Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Leviticus 8: 1-14

“Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred diadem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses.” – Leviticus 8: 9

When we reflect upon this chapter, we may find ourselves struggling to grasp the relevance of these words in our lives. Living in the 21st century, many traditions and customs have been “lost in translation”, such as the significance of the priestly garments, which reflect the importance of priesthood and, furthermore, communion with God. Aaron and his sons were endowed with vibrantly decorated and colorful garments, such as the ephod, breast piece, and the sacred diadem to be placed upon Aaron’s head. Though at first glance one may view these garments as a glorification of a position, there’s a deeper meaning to each garment.
The ephod contained shoulder pieces where two onyx stones were placed, each bearing six names of the sons of Israel serving as a memorial before the Lord. The breast piece also contained twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes, signifying that Aaron would bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart whenever he entered the Holy Place. Every decision Aaron made kept the needs of the Israelites close to his heart. The sacred diadem, a plate of pure gold, had upon it engraved “Holy To The Lord”, and was placed on Aaron’s forehead. Though it may be misconstrued as a pendant of exultation, it served as a reverent reminder that the priest is consecrated for the Lord and the priest bore the guilt involved in the gifts offered by the Israelites to the Lord.
Though this ideology may sound outdated to many, the passage speaks to our lives today. Priesthood represents a bridge between God and his people that, once broken, is restored by the blood of the Lamb. This restoration reveals to us that these words, these reminders, are written in our hearts and the veil of sin no longer shrouds communion with Jesus, who is the ultimate High Priest. Our priests, set apart for the ministry of God, encourage and strengthen us on earth to maintain and develop our relationship with Him and that in Christ, we are set free.

Prayer: Lord, let us pray for the priests within our church and that you guide and let them unveil the shroud that prevents us from having a relationship with You. Help us to remind ourselves that we are free in You and we are valuable in Your Eyes. We thank you for your Presence in our lives. Amen.

Thought for the Day: The gap between God and us has been restored with the blood of Christ. Our priests have been chosen to minister the mission of the Gospel and help restore our relationship with God.

Robin Varghese, Epiphany Mar Thoma Church, 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 who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
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 tell a child as to why they’ve been a
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