Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
An approach based on convictions
“I
was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the
land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions” (9)
I was
told about a story of two boys who was admitted in one of the hospitals in New
York. Both were in a very serious condition and even the doctors were
struggling to figure out what was going on. One family was so disappointed and
disturbed and they took an attitude of hatred towards the disease and to the
doctors. They didn’t want to answer to the questions and even speak to the
doctors. But the other family approached this situation from a different
perspective and were able to co operate with others in this difficult
situation. This shows the two approaches that we have towards the problems that
we have in our lives.
The
book of Joshua explains how the inheritance the people received in the Promised
Land and how it was divided into different tribes. In the given passage, the
inheritance to Caleb and his family is mentioned. But before that Caleb said
something that is very very significant in our faith. He was talking about
something that happened forty five year back. When the spies were sent to see
the Promised Land, Caleb was one among them. Others saw the land and its
problems differently from what Caleb did. He gave report based on his
convictions. He also did see the difficulties but from a different perspective.
He saw the problems through the eyes of his convictions.
His
conviction was based on at least two things. Basically he saw things through
the perspective of God’ promises that God gave to him. He saw the difficulties
but understood that God’s promises will work beyond these difficulties. Secondly
he saw the difficulties from the perspective of faith. He knew that the
communities, armies and the fortress of Canaan were beyond their capacity level
to capture. But he saw the power and might of God through faith and eventually
that helped the people of God to enter the Promised Land. His report was based
on the convictions that he had. How do we see the difficulties that we face
today? What is our approach towards Death, sickness, addictions, financial
difficulties, problems in the families etc?. Can we see these through the
perspective of our convictions of faith? God gave us the promise that ‘He will
be with us all through our days’. Let us depend on Him all the days of our
lives.
Prayer: Loving God we are grateful
for your promises and help us to see things from the perspective of our
convictions of faith. Amen
Thought
for the day: Right
perspectives will give right directions
Rev. V. M. Mathew, Youth Chaplain NY