Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Inauguration Day of the Church of South India 

Ephesians 4: 1-6
 “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Eph 4:1b(NIV)

 Paul writes to the Ephesian Church telling them about the qualities that a believer must have. It is humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, love, endurance, and peace, (v2 & v3) which is necessary to maintain the unity of the Church. Now, this does not mean uniformity. No two people can be the same, nor think and act alike. Rather, having the seven qualities mentioned above, helps individuals to be of the same mind and spirit inside of the Church. 
CSI Formation - As we remember the inauguration day of the Church of South India, we are reminded of the sacrifices, the prayers, and the spirit of unity which led the Anglican, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, and Methodist churches in coming together to become a single church on September 27, 1947, after 28 long years of discussion of various possibilities. Today, the CSI is one of the largest protestant churches in India and is committed to maintaining unity among fellow believers. 
But how can such a monumental and historical event be relevant to us today?
                  1)Unity with God- John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son…” God identifies with sinful mankind by sending Jesus to die on the cross for the salvation of His chosen ones. Unity is a theme and a characteristic of the Triune God.    
                  2)Unity with the people of God- We are reminded of the prayer that Jesus prayed for His disciples just before He was crucified. In John 17:21, He prays, “that all of them may be one”, so that the world would believe in Jesus. The need for unity is that the name of God may be glorified through Christ. And that people would love one another just as the Father loved the Son. 
                  3)Unity with the creation of God - We remember that we have a commitment to love and care for all of God’s creation. In Genesis 2:15, it says God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden “to work it and to take care of it”. The Bible places the emphasis on the goodness of God’s creation and the responsibility of man in maintaining and sustaining “this goodness” of His creation. No creation has the monopoly or superiority over another creation of God. 
Unity among God’s creations is a biblical concept that needs further exploration and discussion. Let the good Lord help us to bring out the possibilities of maintaining unity for a better tomorrow for our children.

Prayer
Our Loving Heavenly Father, help us to be in peace with You and all of Your creation. Amen.
Thought for the day:
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller

Rev Jess Mathew,
            CSI Telangana Mission, India.

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