Big Pitcher or Cleaning Solution!

I had this spot at my work desk; it was there from the time I started. It is been bothering me for a long time, I put big pitcher on top of it and hid it totally. The pitcher didn’t belong there, and it was obvious. It made my desk look less appealing, but I learned to live with it. Every time, I remove the pitcher to clean the desk, I see this spot and it bothered me. But interestingly I never try to rub it clean, I will wipe over it and rub the rest of the desk. In my mind somehow I had a strong thought that it could never be cleaned. One day, as I was cleaning my desk with the same cleaning solution, I thought with the right strength this spot could be cleaned. Amazingly, I sprayed this solution and rubbed with little more strength and the spot started to disappear, with endurance I tried more, that area in my desk became clean like new. I took the pitcher from that area and set it where it belonged, it made my entire desk look much appealing.

No, this is not a commercial for a cleaning solution. I want to apply this strategy to life situations. I have ugliest spot in my life that I thought nothing has the power to change, inherited anger, the pride that is very different than confidence, and sharp words that cause great damages. I put a pitcher of explanation, on top of it and said, “It will never be changed." But every time I am in my knees, in that sensitive time of trying to clean my life with His sinless blood, these surfaced. Holy Spirit convicted me. I cleaned the rest of the areas, and just put the pitcher back. Then came this day, with the same solution His Blood, understanding the power of this Cleaning Solution, I started to rub, rub harder not with my strength but His, to my amazement I see this spot starting to clear up. I know the result will not only clean spot, but beautify the desk itself, my life! I have hope. Fellow Christians, I challenge you to trust in the power of the solution (His Blood), rub with the right strength, any spots can be cleaned, and you don’t need any pitcher to cover it.

God bless.

It is better than perfect.

Few weeks ago as I was surfing through the net I stumbled upon this website with fantastic natural sounds www.musicofnature.com. All of sudden a great idea came into my mind; I am going to play this wonderful music and get into a hot tub for at least half an hour tonight. It seemed to me like the perfect plan, I have no giants against this plan because my little girl goes to sleep at 7.30, my husband doesn’t work Mondays, and I have enough of left over for dinner so this is just a perfect plan. I was just waiting for that time. I even left work a little bit earlier. Went home explained all my plans to hubby. I washed and got my little girl all ready for bed, feed her, and rocked her sleep, and I set her in the crib. Nearly excited, fixed the living room, and ready to jump into the tub, then I hear this little groaning that grew to become a scream. My sweet little girl woke up and ready to be carried. She sleeps well, 100% at least for three hours, now awake. I could swear you; she somehow knew my plans for the night. I didn’t lose my patience went back; with soothing voice rocked her to sleep, she fell asleep, just set her in the crib. Oh, just in two seconds same groaning grew to become screaming. All right, this circle went on for few times, I was almost in tears, my very supportive husband unaware of all these downstairs having his own time (he is very supportive, I don’t know what happen to our household that day). It seemed as though the entire universe is plotting against my plan. I was indignant, why not I have half an hour of my time in the tub? I looked at her sweet face; she definitely wanted to be in my lap. I had a choice to get angry at both of them for denying my tub time or enjoy this perfect moment. I looked and remembered the days I longed for this moment, to have a baby in my lap. I held her so close to my chest and whispered in her ears, “I love you baby,” she was sleeping, but smiled at me (I am not making this up). She surely smiled; God reminded me it was still so perfect, actually more perfect than what I planned. I know for some of you it may not be a hot tub that you desire, it could be just a few second bathroom break, or  time to take the quickest shower, that you are denied. There is something perfect about the season that you are just living in, either thinking back, or looking forward might clear that perfectness of today’s moment. Remember, it is very true; like Solomon says there is a season for everything, not to have a hot tub bath with music of nature, but enjoy the perfect smile of your little girl in your lap.

God bless

Is it Simple? Is it profound? It is unchanging.

In the past few weeks I was spending time with My God by myself, with my family, and listening to sermons. I was pondering over the thoughts about His sacrifice in the cross, for mankind, for each one of us. I was reexamining my walk with God; the growth I had in multiple spiritual understandings. In the past decade by His Grace, I learned many matters related to Christian life. My understandings have been transformed radically from feminist to submissive, to choice to life... the list goes on. Every time these transformations happen, it is like a birth of a new idea in my life. I am a person with strong opinions and hold fast to them, when it changes it is a process. But this one truth have been unchanged that God died for me and rose again triumphing over death. This is the truth that set me free, this is the truth that made me meet Him, this is the truth that made me yearn for Him, and this is the truth that presses me to follow Him. And, I asked God to give me some profound understanding about it. Easter seems to be a very stable celebration for me, the Joy is same, and the reason is same. I needed something different, and asked God for more. After listening to many different sermons and explanations. I came to this conclusion, it is simple, it is profound, and more than that it is unchanging. It is a simple truth for a transformed-skeptic, it is a profound mystery for scholars who spend their lives decoding His words but it is unchanging for all. He died and Rose again for me; to give me eternal life with Him, that never changes. This is a simple and profound truth that met me when I was a skeptic, and it still gives me an all surpassing joy after ten years. The reason for Easter never changes that is the beauty of it, it is as similar as for a naïve Christian, a biblical scholar, and anyone in the Journey.

I am late in publishing this, was meant to be published on Easter. He is alive, so we have a reason to celebrate His resurrection even today. Have a blessed day.

When you feel like Elijah!

 I work for a secular school and have encounters with variety of students. Every time, I bring up a topic about absolute truths, I get very few responses. Most of the students are either against it or indifferent. In their ignorance, somehow being indifferent is equality. One day, as we were discussing about the genome projects involving embryos and ethical issues. Most of my students argued for the project except one. I was not surprised. But, when I asked that one student why she is against it? She said, “I am just against it, but can’t explain the reason”. Then, I was surprised.  For most of the Christians, who are working in secular places, it seems like, we are the only one left. We are lost in the midst of strong anti-Christian views, and subtle or irrational Christian views. Neither one is helpful. It feels like we need to cry out to God and say, “I am the only one left, and they are trying to fire me too….”

 

I feel the need for Christians,

Ø To understand the reasons for believes. If we say using embryo’s for project is wrong, we should be able to defend by sharing the start of life at conception. If not we fail.

Ø To instil in our children the values with its reason.

Ø To always encourage questions and answer them rationally with the authority of God’s word.

Ø To not be afraid to expose our children to other views cautiously.

Ø To finally be assured, that everything in and the earth itself belong to our Lord, and He is Sovereign. You are not the only one left, God reserved many thousands, who are zealous for the Lord then and even now.

God Bless.                                                                                             

                                                                          

If, you ask questions to God!

This post is my personal testimony, an encouragement. For a few weeks; I am having this push to share something, His goodness, an encouragement. In the little walk I had with this awesome God of mine. He always swiftly answered to types of prayer, and He performed miracles. He made it absolutely clear; it is nothing but His hands, every single time. The types of Prayer, when I went to Him in anguish and said, “Father for following you Lord, this is the result (anguish, shame, hatred whatever it is)”. He answered.

I am not a perfect follower of Christ; I have been reprimanded by GOD many times. I count it a privilege because it is another proof for my adoption ship in His family. Other times, I just endured pain and anguish that He allowed to mold me, to become more like Him. But every time I said, “for following you Lord” He answered. It makes me wonder, how tangible is His Father’s Heart, it is like, I say all kind of things about my child, but would never endure someone else criticizing her. He is faithful. He is really faithful.

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” – Mark 10:29

This verse came so true in my life. I always referred to the eternal portion but forgot about the “in this present age” portion.  There is a persecution that He allows with it, nevertheless blessings abound, when we follow Him.

If you are a person who asks God questions, I would love to say, I pray that you and I will totally surrender to His will, will that is sovereign and eternally loving. But I simply state, I relate with you, and assure you, He is faithful and is closer than ever to you.

God Bless.

Christian Vs Hypocrite

In our employee’s lounge today, the topic of discussion was about different schooling options. One of my coworker’s word struck me deep, “My son doesn’t like to continue in the Christian school, he said, ‘Christians are bunch of hypocrites’ ” In my mind, I just fast forwarded some fourteen years. How would I feel, if those words come out my daughter’s mouth? There is a high potential. I would be calm, if this claim is from a cynical adult non-believer, but from the mouth of a teenager, who is figuring out his identity, the purpose of his life. I had no choice but to believe, there is some amount of truth to it.

Why are we visualized as hypocrites? The very thing our Lord condemned.

           Because some of us,

Ø Fake the perfectionism.

Ø Avoid admitting our vulnerability.

Ø Hide our failures.

Ø Put up the religious show.

Ø Praying in front of others (not with others).

Ø Fasting and showing that to the public.

Ø Giving and letting the whole world know about that.

Ø Faking the external poise.

How to overcome hypocrisy,

Ø Admit our failures.

Ø Just be who we are, humans! (It is not a license to practice sinful lifestyle).

Ø Confess our vulnerability.

Ø Never put up the religious show. 

I got this wonderful piece of advice from Charles R. Swindoll’s podcast, live your life like a Christian in public, but practice your religion privately. Our Lord clearly stated giving, praying, and fasting are an inside job never for public display. But we are a light and a salt of the world. We live a counterculture life.

 I come from a Hindu background; external purification is critical in that religion. It had the lingering effect long after I accepted Jesus as my Savior. The day I realized, it is about internal change more than an external purification, it relived my obsession. The day I learned Christians are not perfect people, we fail, we fall, but get right back holding the hand of our Savior, walk in the right path set by our Lord. We do this process again and again until we get to Him, Who called us. Even to getup and walk, we trust His grace, His power, and His strength. We are to be pitied, if we claim to be remotely perfect. We are not, but we have a perfect God!

I hold fast to do these things,

Ø Frankly admit my failure to my daughter.

Ø Always explain with Whose strength I stand.

Ø Never practice my religion in public.

Ø  But, strive to live like a Christian always.

In spite of all this, I ask, seek, and knock to God that, “those words would never come out of my daughter’s mouth. At least, she will see one Christian, who is not a hypocrite, but a sinful human holding on to her Awesome God in everything”.

God Bless.

Realities Learned