Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
A RACE WELL FINISHED
2 Timothy 4:1-8
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2Timothy 4: 6,7)
 
 Holy Church consider St. Paul as its architect and builder. Paul himself says that he "worked harder than all the Apostles" and "laid a foundation as an expert builder." Paul's last days set us an example how to retire from all earthly tasks gracefully and facing death peacefully. For living a graceful life in old age, two things are important.
1. Entrusting responsibilities and traditions to the next generation (2Timothy 4:1-5)
Paul considered Timothy as his true son in the faith. Here he uses the words, which was usually used for drafting a will or a deed of succession. (v.1) His witnesses are God and the Christ. Paul was an eminent missionary and profound preacher of the word of God. Through this letter he was entrusting all his responsibilities to his successor. Paul urges Timothy to do the work of an evangelist by preaching the Word and be prepared at all times. He exhorts him to lead the believers by correcting, rebuking and encouraging them with careful instructions and sound doctrines. Paul warns Timothy about the challenges and possible dangers in the future and advises him to take pain for the fulfillment of the ministry.
2. Preparing oneself to face the death (2Timothy4: 6-8)
Looking back at the end of his life, Paul smiles with contentment. He considers his life as a drink offering. If life is considered as an offering, every action, small or big, would be a service to God. Something offered to God must be holy and so the life should become holier and holier day by day. As a drink offering has no residues in the end, one's egoism should be vanished. Paul says that his departure is at hand. The word 'departure' depicts wide variety of pictures. Three of them are: (a) setting a captive free (b) relieving an animal from the yoke and (c) getting ready of a ship for new journey).
Paul here says; "time has come for my departure." To Paul death is a relief from pain and strife and a starting point for a new journey. Like his master who uttered on the cross, "it's finished", Paul says that he has fulfilled his mission and life purposes and gets ready for the eternal reward. For graceful living in old age, we need to entrust our responsibilities and traditions to successors and train day by day to face death and eternity.
PrayerLord, help us to be detached from the outcome of all our efforts, to give away what we have to appropriate persons in appropriate time and to get ready to face death and eternity while you demands. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
How we run matters as much as we end the race.

Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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