Dr. Anil Chacko
Long Island MTC, NY
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7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and
supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save
him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Proclaiming the Good News is an honor and a
challenge. Proclamation is a public announcement of something that is of
great importance. In this sense, proclamation is seen as an outward
event—believers tell of the Good News to others. However, proclaiming the
Good News requires us to also consider how Jesus lived his life in service
to the Lord.
Hebrews 5: 1-10 offers the believer a glimpse into different
aspects of what it means to proclaim the Good News. We learn here about God
calling Christ and Christ leading a life of prayer and petition,
submission, and obedience.
Often we feel the pull toward one side of proclaiming the Good
News of God’s salvation through the sharing of the good news, worship and
fellowship. While these are important and critical aspects of our Christian
lives, God also calls us to do the difficult inward reflective work of
obedience, fervent prayer, and submission. This too, my brothers and
sisters, is part of proclaiming the Good News to mankind.
Why would turning inwards and toward God be considered
proclaiming the Good News? As we know, we do and achieve nothing but
through God. How better to be prepared and to proclaim the Good News than
to turn inwards and toward God to help us understand the needs of those
unbelievers and believers alike? Perhaps there is no better way to prepare
for Proclaiming the Good News than to hear directly from our God. How
difficult is it to follow this side of our Christian lives? A life of
obedience is very difficult.
What are the benefits? The benefits are clear- fulfilling God’s
Great Commission requires us to look inward, to live lives focused on
connecting with God in a personal, obedient way and to speak to God on
behalf of all those around us. This type of prayerful, obedient life is
necessary for God to make us who he wants us to be as his followers.
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PRAYER
Dear Lord, help us to remember that a life of obedience,
prayer, and petition are your ways of helping us understand what you want
from us to help those around us. Let us never waiver in our turning inward
and toward you as we live our lives and proclaim the Good News of
salvation. Amen.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY::
”Pray for our leaders in the
church who are charged to live a life of obedience, prayer and submission
so that they may be able to do God’s work”
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