Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Reading of the Scripture with the Risen Lord
2 Chronicles 34: 29-33
 Vs. 30.....he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord.
Josiah, who started ruling Israel from a very tender age of eight years, was very steadfast in following the ways of the Lord God Jehovah. During his reign, he tried to do everything acceptable and pleasing to the Lord of his father (ancestor) King David. As a believer, there are certain remarkable characteristics that we can observe in the life of King Josiah.
He diligently searched for the Lord God of Israel from a very young age
He abolished  idol worship and set free the whole land of Israel from all kinds of idols
He repaired and rebuilt the temple of the Lord.
He genuinely repented as the ‘Book of Moses’ was read to the people of Israel in his presence
As a human being, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lived a life of sinless perfection in this world. All His deeds and speech were synonymous with the ‘Word of God’. We also know that He is the ‘Word incarnate’. (St. John1:14). How is the ‘Word’ related to a believer’s life? We are taught by the scriptures the reason for our salvation is ‘faith’ and the cause of that ‘faith’ is the grace of God. The Bible is clear on the topic of how the bridge is built by the ‘Word’ towards the attainment of salvation.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”, is a key verse in this regard (Romans 10:17).
The resurrection of our Lord underlines the reality that after our earthly existence, a glorified body is promised for each believer. We will be transformed to that state of existence with the Lord at His second coming. The quintessence  of Apostle Paul’s exhortation to the church is ‘Salvation through Faith’ in Christ Jesus. He also emphasizes the resurrection of the dead as the latent principle in the attainment of salvation for our souls (1 Corinthians 15: 12-19).
Josiah, the king of Israel, lead the people to the path of obedience to God by listening and closely following the precepts and principles laid down in the ‘Word of God’.  Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, built the bridge of faith, through His magnificent obedience (to the point of His painful death on the cross), for us His believers to enter into His glorious kingdom. Thus the significance of the ‘Word of God’ in the life of the disciple of Christ cannot be over emphasized. It is the very breath of life of the believers without which we cannot survive as witnesses in this present world.
 PRAYER
“Gracious Lord, give us Your everlasting words abundantly so that streams of living water will flow through us to those around us”.
 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
"The Scriptures teach us the best way of living,  the noblest way of suffering,  and the most comfortable way of dying". John Flavel

Abraham Mammen, Epiphany MTC, New York
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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