Reflections

  Mar Thoma Church Day Bible Reading:  St. John  11:13-16 Key Verse:  Thomas said …, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11: 16) DEVOTION The liturgical calendar (lectionary) of the Mar Thoma Church observes December 21st as Mar Thoma Church Day (Sabha Dhinam). According to church tradition, it's believed that the Apostle St. Thomas brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Malabar Coast of Kerala, India, in the first century (52 AD). Today's scripture passage focuses on the faith response of St. Thomas.   In this passage, Jesus is informed that his beloved friend Lazarus is sick. He intentionally waits with the disciples for two days before returning to him. The disciples encourage Jesus not to go to Lazarus, fearing that he will be killed. Jesus and His disciples had just fled Jerusalem because they were going to be stoned to death. Christ proclaimed to be God- in Truth- causing the Jews to come against Him with stones (St. John 10:30), their dea...

  Discipleship - Readiness to Die with Christ Bible Reading:   2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Key Verse:  “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses.” 2 Cor. 6:4 DEVOTION What does it mean to truly follow Christ? The answer could be to give everything we are and have to Him. But then we must ask ourselves - Does our life of discipleship merely serve as an example of endurance, or does it clearly proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? In 2 Cor. 6:3-10, Paul outlines the paradoxes of Christian discipleship. He writes that he is “dying, and yet we live” and “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” His life demonstrates that following Christ means being ready to endure suffering, misunderstanding, and even death.   Discipleship is not just a call to endure life’s challenges with patience. It is a call to reflect Christ through those very challenges. Every trial faced becomes an opportunity t...

  Repent for Promised Restoration Bible Reading:   Acts  3:19-23 Key Verse:  Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts  3:19 DEVOTION As Christians, we are promised restoration because of the grace of God and his crucifixion. Ephesians 2:8 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”. We have a God that cares for us, that loves us, and by having faith in Him, we are saved. But what is faith when not accompanied by deeds? James  2:18-19 , “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder”. God calls us to have faith in him, and faith in itself requires not only believing in Him, but also acting in Him.   We, as Christians, are called to repent, and then turn to God so that our sins may b...

  Christ Our Peace Maker Bible Reading:   Ephesians 2:4-18   Key Verse:  “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…” Eph.  2:14 DEVOTION As Christians who are walking in our faith journey, we are brought into various seasons of our lives where we may face adversity. These seasons are unpredictable. One minute everything is good, but the next moment your faith is being tested. We don't know when these seasons will arise in our lives, but in the midst of our trials we have easy access to peace. Our peace comes from Jesus Christ. He provides a peace that covers all understanding. It is something that mere human beings are unable to understand. But that is the beauty of God! He works in ways beyond our comprehension to orchestrate all things for His glory. Paul describes peace as being one with our brothers and sisters in Christ. For many of us, this is hard. There are often barri...

  The Righteous Branch Reigns Bible Reading:  Isaiah 11:1-5 Key Verse:  “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord…” Isaiah 11:2: DEVOTION We see this uplifting passage as written for a people and a nation in conflict. Our world is always in a state of conflict - political, social, economic and so forth. Peace seems to be elusive in both personal and public life. If there is peace, it is but a brief prelude to conflict. However, the promise of this passage is of one who will possess a divine balance that will foster peace – something that is foundational to a just society and highly sought after by many leaders and governments of the world, but that is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to actually realize. This descendant of Jesse, and hence of King David, will possess wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, faithfulness and fear of th...

  Christ: Son and King Bible Reading:  Hebrews 1: 5-9 Key Verse: “Your Throne, O God, will last forever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.” - Hebrews 1:8  DEVOTION In Hebrews 1:5-9, we are reminded of the unique identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the eternal King. This passage sets Jesus apart from the angels, declaring His divine sonship and supreme authority. Unlike angels, who serve as messengers, Jesus is exalted as the radiance of God’s glory, ruling with justice and righteousness. These angels worship Him, thus proving His divine authority. Although Christ is fully God, He is also distinct from the Father. When God brings His only Son into the world, He is to be worshiped. The throne of Christ is eternal, and His kingdom is marked by righteousness. In verse 9, we read: "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." This ...

  Joseph’s Obedience & Courage in Response Bible Reading:  Mathew  1:18-23 Key Verse :Matthew 1:22  “All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophets” DEVOTION The promises of the Lord are everlasting. A Christian can bank on the Lord’s words in all situations and under all circumstances. Psalm 119 : 96 reads I have seen a limit to all perfection but your commandment is exceedingly broad.  This advent season we are again reminded of the faithfulness of the Lord of the old Testament incarnated to bring redemption to us sinners. This Christmas as we sing carols and decorate the trees let us think about a character in the whole celebration Joseph. Just imagine the ridicules he might have faced when he decided to support a pregnant Mary. What courage of conviction and compassion must Joseph have had to endure all the snide comments and whisperings! Unconditional faith and acceptance of the instructions from the angel of t...

  Following the Call to Obedience & Service Bible Reading:  1 Thess.  5:12-22 Key Verse :“…always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” 1Thess.5:15 DEVOTION In his epistle to the Thessalonians, St. Paul expresses heartfelt gratitude for their unwavering faith and encourages them to embody love, resilience, and mutual support as they face life's challenges. Specifically, in 1 Thessalonians  5:12-22 , Paul underscores the significance of living out Kingdom values, particularly in the realms of community and service. Call to Kingdom Values : Paul's message urges believers to be an alternate community that reflects Christ’s teachings, particularly through acts of kindness and compassion. He draws parallels with the Good Samaritan, highlighting the need to re-evaluate how we perceive those on the margins of society. This involves taking time to understand and support those who are downtrodden, embodying a spirit of sacrificial love similar t...

  The Path of Virtue & Discipleship Bible Reading:   II Peter 1:5-11 Key Verse :For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love -  II Peter 1:5-7 DEVOTION Path of virtue is essential for true discipleship.  The passage calls us to make every effort to add certain virtues to our faith and provides an assurance that such a life leads to spiritual and fruitful relationship with God.  The path of virtue involves a commitment to growing in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.  A true disciple does not merely believe in Jesus but actively reflects Him through a transformed life marked by these virtues.  If a person lacks these qualities, they are described as “nearsighted and blind” havi...

   The sign of Emmanuel: Trusting in God’s Promises Bible Reading:   Isaiah  7:10-17 Key Verse “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”  Is  7:14 DEVOTION Of all the prophesies in the Old Testament regarding Jesus’s birth, none is as specific as the one given through the prophet Isaiah around 700 years before it came to pass. Looking at the background of the story, it was given to King Ahaz of Judah during a time of great crisis. While in conflict with the neighboring kingdoms, God graciously offers him protection from his enemies.  He refuses to trust in God’s deliverence and therefore God gives him this great sign of the coming Messiah. Signs are an integral part of our everyday life. Road signs takes us to our destination, weather signs tells us the upcoming season, and there are even audio signs which informs or warns us. They always points us to a certain ...

Trust in the Lord: Journey of Faith & Obedience Bible Reading:   Proverbs 3:5-6 Key Verse  In all your ways submit to him,  and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs3:6) DEVOTION When we talk about Faith and Obedience the first example that comes to our mind is that of Abraham; known as the father of believers and obedience. God did not spare Abraham from the test; He tested the faith and obedience of Abraham; and when God saw the extent of Abraham’s obedience told him, ‘’Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now  I know that thou fearest God’’.  The Bible has the story of prophet Job, who also was put to many severe tests. God allowed satan test Job by taking away his wealth, children and health. Prophet Job suffered so much that his family members told him to leave his faith in God and also asked him to reject God. Job lost everything but he refused to curse God. The story of Job tells us how to respond to suffer...

  Embracing God’s Guidance in Uncertainty Bible Reading:   Psalm 43 Key Verse:    Ps 43: v5 Why art thou cast down, o my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance and my God .  DEVOTION As humans, we have a constant desire to ensure certainty in our lives. Do we have enough food for sustenance? Do we have shelter, a warm bed? These basics are ensured by the means of our livelihood. But sometimes the certainty of these basics can be stripped away by forces beyond our control such as natural disasters, wars, pestilences. In a capitalistic world, we have insurance to protect us from uncertainty. Regardless of our preparedness, sometimes catastrophic events that can throw us into deep unchartered waters. How do we the navigate such Uncertainty?  This assurance we can see in the scripture in Matt 15:33-37. When the disciples came to Jesus worried about not finding enough bread i...

  Called by Grace. A life set apart for God Bible Reading:  Galatians  1 :11-17 Key Verse :Vs 15.But when it was the  good pleasure of God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through his grace. DEVOTION Sadhu Sundar Singh was originally born as a Sikh. As a young man, he was deeply opposed to Christianity, often mocking and burning Bibles to show his hatred for Christianity. However, his life took a dramatic turn after a personal crisis. In his desperation, Singh asked “The True God” to reveal Himself, and that night, he had a vision of Jesus Christ, who appeared to him and spoke words of peace. This encounter transformed Sundar's life, leading him to embrace Christianity wholeheartedly. Despite opposition from his family and community, Singh dedicated his life to spreading the gospel across India and beyond, living as a missionary and becoming known as "The Apostle with Bleeding Feet." In the above portion, St. Paul recounts his calling, e...

The Miracle of Birth and the Mystery of Purpose Bible Reading:  Luke 1:52-66 Key Verse : “For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49) DEVOTION The story of the birth of John the Baptist, as recorded in Luke 1:52-66, is a profound illustration of divine intervention and the unfolding of God's greater plan. The miraculous nature of his birth and the mystery surrounding his purpose remind us that God works in wondrous ways, often beyond our immediate comprehension. We are reminded of the words of C.S. Lewis: "Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see." 1.  Divine Reversal and Humility (Luke 1:52-53) Verse 52, the miracle of birth is a testament to God’s divine power to uplift the humble and reverse fortunes. Just as God chose a humble young woman, Mary, to bring forth Jesus, He continues to lift those who are humble and lowly in heart, ...

   Called and commissioned: preparing the next generation for God's work Bible Reading:  Acts 16:1-5 Key Verse:Vs2.The same (Timothy)was well reported of by the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium. DEVOTION The first few verses of Acts 16 describes the beginning of the partnership between Paul and Timothy. As we later see, Paul becomes a teacher and mentor to Timothy. Timothy is described as a disciple whose mother is Jewish and a believer. Thus, we see that Timothy's foundations come from his mother. When Paul takes Timothy under his wing and grooms him to become a future leader of the church, there begins the teacher - student relationship between Paul and Timothy.  As Marthomites, we are also called and commissioned just like Paul to take our next generation under our wing and teach them the Word of God. At the time of baptism, the parents, grandparents, godparents and the worshipping community as a whole take responsibility to raise the infant in Christ. Onc...

   A Divine calling and Destiny Bible Reading:  Jeremiah 1:4-10 Key Verse:    ‭Vs 5  Before i formed you in the womb i knew you and before you were born I consecrated you. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.  DEVOTION Glory to Jesus Christ, Glory Forevermore! As we continue to move forward during the 25 Day Lenten Period, we look towards the verses of Jeremiah 1:4-10. Let us turn to the 5th verse which says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”. This verse is so powerful and meaningful not only for Jeremiah but us as Christ’s children as well. God does not put us in difficult situations for no reason, he chooses us because he formed us for a purpose filled with love and hope. Even in verse 6, Jeremiah tries to justify that he does not know how to speak and is too young. Even during this time, Jeremiah was filled with insecurities, fear, and anxiety which we...

  A Mother’s Prayer and Child’s purpose Bible Reading: 1st Samuel 1:9-18 Key Verse: O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s ministry and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” DEVOTION In Samuel 1:9-18, the main focus is on Hannah’s heartfelt prayer to God, where she express her deep longing for a child and makes a vow to dedicate her future son to the Lord if He grants her wish, Hannah goes to tabernacle in Shiloh to pour out her heart to God in prayer. Hannah had a personal relationship with God and trusted in his plan. Hannah demonstrated her faith through obedience, even when it meant making a personal sacrifice. She dedicated her unborn son to God and promised to dedicate him to the Lord for his entire life. Hannah called herself “God’s servant” three times in her prayer.                A praying mother is a pillar of st...

  A legacy of faith : Nurturing God’s call in family  Bible Reading:2 Timothy 1:3-10 Key Verse:   “ For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you , which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, I am sure it is in you as well . “ V.5  DEVOTION Leaving a legacy means you make an impact on future generations by leaving some life values ,wisdom ,wealth or some other influence that makes a difference long after you are gone . When it comes to spiritual  legacy, there are many recorded in both the Old Testament and New Testament. The prime legacy left was “ genuine faith in God”. Right from the life of Abraham to Moses . From Paul to Timothy to many first century  church pioneers . From our grandparents to our parents. This legacy transmitted from generation to generations without diluting its core value.  Paul has already called young Timothy as his dear son (V.2) He now recalls Timothy’s tears personable at the occasion of their las...

  Prepare for the Lord’s coming Bible Reading:   Malachi 3 : 1-4 Key Verse:    ““I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.”  Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭  DEVOTION Malachi means my messenger. God sent John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ, to prepare the way for Him. He was the voice in the wilderness. He preached to repent. John prepared the hearts and minds of the people to receive the Messiah. He baptized them in the river Jordan with a baptism of repentance. The purpose of the first advent of Jesus or his incarnation was to vicariously die on the cross to redeem us from our sins. Jesus lived in obscurity till he was baptized by John, which marked the beginning of his ministry. He healed the sick, expelled demons, raised the dead, preached and taught about the kingdom of God. The s...

  God’s Perfect Plan: The Effective Partnership and Participation of HIS People Bible Reading:  Luke 1:39-45 (NIRV) Key Verse:   39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in Judea’s hill country. 40 There she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. . .   43 But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy.  5 Our God is a God who strengthens and encourages you. May he give you the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had. 6 Then you can give glory to God with one mind and voice.  . . . 7 Christ has accepted you. So, accept one another in order to bring praise to God. (Rom. 15:5,6a,7 DEVOTION We all cherish family ties, and spending time with one another. We can see how cousins Mary and Elizabeth must have been close and spent much time together throughout their lives. Imagine how Elizabeth could have reacted to hearin...