Reflections

  Overcoming Challenges with God’s strength  Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:29-31 Key verse:  “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)  DEVOTION  Sometimes the hardest thing we can do as a Christian is to hope. We all live in a variety of circumstances with a variety of struggles and a variety of pains and blessings, yet the only thing that allows us to proceed further, to overcome, to see tomorrow, is hope. For this reason, the Prophet Isaiah says "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." But sometimes this is hard to imagine what this looks like - what does it truly mean to hope in the Lord? Some translations of the Bible use the word wait to describe the act of keeping hope in the Lord. Many times, our act of hope is simply that - waiting. However in our waiting sometimes we grow impatient, sometimes we grow anxious, and sometimes w

  Setting a Godly example in youth Bible Reading:  I Tim  4:12-14 Key verse: I Timothy 4:11 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.  13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.  DEVOTION Let no one look down or despise you because you are young:   We are reminded in 2 Tim 1:5 that young Timothy’s sincere faith, which first lived in his grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice. Apostle Paul understood that it had great influence in young Timothy’s faith, love and his sincere life for serving the LORD.  But, Greek culture placed great value on age and experience. Since Timothy was in his thirties, still young by the standards of that culture, he would have to earn respect by being a godly example. Because he had been with Paul since a young teenager, young Timothy had much experience to mature him, so that looking down on hi

    “Pursuing Wisdom and Guidance from God” "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path". Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:5-7 Key verse:  Vs 5: Trust in Jehovah with all your heart. And lean not upon thine own understanding. DEVOTION I have looked up to these 3 verses (Prov 3:5-7) as the “Golden Rules” of life. On the path of wisdom, God himself guides us by the wisdom embodied in his word. We live in a complex world today where we deviate our time and attention to unimportant things thereby fail to follow the word of God, leading to the loss of wisdom or knowledge. When we include God in our lives, we embrace wisdom and have spiritual discernment between right and wrong. All this starts by acknowledging our creator and all He's done for us. Wisdom can only come from God and a strong belief in Him. You must fear God and keep his commandments, and from this comes righteousness. When you have wisdom, you'll avoid sin and evil in your daily life and behavior. Rec

  Embracing God’s Purpose in youth  Bible Reading:  Jeremiah 29: 11-13 Key verse:   For I know the Plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, Plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me. DEVOTION The main idea in this passage is God telling us he has a plan for us. This plan is not to harm us, but it’s beneficial to us. The plan is to prosper, grow and develop hope for the future. Many times, in our life, we like to take care of our issues independently.  We forget our Creator is looking over us.   His plans are way better than ours. He made us and knew what is beneficial for us. When Lord is giving us this assurance in verse 11, he is expecting some things in return. That is explained in verses 12 and 13. Call on to me and pray to me. When we call him and pray to him, he listens. Our God will not look away when we pray especially with tears.  Hanna

  The Power of Love and Service Toward the Differently Abled Bible Reading: St. Matt 25:37-40 Key verse:  v. 40b ‘… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ DEVOTION In the series of His Parables in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus encompasses His message about the Kingdom of God from different angles. The ruler on the throne- the Son of Man- declared that the sheep on His right side receive His inheritance as they identified the real identity of the Lord while they lived on earth.  Every day in our lives, we see individuals who live among us beyond the spectrum of so-called normal intelligence or physical abilities. What is our attitude and approach towards them? Are we able to see a dignity inside them too?  Through this Scripture passage, Jesus wants us to realize that if we open our eyes enough, we would be able to see those who need more inclusion and space amongst us- being able to embrace and serve ‘the least of these’. As we serv

  Empathy Towards Differently Abled Bible Reading: Mark 3:1-5 Key verse:  V3” Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand; stand up in front of everyone”. DEVOTION This is one of the seven miracles Jesus Christ performed on the Sabbath. As Jesus walked into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, He noticed a man with a withered hand and a group of Pharisees. To have a withered hand meant his hand was stiff, deformed, and paralyzed. How horrible life would be for a person whose hand was withered and useless.  Jesus’ Compassion For Those Who Are Physically Challenged (Vs 4b-5a) The episode shows Jesus’ heart and intention to embrace the weak. We know that Jesus’s earthly ministry was encircled by dispute and controversy. Every word and every work was under the microscope of their judgmental attitude. In this scenario, Jesus felt compassion for the man with the withered hand and called him forward. Then Jesus restored his withered hand. He brought it to health, back to what it was supposed t

  Challenging Stigma: Changing perceptions in Society  Bible Reading: James 2:1-7 Key verse:  James 2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory DEVOTION Mahatma Gandhi, initially drawn to Christianity as a solution to the caste system, was upset when asked to “worship with his own kind” and denied a seat in a church which then led him to remain a Hindu. Gandhi’s experience makes me wonder, have we as Christians made ourselves an “elite” group? Have we contributed to creating an environment that values some people more than others? Partiality is the product of our pride and ignorance. Both are ways we, as humans, assign value to others, a job that belongs only to God.      In James 2:1-7, James clearly admonishes us from showing any forms of partiality and encourages us to change our perceptions of those around us. It is a challenge for each of us to look not into the outward appearance but at the heart of the person. God created

  Role of Compassion in Faith Bible Reading: Philippians 2:25-27 Key verse:  V27“Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Philippians 2:27  DEVOTION Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi is broken into four sections, joy in: suffering, serving, believing, and giving. Today’s passage comes from Paul’s section on the “joy in serving.” He shows them that true joy comes from Jesus Christ alone despite one’s circumstances. Timothy and Epaphroditus faithfully served with Paul in the work of the gospel showing compassion to all whilst foregoing their own interests and needs. Paul shows compassion by sending back the church in Philippi one of their own (Epaphroditus). He showed this virtue by taking care of Paul’s needs and serving him despite almost dying in the process for the work of Christ. God also reveals his own compassion by sparing Epaphroditus’ life. Paul’s hope is that their friend retur

  Promote Inclusion and Accessibility Bible Reading: Luke  14:13-14 Key verse:  V13-14” But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."  DEVOTION Jesus's directive to invite those who are often marginalized—such as the poor and disabled—highlights a significant shift from conventional social norms. In a society that typically valued reciprocity and social status, Jesus challenges His followers to extend their hospitality to those who cannot return the favor. This act of inviting the marginalized is not merely an act of charity; it signifies their inherent dignity and worth as individuals deserving of community and fellowship.  The invitation serves as a foretaste of the inclusive nature of God's kingdom. It was common then, and even today, to invite friends and wealthy neighbours to ensure mutual benefit. However, Jesus teaches

  Embracing Diversity in God's Creation Bible Reading: 1 Cor.  12:12-13 Key verse:  V12 “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.   DEVOTION The theme for the day is “Embracing diversity in God’s Creation.” Paul compares the Church, the body of Christ to the human body with numerous parts that perform the integrated physiology for a healthy living. Though each part is structurally and functionally different, they must work together to keep the body healthy. The church is composed of people of different backgrounds with diverse abilities. Despite our different backgrounds and talents, we have one thing in common—faith in Jesus Christ. On that essential truth, Church must find unity and growth, and Christ is the source for the spiritual nourishment of all.  This “unity in diversity” is seen in God’s majestic creation in the universe also.  It is on this same principle that God created different plants and animals in the e

  Created in the Image of God - Human Dignity Bible Reading: Genesis 1:26-28 Key verse:  V27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”  DEVOTION In Genesis 1:26-28, we are reminded that every human being is made in the image of God. This truth not only sets humanity apart from the rest of creation but also calls us to recognize the inherent worth and dignity in every person. Having visited mission fields in India, we have seen firsthand how society often overlooks or diminishes the dignity of the vulnerable, those in old age homes, children in need, and people affected by diseases like HIV/AIDS. Yet, in those faces, we could still see the beauty of God’s image. It’s easy to forget that the value God places on each life transcends circumstances, health, or social status. When we visited the de-addiction center, we were reminded that no one is too broken or forgotten for God’s love. Each individual, no matter their st

  Called to be a Witness Bible Reading:   Rev. 14: 1-5 Key verse:  Rev. 14: 3 “And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders.  No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.” DEVOTION ‘Revelation’ is the closing book of the Bible.  John, the Apostle, is the author of this book.  The book contains so many prophesies.  The book is presented as a vision of St. John in his sleep.  Jesus Christ makes His glorious appearance before John.  In Revelation, Chapter14, Lord Jesus Christ is seen as the head of his faithful followers.  He appears as a Lamb standing upon Mount Zion.  He is the sacrificial lamb.  His faithful 144,000 followers who are pure and sealed, are seen praising him with a divine song, constantly witnessing Christ.  They once belonged to the earth. They had been redeemed for ever.  Just like these saintly singing people, we have to proclaim Jesus and faithfully follow the Lord wherever he go

  Called to be a witness Bible Reading: St.  Luke 9: 1-6 DEVOTION The scripture passage for today’s meditation reminds us about the importance of witnessing in context. When Jesus sent out his 12 disciples for mission, He gave them instructions, power and authority to caste out demons and cure diseases.  Jesus reminded the disciples that the power and authority they have are not for self serving, rather for witnessing the Kingdom of God in context. The same principle holds true today: whom God calls, God equips. Jesus told them to preach about the Kingdom of God. Anyone who repents and believes can be part of the Kingdom of God. When disciples went for mission journeys they had to have complete faith in God’s providence. Jesus said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.” St. Luke 9:3. In other words, Jesus exhorted his disciples to practice simplicity, urgency and sincerity when they were to bear witness to

  CALLED TO BE A WITNESS Bible Reading: 2 Tim 2:1-13  Key verse:  Verse: 13: If we are faithless, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself. DEVOTION     How many of us consider ourselves as a strong person in life?  What does it mean to be strong?  One who is strong in life is someone who can overcome adversity, challenges and hardship; and he does not avoid difficulty but  goes through it to the end. This is what Paul is asking Timothy to become”  be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”   Paul was very much concerned about the future of the church, and is asking  Timothy to be strong  in the presence of the witnesses, to carry on the ministry. Paul is asking him also to find suitable people  without reproach to teach and  to disciple them  to continue the Lord's work along with Timothy.       Paul is then  using three metaphors to teach Timothy  as to how he should train himself to be strong in his continued ministry, while joining to suffer and resist evil practice

  CALLED TO BE A WITNESS Bible Reading:  1 Thess: 2 :1-12 Key verse:  Verse:  12: That ye would walk  worthy of God, who hath called you unto his Kingdom and glory. DEVOTION     Paul's goal for the thessalonian Christians was that they would walk in a manner worthy of God. This the purpose of life for all believers.  The goals were so important that Paul and his companions exhorted, encouraged and charged them to walk in purity, love,  boldness, and   to walk worthy of God. BOLDNESS :   Paul reminded them as how  he and Silas were mistreated, attacked, and beaten by the crowd , even to extent of throwing them in prison.  Even in that shame, they had the boldness to preach the gospel. They walked  in a manner  to have boldness in the face of opposition.  Early Christians lke the thessalonians had experienced difficulties and trials in the face of preaching the gospel.  Paul in his letter  is  encouraging the present day Christians also to have the same perspective. PURITY:   The poi

  Called to be a Witness Bible Reading: Isaiah 43:5-10 Key verse:  10b “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”   DEVOTION Isaiah, Chapter 43, is among the most powerful Biblical texts regarding the singularity of the LORD (YHWH), the God of the Bible. The Chapter, titled Israel’s Only Savior in several translations, is a soliloquy, poignant and moving. Isaiah is regarded as the greatest Old Testament Prophet—more quoted in the New Testament than other prophets—including prophesies on the life and ministry of Jesus. The Book of Isaiah, speaking to the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and their pagan neighbors, may be considered in two parts: (i) Chapters 1-30, an account of God’s judgment; (ii) Chapters 40-66, a message of hope. Isaiah’s brilliant exposition of the interplay between God’s judgment and salvation is a foreshadow of the Gospel theme of reconciliation between Holy God and Sinful Humanity through the atoning deat

  Called to be a witness Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 17-24 Key verse:  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17) DEVOTION In 2 Corinthians  5:17-21 , Paul reminds the Corinthians that God’s new creation has dawned, and we are part of God’s handiwork. This verse speaks to the transformation that occurs when we come into a relationship with Jesus. Through His sacrifice and resurrection, we are not merely improved or reformed, but we are made new. When someone surrenders their life to Jesus Christ, there is a significant change. One of those changes is a new identity and task. If you are in Christ, you are a new creation. The old life is gone, and you are made new. The old life that was bound to the penalty and power of sin is gone and a new life of freedom has begun in Christ.  Not only are we given a new life when we are reconciled to God, but we are also given a new task. Verses 18-21 speaks of t