Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Reconciliation

1 John.4:11-20

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (V.11)

John the elder, when writing the epistle to his readers, notes that no one has ever seen God. Since no one has ever seen God, one might wonder how it is possible to love someone that they cannot see. John provides his answer to the question in the next sentence, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” In other words, God is made visible to the people around us when we love them with his love. It is this love that changes humanity and brings people into a deeper understanding of the Father and his son Jesus. 

As John continues, he describes the uniqueness of the love of God. He also describes what causes people to hold back from the love God—fear, “The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  (1st John 4:18)As Christians we need to be people of faith that do not hold back in fear.  Moving forward in faith is what brings people together.

I once heard the story of an individual in the armed forces who was stationed in a very hostile area. The rural folk in that area were not very friendly to his troops as they were loyal to militant insurgents in that location. The insurgents would provide them with basic staple foods and other means for their sustenance and they were afraid of these other troops.  The commanding officer of that unit this individual was in, instructed the unit to live with these people for three days. The unit was not to go and ask the locals for information on the insurgents but rather just live amongst them and help them. Initially the unit was not too thrilled with this idea as some of their comrades were attacked and even killed by the militants in the area. However, as the days went by both the members of the unit and the locals there began to develop better relationships with each other, to the point where a young boy in the area not more than three years climbed upon the shoulder of this individual.

This story comes to show that while fear and hatred can hold us back, love is capable of driving that out. It is this genuine kind of love that reveals the face of God to a people that has never seen him or known him. When people see your love, will they see the face of God?

Prayer: Help us to love the people around us, such that your love may be complete in us. Help us not to shrink back in fear or hate, but to move forward in love.

Thought for the day: People with a heart for God have a heart for fellow beings

Benson  George  Babu, Long Island MTC, NY


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