Reflections

  Hearing God’s voice in the tender years Bible Reading: :  1 Samuel 3:1-12 Key verse :    “So, Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So, Samuel went and lay down in his place.  The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”  Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”  (1 Samuel 3:9-10) DEVOTION Samuel’s calling as a young boy while serving in the temple under Eli the priest comes during a period when God’s divine revelations and visions were rare.  Sameul had not yet known how to recognize God was calling him.  Eli a guiding factor in Samuel’s life helped perceive it was God’s voice calling to him and teaches him to heed God’s voice.  Guidance from Eli helps Samuel to pay attention and answer God’s calling.  Judgment for Eli and his family is revealed by God to Samuel.  Samuel’s role as a prophet has it’s begin...

  Greatness in the kingdom: becoming like a child Bible Reading: : Matthew 18:1-14 Key verse :    “And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 DEVOTION We are all proud to be Marthomites. We share the history of our church, dating back to St Thomas the Apostle. Many times, we tend to be complacent with our weekly Sunday services and the Holy Communion, just like Pharisees with their rituals in the temple. Jesus Christ urges us to change the status quo and to be like children to enter the kingdom of heaven.  The nature of children is to be curious and think critically without being judgmental, hypocritical or presumptive. Being like little children is hard work; it takes you out of your comfort zone, to take up the lowly position, to be innocent and honest with words and deeds. It reminds us of the fact that being a follower of Jesus Christ is not easy; it challenges ...

  Rooted in God’s wisdom from an early age. Bible Reading: :  Proverbs 3: 1-8 Key verse :    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3: 5-6 DEVOTION Verses five and six of Proverbs are among the most cherished words in Scripture. They call us into a life of complete dependence on God—a wholehearted commitment to His wisdom above our own. This is the Father’s desire for His children: that we would lean fully upon Him and rest in His guidance. Abraham, the “father of faith,” shows us both the strength and struggle of trust. When he believed God’s promise, it was counted to him as righteousness (Ro. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; Jas.  2:23 ). Yet when he leaned on his own understanding—fleeing to Egypt during famine (Gen.  12:10–20 ) or seeking a son through his own plan (Gen. 16:1–4)—he faltered. His story reminds us that faith is not born from reasoning in the mind but from believing with the heart. God speaks the same assur...

  Theme: A child’s courage that led to healing Bible Reading: : 2 Kings 5:1–14 Key verse :    “One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease.”– 2 Kings 5:3 DEVOTION We are all too familiar with the story of Naaman the leper. Yet, my hope is to present a unique perspective that draws us closer to God.  Naaman, Commander of the Syrian Army was held in high esteem due to his military accomplishments. What is striking, is that the Lord had granted victory to the Syrian forces! Contrary to popular belief, we see that even in the Old Testament God was ruler of the whole world and not just for the chosen people of Israel.  Naaman was respected as a great soldier but was struck with the dreaded disease of leprosy. Even as we ride the waves of success, God can rock the boat and ground us. The essence of this passage lies in the faith of the little Israelite girl who served as t...

  Partnering in God’s mission Bible Reading: : Mark  10: 13-16 Key verse :    “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. – Mark 10:15 DEVOTION Children are innocent and curious. Their minds are unblemished and they are pure at heart. They do not have ill intentions. They are clueless and helpless. Their hearts and minds are observing, exploring, delicate and malleable. They need care, protection and guidance and they fully trust their guardians to lead them. In this passage Jesus tells the disciples “Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” He says that the kingdom of God belongs to those with hearts and spirits that are innocent, pure, flawless and delicate. Have we looked into ourselves and asked if we are as blameless as we think we are? Are we curious to learn, observe, and explore God’s love for us? How many times do we assume that we know better? How man...

  Love Beyond Bloodlines and Sibling Rivalry: Shedding a New Light on an Old Commandment Bible Reading: : 1st John 2:7-11 Key verse :    Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light. (1st John 2:9,10) DEVOTION Recently I read about sibling rivalry in the animal kingdom in a science magazine. The naked mole-rats have nearly a hundred siblings from the same mother. The older ones usually force the younger ones to move out of the way in their dwelling place which are the underground tunnel systems. Birds like the cattle egrets take sibling rivalry to a whole new fatal level. When one chick grows stronger than the other sibling, it will actually go to the extent of killing that sibling, throwing it out of the nest while the parent bird is away hunting for food and the siblings are home alone.  It turns out that animals and birds are not the only ones that struggle...

  Family: Place of Pure Love Bible Reading: :St. Mark 3:31–35   Key verse :    Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (St. Mark 3:34–35) DEVOTION We often define “family” as those connected by blood, those who share a home, or those who have a common history. However, in the selected passage, Jesus offers a deeper definition: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” This is not a casual remark, but a powerful declaration that true family is not based solely on biology but on love and obedience to God. Family is meant to be rooted in obedience to God’s will. When Jesus declares that His true family consists of those who do God’s will, He reminds us that every family is called to active, intentional obedience. This obedience is not about rigid rule-following, but about living in trust and devotion to God. As families, we are ...

  Leading with Faith Bible Reading: : Acts 10: 1 – 8 Key verse :    He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. DEVOTION Cornelius was a Roman centurion and a Gentile, yet his life style was of a man of deep faith in God. Today’s reading reminds us that God sees every sincere heart and honors those who seek Him, regardless of background or ethnicity. Cornelius became one of the earliest non-Jewish followers of Jesus, and his acceptance of Jesus marked a turning point in the spread of the Gospel. What is amazing is how God orchestrated events in both Cornelius’ and Apostle Peter’s lives to bring about something great. As Cornelius received a vision from God in Caesarea, Peter was also being prepared through his own vision in Joppa. Their obedience led to a powerful encounter that opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. This teaches us an important lesson: when God gives us a vision or direction, ...

  Salvation Comes Home Bible Reading: : Luke 19: 1-10 Key verse :    9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” DEVOTION Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we find recurring themes in His parables. In stories like The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son, we see the heart of God rejoicing over restoration and return. The story of Zacchaeus beautifully embodies this same truth— both figuratively and literally. His encounter with Jesus is perfect reflection of God’s desire to find us where we are. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, a man despised for exploiting others and enriching himself through a corrupt system. However, having heard of who Christ was, he raced ahead of the crowed coming through Jericho. Desperate to see Him, Zacchaeus ran and climbed a tree—an act considered undignified for a man of his position.  When Jesus saw him, He called hi...

  Mutual Love & Respect: The Bond of Christ in Family Bible Reading: :Ephesians 5:21-33 Key verse :    "This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church" - Ephesians 5:32 DEVOTION Love in marriage, and Biblical love in general, is not self-seeking.  It is about how much we are willing to give of ourselves for others; “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (verse 25). Love is a choice. In his book, The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller writes, “He loved us, not because we were lovely to Him, but to make us lovely”. When we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives, He begins the work of progressive sanctification.  The Holy Spirit conforms our thoughts, words and actions to those of Jesus.  Jesus set this example in His relationship with the church by “presenting [her] to Himself in splendor…[to] be holy and without blemish” (verse 27).   Similarly, the purpose of marriage is to help each other become the new...

  Covering Family in Prayer Bible Reading: :  Job 1:1-5 Key verse :     Job 1:5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. DEVOTION Families are a gift from God, but they face challenges—seen and unseen. As parents, siblings, or loved ones, we often worry about those we care for. How can we protect and guide them? The answer lies in prayer. In Job 1:1-5, we meet Job, a man of faith who models what it means to cover his family in prayer. Before his trials, Job’s heart was set on interceding for his children, showing us the power of faithful prayer. 1:  Prayer Rooted in Godly Character (v. 1) Job was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” Job’s prayers for his family were effective because they flowed from a...

  Forgiveness That Heals Generations Bible Reading: : Genesis 45: 1-15 Key verse :    “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great  deliverance."So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Genesis 45: 7-8 DEVOTION If you are reading this, I am almost certain that this is not the first time you are hearing about forgiveness and most probably won't be the last time. Forgiveness is one of the most commonly used and talked about topics among Christians around the world yet not the easiest to practice. Forgiveness is not a topic that can be discussed in five minutes because there are so many components involved in forgiveness- trauma, healing, confrontation and justice to name a few. Today's devotional is taken from Genesis 45: 1-15 (I encourage all of you to read this passage) where Joseph is revealing himself to his brothers and forgiving them.  As I was reading this passage, a few questions that cam...

  Be an example: word, conduct, love, faith Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 4 : 7-16 Key verse :     "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales..."  DEVOTION Paul's first letter to Timothy consists of advice that is essential for Timothy to serve in Ephesus as a leader of faith. Timothy is a young leader and Paul gives Timothy encouragement and reminds Timothy that his youth and inexperience should not be the limiting factors in setting an example for the believers but he should lead by example and not pay attention to the myths and rumors that were being propagated.  In this day and age, we are constantly surrounded by disinformation and misinformation coupled with constant and easy access to social media which makes it hard to discern fact from fiction. The same holds true from a religious aspect with people who claim to be speaking the truth often distorting the truth to propagate teachings that seem religious but are far from the heart of...

  Youth in Christ's style Bible Reading: Matthew  19:16-22 Key verse :    21  Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. DEVOTION The encounter between Jesus and the rich young man, recorded in Matthew  19:16-22 , presents a profound challenge to genuine discipleship. This wealthy, morally upright individual approached Jesus, seeking to know what "good thing" he must do to inherit eternal life. He embodied the tension of the devout, claiming to have kept the commandments from his youth, yet his follow-up question, "What do I still lack?" revealed a deep spiritual emptiness that his outward obedience and public piety could not fill. Jesus responded by targeting the deepest attachment in the man’s heart, commanding him, "go, sell your possessions and give to the poor... and come, follow Me." This extreme demand was not an arbitrary rule for salvat...

  Leadership  through character Bible Reading: : Acts 6:1- 6 Key verse :     “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.” — Acts 6:3 DEVOTION In Acts 6:1–6, the early church faced a challenge: the Hellenistic widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Rather than ignoring the issue or allowing division to fester, the apostles responded with wisdom, not by overextending themselves, but by empowering others. They appointed seven men to oversee this ministry—men who were “known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” (v. 3). This moment is more than administrative—it’s a powerful lesson in how character shapes leadership. The apostles didn’t choose based on popularity, charisma, or skill alone. They chose men whose lives reflected spiritual depth, integrity, and discernment. Leadership in God’s kingdom has always been more about who we are ...

  CHOOSING PURITY – A DIFFERENT STANDARD Bible Reading: Daniel  1: 11-17 Key verse :    Verse: 15 At the end of ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. DEVOTION    This portion describes how Daniel and his friends choose to maintain their dietary purity by refusing the King's food and wine, opting instead for vegetables and water. The choice reflects a commitment to their faith and cultural identity, prioritizing spiritual and physical purity over royal privileges.  Daniel proposed a test  to the chief official, suggesting that after ten days of alternative diet, they could be evaluated alongside  the other young men.  Daniel and his friends appeared healthier and better nourished than those who  consumed the King's provisions.        This narrative illustrates several key themes:   1.  COMMITTMENT TO FAITH AND IDENTITY :   Daniel's deci...

  DEFEND YOUR HOPE WITH GENTLENESS Bible Reading: 1Peter  3:13-18 Key verse :    Verse 17: It is better if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. DEVOTION      In Peter  3:13-18 , we find a powerfull call to embody hope and gentleness in our interactions with others. The passage begins with a reminder that even in the face of suffering, we are blessed when we pursue good and maintain our integrity. This is a profound invitation to defend our hope not through aggression or argumentation, but through calmness and kindness.    This verse encourages us to be prepared to give an answer for our hope, yet to do so with gentleness and respect. This highlights the importance of demeanor; how we communicate our beliefs that  can  be impactful as the  beliefs themselves. In a world that can be harsh and combative, gentleness becomes a powerful tool for witness.      Furthermore, the text reassu...

  COURAGE TO STAND – UNSHAKEN IN FAITH Bible Reading:  Daniel: 6:1-10 Key verse :    Verse 5: Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for any charges against  this man Daniel, unless it has something to do with the law of his God”. DEVOTION    This passage tells the story of Daniel, who despite the decree  issued by King Darius prohibiting prayer to anyone but the King for thirty days, remains steadfast in his  devotion to God. It is  a powerful narrrative that illustrates unwavering faith and courage in the face of adversity.  Let us ponder upon few key themes based on this passage.  1.  COURAGE TO STAND FIRM :  Daniel's  decision to pray openly despite the potential consequences, exemplifies true courage.  His faith is not just a private matter, he boldly demonstrates in public, showing that his relationship with God is paramount.    2. FAITH OVER FEAR:  Daniel's  actions ...

  Honoring God in Youth  Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles: 29: 10 to 15 Key verse :    Vs 13  Now, Our God ,We give you thanks and praise your glorious name. DEVOTION Jesus came down to this humble earth to fulfill His Father’s will. He took on human form and walked in perfect obedience, always honoring the purpose for which He was sent. His life was the perfect example of surrender to God’s will. When creation mocked and crucified the Creator, the earth shook to its foundations, and the heavenly beings bowed their heads, awaiting His command. Yet, with all authority and power at His disposal, Jesus chose silence. He submitted Himself fully to the Father’s plan of salvation. In Proverbs, we are reminded to “remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” David, who knew the heart of the Lord, also lived by this truth. In 1 Chronicles 29, he prayed a powerful prayer of praise, declaring that everything belongs to God and that our lives are but offerings returned to ...