Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Stewardship of Resources
Psalm 147:1-11
v11 “..the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love”.
Psalm 147:1-11
v11 “..the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love”.
The Psalmist begins the Psalm with the word “Hallelujah” a word which is a worship of praise by itself, is commonly heard at prayer meetings, convention gatherings and worship services. This rendering of praise is more pleasant to the Lord than any other kind of ceremonial service. Heaven rejoices when this praise rises from the lips of people. Psalm 146 to 150 begins and ends with this worship of praise.
In today’s Psalm, the Palmist goes on to say the reason why God is worthy of praise:
1. The Lord rebuilds
2. The Lord delivers the oppressed
3. The Lord provides for all nature
4. The Lord delights in our worship.
The Lord rebuilds:
Even though the reference here is about the rebuilding of Jerusalem which God achieved through Nehemiah, we can see in our daily lives or hear about people whose lives have been rebuilt. These people whom the world, and sometimes their own families, had rejected, were transformed by God and many of them turned to a life of evangelism.
The Lord delivers the oppressed:
Again, the reference here is about the oppression of the Jews who were taken into captivity. They are described here as the outcasts, the broken hearted, the wounded and the downtrodden. However, the outcasts, the broken hearted, the wounded and the downtrodden in a broader sense can include those who are repentant of their sins along with others who are facing adversities that life has thrown at them.
The Lord provides for all nature:
Verses 7-9 is a praise for the Lord’s resources. The Lord’s provision for all of nature can be seen in the feeding of the raven, a bird reviled and shunned in the Jewish culture. Yet we see that it is the ravens that supplied food to Elijah. The Psalmist’s depiction here is that if God supplies the needs of even the lowest of birds, how much more would God provide for His faithful people. God is a warehouse of resources and He provides them to His people to use for building up His kingdom. But are we using the resources provided by God for the furtherance of His kingdom? We often forget that we are stewards and not owners.
The Lord delights in our worship:
Our purpose in life is to praise and worship Him in spirit and in truth. The management of the Lord’s resources in a wise manner is also a form of worship. We are being obedient to His Word when we use our time, talents and wealth in a manner befitting a true Christian. We remember the early Church where the worshippers pooled all their resources for the good of all and this in turn made the Church thrive and flourish.
We see God’s Omnipotence, His Omniscience, His Omnipresence and His Love in this Psalm. He has provided for His people in the past and will continue to take care of us in the future.
In today’s Psalm, the Palmist goes on to say the reason why God is worthy of praise:
1. The Lord rebuilds
2. The Lord delivers the oppressed
3. The Lord provides for all nature
4. The Lord delights in our worship.
The Lord rebuilds:
Even though the reference here is about the rebuilding of Jerusalem which God achieved through Nehemiah, we can see in our daily lives or hear about people whose lives have been rebuilt. These people whom the world, and sometimes their own families, had rejected, were transformed by God and many of them turned to a life of evangelism.
The Lord delivers the oppressed:
Again, the reference here is about the oppression of the Jews who were taken into captivity. They are described here as the outcasts, the broken hearted, the wounded and the downtrodden. However, the outcasts, the broken hearted, the wounded and the downtrodden in a broader sense can include those who are repentant of their sins along with others who are facing adversities that life has thrown at them.
The Lord provides for all nature:
Verses 7-9 is a praise for the Lord’s resources. The Lord’s provision for all of nature can be seen in the feeding of the raven, a bird reviled and shunned in the Jewish culture. Yet we see that it is the ravens that supplied food to Elijah. The Psalmist’s depiction here is that if God supplies the needs of even the lowest of birds, how much more would God provide for His faithful people. God is a warehouse of resources and He provides them to His people to use for building up His kingdom. But are we using the resources provided by God for the furtherance of His kingdom? We often forget that we are stewards and not owners.
The Lord delights in our worship:
Our purpose in life is to praise and worship Him in spirit and in truth. The management of the Lord’s resources in a wise manner is also a form of worship. We are being obedient to His Word when we use our time, talents and wealth in a manner befitting a true Christian. We remember the early Church where the worshippers pooled all their resources for the good of all and this in turn made the Church thrive and flourish.
We see God’s Omnipotence, His Omniscience, His Omnipresence and His Love in this Psalm. He has provided for His people in the past and will continue to take care of us in the future.
PRAYER
Lord, help us to put our full trust in You knowing that You hold our future. Help us to put aside our worries and concern and to seek Your kingdom. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26
Philip Manuel and Laila Anie Philip, Carmel Mar Thoma Church, Boston
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church
Lord, help us to put our full trust in You knowing that You hold our future. Help us to put aside our worries and concern and to seek Your kingdom. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26
Philip Manuel and Laila Anie Philip, Carmel Mar Thoma Church, Boston
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church