Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Chosen to proclaim God’s Praises
Psalm. 137

“May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.”   Psalm 137:6

Psalm 137, which was written during the Babylonian exile of people of Israel, reflects the bitterness of their captivity, the intense longing they had for the city of Jerusalem and also their prayer for judgment of God upon their enemies.
Zion – representation of Kingdom of God
Israel, the redeemed people of God, has been given the promise of being a blessing and peculiar treasure unto God above all other nations, a kingdom of priests and a Holy nation. (Exodus 19:5-6).  Later Jerusalem, or the City of Zion, became a symbol of dwelling place of God and center of worship.  Songs of Zion like Psalms 48, proclaimed the beauty of Zion, its glory, joy and its security - a picture of Kingdom of God.
Exile – alienation from Zion experience:
The people of Israel in exile were the captives of their own sins, alienated from the Zion experience and from the purpose of God for them.   The songs of Zion lost their meaning for the Israelites in exile because the messages of the songs contradicted their experiences in captivity.  Jerusalem was in ruins and they were sitting by the rivers of Babylon, weeping.
Desire for Jerusalem- Hope of Restoration:
However their intense longing for Jerusalem reflects their repentance and desire to be back at the center of the worship where God is exalted and is in rule. Only with a restored Zion experience, could they find the true meaning and purpose of Israel to become a blessing for others and the joy for the whole world.
We, the redeemed in Christ are the chosen generation, royal priest hood, holy nation and His own special people to proclaim the praises of our Lord.  We are the City of God built on a mountain, the temple where Holy Spirit dwells and called to sing of the beauty and glory of His Kingdom.  However our message and songs may become meaningless to the world if we contradict the message we carry and are not truly walking in the Kingdom experience. On the other side, being at the center of God’s will, our songs will exalt the one who redeemed us, regardless of the circumstances we go through. Paul and Silas were able to sing songs of Zion even behind the prison bars which brought others in to Zion experience.  As we fulfill the purpose of God in our lives, may we be a living example to reflect the beauty of Zion, the dwelling place of the Almighty God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we commit our lives to live in the true Zion experience and sing meaningful songs to proclaim your glory.
Thought for the Day:  “Oh, Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me”  - Albert Orsborn
Live in Truth, Leave the Sin and Love the Spirit

Abey Cherian, St. Thomas MTC, NY.








Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind wh...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tel...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things...
Read more