Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Promise of the Holy Spirit
Joel 2: 28-32

v32 “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” 
 
The concept of the “Day of the Lord” can be confusing for many people. We see in the book of Joel, written sometime around the period of Israel’s exile, that the “Day of the Lord” can have many contexts. One version of the “Day of the Lord” occurred early in Israel’s past, God brought a devastating swarm of locusts to Egypt, and presently as there is a current attack of locusts on Israel’s land as mentioned in chapter 1,. Chapter 1 also states a future “Day of the Lord” that will also lead to destruction. Joel then describes the role that repentance can have, and how there is a need for us to “cry out to the Lord” (1:14), and thus turn this future destruction to a future hope.
                As we get to chapter 2, Joel continues on the topic of this future “Day of the Lord” and once again Joel emphasizes the need for repentance, to ultimately “rend your heart and not your garments, [to] return to the Lord your God for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (2:13). God not only saves us from his destruction through repentance, but God also restores us and promises us His presence with the promise of the Holy Spirit. In this new Day of the Lord, God “will pour out [His] Spirit on all people” (2:28). We see that this Holy Spirit will cause change in people’s lives, causing people to prophecy, dream, and have visions about God’s wonders. God’s Spirit will be able to transform people to be better followers of Him.
                Likewise, when we repent and accept Christ through faith, Christ has promised us the Holy Spirit that will “advocate to help [us] and be with [us] forever” (John 14: 16). The Holy Spirit has the power to unify believers into Christ, aligning our old selves with Christ’s death and shedding our old sinful selves that lead to destruction, and now brings us a new life in Christ that promises hope. The Holy Spirit will continue to work in us to become better followers of Christ.
PRAYER
Father, Thank You for your unparalleled grace and mercy that You have shown us, despite our sinful ways that lead to our own spiritual death. We thank You for showing grace through your son Jesus Christ and allowing the promised Holy Spirit to work in our lives to become a better representation of you. Amen.

 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God is just in allowing His wrath to fall upon sinners, but his grace and mercy speaks even more volumes, and allows us to experience a future hope. Continue to put your faith in Christ’s redemptive work on the cross and allow yourselves to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Christo Mathew, Mar Thoma Church of Dallas-Farmers Branch, Texas
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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