Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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The Shepherd's Eternal Perspective

Bible Reading:   2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Key Verse: “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1)



DEVOTION

These verses about the temple that awaits us tells of the promise granted to the ones that are the Lord’s faithful.  The one who is eternal and the one who is also leading us as our humble Shepherd; assuring us that He is recreating us into His image.  A Promise that we should strive for. He longs for us to join Him but only when our interiors are cleansed can we fully abide with Him.  The eternal one who is a protector of his sheep yet maintaining his immortality by being eternal.  The eternal God is the Shepherd that links himself with His Temple.   He is identifying with us in our humanness.  Such contrasting descriptions but yet they are mingled.  The Eternal and indestructible and yet the same one who for a time lowered Himself to be a lowly servant.
The temple that we aspire to be robed in assures us that with the help of the Holy Spirit, He will transform the interior of the sanctuary that we purpose to have- undefiled, spotless, and unblemished.  “………earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven (verse 2). It is because of this covering that we His flock can even behold Him as He is.  He makes it certain that this shelter and character of the person that inhabits this shelter will cleanse and make us confident to see His face. Because He is of the heavenly and human realm, He offers us to share in his glory while we also are still human. “Therefore, we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (verse 6).     While we remain here, we long …but let that longing create in us desire to live like the Master so that we are emboldened to see His face; not cowering and not retreating.   
 

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Help me to desire to be cleansed by You so I will be prepared to see you face to face Amen.


Thought for the day

Because we are His, we yearn to be joined to Him and He has promised to us an eternal partnership

                                                        
Bini George
Salem Mar Thoma Church, Dix Hills, NY

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