Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Jesus Christ Who Transforms
Bible portion 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Key Verse
The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. – 1st Timothy 1:14
Devotion
Paul’s relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ is one that is well-documented in Scripture. Paul’s encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus was one that changed the course of his life forever. In his letter to Timothy, we can witness the complete transformation that took place in the life of a sinner, and how Christ gave Paul a new purpose and lease on life.
When homeowners decide to do work on their home, the thought is that they will hire some of the best laborers available to work on the project. After all, there is an expectation that the home will look presentable and function as it should with the necessary upgrades. Jesus, in the construction of God’s Kingdom, chooses people who may not appear to be the most equipped on the surface level to do heavenly work. Let’s take a closer look at the life of the Apostle Paul. Prior to his conversion, he was swift in his attempts to stop the spread of Christianity by any means possible. In today’s day and age, there are many who attempt to do this very thing. However, these individuals can still be used mightily by God. They are all just one Damascus-like encounter away from becoming mighty servants in the labor of the Lord.
Paul alludes to the idea that even the worst of sinners, those we think irredeemable, are not outside the grace of God. Though once an adversary of Christ, Paul was welcomed with open arms into the Kingdom of God. Today’s devotional passage is an invitation to the reader to see the need for God’s grace in Jesus Christ. We are all in desperate need of God’s mercy revealed in Christ. In Psalm 103, the Word tells us that God does not “treat us as our sins deserve” (Psalm 103:10). We need not look far to see how applicable this is in our lives. God’s grace is an invitation to us to live a life pleasing to the Lord and worthy of the calling placed before us.
Christ’s proximity to the sinner cannot be undermined. In the building up of His Kingdom, there is much to be done. In truth, we are unworthy servants in the service of a mighty King. If we step into the grace of God, then we can experience the transformative, live-giving Spirit that is offered to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ is one that is well-documented in Scripture. Paul’s encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus was one that changed the course of his life forever. In his letter to Timothy, we can witness the complete transformation that took place in the life of a sinner, and how Christ gave Paul a new purpose and lease on life.
When homeowners decide to do work on their home, the thought is that they will hire some of the best laborers available to work on the project. After all, there is an expectation that the home will look presentable and function as it should with the necessary upgrades. Jesus, in the construction of God’s Kingdom, chooses people who may not appear to be the most equipped on the surface level to do heavenly work. Let’s take a closer look at the life of the Apostle Paul. Prior to his conversion, he was swift in his attempts to stop the spread of Christianity by any means possible. In today’s day and age, there are many who attempt to do this very thing. However, these individuals can still be used mightily by God. They are all just one Damascus-like encounter away from becoming mighty servants in the labor of the Lord.
Paul alludes to the idea that even the worst of sinners, those we think irredeemable, are not outside the grace of God. Though once an adversary of Christ, Paul was welcomed with open arms into the Kingdom of God. Today’s devotional passage is an invitation to the reader to see the need for God’s grace in Jesus Christ. We are all in desperate need of God’s mercy revealed in Christ. In Psalm 103, the Word tells us that God does not “treat us as our sins deserve” (Psalm 103:10). We need not look far to see how applicable this is in our lives. God’s grace is an invitation to us to live a life pleasing to the Lord and worthy of the calling placed before us.
Christ’s proximity to the sinner cannot be undermined. In the building up of His Kingdom, there is much to be done. In truth, we are unworthy servants in the service of a mighty King. If we step into the grace of God, then we can experience the transformative, live-giving Spirit that is offered to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Lord, we thank You for Your unending love and mercy towards us even though we are unworthy. May we never forget that Christ Jesus came to this world, suffered, and died on the cross of Calvary to cleanse us from our sins. It is only by Your mercy that we are saved, and we pray that Your mercy is revealed to all humankind through us. As we walk in this world as Your redeemed children, strengthen us to do Your will and be a light unto others, so that they may be drawn closer to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
Thought for the Day
“Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Bought me with His precious blood” – Robert Robinson
Lord, we thank You for Your unending love and mercy towards us even though we are unworthy. May we never forget that Christ Jesus came to this world, suffered, and died on the cross of Calvary to cleanse us from our sins. It is only by Your mercy that we are saved, and we pray that Your mercy is revealed to all humankind through us. As we walk in this world as Your redeemed children, strengthen us to do Your will and be a light unto others, so that they may be drawn closer to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
Thought for the Day
“Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Bought me with His precious blood” – Robert Robinson
Christin Mathew
Epiphany Mar Thoma Church
Epiphany Mar Thoma Church