dodging the truth? What kind of stand do we take? Especially when
we vote for who will be in leadership, or when we answer difficult questions
“are we born from apes?”
The
second important aspect is that his parents were also astonished. How
important is your belief when you stand in front of your family? Are you just a
world pleasing personality or does your words impact your family as well?
Remember the Gospel started at home and then to the ends of the world. If you
behave like an ape at home how can you talk to the world that you are a part of
creation? The take away to this scripture is what we do every January 1st
– read the bible from the beginning which is “: Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning
God…” if we can believe that was what it said exactly the way it said
everything else falls in place.
Prayer: O Lord, help me to use
your wisdom and understanding in all areas of my life.
Thought
of the Day:
How deep do we think about our faith?
Prakash. V. Thomas, NJ MTC, Randolph