Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Family-Space for Faith Formation
Deuteronomy 6
Nija I. Mathew

St. John's MTC, Queens, NY
20 When your children ask you in time to come, “What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21 then you shall say to your children, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.  
                      One of my favorite childhood memories is landing at John F Kennedy International Airport for the first time. Back in India, my knowledge of America came mostly through history books from school, and as I stepped off the plane I was half expecting to find people walking around with their pants tucked into their boots, like in the paintings I had seen of George Washington. Although I did not know what to expect, I was happy to be with my family, and as a child I had complete faith that they would be with me no matter what obstacles lay ahead.
                     Somewhere during the transition to adulthood, it begins to seem more difficult to have faith so that we are prepared for the unexpected. Our parents are not as perfect or invincible as they once appeared, and many things we once took for granted – our health, our jobs, our relationships – can quickly start to look very much out of our control.
                      Today's verse, taken from one of the oldest books in the Bible, offers a simple reminder that when we place our faith in God, we do not have to face the uncertainties of life alone. The people of Israel faced an uncertain future as slaves in Egypt, but having faith that God would deliver them, and devoting their lives to obey God's will, meant that they could move forward with confidence and without fear.
                     While none of us are slaves, we all will find ourselves at one point or another at the mercy of factors beyond our control. As Christians, we are promised that despite how insurmountable the obstacles we face may seem, we will not face them alone as long as we have faith that God is with us.  Our lives will always provide us with the unexpected, but through faith we can expect God to carry us through.

PRAYER

Lord, provide us with the courage to face uncertainty, and help our faith in You grow strong. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”  ― Søren Kierkegaard

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