Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Redemption
Exodus 17:1-6
Dr. Eapen Daniel

Trinity MTC, Houston

5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.

 

Redemption is the theme of the Bible as a whole.  Anytime we humans sin, it is God’s great redeeming act that saves us and puts us back on the path of sanctity if we desire to be sanctified.

 
As God had commanded, the Israelites journeyed through the desert for years with on and off comforts and sufferings. As we read in the books of the Old Testament, God’s protection was all around the Israelites. Even though they had experienced His protection and care through times of great trouble, when they encountered difficulties – this time, lack of water, they murmured with sour voices and unthankful hearts. That trend still follows in modern times as well. We are thankful to God when everything we need is given and provided, but when things go wrong, we tend to blame God. The Israelites did not encompass the idea that God is able to provide water out of barren rocks. In other words, they acted upon missing immediate life needs and cursed the Lord for not ‘looking after’ them.

 
 When we visit a new place or a new country we start to develop impressions of what we visualize and develop our own ‘point of view’ which may or may not differ from that of others and also may differ from reality. A place or a setting that seem great and wonderful may not continue to be so in the long run – weeks, months or years later. Even when we meet new people or people who look and act different from what we are, we tend to develop perspectives that could be totally wrong, since we might not have gotten the full background, history, and circumstances. The main reason for this type of wrongful perspective is our limited thinking-power and comprehensive capacity. When we think of God and His power, we tend to apply the same perspective, discounting the enormous power of faith and Godly provisions.
As humans, we are managers placed on this earth, who are to manage what is given to us and report back to the master at the “end of the day”. God can open fountains for us where we least expect them. In life’s journey, with sufferings at times, those who trust in the power of God will attain strength to go on victoriously.

PRAYER

God, open our hearts to see Thy providence and let us be thankful for all that we have. Let us depend on Thy might and power and affirm in our minds that Your continued care will get us through life’s journey. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
 
The work of redemption was accomplished by Christ in His death on the cross and has in view the payment of the price demanded by a holy God for the deliverance of the believer from the bondage and burden of sin. In redemption the sinner is set free from his condemnation and slavery to sin."
- John F. Walvoord 

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