Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Kurie-elaison: Enlightening Faith
Psalm 34

Vs 18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit.

"Truth be Told" is a Christian song by Mathew West.  This song captures perfectly what many of us go through.  We move through life knowing that everything is not okay but feel the pressure to pretend and display that all is well.  We also are socialized from a young age that when someone asks, "How are you?", the most natural and appropriate answer is to say "fine", "good" or even "okay".  Social media posts are never about our troubles and often about our best celebratory moments.  But what is our truth as children of God?  What can we hold on to when things are not going well?

"Kurie-elaison" is a cry for the Lord to have mercy on us despite our weakness, our troubles or our worst moments.  There is no equivalent to standing before God and confessing that we come as we are and asking for His mercy.  Being enlightened is not about our outward appearance or the "light" we seem to carry around (knowledge, status, fame, success, etc), rather it should be about the light that we carry inside of us (genuine love, care for our neighbors, true joy, peace that passeth all understanding, etc).  That light can only be present inside of us, if we have placed our utmost Faith in God.

David writes throughout this Psalm, of so many of God's promises if we keep this enlightened faith.  God's promise of answering our prayers, delivering us from our fears, keeping us from shame, lacking nothing, that God is attentive to our cry, and that He will deliver us from all our troubles.  The list goes on.  Our truth as children of God is this promise given to us.  We can hold onto the promise that the Lord is close to those who are broken hearted and crushed in Spirit.             


PRAYER
Father, we thank you for our unique life experiences.  Especially when life circumstances seem to be going wrong, help us to hold onto your promises that you will deliver us from all our troubles.  Help us to renew our faith in you today.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Our enlightened faith allows God to be the joy that can shine in and through us.  

Binu Daniel, St. Johns MTC, NY


Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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