GodSprings - 29, March, 2018

Which Way After Holy Communion? Towards Death or Towards Life?

Judas who would betray Him, answered, “ Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “ You have said so.”
Matthew 26.25

Leonard Sweet in his book From Tablet to Table shares an incident where one person challenged him if he could tell the whole Old Testament and New Testament in six sentences – three for each. Leonard Sweet wondered how could one concise the whole of Old Testament and New Testament in three sentences each. Not able to come up with an answer Leonard Sweet asked him to go ahead with the answers. The man said, “The Old Testament can be fully understood in three sentences – They tried to kill us. We survived, Let’s eat. In the same way the New Testament can be summarized in three sentences – I love you! I forgive you! Let’s eat.” 

At the very beginning and all through the Bible in all the stories about God and his people we find food is involved. Stories that changed life and history of individuals and humanity – the bite of an apple, trading an inheritance for a bowl of stew, waking up to find the land strewn with bread (manna), Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding where water turned into wine, the first Holy Communion which was the Last Supper where the bread and wine now became permanently linked to the Body of Christ.

Food has always played an important part in every culture. Food is the language of care. It is also something that we give during celebration. Food is the thing that connects us, that bears our traditions, our sense of home and family and on a much practical level it is our ability to live and breathe each day.

When Jesus chose bread to represent his body I believe there is a greater symbolic meaning attached to it. Shauna Niequist writes in one of the articles that dealt with Bread and wine - Chicken when you cook it, is still chicken. It was raw chicken, and then it becomes cooked chicken. Onions: raw, then cooked. But it’s another thing altogether when flour and water and salt and yeast become bread. 

All those involved in baking know that the outcome depends on readjusting, finding warmer or cooler places to let the dough rise, learning how much kneading is too much or too little and the correct amount to be put in the oven.

When Jesus said He is the Bread of life he intended that this transformation has taken place in His life and it should in all those who partake in His body. When we look into the ministry and life of Jesus one thing is evident that Jesus and table went together. Leonard Sweet says that from birth till death Jesus and table went together. The infant Jesus is laid in a manger, from which the animals are fed and thus there is a table at the stable. Jesus makes it clear to the disciples and to the crowd after the miracle of feeding five thousand and he explained what He meant when he said He is the Bread of life by saying Unless and until a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies it will not yield fruit (John 12:24).

Each and every communion calls us to die. Which way are we choosing is important? The first Holy Communion that Jesus celebrated shows us that the option, the choice is in our hands. Till the last moment Jesus gives us a chance for us to change our thoughts, our way of thinking and let it be in congruence with the Lord. One thing that surprises me the most is that when Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” All started asking was it about them that Jesus was talking about. All the disciples might have been approached by the Roman and Jewish heads so that Jesus could be trapped in some way. All the disciples must have in their hearts thought that they will not travel if Jesus is going to the cross. They followed thinking he is the Messiah and bring down the Romans.

Though Bible mentions only Judas asking Is it I? I believe this was a question asked by all. And Jesus might have given the same answer to all. Jesus was giving a chance for repentance. Jesus was telling them, My child haven’t you still understood that I know what’s going on in your mind. I am giving you a chance to repent. To make an about turn from the wrong you are about to do. Sad fate. Judas didn’t. But Peter did. When the cock crowed Peter cried in repentance knowing what great sin he had committed.

As we celebrate one more Maundy Thursday and remember Jesus instituting the first Holy Communion we need to ask ourselves – Which way am I choosing after taking part in the Holy Communion? Towards life or towards death?

GodSprings - 28, March, 2018

Using My Talent is Directly Proportional to My Trust In God

‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
Matthew 25:24-26 

John Chrysostom, the Arch Bishop of Constantinople is considered to be one of the most gifted speakers in church history. His name Chrysostom means “golden mouthed” in Greek and lived up to the name given to him. The gift of public speaking that God had blessed him with, he used it for his glory till the end. I would like to bring one of the instances from his life.

He was sent from Antioch to what was then Constantinople where he preached fearlessly in the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. His denunciation of the lavish extravagance of the rich and the ruling class infuriated many. When he was told of his fate Chrysostom responded: “What can I fear? Will it be death? But you know that Christ is my life, and that I shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth and all its fullness is the Lord’s. Will it be the loss of wealth? But we brought nothing into the world, and can carry nothing out. Thus all the terrors of the world are contemptible in my eyes, and I smile at all its good things. Poverty I do not fear. Riches I do not sigh for. Death I do not shrink from.”

In the parable on which this meditation is based we see that three individuals are entrusted with talents. All are not given the same amount of talents. One is given five, other two and the last one. The word talent does not have the same meaning as we have it today. We need to understand the meaning of talent so as to understand the parable in full.

The talent mentioned in this parable is a sum of money equal to about 15-20 years of wages of labour. If this is the case then one thing is clear that the master is very generous and he has a trust on all the three slaves he has entrusted his talents with.

The ones who were give five and two double the talents given. But the individual who was given only one does not double the talent but buries it in the ground. Understanding the value of the talent we cannot say that he was irresponsible. In many ways he was responsible with the money given to him as he did not gamble it away or lose it. But Jesus is not happy with his reaction and that tells us that it is not just about money.

The difference in the attitude of the three slaves is in the way they believed their master to be. How I perceive God decides how I am using what I have been freely given. Why did the third slave bury the talent and the other two did not. The third slave considered his master as a wicked man who was quick to punish anyone who did wrong. He accuses the master of two things – hard and ungracious. He is blind to his master’s kindness and grace. But the other two understood the Master as being joyful and generous.

When God gives us a talent, he expects us to use it. Rick Warren says that talents are like muscle. If you use it, it will grow. If you don’t you will lose it.” 

With regard to the third servant we can see that he buried his talent or did not use it because he was afraid of losing it. For the fear of losing everything, he did nothing. When we fear to step out and invest the gifts and abilities God has given us we are not only missing the opportunities to use and develop our talents but on the contrary shouting out loudly we don’t trust in the master who trusted in us to give the talents.

God has entrusted us all with talents according to our abilities. Using it is directly proportional to our trust in God.  

GodSprings - 27, March, 2018

Is My Story Praising My Saviour All the Day Long?

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”
Numbers 21:5

Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine is a hymn which is 145 years old but still sung across in all churches. The hymn is written by Fanny Crosby. She was born in 1820. When she was just six weeks old she caught a cold. Her eyes became very inflamed and in a desperate measure to heal her, a country doctor put a mustard poultice on her eyes. She immediately lost her sight. But Fanny Crosby turned her affliction into an asset. She considered her blindness to be a blessing. She has written the words to more than 8000 gospel songs. The song Blessed Assurance captures the attention of even those who don’t know the history behind the song. I think it’s the spirit of the song especially the chorus which came directly from Fanny Crosby’s heart – This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long. 

The Israelites are finally on the road to the promised land of Canaan. 40 years ago Lord had led them out of slavery in the land of Egypt. And now they’re finally making progress. They had complete victory over the heathen king of the city of Arad. (Num 21:1-3)

But now a small problem arises. Moses asked the king of Edom for permission to pass through his country as a shortcut. But the king did not agree. This meant that now the Israelites would have to go around spending more time in the desert. When they have spent 40 years in the desert a few extra weeks should not have been a problem. But we see that they grumble and complain.

Why do we complain and why do we grumble? We do so because something happens which is not according to our likes and desires. The most terrible thing that can happen at such a time is that we not only forget what God had done in the past but we also forget that God’s continued presence was there with us in the present too.

The Israelites forgot their fresh God given victory over the heathen king of Arad. They forgot that neither their clothes nor their sandals had worn out in all of those 40 years of travel in the desert. They forgot that they were led and fed throughout the journey.

What created doubt in their hearts? The Israelites allowed their circumstance to blind them to what they knew to be true. The bad situation made them to forget about God’s power and love which was their strength and strong hold in the past. Instead of basing their faith on what they knew to be true, they based their faith on what they feared might be true.

When we grumble and complain we are showing forth our unbelief in God’s sovereignty and his ability to work things out for His glory and our good. Just like Fanny Crosby can we develop an attitude and through our life witness and sing out no matter what our present circumstances are  - This is my story, This is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long?

GodSprings - 26, March, 2018

Do I Owe God Anything?

And Jesus said to them, “whose likeness and inscription is this?” they said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” 

Matthew 22:20-21 

David Augsburger in his book 70*7 The Freedom of Forgiveness shares an incident from the life of William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, who had lost his eyesight. His son was given the difficult task of telling his father there would be no recovery.
“Do you mean that I am blind?” the General asked.
“I fear we must contemplate that,” his son replied.
The father continued, “I shall never see your face again?”
“No probably not in this world.”
“Bramwell,” said General Booth, “I have done what I could for God and for His people with my eyes. Now shall do what I can for God without my eyes.” 

The Pharisees and the Herodians were two groups who were at odds against each other. But we find here that they come together for a common cause – to bring down Jesus. The question they ask Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? This was a tricky question because if Jesus said they ought to pay their taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees could have accused Jesus of yielding to the rule of Rome and Jesus’ claim of being the Messiah and Son of God would prove false. But on the other hand, if Jesus said that they should not pay taxes to Caesar, the Herodians could have accused Jesus of going against the Roman rule.

Verse 18 says Jesus was aware of their malice. Jesus knew what was going on in their hearts. Jesus gives back a perfect reply. Jesus said it was not a question of either or as they state but both. That is whatever they owed to man they ought to return it and whatever they owe to God they need to give it back to God. Jesus here reveals that we have a two-fold debt. One is horizontal i.e. towards man (government) and the other is vertical towards God.

But that brings to the front an important question for the Pharisees and Herodians who asked the question to us who are reading now to ponder. Both Pharisess and Herodians observed the Jewish law or at least they knew what it said. What do we owe to God? Psalm 24:1 says The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. This means everything that we need and use and enjoy about life has its origin in God. Everything is from God and therefore everything is a gift and so we owe back everything to God.

The term likeness and inscription (image) used by Jesus for the coin brings us back to the biblical phrase place at the very beginning of the Bible. So God created man in his own image, in the image of  God he created him. 

St. Augustine says about this image that the image of God is not impressed on gold, but on the human race. Caesar’s coin is gold, God’s coin is humanity…. Therefore give your riches to Caesar but keep for God the unique innocence of your conscience, where God is contemplated. Caesar, in fact, asked that his image be on every coin, but God chose man, whom he created to reflect his glory.  

As God’s children we must live and work in such a manner that we show forth the image of God and also help others shine in the image God.  How do I know that I am giving back to God what I owe? The simple test is if we are living a life worthy of His glory we give back what we owe. Living out a life not as Sunday Christians (part time) but everyday Christians (full time).

GodSprings - 25, March, 2018

Does Jesus Need Me and My Things?

Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them and he will send them right away.
Matthew 21:2-3

Charles Swindoll in one of his sermon shares a humorous incident that happened during the early years of his church formation. Many had started to come for worship and soon they required a proper place for worship. The call for donation was given and all the members unanimously decided that they are ready to sell off the most precious thing in their house for buying a piece of land and building a church. A Sunday was decided for the collection. On the day of collection Charles Swindoll preached a great sermon in Spirit about giving the best to the Lord. Though all agreed there were few who though had a lot when it came to giving, their hearts were not into it. There was a miser in that church. He had a beautiful boat. His wife had been telling him about selling off the boat and giving the money to Charles Swindoll to build a church. His wife had told Charles about it. After the service got over this miser came running to Charles and told, “The sermon has really touched me. I have been thinking about the boat since quite some time.” When the miser said this there was a glow on the face of Charles and he praised God for opening the heart of the miser. Charles asked, “So what have you decided?” The miser answered, “I have decided that I am ready to give the boat to be used for Sunday School classes till the church is built.” The miser had devised a wonderful plan to keep to himself the boat without selling it.

In the read portion we see that when the man is asked for a donkey without any questioning, without any hesitation he allows the disciples to take it. That’s quite surprising understanding the culture of that time. Some of the commentaries that I referred to puts forward some of the reason for the same.

1. This was typical Eastern hospitality. Especially at Passover, the locals knew that they needed to lend what they could to their visiting countryman. Therefore loaning the donkey was a common courtesy.
2. Some suggest this would have been an honour to let a distinguished rabbi ride your beast. In other words, they allowed them to take the donkey as a matter of pride.
3. Some others suggest that perhaps Jesus had arranged for the use of the donkey much earlier and he set up a password of ‘the master needs him’. In other words they gave him the donkey as part of a business deal.

But I am not satisfied with any of the above clarification because it bottles down the real surrender and giving. I think this man loaned his donkey to Jesus because He saw him as the Master. He saw what Jesus did. He heard him speak and he believed in Him. Everything he had was now at the Master’s disposal. For him, I believe that the loaning of the donkey was an act of worship and love.

Why I believe so is because in Luke 19:33-34 we see that the only question asked is “Why are you untying the donkeys?” Once it is stated “The master needs it” the discussion is over. I think that if they had given the donkey for one or the other reason stated above there would have been some additional questions like – how long do you need my donkey?, how far will you travel? , will you make sure he is cared for and so on.

We are not told how many donkeys this person had. Whether he had one or hundred doesn’t matter. What matters is when he was asked for something he was ready to give that. When we look through the Bible we see that it was when simple things or little things were given to God it became a great blessing – Moses asked to give his walking stick, Rahab giving the corner of her roof to hide the spies, the widow at Zarephath giving the last of her oil and flour to make a meal for Elijah, the widow who gave her two coins, the little boy who gave his five loaves and two fishes and so on.

Everything we have has been given to us as a gift from the Lord. You and I each have something in our lives, which, if given back to God, could, like the donkey, move Jesus and his story further down the road.

In one of the ads Airtel came out about friendship the tag line was Jo tera hai woh mera hai (what’s yours is mine). If God is singing then it holds true otherwise we need to sing Jo mera hai who sab kuch tera hai (everything that’s mine is Yours).

Max Lucado in his book And the Angels were Silent narrates this incident and tells that the original wording of the instructions Jesus gave to his disciples was “If anyone asks why you are taking the donkeys, you are to say, ‘Its Lord is in need’.”

As we are celebrating Hosanna today and as we enter the Passion week tomorrow i firmly believe that 2000 years back and even now Jesus is calling and asking I need you, Come and Follow Me. How far have we been able to travel? How far are we planning to travel? Will I play the part in moving Jesus' story further?

GodSprings - 24, March, 2018

What's My Attitude To Those Who Do Evil?

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12.21

Watchman Nee in his book Two Principles of Living shares a beautiful story about two Chinese farmers. The farmer whose field was higher up the hill was a Christian. He would get up early and work hard to pump water by hand for his crops. But his neighbour below him would cut a path through his upper neighbour’s watercourse and let the water flow down to his lower field. This happened more than once and the Christian farmer was quite irritated with his lazy neighbour.

But rather than going down and yelling at his neighbour, the Christian farmer started pumping water first for his neighbour’s field and then for his own. The neighbour soon went to the Christian and apologized.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth and evil for evil is the most natural thing that comes to us. We need not get trained for it. Our parents need not teach this. It comes naturally to all of us. It came naturally to the disciples also. One of the best examples is of Peter drawing out his sword and cutting of the ear of Malchus. But Jesus soon tells him to put back the sword in its place and heals the soldier’s ear.

Overcoming evil with good calls for an extra ordinary living. And Christ came into this world, lived, died and rose again so that we too may experience and live out a life of higher standard. The above verse tells us how we as Christians should relate to the world around us and people around us. We call ourselves Christians which means ‘those who follow Christ’.

Does Paul say this because these way things will always work out for the good or there will be an attitudinal change in the other person? I doubt if that’s the reason Paul is stressing on. The reason Paul commands us to act in this way is not because it may bring about a change but because it’s the right thing to do. This is what should be our calling as a Christian community.

None of us has endured evil to the level and extent that Jesus did. But Jesus Christ was not overcome by evil. He overcame evil with good. The best example can be found on the cross, when Jesus prayed for the enemies who persecuted him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

I am sure there are many who have hurt us in the most painful manner. Before we enter into the Passion Week and sing out Hosanna and make our journey towards the cross is it possible for us to give a blessing for a curse, a kiss for a blow and a favour for the wrong meted unto us? May we have a meaningful celebration of Passion week and rise up to be extraordinary beings filled with the divine atmosphere of love where evil doesn’t have a place.

GodSprings - 23, March, 2018

What Am I Clinging On To Resist Temptation?

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Matthew 4:1,11

 
The traditional method used to catch monkeys is quite amusing. A bottle is taken and something sweet is placed inside the bottle. The bottle is then tied to the ground. Then when a monkey comes along and sees the sweet he places his hand inside the bottle. But with the sweet enclosed in his palm his fist is too big to get back out of the bottle. The monkey will pull and push in an effort to get that sweet out, but he will not let it go, not even as those coming to catch him approach. And the monkey is caught with his hand in the bottle.

In the same way to be tempted or not depends on us. What we are clinging on to decides whether we will fall prey to temptation or have victory over it.

Before Jesus was tempted we see that Jesus spends forty days in fasting. Numbers have always had a symbolic meaning in the Bible. Israelites spend forty years in the wilderness. Symbolically it could mean that Jesus spent one day for each of the forty years his nation Israel had spent in the wilderness.

There is no doubt that wilderness is something none of us want to go through or be in. The conditions are stark, desolate and barren. Does wilderness have anything positive? The positive thing about wilderness is that it is never a boring place because there is always action in the wilderness.

Wilderness is always a battle scene. Here also we see it is a battle scene. There is a struggle and Jesus shows how we can overcome this. The whole of our life time is a wilderness journey as each day we too have to fight the battle with the Spirit and the Devil.

When we look at all the temptations Jesus faced and came out victorious, we see that it is the victory over “if and then conditions” that we usually fall prey too. Devil easily pulls us into wanting outcomes for our faith. All the three temptations – If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread (Mat. 4:3); If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down (Mat. 4:6) and All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.

I am sure most of us have said, “God if you get me out of this then I will believe you and trust you.” Jesus presents a life of faith that does not make faith conditional on happy outcomes.

It is easy to have faith in/to God when things are going our way and well. But when there is unrest and things are not in order at our end, will we keep walking? Will we still be faithful to God then? 

For Jesus the “word” was a lamp unto his feet (Psalm 119: 105). The right understanding and knowledge of the Scripture allowed Jesus to be on the right track when tempted.

We all fall prey to temptation each and every moment. Jesus victory over the temptation provides hope for us that if we too take hold of the Word of God and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit we too will be able to overcome any temptation and any wilderness that we are driven into. Clinging on to the Word is the answer to all our problems.

GodSprings - 22, March, 2018

Am I Walking Towards Death or Life?

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Proverbs 14:12

There is a story about two brothers. They were convicted of stealing sheep and were branded on the forehead with the letters ST, to indicate “sheep thief.” The younger one was not able to bear the stigma and moved away. Eventually he died and was forgotten. The elder one but decided to take a different route. He said, “I can’t run away from what I did, so I’ll stay here and win back the respect of my neighbours and myself.” As the years passed he was able to build a solid reputation for integrity. One day a stranger saw him. The elder brother was now an old man but still with the letters ST on his forehead. He asked a townsman what they signified. He replied, “It happened a long time ago. I have forgotten the particulars. But I think the letters are an abbreviation for ‘saint.’

Everyday our life is full of big and small choices. Our choices reflect our intelligence and at the same time it also reveals what’s there in our hearts. There is no doubt that what we choose today affects our life in the future. The principle of sowing and reaping holds true. What we will reap in the future will surely uncover what we sow today.

The above verse warns us about that. Making a decision is sensitive and critical. We need the help of God. It is always a wise move to consider the will of God in making a decision. The most basic and yet the most important choice is the path we will take in this present life: Will we choose God’s path of eternal life or will we go our way to destruction?

By path or way the writers meant a course of action, a life direction, a pattern of behavior. We can choose many paths and directions for our life.

The Bible begins talking about knowing good and evil. We are expected to be experienced judges who choose well what will help us on our journey and what will hinder us. The Old Testament prophets had a message that repeated over and over. If we choose a relationship with God, we have life. If we reject relationship with God we break the covenant and we have death.

Even today we have this struggle. Sometimes we are close to God and in tune with God. Sometimes we choose death when we ignore god and choose something inferior. Andrew Foster says, Death is a slow process of giving ourselves to what does not matter.

Appearances and first impressions are not always accurate. Some things may appear to the naked eye to be clear, clean and transparent but they are not what they seem. We need to have a different way of looking at things. We need to go for the Divine perspective and vision. There is a vast difference between human perspective and divine perspective. To have the divine perspective do I ask for God’s council before every big and small decision that I make?

Let us pray and ask God to alert us if we wander and correct us if are still persistent on taking a wrong detour in our life. For the way of life is not possible without God on our side.

GodSprings - 19, March, 2018

Do I Have A Walk To Remember?

Enoch walked with God.
Genesis 5:24

We had wonderful neighbours during our stay at Ludhiana. We enjoyed the fellowship with Panditji who lived just next to our church and parsonage. Every night even though Panditji came back late there is one thing that he would always do. To have a walk with his wife and children. Sometimes we have seen them going out for a walk at 12 in the night. Once I asked him, “Is it a part of being health conscious that you don’t miss out your walks?” Panditji with his trademark laugh replied, “As you know we live as a joint family. My wife has many responsibilities and I too go out for work. There are many things that my wife and children want to share with me alone. And so I have made it a point to walk together even if it be for 10 minutes before sleeping. And let me tell you each walk has been memorable and it is these 10 to 20 min walks which has strengthened us as a family."

Genesis 5:21-24 tells about a man who walked with God – Enoch. He is one of those personality about whom much is not said. As we read Genesis chapter 5 we find a list of the descendants of Adam. 5:21, Enoch comes into picture. As I read about the descriptions given about Enoch two things caught my attention. One two times its said he walked with God and he was not for God took him (or in other words he did not die).

About Adam we are told he lived 930 years and he died. Seth lived 912 years and he died. Enosh lived 815 years, Kenan 910, Mahalel 895 and Jared 962. For each individual this is the pattern. They lived for these many years and died. But as it comes to saying about Enoch we see somebody who did not die.

The creation story reveals that death is symbolic to the Fall. Adam and Eve too walked with God but they were not able to walk till the end. But Enoch breaks the pattern. Enoch is set before us as an example that it is possible to walk with God 365 days and 24*7.

It's not possible to walk with someone unless we have same choice, motives, pattern and way of life. Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

So if Enoch walked with God it surely does mean that Enoch lived a life which was corresponding to God’s nature. As light has no relation with darkness in the same way a sinner who remains in sin cannot walk with God.

Enoch I believe was ready to surrender his will to the will of God. If we are asked how many of us would like to have a walk with God, without any second thought we would raise our hands. We too wish to have such a walk but we are not ready to surrender our will.

I am sure it was not a bed of roses life for Enoch. Hard and tough times were there in his life. There were times when relationships were strained and circumstances were difficult for him to move. But Enoch chose and decided, no matter what, he will not leave God. He will agree and accept to everything that God gives and takes.

Amos 3:3 it says “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Enoch agreed to let God lead him. The first thing that Jesus too asked the disciples was to follow him. The disciples were asked to just one thing in everything are you ready to let God lead you.

For few who are reading this you may not understand why you have to go through the pain and where you have been placed in life but like Enoch, by faith, choose to walk with God. I bet we will surely have a walk to remember for a lifetime.

GodSprings - 17, March, 2018

Should I Do Something For God Who Has Everything?

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
Psalm 116.12-13

My wife (Saumya) celebrated her birthday yesterday. I called her up at five early in the morning to convey my wishes. To my surprise I could hear my daughter’s (Nanma) voice. Understanding it’s me, Nanma grabbed the phone from Saumya and started talking with me. I asked her how come she got up so early and she responded, ‘Today is mom’s birthday and I got up to give her a surprise gift that appacha ammachi had brought.” And then came the next question. “Appa what are you giving mummy as a gift”. I told her when I come back to Kerala I will give a gift. I then asked her why did she think that I should gift mummy on her birthday. She innocently said, “Mummy appa parayunna ellam cheiythu tharum. Appayku aharam undaki tharum. Appaye nallayitu nokkum. Njan kodutalo appol appayum kodukenam”(Mummy does everything for you. She prepares food for you. She takes care of you perfectly. I have given and so you also need to give).

The above verse came to my mind as I was recollecting what my daughter told me. According to my daughter since Saumya has been good to me its my moral responsibility that I give her a gift. But that made a question to prop up in my mind. There is yet another person who has been good to me and did only those things in life which would mould me and bring me to the perfection He desires. Yes, when God has been good to me all the time what have I given him?

But what can I give to God, who has created everything. Is there anything that I can buy for God, for he needs nothing. To find a perfect gift will surely be a hard task for every one of us.

The psalmist poses the question – What shall I render? It is a personal question. I have had my ups and downs in life. I have had times when I walked away from the path of the Lord. The story is too long so not writing it down over here. But Lord was gracious. But for that what am I rendering back?
Among those who are reading this you might have been in the clutches of an infirmity or disease and God has healed you. What have you rendered back? If you were in spiritual blindness and Jesus has opened your eyes what are you rendering back? If you had been in the grave of corruption and Christ has raised you back to life what have you give back?

This question should prick our conscience. With each passing day we are getting old and are nearing our end. What have you and I done for Christ up to this time?

Something that we could have given all through our lives was being obedient and thereby submitting to his sovereignty, making Him the first priority in our life. Most importantly as Paul says in Romans 12:1-2, to give our bodies as living sacrifices without conforming to the world but being transformed each day according to his desire.

Even though God needs nothing from us, we have plenty of gifts which God would like to receive from us. Still wondering what you have to give? Then start by giving yourself completely to Him. I think that might be the best gift we can give to God, who has everything.

GodSprings - 16, March, 2018

Will God Seek Me Even When I Hide?

But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you."

Genesis 3:9

Last week I called home as I usually do after coming back from school. I first called my mother but she didn’t answer. So then I called my father. He too didn’t and then I called Saumya (my wife) and she also didn’t answer. Even after repeated calls none of them answered. An hour later I again called and still there is no answer. There was no message also from Saumya since morning. During such a time good thoughts seldom come to our mind. Wild thoughts rushed into my mind. What could have happened? Where could they have gone? At last at 5.30 in the evening I get a call from my mom. I was furious and shouted at her for not answering and calling back. And then she narrated as to why they didn’t. She told that since afternoon it was as if their life had come to a standstill.

Our daughter Nanma was not to be found since afternoon. Since painting of our house just got over all were busy in arranging things back. Nanma was playing in the verandah and in the afternoon when she was called for lunch there was no answer. Mom, dad and Saumya went around the whole house and nearby house but Nanma was not to be found. After 4 hours she came out of the bedroom. Seeing her they all came back to life. They asked where she was and she told she hid behind the suitcase under the bed because she was afraid Saumya would scold her for not doing the thing she was asked to do.

We all hide ourselves from many people. Some hide from parents. Some hide from their bosses. Some hide from their friends. And the list goes on. Why do we hide? We hide only when we think we have done something wrong. But is it possible to hide from God? Psalm 33:13 says The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man. Did Adam think that by hiding God won’t be able to find him? If he hid thinking God will not find him it was stupid of him and it is foolish for us also to think that God won’t find us or the wrongs we have committed.

But if God sees everything he knew where Adam was. Why didn’t God directly go to Adam? Why did God question, “Where are you?” God did not ask because he didn’t know where Adam was hiding. God knows all and sees all. God was giving Adam an opportunity to realize the sin he has committed. More than disobedience God wanted to regain back the fellowship He had with Adam. God asked Adam where he was in order to bring him out of his hiding place. And this was done not for condemnation but for restoration.

The question was a chance for Adam to seek God. God just wanted Adam to confess and repent. To the question where are you if Adam had replied, “I am sorry Lord. I did a grave mistake of disobeying your commands.” The chapter would have been closed there itself and the same old relationship would have been regained.

Being human we are prone to make mistakes. And when we make a mistake or commit a sin we are filled with guilt and there is a desire in us to go away or hide from God. But hiding from God will not make us the person God intended us to be. God is a God of relationship and so no matter how hard you try to hide from Him, He will come seeking and searching for you.

May we listen to Him calling out where are you and respond Here I am, your servant. I am sorry for the things I have done. Forgive me and accept me as your child.” Say this prayer and God will prepare a feast –  for this child (you and me) was lost but now has been found.

GodSprings - 15, March, 2018

Have I Fine-Tuned Myself?

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4.16

From the very childhood I was interested in photography. Though I have not really taken it up as a hobby or passion I loved to take photos whenever there was a camera in my hands and I loved seeing people take beautiful and breathtaking photos. One such photographer that I met was Mr. Saju Ninan. He is our member at Ludhiana and I got to know him closely during my term at the Ludhiana church for three years. His photos were amazing. Once he showed me his collection of cameras. He has the latest with him. As soon as a new model arrives he would buy it. Once when he had brought the camera to take pictures of first communion at church I asked him to give me the camera to take a picture.  Till then I thought its the camera that did the trick and a little bit of adjustment from our side. I took a picture and he took another. I jokingly told him, “Bhaiya I thought it’s the camera that did the trick”. And he replied, “It sure is the camera that does the trick but you need fine tune to get the picture in your mind. That work the camera cannot do.”

I believe all instruments whether it be our bike, TV’s, AC’s, refrigerators everything needs to be fine-tuned to get the maximum result. If that’s the case I believe spiritually too we need to be fine-tuned to produce the maximum result.

When Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth, he took a moment to reflect on his own life and ministry. It had been a difficult journey for him. But he did not lost heart. The only way Paul managed to keep fighting was to sharpen his focus and fine-tune himself towards that which counted the most.

Paul knew that there is no way that he can stop the outwardly wasting away. But he knew that this is not the case inwardly. He says inwardly we can be renewed day by day. Paul knew that the fine-tuning of his faith would be a daily process.

Fine-tuning is not a noisy process. The only thing this process requires is a little bit of time and space for reflection. One of the best examples we can find in the Bible is that of Moses. Before returning to Egypt for his “second half”, he was fine-tuned for forty years. During those forty years he had no idea that God was using those forty years to prepare him for the most important season of his life.

You might be going through a tough time and have no idea why you have to go through such trouble. You cannot do anything to stop things happening outwardly. But you can do something for that which happens inwardly. May that renewal never stop. It doesn’t need much. The only thing that it needs is that little space in your heart which if fine-tuned to God no matter what storms may come you will be renewed each day and will be given wings to fly and soar high up in the sky like an eagle.