Early morning, my eyes caught a very beautiful sight: Two white pigeons, seated comfortably at the edge of the tallest building in our area, unconcerned about what was going on around them; the heavy traffic on the highway or people going in and out of the crematorium below, the morning news of global warming, war, famine or the rise in the oil price did not interfere with their serene enjoyment of peace.
I remembered a comic I read sometime back: One robin was asking the other: "Why do the humans rush around worried most of the time?" The second robin's answer was, "Perhaps they do not have a heavenly father who feeds and cares for them, like ours!". It is amusing, but we do worry like that! That seems to be the human tendency.
It's no wonder that Jesus, in Mathew 6:25-27, said: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life; what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?". What a timely question for our present day!
According to Jesus, the ones who worry are the pagans, who do not know the true God or those who do not believe in the promise of the the omnipotent God. Jesus added that your heavenly father KNOWS that you have needs. But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [Mat.6:33] What a great promise!
Why don't we give it a try and benefit from it? Once we decide to give all our needs for today and the future into His hands, we will experience him as a promise keeping God.
Showing posts with label Hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hope. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
God has Set Eternity in the Hearts of Men
"God has made every thing beautiful in it's time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; Yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to the end."
Ecclesiastes 3:11, said by King Solomon, who lacked nothing in this world.
This means we are never going to be satisfied with earthly pleasures and pursuits. Because we are created in God's image, we have a spiritual thirst. We have eternal value and nothing but the eternal God can satisfy us.
"He has built in us a restless yearning for the kind of perfect world that can only be found in a perfect rule. He has given us a glimpse of of the perfection of his creation. But it is only a glimpse, we cannot see into the future or comprehend every thing. So we must trust Him now and do his work on earth." [From the Life application study bible]
I find this quite true. I don't think any one could deny or debate it. God has, in a simple way, stipulated how we ought to live; in His word and how his kingdom will be established in our hearts. As we implicitly obey whatever He says, things will become clear. Submission and obedience are essential for spiritual growth. Till we reach the character of God, which is His image, no one or nothing else can satisfy us.
Holy spirit, our helper, guide us till we reach that stage, is my prayer today.
Ecclesiastes 3:11, said by King Solomon, who lacked nothing in this world.
This means we are never going to be satisfied with earthly pleasures and pursuits. Because we are created in God's image, we have a spiritual thirst. We have eternal value and nothing but the eternal God can satisfy us.
"He has built in us a restless yearning for the kind of perfect world that can only be found in a perfect rule. He has given us a glimpse of of the perfection of his creation. But it is only a glimpse, we cannot see into the future or comprehend every thing. So we must trust Him now and do his work on earth." [From the Life application study bible]
I find this quite true. I don't think any one could deny or debate it. God has, in a simple way, stipulated how we ought to live; in His word and how his kingdom will be established in our hearts. As we implicitly obey whatever He says, things will become clear. Submission and obedience are essential for spiritual growth. Till we reach the character of God, which is His image, no one or nothing else can satisfy us.
Holy spirit, our helper, guide us till we reach that stage, is my prayer today.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Hope Deferred Makes the Heart Sick
A few nights ago, after a prayer meeting, what one of the brothers said, set me thinking: He was going to bring a common friend, from the depressed peoples' home for a day, as he had no place to go to. "What a good Samaritan!", I thought.
This sick person, was a good Christian with a lovely family. What happened to him? His family said that he was violent, but this brother did not think so. Is it a case of Christians behaving differently at home from how they behave outside? Such double faced Christians bring shame to Christ and His cause. They are not Christians, though they call themselves so. What do I know. Who am I to judge?
There seems to be an increase in people becoming depressed or going insane suddenly. Daily, we hear of inexplicable crimes and shootings by the young and old. People getting depressed, harming others or committing suicide has become very common. "What is happening to mankind??", I wondered!
This morning I had a Bible verse: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick."[Pro13:12]. The hearts of people become sick, bringing mental and physical sicknesses upon them. How could this be prevented?
Hope is a good thing. Hope has no limits. Every imagination can become a hope, even if it a bad one. If what is hoped for is something good, which is God's will, it will materialize. If it doesn't, then a God fearing person will know, that "all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose." He will not become depressed about it, which may lead to detrimental consequences. When we have such faith, whether the thing we hope for happens or not, we will be able to go on in life, knowing that is not the end of the world.
Tomorrow is another day. I am God's. He is mine. He has reserved the best for me. May we all have such wisdom, is my prayer.
This sick person, was a good Christian with a lovely family. What happened to him? His family said that he was violent, but this brother did not think so. Is it a case of Christians behaving differently at home from how they behave outside? Such double faced Christians bring shame to Christ and His cause. They are not Christians, though they call themselves so. What do I know. Who am I to judge?
There seems to be an increase in people becoming depressed or going insane suddenly. Daily, we hear of inexplicable crimes and shootings by the young and old. People getting depressed, harming others or committing suicide has become very common. "What is happening to mankind??", I wondered!
This morning I had a Bible verse: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick."[Pro13:12]. The hearts of people become sick, bringing mental and physical sicknesses upon them. How could this be prevented?
Hope is a good thing. Hope has no limits. Every imagination can become a hope, even if it a bad one. If what is hoped for is something good, which is God's will, it will materialize. If it doesn't, then a God fearing person will know, that "all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose." He will not become depressed about it, which may lead to detrimental consequences. When we have such faith, whether the thing we hope for happens or not, we will be able to go on in life, knowing that is not the end of the world.
Tomorrow is another day. I am God's. He is mine. He has reserved the best for me. May we all have such wisdom, is my prayer.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The Grearest Gain II - Who knows the Appointed Time?
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord"
Someone said: "even his stops". I like to add that even his end is ordered by the Lord. I realize the truth of it from my father's life.
No one knew that the 16th of March 1960 was the day appointed for my father's departure to the glory land. Not even he. Yet the Holy Spirit, Who guided him, helped prepare him during his devotion that morning! The Lord was at work elsewhere too.
Several miles away, lived a servant of God. He too was a Hindu convert. He gave up his lucrative post to serve the Lord full time, as an independent evangelist. In those days, such a thing was unheard of although now, it is common. He was called 'Sadu' by the people and the children thought he was Jesus Christ from his looks, dress and gentle ways. He used to visit my father, as my father believed in his ministry and supported him financially too.
This servant of God arrived just at the time my father felt uncomfortable. For him to arrive at that early hour, he would have had to leave his house at 6 AM or so. He was older than my father and he cycled all the way! It was a surprise to me to see Sadu coming at that time when we were in a hurry getting ready for school and work. Normally he comes on a Saturday and never on a weekday like this. Now I know that it was the Lord who sent him. How careful we should be to listen to God's promptings and obey His commands. Sadu, by his obedience, was able to help my father and be a comfort to us.
Just a few minutes before, my father who was resting, sat up and said "I think I am going to die. What are you all going to do?" His human love and concern said those words. Yet quickly he added "There is nothing to fear.". God gave him hope and confidence and it was a strength to us.
Then things started moving fast. Sadu came and without a word he went to my fathers bed, placed his head on his lap and started praying silently. By this time my father went unconscious. "There is nothing to fear", were his last words to us. Sadu told us to pray quietly. Thus my father's spirit left his body. Then the doctor arrived and pronounced him dead.
It is really a blessed thing to know the Lord and have fellowship with Him. It is a life of peace amid the storms. Our hope in the Lord becomes the anchor of our souls. We will arrive at our destination at the appointed time.
I am reminded of two verses: "It is appointed unto man once to die and there after the judgment" [Heb. 9:27] and "God has not appointed us, unto wrath but unto salvation" [1Thes. 1:7] In my fathers case, he availed himself of the salvation offered to him and on the judgment day, he will receive his reward. Judgment is for the ones whose sins are not forgiven.
What about you and me? Will that day be a day of reward?
Someone said: "even his stops". I like to add that even his end is ordered by the Lord. I realize the truth of it from my father's life.
No one knew that the 16th of March 1960 was the day appointed for my father's departure to the glory land. Not even he. Yet the Holy Spirit, Who guided him, helped prepare him during his devotion that morning! The Lord was at work elsewhere too.
Several miles away, lived a servant of God. He too was a Hindu convert. He gave up his lucrative post to serve the Lord full time, as an independent evangelist. In those days, such a thing was unheard of although now, it is common. He was called 'Sadu' by the people and the children thought he was Jesus Christ from his looks, dress and gentle ways. He used to visit my father, as my father believed in his ministry and supported him financially too.
This servant of God arrived just at the time my father felt uncomfortable. For him to arrive at that early hour, he would have had to leave his house at 6 AM or so. He was older than my father and he cycled all the way! It was a surprise to me to see Sadu coming at that time when we were in a hurry getting ready for school and work. Normally he comes on a Saturday and never on a weekday like this. Now I know that it was the Lord who sent him. How careful we should be to listen to God's promptings and obey His commands. Sadu, by his obedience, was able to help my father and be a comfort to us.
Just a few minutes before, my father who was resting, sat up and said "I think I am going to die. What are you all going to do?" His human love and concern said those words. Yet quickly he added "There is nothing to fear.". God gave him hope and confidence and it was a strength to us.
Then things started moving fast. Sadu came and without a word he went to my fathers bed, placed his head on his lap and started praying silently. By this time my father went unconscious. "There is nothing to fear", were his last words to us. Sadu told us to pray quietly. Thus my father's spirit left his body. Then the doctor arrived and pronounced him dead.
It is really a blessed thing to know the Lord and have fellowship with Him. It is a life of peace amid the storms. Our hope in the Lord becomes the anchor of our souls. We will arrive at our destination at the appointed time.
I am reminded of two verses: "It is appointed unto man once to die and there after the judgment" [Heb. 9:27] and "God has not appointed us, unto wrath but unto salvation" [1Thes. 1:7] In my fathers case, he availed himself of the salvation offered to him and on the judgment day, he will receive his reward. Judgment is for the ones whose sins are not forgiven.
What about you and me? Will that day be a day of reward?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
