Thursday Reflection- November 25, 2021

Look to God for Salvation

Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.” Hosea 14:3 NRSV

Good day friends,

In our lives we look for help and salvation from so many different sources. We turn to people whom we feel can help or even to things such as money. We look for the most advance technology or the strongest person we know to help. We also even turn to ourselves. But here in our text we’re told to turn to God.

The Children of Israel also turned to people and technology for help, much to the displeasure of the Lord. They turned to Assyria, a superpower, during their time for help and even gave them tributes or money to appease them. On different occasions God sent prophets to advise them otherwise and in so doing they are putting their trust in man instead of God.

Not only did they turn to superpowers such as Assyria, but they turned to Egypt which had the latest in advance technology. They had chariots and horses specially adorned for war. The people felt Assyria and Egypt could provide more protection than the Lord their God and hence turned their backs on God.

Also the people placed their trust in their own abilities and the work of their own hands as they built idols. At the heart of this was pride in their own accomplishments as they built with their own hands. They felt they could rely on themselves as well and not on God. How true is this statement that we only turn to God when we’re no longer in control, but once we are in control we tend not to rely on the Lord, but our own abilities as the people of Israel.

Similarly, when we put our trust in people or technology or even in our own intellect or own hands, instead of God we displease the Lord. God has called us to trust him with our salvation. God demonstrates His power in the text with the statement, “In you the orphan finds mercy.”

The orphan is considered to be powerless, fragile, destitute, lonely, and in a helpless condition. The orphan cannot help themselves as their parents have either died or abandoned them. There is no one to depend on or rely on. This is a true state of helplessness, but we’re told that the orphan finds mercy in God. Only God can help them from their helpless position. Only God can save them and so He offers mercy.

What Hosea is trying to bring forth is that if God can help the orphan whose position is worse than any of our position, then He can help us. He will also be merciful to us. So instead of trying to solve your situations on your own by seeking the help of the “so-called” strong or the use of technology, or even ourselves let us turn to God for salvation. Whilst the strong and the use of technology are both useful, both are temporary as well as reliance in our own ability. True salvation comes from God.

Shalom

Christopher Euphfa

Monday Reflection – November 22, 2021
Feet of Peace

Look! On the mountains the feet of one who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! Nahum 1:15

In a world of increasing crime and violence, there is always the cry for peace. As the murder rates rise, peace seems more elusive. The brazen and barbaric acts of violence threaten the achievement of peace. The gruesome murders, ongoing conflicts, and air strikes and bombings weaken the efforts in pursuit of peace. The expansion of military force and increase in the production of weapons of mass destruction make us wonder whether peace will ever be experienced. Domestic violence and the continuous targeting of the most vulnerable in our society causes anger and desires to seek revenge. So there is always the cry and desire for peace. Peace enables stability and engenders a sense of safety and security.

Today’s Watchword predicts a future time of peace where the wicked will no longer invade Judah. But, when will this time of peace occur? To answer this question, we must consider the larger context of Nahum. The book of Nahum was written to communicate the pending destruction of the city of Nineveh. The prophet Nahum wrote sometime between 663 and 612 B.C. The book opens by introducing the oracle and highlights the majesty of God and His attributes. Verses 9-14 focus on God’s anger against Nineveh and His plans to afflict it. In verse 15, Nahum declares that the destruction of Nineveh by the Babylonians would be good news for Judah. Why? Nineveh was an enemy of Judah and the capital of the Assyrian Kingdom. In 722 B.C., the Assyrians had defeated the northern kingdom of Israel, destroying Samaria, its capital. In 701 B.C., the Assyrians nearly conquered Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. The Assyrians were widely known for their “endless cruelty”, leading God to condemn Nineveh to destruction.

We know from history that this destruction of Nineveh took place in 612 B.C. at the hands of the Medes. At that time, Judah was rid of one of its most dangerous enemies. The report of this news would have been considered good to everyone in Judah. Nineveh’s defeat would result in the ability of Judah to continue its annual feasts and to fulfill its vows to God in Jerusalem at the temple. The contrast between the fate of the godly and wicked was nothing but good news to Nahum and the people of God. God would vindicate His people.

Isaiah 52:7 uses a similar expression, as Isaiah marvels at the beauty of the feet of him who brings good news. Those who bring good tidings have beautiful feet; they partner with God for the salvation of men. The feet speak of activity, motion, and progress, and those who are active and moving in the work of preaching the gospel have beautiful feet. Paul also quotes part of this verse in Romans 10:15 to connect the preaching of the gospel with the deliverance from sin provided by God’s salvation.

What of our feet? Are we on the move bringing good tidings and proclaiming peace? May we recognize that the peace we desire must begin with us and in our relationships with one another.

Jermaine Gibson

Saturday Reflection – 20 November 2021

“Do not be weary in doing what is right.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Ever since we’ve been growing up as children and later as young adults we’ve always heard, “Don’t give in to peer pressure!”, “Don’t forget the good values that you’ve been taught over the years.” And it is more or less, the same message that you, now as adults may find yourself, instilling in your own children, or the youth that you engage with on a regular basis. And because there are so many things in this world, that seek to undo all the good work, that we’ve been careful to observe, all our lives, that it becomes even more important to remind the current generation, not to forget or even to depart from the good Christian values that we are instructed to observe.

It is this same sentiment that is by shared by the Apostle Paul as he writes to the church in today’s doctrinal text. Having received the gospel, and accepted Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour, we have never been the same again. This renewal means that we have committed our lives to serving Christ; imitating His example and following His mandate in this world. But the same warning that is often given to children as they go out into the world, is the same one we must bear in mind, as we seek to be in the world, but not of the world. Our Lord will guard us from the evil one, and lead us, even as we are willing to follow His lead, into the way everlasting.

But we cannot allow ourselves to be led astray. The warning that Paul issues is against idleness and those neglecting the good values that have been instilled. Those on the fence, who will not stand for something, will fall for everything and as such is liable to be swayed by every wind of doctrine, every reason, or explanation that may want to come off as sound teaching and be led astray. And the other side, are those neglecting the good values, and we know from own experiences, the negative effects that are sure to happen, when children give in to peer pressure. There are some, the Apostle writes that that are idle or mere busybodies, wishing not to contribute to the advancement of society, the furtherance of the kingdom, not willing to work for their honest bread. Let us not be entangled by get rich quick schemes, or anything that seems to neglect, reject that which made us to be the good, hardworking, forward-thinking, motivated people that we have been taught and called to be. There is no room for on-the-fence living, corrupt, immoral, or unprincipled behaviour, or a lazy or busybodied attitude.

Our Christian life must be one of intention, purpose, and drive. We must strive to be like Christ, imitate and exemplify Christ’s example, living out Christ’s mandate in this world. We cannot allow ourselves to be shaken and uprooted from the well-planted, well-nourished, and stable foundation that has come from years of sound teaching, advice, and direction. No matter what we face in life, we made a commitment on the day we said “Yes” to the leading of the Holy Spirit, that we would love and serve Christ forever. In fact, in one of my favourite songs, we say “And should eternity end, and start all over again, Even then, I will praise you Lord.” There will always come a time, when our motives, our intentions, our loyalty, and attitudes are tested. It will not always be in the same way, for some the little things, others a big thing, but our resolve will be tested. Let us not for fear or favour, love nor money, deny, reject, or turn away from the Lord our God. Let us never be weary, or tired, thinking that it is no longer fashionable, sound advice, nor that it no longer profits us, to do good. All that we’ve been taught, and observed, when push comes to shove, when it really matters, when others are looking or we’ve all alone with God, let us stand for Jesus, and the good thing is, when we stand for Him, we’ll never stand alone. The thing is, sometimes we may feel that the older we become, that we no longer need to hear this warning, because we know ourselves and cannot be coerced or influenced against our beliefs. But the Apostle Paul encourages us all, in whatever age or stage we find ourselves in, to stand guard and not be influenced against the Lord Jesus Christ, to never grow weary of doing good, whether in word or by action.

Until next week, may Christ empower us to remain committed to Him, that in word or deed, we would always give honour to God, and never disgrace the name that we bear. Then may we stand honourable, resolute, and diligent in this life, that we may hear the words of our Lord Jesus on that day “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen.

Dominic J. Blair

Wednesday Reflection, November 17, 2021

The Fear of the Lord

Greetings friends. Today’s reflection bids us to examine our belief, our standing/position in Christ as well as how we view men. In Isaiah 50, the Lord spoke through the prophet, and he asked the children of Israel about a certificate of divorce. God also asked the people to tell Him which of His creditors he sold them to. Of course these questions could be deemed rhetorical but let us reason out the matter.

Zion was described as the mother of God’s people, Israel. God as their Father put away His wife yet there was no certificate of divorce. Likewise, His children belonged to him so there were no creditors to pay. As was customary, God allowed the children of Israel to be exiled because of their sinful ways.

It saddened/concerned God when the children of promise did not expect to be delivered. In today’s watchword, Isaiah 50:10 states, ‘let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord.’ Brothers and sisters, should we forget who our Father is, who has engraven us in His palms; then we run the risk of walking in darkness. That is what sin is, it strips us of our light as well as our ability to trust God and to rely on Him.

God is never far from us. He remains available to us both in and out of season and sometimes we forget His promises so we end up breaking the ones we made to him. 2 Peter 1:19, the new testament text for today reminds us, ‘so we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

When one understands that God is far superior to than any and everything and that man is a mere creature; then he is exercising fear of God, this fear doesn’t lead to flight but to faith because he knows he can trust in God for protection, provision and salvation. Since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, we can only be wise when we fear God.

Until next week, keep fearing God.

Amen

Kerone Lamoth

Are You Listening?

According to Paul Treuer, “Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to learning.” Today’s watchword is from 1 Samuel 3: 9.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.

The boy Samuel was in training in the temple service under the leadership of the High Priest Eli. As he slept one night, God called him. He heard the call but thought that Eli was the one calling him. This happened three times before Eli realized that the Lord was the one calling Samuel. Dear friends, we always hear but we do not always listen. For this reason, it is possible for us to miss the call of God in our lives. God however has provided persons along our path with a spirit of discernment who will be able to direct us to listen for the call that they can already see that God has placed on our lives. Something else to note, no matter how many persons discern your call, until you hear God’s voice for yourself, you will never give effective service. I thank God for the many persons who have confirmed my call along my journey. I am grateful for their discernment, direction, and encouragement. Samuel was not listening, but Eli was discerning. Sometimes in the absence of listeners we must depend on the discerners of the Lord’s wisdom and direction for us. Discerners are also great listeners. Are you an Eli who discerns? Are you a Samuel who listens? Are you listening?

Eli’s instruction to Samuel is clear. Go back and lie down and if he calls again say; ‘speak, Lord, your servant is listening’. Once Eli realized what was happening and shared with Samuel what he should do, it was left to the youngster to do what was necessary to answer God’s call on his life. He had to listen for God’s call. I imagine Samuel lying in bed, heart pounding, not daring to fall asleep because he did not want to miss the next call. Effective listening has to be intentional. Effective listening is intentional listening. You are not just listening for the sake of listening, but you are listening for the voice, the command, the instructions from God. It is through this intentional listening that we learn, that we discern and that we are called into the service of our Lord. In the doctrinal text we are introduced to Lydia who listened eagerly as Paul ministered in Philippi. Following her listening she became a partner in their ministry in that city. Are you listening? Have you heard him call your name? Have you received your mandate to service? Are you listening? Amen.

Monday Reflection – November 15, 2021
God’s Faithful Promises

Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places, and replanted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it. Ezekiel 36:36

As humans, we many times treat with the promises of others with scepticism. Thus we often say things that trivialize promises such as, ‘A promise is a comfort to a fool’. Such scepticism is sometimes caused by the bad experiences of the past where others have failed to fulfill promises that they have made. The truth is that some persons rush to make promises, some not considering whether they can fulfill such promises, and some even knowing that they cannot fulfill same. We make promises ever so often, not just by saying, ‘I promise’, but when we surrender our lives to Christ, when we dedicate our children, when we are being ordained or commissioned to church leadership, when we are getting married, when we recommit our lives to Christ etc, we make promises.

In the midst of mistrust for promises made and unfulfilled promises, we have a God who makes promises and keeps them all. In Ezekiel 36, God offers hope to the people of Israel by establishing a new Covenant with His people and the land. God offers eight promises – to renew the land of Israel; to establish a new covenant for the renewal of the people of Israel; to cleanse filthy Israel; to gather scattered Israel; to spiritually renew Israel; to bless the land and her agriculture; to restore the desolate places; and to restore their relationship.

Today’s Watchword reveals that God was not just doing His restorative work for the sake of Israel, but that His actions would be a powerful testimony to a world that was watching. The nations around that are left will witness and know assuredly that God has rebuilt, replanted and restored. The full work of the new covenant would proclaim the greatness of Yahweh. The results of the restoration would lead to the repentance of the people and the return of all the prosperity which through sin they had forfeited. It would also mean a renewal of their witness to the nations round about of the power, grace and love of God.

When God acts in our lives, it is not just for our benefit, but that through us God will be seen and heard and believed. There are many people who ridicule the church today and the people who are in it. Many who have nothing to do with God. Some are at this position because of our shameful actions and attitudes that have defamed the name of God. Whatever the reason, God will not sit by and allow His name to be stained. God intervenes and sometimes interrupt our situations so that His integrity and character remains intact.  When God acts, all witness that He is at work. It is no wonder that the verse ends, “I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.” To remove all doubt and to assure the trust of His people, God gives a solemn oath regarding these promises.

We who represent God ought to be faithful to our promises to God and others, so that the world may see God through us. Yet, in our many failures, God shows Himself real and faithful to the world so that all will know that He is sovereign and true. God’s promises are trustworthy, because God is trustworthy, and God honours His word above His name (Psalm 138:2).

Jermaine Gibson

Saturday Reflection – 13 November 2021

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations.” Ephesians 3:20-21

I absolutely love our Moravian Festivals! Each one brings a story that renews our relationship with God in an amazing way, refreshes us as His children, and gives us a newfound or renewed appreciation for our Unitas Fratrum or the Moravian Church. Of these many Moravian festivals, is our Chief Elder Festival, celebrated on November the 13th. This festival takes us back to 1741, when Leonard Dober was retiring as Chief Elder of the Moravian Church, and the Synod met in London to elect the new Chief Elder. At that Synod, they recognized that only Jesus Christ could adequately fill the role as Chief Elder of the Church, and formally elected Jesus Christ as the Chief Elder of the Moravian Church on September 16, 1741, and the formal announcement was made in all Moravian churches on November 13, 1741. Therefore, November 13 is celebrated as Chief Elder Festival as Christ is honoured as the true Head of the Church.

It is against that backdrop, we read today’s doctrinal text. It was not that the Synod was trying to find a way out of assigning an overwhelming responsibility of managing the different sectors of the Moravian Church, but a recognition of the One who is the Alpha and Omega, who alone called the church into being, saved and commissioned its members, and by whose Spirit we are joined and equipped for the task set before us. The doctrinal text is a praise that the Apostle Paul uses at the end of Ephesians 3. We give God thanks for the work that He has wrought in our lives, and that he alone is deserving of our loyalty and commitment, and who alone is to be honoured and glorified.

It is a recognition that we are empowered only by the Christ who called us for such a time as this! We do not seek our own human advantage, by getting caught up in pride of place or position, but continue to humbly serve Christ who is the Head of the Church. We are reminded that outside of Christ, our labour is in vain, and so we ask Christ to hold our hands, guide our feet, and stand by us, while we run this race, so we do not run this race in vain. But not only does this Festival, speak to us as Moravians, but as Christians, for not only is he the Head of the Church, but Lord of our lives. That, my brothers and sisters is the foundation of this Festival. The recognition that we ourselves are led by Christ who saved us from sin, and opened to us the gates of glory. That by the Spirit of God, we are taught truth and led in the way everlasting. Then will that resolve, lead us to yield to the leading of Christ who is the Chief Elder of the Church. These thoughts are summed up amazingly by Rev. Dr. Michael Johnson who said, “As we approach another November 13, we remain grateful for our predecessors, who defied convention and appointed the head of our lives as the head of the church.”

Having reflected on these thoughts, and recognizing that only by Christ’s power are we able to accomplish the mandate to which we have been called. What is our resolve as Christians, and as a Church? As we honour Christ Jesus today, remembering a history that has certainly been passed down to our generation, may our prayer be that Christ reigns in our life, and in our church, that in all we do, we exemplify and honour Him. Let us acknowledge that of our own strength, we are powerless to do anything, but with Christ’s power at work in us, we may accomplish far beyond that which we could ever ask or imagine. Let us then faithful to Christ, to His teaching and His example. Let Christ reign in our lives, and in our church. Let us not be doubtful, proud, self-serving, or double-minded, but rather be humble, loyal, faithful, and in one accord. Let us commit our lives and our cause to Christ, and let all we do, emanate the Christ who reigns in our life and in our church.

Until next week, I leave you with the words of the Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood, on this Chief Elder Festival “By proclaiming that Jesus is our Chief Elder, we acknowledge that he is the true head of the church and that all we do should be pleasing to him. It is also a reminder to us that true leadership is servant leadership like that of Jesus Christ. Every November 13, Moravians around the world should ask themselves, “What does our Chief Elder want us to do as a Church?” As we ponder this question, may Christ reign in our reflection, deliberation, and execution of this mandate that lives may be transformed, and God be glorified. Amen.

Dominic J. Blair