Diwali Feature: God As Deliverer
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DAY 8 — NOVEMBER 15 HOW CAN WE PRAY? Diwali Feature: God as Deliverer - Pray for Hindu Govardhan Puja women who need a deliverer, to encounter Jesus, who promised living water to the On the fourth day of Diwali, Hindu it has its own tax code designation: a Hindu woman at the well devotees of the god Krishna, will recall Undivided Family. in JOHN 4:4-26. the story of how Krishna held up Mount Govardhan for eight days to protect the Joint-families are highly valued in Hindu Pray for Hindu holy city of Vrindavan from deadly rains society. While this arrangement can be men, equally sent by the god Indra. An image of the a beautiful example of God’s design for in need of a mountain will be created out of cow dung. individuals and family, it can also be deliverer, to lead Women cook fifty-six different vegetarian difficult for women whose place in the their families food items (known as chappan bhog) which hierarchy within their new family is often to the Deliverer are prepared and offered to lord Krishna determined by the age of the brother they described by in the evening. This celebration recognizes have married. The value of a bride’s dowry DAVID IN PSALM 40 Krishna as the deliverer. also impacts their position in the family. Officially outlawed in India since at least Pray that women Many Hindu women will feel they need a 1961, but still widely practised, dowry is the will be equally deliverer. In traditional Hindu culture, a system in which a bride’s family gives a gift valued in Hindu woman will move in with her husband’s to the bridegroom’s family as a condition of society, as created family after marriage. It is not uncommon marriage. This expectation can put a great by God and to have a mother and father, along with all financial burden on the bride’s family and beloved by Him. of their sons and sons’ wives living under contributes heavily towards the preference GALATIANS the same roof. This joint-family system is for having male children. 3:27-29 so common in Hindu families in India, that 12.