Give me a word please!

  

If we all have to call out words we most encountered and familiarized this year 2020, then I am sure it would be Corona, infected, sick, mask, vaccination, social-distancing, disappointment, frustrated, death, etc. If I want you to name words that haunted the Corporate sectors, institutions and impacted lives then it would echo in line of work-from-home(WFH), austerity measures, attrition, frugality, retrenchment, job loss, unemployment,  cheated, scam, layoffs, cutback, loss, shutdown, etc.

We all understand that these are not just painful words but life-altering words for many people. I hear people saying that with passing time, things would change for the better. Well, I defer to agree with that because time is not a provider, healer or restorer of life situations. In many cases, time made things worse and it is still irrevocable. How are the people who have been seriously affected going to make it? Definitely it is not going to be easy but let us not forget we all move forward by - Hope. The question will remain, where lies our hope?

Let me emphasize, despite of all challenges we still muster our ability to hope and this hope is usually generated from within. Many kindhearted people, charitable organizations/institutions extended help and support in the time of need. With this as a context, if we have to name a word who witnessed and experienced the good act would name words like relief, sympathy, kindness, gratitude, thankfulness and maybe some more positive experiences. Yes friends, we live by hope to see things change for better. It looks like this era is soon likely to become divided like “Before Corona” and “After Corona”. 

Recently Christmas was celebrated globally. In some way most of the people were part of it, at least in celebration. Christmas demonstrates the incarnation of God in the form of man Jesus who made an immense impact in human history. He was not merely a good man or a moral teacher pointing a way of life like many, but claimed, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”. What makes Him special is the way in which He was born is the fulfillment of prophecies made thousands of years ago of His nature of birth - the virgin birth, the holy life He led, the works He did raising people from dead, eg. story of Lazarus, the way He chose to die and His resurrection. This gives all of us a hope because of His jubilant claim He made “Because I live you will live too.”. He further added, “You will have sufferings in this world. Be courageous, I have conquered the world.”. Can we look for help from this God who is willing to transform us and our situation? 

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Looking for stability !

  

The challenges and crisis of life seem unending but quickly we have come to the end of this year, 2020. Everyone has faced some kind of crisis including kids of all ages. In fact, children are affected in many ways even now. They desperately wish things will be normal soon and they can exercise their full potential. Nations are struggling to maintain stability in all possible manner. We are all hoping to soon find relief. Whom do we actually blame for all that is happening? I am sure, we all have someone to blame other than us. We have made our own research based on what we see, hear and read, most often some are biased and some are untrue. But the fact is we have collectively failed in many ways.  

We all suffer because of someone's selfishness, whether it is a nation, government or people. We become recipients of good and bad decisions. Most of the catastrophes and disasters are manmade. They are the result of our choices. What is left for us right now is our responses. How do we respond to things? Choices of our decisions in the past affect the present and help shape us as who we are. What happens in life, however, is not as important as how we respond. We sometimes have little control over what happens but we can always control our responses. Too often, we get upset and fixated over what we cannot control instead of what we can control.

The rich and the powerful are showing to the world that one can manage life successfully if he has both money and power, which is actually not true. If that's true then many powerful people and nations are in mess and brokenness themselves. Some are also struggling to handle many criminal charges slapped against them. Today, committing the worst crime and being caught for it is no more shameful and regretful. People find ways to walk out free.

We often forget that our lives are open in the eyes of a living God who created us. It is high time we listen to our conscience through which the God of justice speaks to us and also through the Holy scripture. James W. Golli from the book "God Encounters States" says, “God’s word and His eternal laws provide an anchor of stability in the midst of confusing world. Scripture can help us know how to respond to circumstances of life, whether good or bad. Some of God’s laws are eternal and will affect our entire lives depending on whether they are broken or honored.”. Don’t look for a God in the cradle, partying with wine and cakes. You can strip away trees, lights, wreaths, candy, chocolate, gifts, festive music and Santa Claus yet you will find the real reason to celebrate, that is - Jesus is the risen Savior and the coming King.  

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Verge of closing 2020!

 

Every day is a new day and each month is a new month for all of us. However, with December comes the finality of the year. We gather our thoughts and matters of life and bring them to a common table to analyze and know how good things went - better or worse. Generally, people want to think in terms of profit and benefit. There's nothing wrong with such parameters but it is also worth pondering our progress as a better individual.

We live in a world of dilution whether it be commodity or relationships. Things are getting increasingly spurious on which we have very less or no control. People are living in an unsafe environment with every passing day. The claims of human testimonials on accomplishments are both good and bad. We advance in knowledge but we regress in morality. But does it even hurt us anymore? It is good to check on ourselves to make room for personal change as we come to the close of this year 2020.

With Christmas, the greatest celebration around the corner, let's consider to make some amends in our lives in light of this festival. Let me enlighten you that Christmas is absolutely not about Christmas trees, Christmas Cakes, bells, balloons, wines, mistletoes and Santa Claus. All of this is fiction and has no reference in the Christian holy book, The Bible. This tradition, mythology and culture has messed the true essence of Christmas.

The birth of Jesus, His death and crucifixion are the fulfilment of more than 300 prophecies that was recorded in the Bible written by 40 authors over the period of 1,500 years. It displays perfect cohesiveness and it is devoid of any contradiction. The purpose of the birth of Jesus as recorded states, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!”  

What makes Christmas so special is not the celebration of a birthday. For that matter there are many great people whose birthdays we celebrate. What makes Christmas so special is the cause for which Jesus was born. He took human form to give us salvation by His birth. The purpose He fulfilled by the way He lived, His death on the cross of Calvary and most importantly His resurrection (rising from the dead) after three days makes the difference. No one in history who claimed to be God was predicted of his birth nor were they resurrected.

You have a choice to accept this salvation by acknowledging His sacrifice and by making a small prayer. Following a God should transform lives, give us meaning and assurance about life after death and make us a better person than just confining to a religion succumbing to rites and rituals.

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So you think you are free?

 

There is a saying that, "There are somethings money just cannot buy, like manners, morals and intelligence". However, we live in a materialistic world running after things that can be bought by money. The more the money, more are the obsessions. People are not content with what they are but want to notch up their existence a bit through drugs, alcohol and sex. We long to fill our emptiness, that void we feel with these "no goods" but once we have crossed the threshold, we feel we have got caught into their tangled web. In all of this the causality is our morality. The Bible says, " Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.” Our Heavenly Creator intended us to be upright. 

Somehow the concept of being upright puts us in the bracket of being a nerd. But is it really? Why is being a child of God or leading a moral life makes us boring? Why is it that if we experiment with evil habits or be addicted to them somehow makes us look like heroes?

Don't these habits make us slaves rather than heroes? As far as my understanding goes once you become a slave to something you are no more a master and there is nothing desirable or dignified about that.

Money has played spoil sport turning men into beasts and sadly has blinded them of this transformation. Today, you observe the wealthy. They have traded their uprightness for filth and shame. From their lifestyle to the way they dress it's all about how shameful and degrading one can be. We have totally lost the essence of why God created us. We have made our lusts our idols and defiled our bodies thinking God is confined to a building.

My dear friends, the Bible says, "And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said:  I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.". To rephrase this once again, you are God's temple. Your body belongs to Him. God dwells in you and only He can fill the vacuum, that emptiness you feel even after feeding all your lusts. If God has suggested some boundaries for us to lead a moral life it's because He wants to protect us from harm.

Relinquish your evil habits, be it drugs, alcohol or sex. These are risky ventures that harm you and make you their slave. Be a slave for your Creator. Be sold out for Him and spend your life fulfilling the purpose He brought you into this world. He has called you to have high moral standards, eventually leading to holiness. Be the complete man or woman known for being the child of God.

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Disappointed over infidelity and betrayal?

 

There is so much of pain and brokenness in this world that it is hard to comprehend the reasons for each pain and suffering that exists. Everyone has a story of their personal brokenness and wish certain things never happened. They are now in captivity of pain, sorrow and loneliness. I hear so many stories of infidelity, betrayal and embezzlement. Many argue that love is just a commodity. You don’t know if it is genuine because it changes its color quickly, sometimes for stupid reasons.

Those who once assumed that if they were sound financially, relationships and love would sustain. They soon found themselves to be wrong. Many who were once victims of relationships believe they probably were too innocent and therefore cheated. Later have made adjustments in life to be shrewd and smart just to find even with these adjustments things have not changed for better. We live in a world where humans are becoming more and more unreliable and unfaithful. Is there someone whom we can trust implicitly?

The absence of genuine unselfish true love is resulting in too many heartless humans trying to use each other for their personal satisfaction. You rarely get to know about true genuine love. The Bible records what Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”. We all wish someone whom we love the most will stand with us when we are in pain and brokenness.

Let me remind you the God who chose to live in the form of man also chose to lay His life down for all of us so that we may find hope in life. He understands your pain and brokenness. Stop walking in the ruins of your past. You may have regrets, but regrets mean you are wiser now than before. Focus on your purpose and future. Most importantly on Him who lay His life for you and holds your future.

It is recorded in the Bible that after Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected some of His disciples were on their way to Emmaus discussing about the crucifixion. They were so disappointed to know the abrupt end of this prophet and God. It is then recorded that Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them, but they did not recognize Him. Ray Ortlund puts this beautifully, “His friends didn’t discern His presence. His enemies couldn’t prevent his presence. The risen Christ is the only fully free person in the world today. He is near. He is present. And he’s all-in.”  My dear friends, do not give up! You have a hope and a better future.

 

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God vs Professional services!

 

Have you wondered why people treat God as a professional service to visit only when required? Let me clarify, we all need Doctors who we find the need to visit only when we are sick, likewise for any professional services for that matter. On the other hand some professional services relaxes us physically and emotionally, example massage centers for a head, foot or body massage. And there are few (usually the old people) spending their extra time in the religious rituals praying to their gods to keep their families and the little ones safe. At the end of the day we do things either for our personal satisfaction, or as a ritual or to increase our profits or find a way out when we are in crisis.

Today God is downsized to religious institutions, shrines and business centers. Now why do I say business centers? Take away money from a religious institution and it would shut itself down. Let me quote an incident recorded in the Bible. There was this grandeur temple which was built by King Solomon in 957 BCE but suffered plunders and demolitions under various kings, primarily because the expensive stones attracted them all. During the period when Jesus was on the earth, He enters the temple and sees the money changers and people buying and selling inside the temple, which upset Him deeply. He casts all of them out and cried out, “My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”. It was indeed strong words, which disappointed the priests and the temple in charge. But it was a reality then, sadly, even now.

The Almighty God and the Creator cannot be an option nor a choice but He is our lifeline. It is not doing the right way (religious practices) that we find a maximum benefit. This may apply to the professional services but not with God. God is all about relationship. A relationship which is not philosophical nor an oxymoron but exemplifying sincere gratitude for the greatest sacrifice He made on the cross of Calvary for our sins. When we accept the gift of salvation, we become a new creation. You can find your purpose for life on this earth and a promise to spend eternity with God. 

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Your rewards as parents - Children's day note!

At the outset, I want to wish all the children a very Happy Children’s Day! Children's day is celebrated in India on 14^th November every year.  The Bible reminds us that ‘every child is a unique gift of God, the fruit of the womb.’. There are many who are childless and desperately longing to have a child. Due to medical complications they are not able to have one. It is time parents seriously raise their precious little children given by God, with utmost love and consciously build the potential God has woven inside each child.

Every child has the best potential and a unique talent to display. It depends on every parent how they help their children unleash them. God has given every parent the responsibility to raise them with all sobriety and blessings of the Almighty. Let me quote few lines from the poem written by the famous Persian Poet, Khalil Gibran:

Your children are not your children. 
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. 
They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you…

You may strive to be like them, 

but seek not to make them like you. 

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. 

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

This poem is a brilliant warning to parents not force children to become like them but encourage children to follow the good example every parent is expected to set for them. Parents! Be like a bow but do not get carried away with developments and stuffing and overwhelming them. It is not necessary that children have to be taught new skills all the time but help them choose what befits them. Most importantly, let us as parents develop their character and strive to shape a good human being.

Let me quote “Hygiene Motivation Theory” by Frederick Herzberg who first introduced the satisfaction/dissatisfaction idea. I am quoting two of them, which say:

1. Be happy and eliminate as many dissatisfied as possible

2. Don't define satisfaction for your kids. You simply can't force natural processes.

Do not force satisfaction by things and commodity. Help them realize the true creator. It is said in the Bible when Children were brought to Jesus, He touched them and blessed them all. Can we as parents also bless our kids and help our kids be known for their integrity, honesty, truthfulness, faithfulness and respect? These are the traits that make them honourable. If you as parents want to see this in your children you first need to model them.

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