Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 With Christ into the New Year

Bible portion: Romans 8: 31-39

V 39 “No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (New Living Translation)

 Wouldn’t it be a joy to know that you are not alone as you prepare to welcome the year 2024? The text for meditation which is an extract from the letter by Paul to the Christians at Rome reiterates the truth of the unfailing companionship and strength in Christ promised to everyone who brings these things to mind.
When Paul encourages the believers, he is aware that multiple fears can stall their determination and dampen their desire to travel the way of the cross. Aware of the fact that this earth is just our temporal place of residence, Paul urges his readers through God’s divine spirit to be cognizant of the following facts that would spur us for action:
We are not our own but are owned by God. This is a comforting revelation. We are meant to place a smile on our owner’s face since we are considered trustworthy by our heavenly father. It is up to us to know God through his Word. It is important to delight in God’s Word.  Being counted justified by God is more important than receiving accolades from people around. 
We are not left on our own here. Christ is our intercessor to plead on our behalf. It is not a one-time action from our savior but a continuous process as the passage reminds. We have the gift of God’s Spirit which would enable us to stand up for our god-driven priorities in the midst of burning furnaces of power and earthly expectations. 
 We are loved for what we own. The priceless gift offered to us is God’s son Jesus Christ. Having Christ in us is finding redemption from the power of fear, death, sickness, and pain. Trusting God on the finished work of the Cross for our redemption is our passport to God’s heart. 
We are to become what we claim to own. We are being urged to become Christ to a lost world. As the Bible reminds, we are never to take the same path after worshipping the baby Jesus. My presence must be a source of solace not just to the members of my family but to the environment, the immigrants, the strangers and to the flora and fauna around me. Let us claim the power in the name of Jesus and live as children of the all-powerful God of all creation. If Christ is so important a vocabulary for our loving heavenly father, should that name not become the center of our admiration, our pursuits and our happiness every day of the New Year? 

Prayer
: Dear Lord, thank you for the immense wealth you have provided for us in Christ. Allow us to step out in faith and use the powerful language of redemptive grace as Paul did to strengthen other believers and to draw more people to your way.

Thought for the day
Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”

Dr. Anita Mathai
C/o Rev. M. S. Daniel
Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church, Niranam, Kerala

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