Reflections

Making One's Marriage  Honorable Mark 10:2-9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate (Mark 10:9).   In Mark 10: 7, Jesus says that" For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife". Before marriage the priority of the bride and the groom was primarily to the parents but once they get married they need to consciously reorganize their significant relationship in such a way that their priority first is to their spouses. Most of the marriages fail or become dishonorable when the couples are not able to reorganize their marital relationship by having a healthy detachment from one's parents. Secondly in verse 6, Jesus says that "in the beginning God made them male and female". Here what we see is the distinct identity of each of the partners. This distinct identity is not just in terms of gender difference but also a call to respect and affirm the other person and also difference that the person brings ...

Covalent Bonds Heb 13:1-6 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers (Heb 13:4).   Marital relationships, where the two become one (Mark 2:8-9), requires a balance, like a covalent bond. Otherwise the attractive and repulsive forces which are part of the marital relationship may destroy it. Let us glean a few instructions for marriage from today's portion. 1. Core Christianity (v.1-3). Love is at the core of Christian faith, and the concluding exhortations begin with it. Hospitality (v.2) is an overflow of a heart filled with love (Remember Jesus making breakfast - John 21:10-13). V.2 recalls Abraham's hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18), who turned out to be angels. V. 3, talks about visiting prisoners. It was written at a time when Christ...

Stand with  the Weak Heb  4:14-16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb  4:16 ).   Augustine of Hippo once beautifully stated that the believer needs to know the differences between knowing God and knowing about God. There is a huge gap between these two phrases for they are two different worlds. Today ,one of the basic questions asked is if an atheist can be a theologian. And I think what Augustine says applies here. You and I need to know our Savior than to just know about Him. He is not captivated nor can be captured in words for how can the created fully explain the created? Thus,the first call for us today is to know God,know Jesus. And when you know Him,the text we read today makes sense. The beautiful thing that sets Jesus apart from other gods of other religions is that, as verse 15 points out, He can sympathize with our weakness. Have you ever felt that y...

UNITY IN WITNESS Ezekiel 37:15-22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king overall (Ezekiel 37:22) The historical situation of the brokenness of Israel and Judah was a sign not just of political instability but of a deep-seated spiritual problem. The Hebrews wanted a king to rule them, even though God told them their kings would all fall short of His purposes. Though the people were hopeful, the kings of were not able to live up to the task of representing God to the people and bringing the people to God. Instead, in all their sinful frailties, they led the people astray. The divided kingdom was a painful confirmation of the failures of the kings. The division of the kingdom naturally led to a fall of both Israel and Judah and gave way to exile. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted a return from captivity for the nations, but Ezekiel's vision goes even farther down the years. He foresaw a time of unity. But this unity was not...

Suffering in Priestly Ministry 2 Tim 2:1-7 No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier's aim is to please the enlisting officer (2 Tim 2:4).   Apostle Paul is commanding attention from Timothy regarding his vocation. "Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim  1:13 ). The greatest virtue of a servant of Jesus Christ is prescribed by the Apostle Paul, that is - "Share in the suffering of Jesus Christ." He presents three images or models to explain the road of suffering, service, endurance and faithfulness. 1. Soldier  (vs. 3-4): A soldier should have purposeful dedication to his undertaken work and loyalty to the person under whom he/she is called to serve. The work demanded may be risky, but you are expected to accomplish the task without delay or without fail. 2. Athlete  (v. 5): An athlete is inducted into the team to compete. It is also under ...

Life in Christ for the World Gal 2:20-21 ...and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me (Gal 2: 20a)   In Galatians 2:20-21, St. Paul writes some of the most beautiful and meaningful verses in the Bible.The above verse reveals many things about Paul himself. Firstly, it is evident that he fully identified with Christ, since he said that he is crucified with Christ. There is no greater degree of identification with Christ than this. His life belongs to Christ and is fully yielded to fulfill the will of Christ. And that's not all — the writer is also fully committed to live for Christ, as he states that he lives by the faith of the Son of God. He has complete trust in Christ to lead him, direct him, and provide for him each day. We can also tell from the way these verses are written that this life which fully ...

Out of the Dust Psalms 119:25-32 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live.(Psalms 119:77) Feeling low? Struggling with one of life’s worst-case scenarios? You’re not alone. It would be fantastic if we could recite some spiritually charged words and make all of our problems go away, but that’s just not going to happen. Life is not all smiles and happy hearts—even for the people of God. Yet even from the darkest expressions of sadness can come the hope of help. The despair of the psalmist, recorded in Psalm 119, leads to the promise of comfort and mercy. Out of tribulation can arise new understanding and strength. The psalmist freely expressed his feelings and his trust that God would take care of him. “My soul clings to the dust” (v.25). Then a plea to God: “Revive me according to Your Word.” “My soul melts from heaviness” (v.28). Then the hope in God’s provision: “Strengthen me according to Your Word.” “I will run the course of Your commandments” (v.32). Even...

We Remember 1 Corinthians 11:23–30 "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it." For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again. 1 Cor 11:24-26 As we come to the Communion table, there are three things we should remember, according to 1 Corinthians 11:23–30. First, we should look back . We are to participate in Communion in remembrance of Christ (see verse 24). Though we must be reverent and must be appreciative of what Communion symbolizes, Communion also speaks of intimacy and fellowship. And so we look back. We look back to the cross. We remember what Christ accomplished for us. And we are reminded of His love for us. Second, we are to look ahead .  The Scriptur...

Bring Out The Shine Job 23:8-17 He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job  23:10 ) Many years ago I bought a 1964 Volkswagen from my neighbor. The car was mechanically sound, but the outside looked pretty rough. Dents marred its surface, and dirt and grime had dulled its once deep blue color. As time passed, I wondered if its original luster and beauty could be restored. I was sure its bumps could be eliminated, but what about the finish? So I began to experiment on some of the worst spots. Much to my delight, I discovered that with a lot of elbow grease and some rubbing compound my drab little Volkswagen could be brought to a beautiful shine. We as Christians have the wonderful potential of reflecting the beauty of our Savior. But sin has left its mark on our personalities, and a lot of “road film” needs to be removed before the lovely character of Jesus can be seen in us. God often brings about this change through the buffing ...

View this email in your browser CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FORUM Word for the Day " Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path". Psalm 119:105 A Fly’s Reminder  Ecclesiastes 9:4-12 Anyone who is among the living has hope.(Ecclesiastes 9:4) When I first began working in the small office I now rent, the only inhabitants were a few mopey flies. Several of them had gone the way of all flesh, and their bodies littered the floor ...

Legacies of Love 2 Timothy 1:1-5 Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 I was paging through my great-grandmother’s Bible when a treasure fell into my lap. On a small scrap of paper, in a young child’s handwriting, were the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3–4 kjv). Scribbled beside those verses in wobbly cursive was my mother’s signature. My great-grandmother had a habit of teaching her grandchildren to write out Scripture verses so they would learn them and take them to heart. But the story behind this verse brought tears to my eyes. My grandfather died when my mother was very young, and her little brother (my uncle) died just weeks later. It was in that ...

HARMONIOUS LIVING Colossians  3:12-17 "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17) St. Paul's letter to the Colossians clearly draws pictures in our mind about the uniqueness of life pointed towards Christ -- the supreme way for salvation. Those who are saved are new 'in Christ'. So put off all worldly orders of the old life and live according to the guidelines that are nurtured in the principles and teachings of Christ. The apostle gives a new 'self' consciousness. This passage teaches about the need for putting on love, appropriating the peace of Christ and being thankful. As we are concentrating on this portion for meditation let's focus on three aspects: 1. As chosen persons it's our duty to put on the new qualities/new clothing. Vs.12, 13 St Paul lists new characters that are expected from a person born above in Christ: kindness, humility,...

GROWING INTO THE MATURITY OF CHRIST Colossians 1:24-29 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28) Christianity is about life transformation. It is God's purpose to transform our life world into God's kingdom. For that we should become more mature in our faith, more like Christ, k in our being. The epistle to Colossians states the purpose of our Christian life. Clearly, Paul's purpose is to "present everyone mature in Christ." Meaning of Growing into Maturity What is Paul talking about? When we become a believer we become a new creation in Christ, but we are not perfect yet. We begin a process of growing more and more to become like Christ. There is a beginning and there is an end and we are on a journey or pilgrimage between these two points. The church uses several different words to describe this process of becoming like Christ: discipleship, sanc...

GOD FEARING LIFE Psalms 128 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. (Psalms 128:1-2) Choice matters Blessedness is a state of life which is the lasting fruit of our choices. It is not a transient feeling or an emotional festival either. Therefore, the choices we make in our life define and determine the meaning and fullness of our lives. Choices are more than just saying "yes" to some people or some choices. It is not choosing one id the best options. On the contrary, it is an unswerving commitment to a person, Jesus, who taught us the importance of making choices that are eternal, even at the face of death, and what it means to be committed to the will of God. Jesus chose not death, but to live meaningfully unto death. If it were otherwise, Jesus' death would have been nothing but a suicide. So, by choosing to live, we choose life itself; not death. When we choose...

LIFE OF GRATITUDE Psalms 71 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your  power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.  (Psalms 71:18) We are focusing on Psalm 71 and the theme selected is "Old Age With Grace." We recognize our Senior Citizens who are sixty years and over and pay our respects to them. A historical perspective enables us to see the key role that other members have played in Ancient societies. With the emergence of Modern Period in history, the relative importance shifted to childhood and adolescence (or youth hood). It marks a radical change in social relationships, institutions and in various styles of living. After childhood and youth hood, there are the stages of adulthood and old age. We shall continue our meditation of Psalm 71 by raising couple of questions and selecting relevant ideas from related books. The book is The Virtues of Aging (1998) written by former President Jimmy Carter. Instea...

GRACE IN OLD AGE Luke. 2: 25-35 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined   to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too. "(Lk 2:34,35)   There are some people in the world who feel they might be too old, too limited or too marginalized to be of much use to God. Simeon is proof positive that God uses anyyone who is submitted to the Holy Spirit. This offers great hope, confidence and assurance that God continues to use the weak of the world to shame the things which are strong. Reading on, we can see that Simeon's life is full of great lessons for us this morning. SIMEON PREPARED OTHERS TO FACE THE WORST - Simeon warned Mary and Joseph "This ...