Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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United in Christ’s Love
Deuteronomy 4: 1-10
  Jacob Joseph

St. John’s MTC, NY

9 But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children— 10 how you once stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, “Assemble the people for me, and I will let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me as long as they live on the earth, and may teach their children so”; 
 

In today’s world, when we look at society, we often see separations amongst people, whether it is based on social class, religion, race, or gender. These social distinctions and differences among groups of people have caused all of us to believe that we are either superior or inferior to one another. However, this isn’t true in the eyes of the Lord.  In the eyes of the Lord we are all the same.  In the eyes of the Lord, we are the body of Christ.  But how can we be united as one if we act and think divided amongst ourselves?
In this verse, the most common words are to “teach them to your children.”  How can we do that if we are divided amongst ourselves? The problem with many churches is that we are divided amongst ourselves rather than being united in Christ’s love.  Every church, every community, every group should have one goal or mission.  For the Mar Thoma church that is to spread the word as seen in our motto, “Lighted to Lighten,” but is that what we are doing? Or are we more concerned with political agendas, and worldly pleasures of life?
   
If we look in the New Testament, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he mainly focuses on this theme of being united with one another. Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble, and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”  These are just some of the qualities we need in order to be united in Christ. There may be obvious differences amongst all of us, but Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  It is one of the most common verses we have ever heard, it is time for us to start believing and living by it so that we may be united in Christ’s love, and spread His love.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the abundance of blessings that You have given us.  You have given us all a purpose, so we ask that You give us the strength to fulfill Your will and become united with one another.  We ask that You forgive us for creating divisions amongst ourselves. In Your most precious name we pray, Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
 
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” – J.K. Rowling
 

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