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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
40th Lent Day
The turning point
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the
whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that
separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
– Acts 1:1-4
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Yesterday, we had concluded our meditation,
stating that the disciples tarried patiently in Jerusalem for the Heaven-sent Holy Spirit
to come and baptize them with fire
(Matt 3:11). Today, we come to a scene, 10 days’ subsequent to Jesus’
ascension, which symbolized not only a watershed moment (refer also again our meditation dated 5th April)
in the erstwhile not-so-bold disciples but also was a momentous moment in Biblical history.
On the day of the Pentecost (celebrated by Jews traditionally 50 days after the Passover the festival)
as the above captioned scripture portion states, IT ALL FINALLY HAPPENED!
The whole description (in the Scripture portion) is so picturesque and striking that it could only come
from an eyewitness. The suddenness, strength, and diffusiveness of the sound strike with deepest awe,
the whole company, and thus complete their preparation for the heavenly gift. Wind was a familiar emblem
of the Spirit (
Eze 37:9
Jhn 3:8,
20:22 ). But this was not a rush of actual wind. It was only a sound "as of" it.
Cloven tongues, like as of fire, mentioned in the Scripture that is, tongue-shaped, flame-like appearances,
rising from a common center or root, and resting upon each of that large company was symbolic of the burning
energy of the Spirit now descending in all His plenitude upon the Church, and about to pour itself through every
tongue, and over every tribe of men under heaven!
Filled with the Spirit, all the blessed souls in the upper room-recipients of the
Divine outpouring - start instantly praising God in languages unknown to them.
THE CHURCH WAS WELL AND TRULY BORN AND THE FIRST HYMNALS WERE BEING SUNG!
Prayer:
Father, let all your children without any exception be recipients of the Divine outpouring,
in order they are used of thee to bring a great revival in the Church. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
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