Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 

CHALLENGES OF DISCIPLESHIP
Acts 7:54-60 
(v. 59-60) While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
Life was not meant to be a comfortable journey.  Life’s journey enables us to understand that our life does not belong to us but rather to God.  So many times, we see ourselves or people around us desiring to “live life to the fullest”, usually when we hear this phrase, it is said on a selfish basis.  Many times, we think it is our life and it belongs to us.  How much are we able to realize that our existence belongs to God?  Along with that, the time we have, do we know that belongs to God?  We are created to have a purposeful life surrendered to God. Psalm 24:1 says: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it”.  We should surrender ourselves to God and guide the world around us to do likewise.  It is not by just telling them how to live but by living the life for God that can model others to do likewise.

Here in this passage, we see the first Martyr of Christianity in Stephen.  He was known to be a humanitarian as he was chosen to supervise food distribution to the needy of the early Church.  He was gifted in speaking, teaching, and debating.  He was concerned to be faithful in all that he did, whatever he was given to do whether great or small tasks, he wanted to be faithful.  He gave his best in whatever he was given to do.  That brings us to reflect on our lives, are we faithful to whatever is given to us?  Sometimes, if we are given a small task, we may think negatively about it and not give our full effort to it.  One thing we must realize is that in the eyes of God, there is no task great or small, but rather, in whatever we must do, we must be held accountable for it.  We should be giving our best because we live not for ourselves or for our glory, but we live to glorify God.

Stephen was faithful in all that was given to him, and even in his faithful living, he was persecuted to the point of death.  But even in Stephen’s death, he gave it all to the Lord.  He looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, the world’s response did not matter to him, all that mattered to him was God.  That is where he cried out “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (v. 60a), then he fell asleep.  My brothers and sisters, we should not think about the rewards or the reactions of this world, but rather, live to glorify God and seek to please Him in all that we are called for.  We will face hardships but let us keep persevering as long as God calls us to live in this world.
PRAYER
Triune God, guide me to be faithful in this world to live for you and not for ourselves.  As You love me, help me to love You more and more each day, in Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
Thought for the day
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” - Helen Keller

Rev. Roshen V. Mathews
Trinity Mar Thoma Church, Houston, TX

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