Reading: John 2:13-22
Scripture: “His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘zeal for your house will consume me.’” (John 2:17)
Reflection: Technology has now taken centre stage in our lives in such a way and to such an extent that we often wonder how we managed before. Social media use has made the world a whole lot smaller and while we cannot deny their power and impact, we can also agree that there are downsides. And so, in the midst of the fear that the pandemic has wrought on our lives, there is also the real fear of the negative impact that others may have on our children, given the ease with which they can be reached and influenced via the various forms of technology. What is clear in all of this, is that we must do everything in our power to ensure that our Christian influence is strong and of greater force and impact than the forces of the outside world. We must seek to be like Christ where the, “zeal for your house will consume me.”
Writing as parents of a teenager and young adults and interacting with young people at work, we can say that it did not take us long to note the marked differences between the times in which we – the parents – grew up, and the times in which we now raise our children. What does this mean in the context of how we train our children to accept His Word and walk in the way of the Lord? We often ask ourselves, “Is our zeal contagious?” What do we need to see in the lives of our children to assure us that our zeal and our passion for Christ have in fact taken root?
Children and young adults today are far more questioning than in former times. We, the adults in their lives, must be prepared and willing to engage them. We must be certain of and comfortable in the practice of our faith so that we become the Word made alive for them. It means that we must be eager for the things of God and ardently pursue knowledge of Him and a deeper relationship with Him; so that those whom we influence can understand and appreciate why we can confidently call Him, Abba Father, Saviour, Friend. Only in such certainty can we truly be inspirations to our children and the rest of the world. Go forth then and let zeal for His house consume you.
Meditation: “More about Jesus would I know…more of His grace…more of His love who died for me. (CPWI # 398)
Prayer: My Lord and Saviour, instill in me the zeal for You that will reflect Your glory. I pray that I will be an instrument for You to use, to further Your Kingdom here on earth. Amen.
The St. Jude’s Writers
St. Jude’s Church
Stony Hill
Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands
11 March 2021
