Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Reforming Church-Let us Rise and Build

Ezra 3: 8 - 13
Ezra.3: 11. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endured for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Ezra and Nehemiah engaged a similar reconstruction project. Reformation requires lot of re-formation. It is an ongoing process. Mar Thoma Church is a reformed orthodox church. Here Ezra and Nehemiah returned to their home town, they found that their temple (church) is broken and damaged. Church is the body of Christ. It is the people of God. Ezra decided to rebuild and reform the temple. Ezra found the brokenness of the temple (the brokenness in the life of the people of God). Let us examine the life of the church. Do we have any broken walls or alter in our church, in our nation, in our families and in our personal life?
    
Why God allows this brokenness in the life of His people through natural calamities and pestilence like Covid 19? It is quite interesting or rather intimidating. Because of these pandemic, most of us are captives in our homes. God tells us what we have to do in such situations, rebuild the broken areas of our faith life and seek His face.

Reformation in the society: 
Rebuilding requires identifying the broken areas of our society. The broken value systems of the society need to be identified and rebuild them. Every community has craving for rebuilding and reformation. Are we alert or inert in the need of the rebuilding or the reformation of the society?

Reformation in the Church:
Reformation requires humility. Today the pride of the human kind reached its pinnacle. Reformation needs in the witnessing of the church. As Francis Assisi says,” preach the Gospel, use words only where it requires.” Gospel is not just to  be preached but to be lived. Now a days, preaching has become more as an entertainment rather than a worship, more for rejoicing rather than repenting. Emphasis is given more on the festivity of the season than the celebration and mediation on its reason. In the name of pluralism we let all wrong doctrines including our believers. In the name of freedom we have approved the practices of living together before marriage and homosexuals in relationship. In the name of religious tolerance we have compromised the uniqueness of the Gospel. In the name of modernism and the multiculturalism, we have adopted ungodly practices in our life. In the name of modernism and technology we have adulterated the sanctity of our worship and converted it in to a secular stage show. In the name of secularism, we have cast out the spirit of holiness of our lives. Faith gave away for feelings. Churches raised more religious people than the spiritual. Let us rebuild together and continue the reformation in the church.

Reformation in the Family and in our Personal Life:
Rebuilding and reformation need to takes place in all the above mentioned areas of our social life, church life, family life and personal life. Let us examine the areas of our life, where it requires rebuilding and reform. Daily reformation and rebuilding may need in our family relationship, in our personal prayer life, in our church life. Let us pray to the God almighty to restore and reshape us according to His will.
 
Prayer
Our heavenly father, help us to understand the urgency of the rebuilding and reformation of the church. Enable us to continue the process with the help of your Holy Spirit and the unity of the people.  Amen.
 
Thought for the day
Christians win the battle without firing a shot.
 
P. T. Mathew
Mar Thoma Church of Dallas Farmers Branch

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

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