Word fir the day by Christian Education Forum

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Reflecting Christ's Light

Bible Reading:  2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Key verse:  

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ - 2 Corinthians 4:5-6


DEVOTION

For anything to be able to illuminate or shine in darkness, there must be a source. A jellyfish has the unique trait of bioluminescence that allows it to glow from it’s very physical make-up. A light bulb shines by the power source that it is connected to. For us as people to be able to shine, what powers us? What allows us to shine in a world of darkness, and better yet, what do our actions, heart, and life reflect to others? The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 4 challenges us to model our lives as he does in his ministry, and warns us of the forces that dim the very light we are called to reflect.
Paul in his 2nd letter to Corinth, speaks to the ministry of reconciliation he has been called to do, and it starts with his source- Jesus Christ. That victory Christ has had over sin is the source that illuminates Paul's life and should be ours as well. Paul exhorts us to his model of ministry- to not lose heart, but to keep God first and center. Success in ourselves is not the end goal, nor is the gospel requiring our flowery cleverness. Rather, let the power of the Spirit of God ignite our hearts. A good news based on our glory will never end well, for we are finite creatures who are prone to wander or waver. However, if we connect to the source, we will truly be a city on the hill Jesus calls us to be.
God's glory and saving grace is the source within the darkness of this world. Even in the light of sickness, death, abject poverty, injustice, family discord, addiction, and so much more, God's glory and power is shown in Jesus. When He took on sin, he unveiled a true solution to the world's ills. Not that it would remove suffering, but that in the face of the eternal, the present sufferings are miniscule. For you and me, that may not feel so, but put your faith in God as Paul did. The old covenant was impossible to heed due to our fallibility to err. Through Jesus, we can fight sin and thus reflect our Creator once again.
Our church's beautiful motto is lighted to lighten. Though our circumstances may feel overwhelming and break us, cling to the source that is the cross! Let that be the source of the ministry that is your life- not wordly  success, marriage, or the affirmation of others. The world we live in is dark, but when we keep God-centered and His glory first, we will shine and be blessed. I cannot shine on my own, but I pray I can be a mirror, a mirror that reflects God's character and heart. I may crack, I may lose my glimmer, but God's greatness can still be shine through me if I seek His face. His brilliance knows no bounds, and can unveil to others a true and real hope that can only come from Jesus, the great Redeemer.
A good news that touts moral law following, and pleasure is bound to fall short. A good news that is bound in the hope Jesus gives in his sacrifice is forever and abundant. When we hold to that, it will allow us to shine fully in this fallen world. Take heart brothers and sisters, especially in the political and civil unrest, and the suffering we see each day. God is ever present, and we are called to encourage others to seek God's face first, not just His hand. Let not our church traditions become mindless actions, but a greater meditation on the heart and mission of God. May He be forever praised. Amen

PRAYER

 Lord God, thank you for the sacrifice of Your Son and the salvation that is offered in Him. Help me not to hold to the old covenant, but remember I am free from sin, and a light in the darkness if I hold to You and You alone. Amen 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Where are you finding in your life, where you may be lacking God's reflection? What holds you back there

 
Arun Chacko
The Mar Thoma Church Staten Island 

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