Reflections

The meeting that shares the goodness of Salvation Romans 15 : 5 – 9 “For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.  As it is written, “I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” Romans 15: 8 – 9. The epistle to the Romans, written by St, Paul to the Christians in Rome, is an attempt to explain the meaning of the Gospel – that the salvation is not the result of moral goodness, but solely based on our faith in what Jesus has accomplished through His atoning death on the cross.  All mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, needs to be put right with God, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  People are put to right with God through faith in God. The passage we meditate today (Romans 15: 5 -9) exhorts us to lead a life of fellowship with each other and share the goodness of salvat...

  The Meeting that Shares the Good News of Salvation 2 Corinthians 1:3-10 Key Verse –V5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ;  Devotional Text This week we are meditating on the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1: 39-45) and how that meeting shares the Good News of salvation. Just following that portion is the Song of Mary also known as the Magnificat (46-55), in which she expresses the one of the themes of the Good News of salvation. Verse 52 speaks of the Messiah’s role in “lifting up the lowly”.  Today’s bible portion for our devotion also takes on the theme of consolation. Verse 3 refers to God as “the God of all consolation.” God’s comforting presence is our refuge. As part of the body of redemptive work, God came to lift us up out of our lowly estate. Verse 4 explains that God comforts us in all our affliction. However, the verse goes further and says it is so that we may be able to comfort...

  Call to be the Mother of the Savior of the World Genesis 18: 1-18 “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭14 Devotional Text Today’s devotional passage shines a light on Abraham’s wife, Sarah. Sarah was advanced in age and barren at the time of Genesis 18. She had given up all hope of carrying a baby in her womb. It was a stigma to be a barren woman, especially in the Middle Eastern culture of the time. Under such depressing and painful circumstances, three angels visited Abraham and Sarah. They gave encouraging news which foretold of Sarah giving birth to a son in a year. Initially, she did not believe as she was focused on her aging body rather than the promises of God. The question, “‘is anything too hard for the Lord?’”, sunk deep into her mind. She realized that nothing is impossible with God. She held onto His promise with renewed hope. She was blessed with a pregnancy when she ha...

  God’s intervention that paves the way for salvation  Psalms 145:1-21 “The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down” – Psalms 145: 14 Psalm 145 is a psalm of praise written by David, King of Israel. Psalms 145 to 150 are known as ‘Songs of Praise’ because all of them begin and end with the phrase ‘Praise the Lord’. Psalm 145 is recognized as the last of the seventy-three (73) psalms written by King David. Psalm 145 is an exposition of God’s benevolent character in a summarized form. It talks about His greatness, His goodness, His glory, His guarantee, and His grace. It is true that no human mind, however brilliant it may be, can comprehend any of the above-mentioned qualities of God. After all, we are discussing a Heavenly being who created the whole universe by the breath of His mouth. Here, propelled by the Holy Spirit, David is attempting to describe the nature of God by the best expressions that he could find. The human saga started with the fall of...

  God’s intervention that paves the way for salvation Hebrews 6:9-12 “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case-things that accompany salvation.” Heb 6:9 Hebrews chapter six starts with a warning to the believers if they are not steadfast in their faith. A warning - not to be complacent but be diligent in their faith. But in verse 9 the focus changes from warning to encouragement. The writer addresses them as “dear friends” and exhorts them “we are confident of better things in your case-things that accompany salvation” (vs 9). Faith and patience are key to inheriting God’s blessings.  Salvation is not only being saved from separation from God and the power of sin in our daily lives; but also saved us to eternal life, sonship, and inheritance by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Before Christ, we were sinners, lost and unable to please God. After faith in Christ, our relationship with God is restored, and through the resurrectio...

  God’s intervention that paves the way for salvation  Judges 13:2-14 Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death. (Judges 13:7)   The Biblical epoch of Judges covers a period of 350-400 years, following Joshua’s conquest of Canaan—the LORD God’s Promised Land to Abram’s descendants (Genesis 12:7)—till the time of Eli and Samuel, preceding the founding of Israels’ Monarchy. During the post-Joshua era, Israel was essentially a union of twelve independent tribes, who lived through a series of sin cycles—disobedience, judgment, pleadings to God, and deliverance. They neglected Moses’ command regarding the primacy of Israel’s continuous remembrance and celebration of their redemption and liberation from Egyptian bondage, God’s miraculous provision during their 40-year wilderness wanderings, and the integrity of His covenant promises (Deut...

   God’s intervention that paves the way for salvation  Silence in Heaven   Revelation 8: 1-13  Key Verse Revelation 8:1  "When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was a silence in heaven for about half an hour."  From the sixth to eighth chapters of the book of revelation John exhibits the opening of seven seals by the Lamb. There was a pause after the breaking of the sixth seal. Though chapters six and seven were noisy in narration, suddenly the eighth chapter begins with a sudden silence in heaven for half an hour. It appears to have a spiritual meaning to our relationship with God. Its not exegesis of the bible portion. We need to be silent before God for a better relationship and communication with Him especially at our personal meditation time. "For God is in heaven and you are on the earth, therefore let your words be few" (Ecclesiastes 5:2)  There is time to speak and time to keep silent. We may not have to answer all queries in li...

  God’s Intervention that paves the way for salvation Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus”. Romans 8:38-39 Starting this  upcoming Sunday , our lectionary will reset to be on the path to Christmas. On Sunday we will  begin with the Gospel reading from Luke 1, announcing the birth of John the Baptist. Today’s passage from Romans 8:38-39 is a return to basics for followers of Christ. There are many times we can go about living our lives, going to church, taking part in meetings, participating in Sacraments, learning about words like Sanctification, Redemption, Resurrection, Salvation, Consecration and many other “church” words, but if we forget about the most basic word that begins it all.. LOVE. Then we’ve misse...

  Hudos Eetho: Renewal of the Church   Psalms 106:1-12   "Praise the   Lord . Give thanks to the   Lord , for he is good;  his love endures forever." V.1 Psalm 106:1-12 is a beautiful passage that invites us to reflect on the steadfast love and faithfulness of God. In these verses, the psalmist acknowledges the goodness of the Lord and recounts the history of Israel, highlighting both moments of praise and periods of disobedience.   The psalm begins with a call to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever. This refrain sets the tone for the entire passage, emphasizing the enduring nature of God's love. It's a reminder that regardless of our circumstances, God's love remains unwavering and constant. As we delve into the historical narrative within these verses, we see a portrayal of Israel's journey with God. The psalmist recounts the marvels and wonders the Lord performed for His people, from the parting of the Red...

  Veteran's Day   St. Matthew 20:20-28   Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,   and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—     just as the Son of Man   did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom   for many.”  VV.26-28 In this passage, the mother of James and John approaches Jesus, asking him to grant her sons positions of honor in his kingdom—one at his right hand and the other at his left. Jesus responds by emphasizing the servant nature of his kingdom, stating that positions of honor are not his to grant but are prepared by the Father. He further explains that greatness in his kingdom is demonstrated through servanthood, not through seeking positions of power.   This passage challenges us to reflect on our understanding of leadership and greatness. In a world that often values authority and prestige, Jesus flips the script, highlighting humility and service. He cal...

  Hudos Eetho: Renewal of the Church     I am the Good Shepherd St. John  10: 11-18   Jesus, the Lord, makes a demarcation between the ‘good’ shepherd and the ‘hireling’. The good shepherd is the owner of the sheep. The hireling is a hired servant. The hireling has no intimacy or relationship with the sheep as such. Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd. In Greek, there are two words for good;  agathos  which describes the moral quality of a thing; and  kalos  which means that in the goodness, there is a certain charm which makes it lovely, intimate, and special. It is this  kalos  that is used here. It shows that Jesus’ being good is not merely a moral goodness but rather a relationship and intimacy.  Jesus explains this intimacy with his sheep in five ways. Good Shepherd Knows His Sheep and the Sheep Knows Him. The Good Shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know Him. This knowledge is divine knowledge. It is a sp...

  Hudos Eetho: Renewal of the Church   1 Corinthians 12:12-27 VV.26-27:  So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.  Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it." As the liturgical calendar moves into the season of renewal and rededication, we reflect  on Paul's letter to Corinth where he explores the functions of the body. He often used common visuals like a soldier's armor, the rigor of an athlete or in this case the human body to illustrate complex theological matters. Here in Paul's analogy to the body, he elaborates on the following: All members of the body must act in unity to function. Each member MUST act in it's own optimal capacity. Each member of the body must understand and recognize the importance of the other different body parts. We read this passage and understand that we are a part of God's grander plan, but we often forget how integral it is that we ...

  Hudos Eetho: Renewal of the Church   Ephesians 4:1-7 V.4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called”    When you hear the word church, what is it that comes to mind? Is it symbols of a white Jesus on a cross? A huge building with a steeple on it? People dressed in their best clothes, on their best behavior? A blocked off schedule of  2 to 3 hours  on your  Sunday morning ? For some it may seem like a routine part of your week, but the call and history of the church is a long and storied one. As we dive into the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians Chapter 4, we see Paul’s wish for the believers, one that was radical and reforming, much our like church’s history. As you pray and read through this devotion, I ask you two questions- What is the purpose of the church and where do we go next?  It would behoove me to at least provide background on the title of the devotion as I myself did not kno...

  Hudos  Ethos: Renewal of the Church   Joshua 22:21-29 V. 22: “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord!  He knows!  And let Israel know!  If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the Lord, to not spare us this day.”   Joshua is a very essential book in the Old Testament.  It was written to give the history of Israel’s conquest of the Promise Land.  This book helps us remember that God is with us and if we obey Him, He will guide our paths.  That was the reality for the Israelites and is the reality of our lives as well.  For 40 years, Israel had journeyed not because they were obedient, but rather, they refused to obey God.  That is where the wandering took place.  It is significant to realize that we should all submit to God and His time, not our own time and by this life will become more purposeful and meaningful.  If we wander for ...

  Hudos Eetho: Renewal of the Church   Jeremiah 29:1-9 V.4: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile…”   Renewal is a word that is overused, and it is easy to overlook its significance. It conveys with it hope and restoration throughout the Bible. In this day and age, as the church enjoys an explosion of information, it has also seen a vast departure of its followers. A common experience among the faithful is a prayer for renewal. In Jeremiah 29, A comparable historical analogy can be established between the current circumstance and Israel's exile to Babylon and God's promise of restoration.   Prior to their exile to Babylon, Israel had enjoyed the Lord's providence. Many psalms vividly capture the blessed life God offered the Israelites before exile. Their disobedience to the Lord, however, was the cause of their banishment. They remembered the Lord their God during their exile and anguish.  A para...

  Children: To be partakers in the concerns of Christ Psalms 127 What are the concerns of Christ? If you read Matthew 16:1-12, it gives you an idea of multiple concerns that Christ kept stating. They were mainly about how the people would be deceptive, and how the children would be affected by the deceptiveness. That is why Jesus said, “Let the children come to me”.  Once a speaker at a meeting said that when you read the Bible, you will see it in 3 categories: Window  – where we get to see an era and generations. Portrait  – where we get to see the picture of somebody else; their good things and things they must improve on. Mirror  – where we get to see ourselves in the Bible and learn to live the way God wants us to live our lives. How do you read the Bible and what makes sense of Jesus’ concerns? God is more interested in his purpose than your comfort. Age is not a factor for somebody to be an answer to a prayer. People often dismiss the voice or opinions of ...

  Children: To be partakers in the concerns of Christ  John 6:1-14  “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother said to Him, there is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people.” (John 6:8-9) This week, we’ve been meditating on the theme “Children: To be partakers in the concerns of Christ” in relation to World Sunday School Day, a highly relevant topic in today’s society. During my childhood, I often heard from elders that children shouldn’t interfere in the affairs of adults. In some churches and societies, children are sometimes overlooked or not considered in many matters. In today’s passage the miraculous feeding the five thousand they counted five thousand men only the children and women were not counted. Today’s scripture helps us cultivate an awareness and a fresh perspective on considering children in the ministry of the Kingdom of God. Children are not just the church of tomorrow. They are the church of tod...