Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Cleansing Christ
Ephesians 2:1-10
Vs 4 But because of His great love for us God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.
Dr. Richard Teo, a cosmetic surgeon, hailed from a poor family. He began his career as an ophthalmologist. He was driven by the motto of today’s society that in order for a person to be successful and happy, one must be wealthy. In the beginning of his career, Dr. Richard was unsatisfied with his pay and finding that there was more prospective in aesthetic medicine, he switched his career from being an ophthalmologist to becoming a medically trained beautician; from being there for the sick to reaping wealth by beautifying people. 
He was at the prime of being successful in his newly found career and happiness. He was converted to a Christian because he thought it was a fashionable title to be called a Christian. Dr. Richard Teo went to church for a while and then he got tired. He instead turned his focus to worldly pleasures and had everything money could buy. He believed that his success depended on his own merits. 
In March 2011, while he was at the peak of success, he began experiencing persistent backache. He went for medical check up to rule out prolapsed disc, but life took an unexpected turn for Dr. Richard Teo. He was diagnosed with stage 4B lung cancer. The news devastated him. He couldn’t accept it; he always believed that he had good genes, since none of his family members had cancer. One moment he was at the peak of his success and the next his whole world turned upside down. 
One afternoon while Dr. Richard Teo was in bed, struggling , he asked God, “Why? Why do I have to go through this suffering? Why do I have to endure this hardship, this struggle? Why me?” As he fell asleep, he saw a vision that said Hebrews 12:7-8. 
When he woke up, he opened the bible to Hebrews 12:7-8, it read, 
7 Endure hardship  as discipline. God is treating  you as his children . For what children are not   disciplined by their father 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 
He was astonished to see the vision; he who has never read the bible or knew about Hebrews couldn’t believe how he could conjure up something like that from thousands of verses in the Bible. He received a direct reply to his question. From that day onwards, he started believing in God. In his last days on this earth, he realized true joy comes from knowing God personally and having a true relationship with Him. 
When we focus on this world, we get sucked into its short-lived benefits that we lose focus on our God. We forget the true giver of all the joy that we have in this world today and take credit in our merits. Even though our ways deserve eternal death, Jesus in His abundant mercy bought us through His death and gave us a way and hope to true salvation. 
Jesus is the only way and truth to eternal life. God calls us today to turn to him and be saved—from the sickness of sin, the captivity of Satan, and from the sentence of hell. 
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for the forgiveness you have won on the cross and for the faith and hope that you created in us through the means of your grace. Help us not trust in our own merits, but to give glory and honor to you in whatever we do. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Christ is the source of all blessings. Let us then not trust in our own merits, but in Him. 
Smitha Annie Mathew, SIMTC, New York 
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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