Reflections

  Healing: God’s Mercy and Extended Life Bible Reading: 2 Kings 20: 1 – 11  Key Verse: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. ( 2 kings 20: 5 ) DEVOTION Hezekiah was the king of Judah and he became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah  went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.  Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.”  Many have asked, why good people suffer or why good people die at a young age?  At times, events happen in our lives for which no human explanations can be offered. Sometimes we question God. Even the righteous get sick as we see in today’s reading as well as in the book of Job, but God hears the prayer of the righteous. God heard Hezekiah...

  MEDICAL MISSION Bible Reading: James  5:13-18 Key Verse:    V14:  Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: DEVOTION  Mar Thoma medical mission has distinguished institutions dedicated to provide  health care needs of the people in several parts of Kerala and India at large. Medical mission hospitals at Ranni, Kattanam and Kumbanad  are few examples. These Institutions  are committed to deliver comprehensive, high quality health care service to people in the surrounding towns where they are located.  Our mission is to serve the community through comprehensive medical care, expert staff and  at affordable means.         This passage from James epistle is relating to  healing of the sick through faithful prayer of the sick person as well as elders of the church concerned about him. It takes us deep into G...

  Christ Gives Holistic Healing Bible Reading: Mark: 5: 25-34 Key Verse:   34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” DEVOTION The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels, but records the highest (18) number of Jesus’s miracles. The fifth chapter presents three healing miracles: (i) demon-possessed man; (ii) woman with a flow of blood for twelve years; (iii) Raising of Jairus’s daughter from the dead. The devotional passage (Mark 5:25-34) and the parallel texts (Matthew  9:20-22 ; Luke 8:43-48) describe the second miracle of Jesus healing the woman, who had spent all her resources on treatment without any relief, and becoming worse. When she learned about Jesus, the woman believed that even a touch of His clothes would make her well. She received immediate healing upon touching His garment. However, she fell down before Jesus, fearing and trembling, when He asked, “Who touched My clothes?”. Je...

  Faith that heals, Trusting Jesus in our weakness Bible Reading: Isaiah 58: 6-7 Key Verse:    Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen ? to loose the chains of injustice.. DEVOTION From a very young age we are taught the importance of prayer. We are taught to often pray on matters that we feel unable to tackle. But in Isaiah 58 verses 6-7, God calls for not only prayers and fasting but actions that supplement our prayers and fasting. The passage talks about how we need to complement our religious activities with charitable acts that are caring and compassionate. Mostly, we tend to think that our prayers are more than enough but God is saying we need to follow up with action as well.  While prayers help, it is our acts of compassion that completes our faith in Jesus. This concept truly stands out in the story of the friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. While these friends upheld their paralyzed friend in their prayers, they also broke t...

  Holding fast to the promise of Christ’s return Bible Reading:Revelation 3: 8-11   Key Verse: “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11    DEVOTION In this passage, Jesus speaks to the church in Philadelphia, one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation. This church in Philadelphia is unique among the seven churches because it is the only second church that is not rebuked. It is a message of encouragement and hope for a faithful group of believers who, though small and weary, have steadfastly remained loyal to His name. In a situation where it was tough to stand as Christians, they were standing firm. They were faithful to God’s Word and faithful to Christ’s name. Christ begins by acknowledging their deeds and faithfulness despite their limited strength. He assures them that He has opened a door for them—an opportunity for ministry or a blessing—that no one can shut. This door represents access to God’...

  Do good and keep the faith Bible Reading:   Galatians 6: 6 -10   Vs 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ DEVOTION The above scripture is a powerful passage that delves into the profound connection between faith and action. It emphasizes the importance of living a life that reflects our Christian beliefs through consistent acts of kindness and service and teaches us to love God our neighbors as ourselves. It challenges us to live out our faith not just in words, but in the everyday choices and actions that shape our lives. It highlights the principle of sowing and reaping, emphasizing that our choices have consequences. If we indulge in worldly desires, we will reap corruption. However, if we align our lives with God's will through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we will reap eternal life. Furthermore, Paul’s letter to Galatians encourages perseverance in doing go...

  SERVING AND LOVING ONE ANOTHER WITH DEVOTION Bible Reading: Romans 12: 6-13   Key Verse:    V11. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. DEVOTION  Paul's exhortation to people in Rome, to the use gifts,  God has  granted to individual  members of the church, to serve the community  and glorifying God. The idea is related in the ancient Greek  for spiritual gifts  which means a gift of grace. Spiritual gifts are given at the discretion of the holy spirit.  It is not given according to the merit, but God chooses to give them as needed.  Having given the gifts of grace, let us use them among brethren.  Those who get gift of prophecy, keep prophesying  in proportion to the faith, gift of ministry - let them use them in ministering, he who teaches in teaching, he who exhorts in exhortation, he who gives can give with liberality,  he who leads may do it with diligence, and...