SUNDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 ASH WEDNESDAY
THEME: REPENT AND RETURN TO GOD
Psalm 139:7-12, Luke 17:1-4, Joel 2:15-17
Psalm 139:7-12 New International Version (NIV)
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Luke 17:1-4 New International Version (NIV)
Sin, Faith, Duty
17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves.
“If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
Footnotes:
- Luke 17:3 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman.
Joel 2:15-17 New International Version (NIV)
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.
16 Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the portico and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
God calls His people to repent of their sins and humble themselves and fast. God wants the people to come back to Him. God calls all the people to set aside their daily activities and come together. In verse 12 God calls the people to return to Him with all their heart with fasting and weeping and mourning. May God help us all to realize the seriousness of sin. Let us examine our lives. Let us draw close to God. Make a new commitment during this season of Lent, to honour and obey God in your life.
JUMATANO WA MAJIVU TAREHE 14 FEBRUARI 2018
WAZO KUU: KUTUBU NA KUREJEA KWA BWANA
Zaburi 139:7-12
7 Niende wapi nijiepushe na roho yako? Niende wapi niukimbie uso wako?
8 Kama ningepanda mbinguni, Wewe uko; Ningefanya kuzimu kitanda changu, Wewe uko.
9 Ningezitwaa mbawa za asubuhi, Na kukaa pande za mwisho za bahari;
10 Huko nako mkono wako utaniongoza, Na mkono wako wa kuume utanishika.
11 Kama nikisema, Hakika giza litanifunika, Na nuru inizungukayo ingekuwa usiku;
12 Giza nalo halikufichi kitu, Bali usiku huangaza kama mchana; Giza na mwanga kwako ni sawasawa.
Luka 17:1-4
1 Akawaambia wanafunzi wake, Makwazo hayana budi kuja, lakini ole wake mtu yule ambaye yaja kwa sababu yake!
2 Ingemfaa zaidi mtu huyo jiwe la kusagia lifungwe shingoni mwake, akatupwe baharini, kuliko kumkosesha mmojawapo wa wadogo hawa.
3 Jilindeni; kama ndugu yako akikosa, mwonye; akitubu msamehe.
4 Na kama akikukosa mara saba katika siku moja, na kurudi kwako mara saba, akisema, Nimetubu, msamehe.
Yoeli 2:15-17
15 Pigeni tarumbeta katika Sayuni, Takaseni saumu, kusanyeni kusanyiko kuu;
16 Kusanyeni watu, litakaseni kusanyiko, Kusanyeni wazee, kusanyeni watoto, Na hao wanyonyao maziwa; Bwana arusi na atoke chumbani mwake, Na bibi arusi katika hema yake.
17 Hao makuhani, wahudumu wa Bwana, na walie Kati ya patakatifu na madhabahu, Na waseme, Uwaachilie watu wako, Ee Bwana, Wala usiutoe urithi wako upate aibu, Hata mataifa watawale juu yao; Kwani waseme kati ya watu, Yuko wapi Mungu wao?
Mungu anawaita watu kutubu dhambi zao. Anawaita kuacha shughuli zao za kila siku na kukusanyika pamoja. Katika mstari wa 12 Mungu anawaambia “ nirudieni mimi kwa mioyo yenu yote, na kwa kufunga, na kwa kulia na kuomboleza”.
Mungu atusaidie kuelewa uzito wa dhambi. Mungu atusaidie kutumia vizuri kipindi hii cha Kwaresma. Tuchunguze mwenendo wetu. Tuwe karibu na Mungu na tumheshimu na kumtii katika maisha yetu.
