Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 Christian Presence in Differing Life Spaces

Scripture
Nehemiah 1:1-11
 Key Bible Verse Text
 “let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.” Nehemiah‬ 1‬:6‬ 

Devotional Text
Nehemiah was born in exile in Babylon. He was a faithful, loyal, and trustworthy Jew. He was the cup bearer to king Artaxerxes of Persia. He was in the citadel of Susa. The cupbearer tastes the drinks and food before the king consumes it. It was a responsible job. 
Nehemiah’s brother Hananiah came to visit him from Jerusalem. So, he inquired about the state of the Jews that returned from exile. Though he lived in Persia, he was concerned about the Jews that returned to their homeland. Hananiah told him about the deprived state of affairs in Jerusalem, with the walls broken and burned as they were when the Babylonians destroyed it. This news created a turmoil in Nehemiah’s heart regarding his countrymen. He had sympathy and empathy for them. He was burdened with a desire to resolve their problem. Nehemiah was a man of prayer as well as a man of action.
The first thing Nehemiah did was fast, mourn and pray to God. He admitted his sins as well as those of his ancestors. He interceded for the Jews in his homeland. He wept in the Lord’s presence, pouring out his heart. He reminded God of His promise to Moses, “but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’” Nehemiah‬ 1‬:9‬. He asked for success in presenting this case to the king and to receive a favorable response.
 As Christians we have a lot to learn from Nehemiah’s life. We must be prayerful, and action oriented like him. Jesus in His sermon on the mount said” you are the salt of the earth and light of the world”. We have to act like salt to preserve the community and as light to show the way for others wherever we are placed. It is written in James 2:26 “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” Are we interceding for our fellow beings in different parts of the world undergoing turmoil due to natural disasters, persecution, war, diseases etc…? Are we concerned about them like Nehemiah? Does our heart break for what makes the heart of God break ?.

Prayer
Lord, we seek your face with our day-to-day issues as well as those of our brethren. Forgive us for our sins. In your grace and mercy, open doors, and hearts to resolve the burning issues in Manipur and of the world. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Thought for the Day

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—”1 Timothy‬ 2‬: 1 


Chacko Varughese, Epiphany Mar Thoma Church, New York.

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