Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Speaking Truth with Accountability 

Bible Reading:   Ezekiel 33 : 1-9   

Key verse:  I have made you watchman for the house of Israel   ( Ezekiel 33:5  NIV) 

DEVOTION

Our devotional today , from the Book of Ezekiel,  Chapter 33 focuses on the responsibility of the  watchmen to warn the people of impending danger.  We see God appointing Prophet Ezekiel as the watchmen that will guard and protect the House of Isreal.  Now as much as watchman responsibility is to warn the people of Isreal , we see time and over again , not only in the Book of Ezekiel but also right from the days of Adam and Eve, there is propensity for the Israelites to  ignore the warnings and blatantly follow their wicked ways of living. We see also lack of accountability and trying to rely on the lineage of the Israelites and past righteousness  and completely avoid taking any  responsibility for their way ward actions and destructive living.  
As we focus on today’s reading , and the key verse I have chosen from the reading is in verse 7 . Ezekeil was chosen as the watchman for the House of Isreal , however when we take into context the verse as it applies to us today , we are the designated watchman for the generation of today. God has given us the responsibility to be the watchman to warn this generation of the impending danger of not following what God has required of God’s people today.  Many people can cite the rich traditions of the Marthoma Church and having Godly ancestors who followed God diligently to cover for our modern day infractions and transgressions . However at the end of the day as the Book of Isaiah says in Chapter 55 ‘all have strayed like lost sheep’ . We know for fact that  speaking the truth and warning people of impending danger can often be a very unpopular in today’s day and age as there is no one who likes face the reality of truth or news that impact them personally.   Thus just like the children of Isreal who continued on their path of destruction and finally ended in the exile resulting in the total destruction of the Jerusalem.  There is danger ahead and we have to be step up in our role to be modern day Ezekiel. We as the designated watchman for this generation have role to play with great diligence because what lies ahead is the loss of precious lives and that is not what we desire of this present generation. 
Let us thus prayerfully consider the great responsibility that God has bestowed on each one of us as believers as the watchman for the present generation. Let us pray that God gives us courage to play the role of not only praying and interceding for the present generation but also be the torch bearers that can shine light of God’s salvation in the world today. The Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3.9 clearly alludes to the fact that God does not desire any one should perish but that all should repent and accept the salvation that God offers to all.  We have huge role to play and as much as its overwhelming and risk of being unpopular  , let us commit ourselves to be those ‘ shining lights in depraved generation ( Phil 2: 15-17)

PRAYER

Almighty and Gracious Lord , as you have appointed Ezekiel to be the watchman for the House of Israel , God has given the same responsibility to us, to be torch bearers to this present generation . Please give us the courage and grace to play our role with diligence on daily basis , in  Jesus Name we pray , Amen. 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“ Darkness cannot drive away darkness, only light can do that ..  ‘ – Martin Luther King , Jr .


Abraham Kurien, Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Houston, Texas.

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