Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Reformation: A Call for Renewal

Bible Reading:  Titus 3:3-8

Key verse:  3:4-5

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, 
not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy (Titus 3: 4-5)

DEVOTION

In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells Peter a parable in which a king reviews the accounts of the servants who borrowed money from him and calls on them to repay what they owe. One of the servants owed a very large debt and the king ordered that the servant and his family and all that the servant owned to be sold to repay the debt. Upon hearing this, the servant cried and begged for mercy. The king, filled with pity, forgave the servant’s debt. As the servant was leaving the palace, he encountered a fellow servant who owed him a small debt. In a fit of rage, he grabbed the fellow servant’s throat and demanded immediate payment. The fellow servant begged for mercy but he refused and had the man beaten and thrown in jail. A few other fellow servants, who witnessed the event, reported it to the king. The king, furious at what happened, gave orders to have the servant arrested and tortured till he repaid his debts in full. Jesus concludes the story by emphasizing the importance of forgiveness to Peter. Years later, Paul in his letter to Titus, emphasizes the same factor in a different light. You see, the king forgave the servant not because of the good deeds the servant had done but out of mercy and generosity. However, the servant failed to reciprocate the mercies shown to him by the king to a fellow servant. The servant enjoyed the forgiveness and generosity of the king but did not show the same level of kindness to his fellow servant. Paul reminds Titus that we are saved by our Lord, Jesus Christ not because of our righteousness or goodness but because He is merciful, loving and kind. Thus, we have an obligation to reciprocate the mercies, kindness, love & forgiveness shown to us by our Lord to all we come across in our lives. We are called to demonstrate the gifts of the spirit through our actions so that lives may be transformed and people around us understand what Christianity encompasses. 

PRAYER

 Dear Lord, thank you for the abundant mercies you have surrounded us with. Help us to reflect Your kindness and mercy in our dealings with others so that Your love and grace may shine through us. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

          Be the hand that lifts, not the weight that burdens. Your kindness today can be someone's hope tomorrow - Rev. Mothy Varkey

Susan Cherian Varghese
Epiphany  MTC  New York

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