Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Preparation for Eternity
Bible Reading:  Matthew 25:31-46
Key Verse:
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you whatever you did for one of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

DEVOTION

Eternity is not something the average person thinks about on a daily basis. Our days are filled with activities, a never-ending ‘To-Do’ list, and scarcely enough time to catch a breath. 
Yet, here in this passage, Jesus is encouraging us to look up from our very busy lives and change our orientation to point towards our true future – an eternity with Him. Curiously enough, the passage does not mention any overly strenuous requirements that seem to separate the sheep from the goats – there is no mention of deep theology, spending hours in prayer, reading Scripture extensively, or anything else we would normally associate with a spiritual life. 
Instead, the differentiation is made on simple activities – feed, clothe, visit. There are many ministries formulated on these words of Scripture, yet there is something deeper that Jesus is hinting at. Those whom he commends are unaware they have done anything to be commended: “Lord, when did we see you hungry…when did see you a stranger….”  Similarly, those whom he rebukes are also unaware of their errors. One reason why the righteous are explicitly unaware of their actions is that such behavior has become so ingrained that it is as natural as breathing. They are not doing anything special in lending a helping hand, visiting the sick, or feeding the hungry – it has quite simply become a part of their very character. During this Lenten season, let each person assess his or her own character and see whether they are trending toward being a sheep or a goat – and make those changes to be in tune with Him for eternity.

PRAYER

Lord – help us to see our lives for what they truly are instead of what we think of them to be. Then, guide us to make those changes that will help us live in eternity with You.

Thought for the day
                                                        
 “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” (R.W. Emerson)

Philip Varghese
St. John’s Mar Thoma Church, New York

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