Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 

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 we might grow frustrated. These feelings are valid, and we must acknowledge when these feelings exist because they do not simply just go away. However, we can let these feelings go, we can give them up and offer them to the Lord. When we offer up the difficult circumstances, feelings, and emotions we experience, we enter a state of humility in front of the Lord. Notice how Isaiah says “renew their strength.” We have strength given to us from God, sometimes all we need to do is remove the things that cover up our true strength - whether it be our impatience, our anxiety, or our frustrations. Offer it up to God!

PRAYER

: Dear God, we know how hard it is sometimes for us to wait and keep hope in all that You have promised us. We offer up all that which may prevent us from renewing our strength in You, that we may be found humble in Your sight. Only You know what is best for us, help us to reconcile Your will with ours. All this we ask in Your holy and precious name. Amen 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait.” - C.S. Lewis 


 Mercy Babu, St. John’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