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In more than three decades of my Christian life, I have been blest by 2 types of Daily devos'
(matter not exceeding 500 words) in universal Christian literature. Not only those Devos'
which have a different theme everyday but also the ones which revolve around a certain
theme over a period of time, say a fortnight, have richly edified me. In fact, both
styles have their own inherent advantages. If the former style caters to the varying
spiritual needs of a christian from day-to-day, the latter aims 'to ground'
a child of God in a certain subject in order he derives the full benefits of the
deep insightful study of a certain topic, spread over a fixed span of time.
In my Daily devo page, I have consciously tried to go in for 'a blend of both the
styles' whereby within a constant theme, I would be aiming to focus on different
facets of it which admittedly is a closer imitation of the 'Constant theme' style
than the 'Varying topics' one.
Having dwelt on the topics
- “The Christian journey”
- “ The Conquest of Canaan” and the
- “Lent season”.
in the previous months, now in the months of April and May, considering that
post resurrection of Christ (one of our concluding themes’ you would remember
in the meditations of March, was Resurrection), birth of the Church was a
landmark event in Biblical history, I want to cast the spotlight on the Book of
Acts (which records the birth and growth of the Church). This would ensure to a large
extent continuity of thought albeit under the ambit of new subject.
Once again, let me wish you a happy and an edifying read…
Suresh Manoharan
33rd Lent Day
A comma and not a full stop-II
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
- Acts 1:1
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Even as we lay the ground for our meditations on theme of birth
and growth of the Church, with a special reference to the Book of Acts,
let’s once again, today, reaffirm what we had said yesterday by reflecting
on the prophecies of Jesus spoken in connection with the Holy Spirit (the third member
of the Triune Godhead along with the Father and the Son).
“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit,
who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t
looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with
(Jesus in his physical form) you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon
you as orphans — I will come to you. -
John 14:15-18
If the Gospels portray Jesus’ in bodily form going about his Father’s
business in right earnest, it can be affirmed without an iota of doubt, that
in the Book of Acts, we see Jesus’ in Spirit doing the same. How else can we
explain the radical difference in the hitherto cowardly, weak-kneed disciples’
in the matter of standing their ground and preaching boldly about Jesus’, right
in the midst of Jesus’ enemies besides performing stunning miracles
(Acts 3, 4:1-21)?
Can there be a full stop to work of Jesus? NO, what he BEGAN to do-as seen
in the Gospels- he merely continued through the Book of Acts with more
stupendous signs and wonders
(Mark 16:20)!
Prayer:
Father, we praise thee for counting us worthy of being your
temple and indwelling us in your Spirit. Enable us to live worthy
of our high calling. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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