Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 Youth With Christ


Psalm 111

v.10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”

Imagine a garden. Before that garden came into existence, someone had to prepare the seeds. They germinate and then you plant them in a starter. Even before the seedling grows, the network of roots starts to grow. When you transfer the seedling to the ground or a pot, you are very careful not to damage the roots. The root of the plant is where the plant get’s all its nourishment. If the roots are damaged, the plant will die. If the roots are placed in bad soil, the plant will die. But if the roots are placed in good soil and they are not damaged, they will continue to grow and the plant will flourish. Likewise, Christ is the most nutritious soil there is out there. If we place our roots in Him, we will gain our nourishment through Him and continue to grow in faith. 

So what happens when we are rooted in Christ? What are we expected to do? In verse 1 of today’s reading we see that, as believers, we are called to praise and “give thanks to the Lord with [our] whole hearts, in the company of the upright” (v.1). When we are rooted in Christ, we become members of the community of believers. Next, we see that we are to study the works of the Lord (v.2). When we are in Christ, we are lifelong learners of His word. The more we delve into the Word, the more we understand our identity in Him. When we are in Christ, we also reflect the “splendor and majesty … [of] His righteousness” (v. 3). We receive God’s grace and mercy (v. 4). When we are in Christ, our needs are supplied (v. 5). When we are in Christ, we become a chosen people and are heirs to God’s inheritance (v. 6). When we are in Him, we are no longer condemned and we have freedom from sin (v. 7). Finally, when we are in Christ, we must have “the fear of the Lord [which] is the beginning of wisdom” (v. 10). This is an essential part of our identity in Christ as it gives our life purpose and meaning. 

As Youth In Christ, let us strive to root ourselves in Him. Let us remember that when our identity is in Him, we are made new, our needs are supplied, and our life is given purpose and meaning.

 

Prayer
Dear Lord, we invite you into our lives. Help us to become rooted in you. We thank you that our worth and our purpose is found in you. To you belong eternal praise. Amen 

Thought for the Day

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2: 6-7
 

Ms. Riya Varughese
St. Andrew's Mar Thoma Church, NY 

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind wh...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tel...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things...
Read more