Reflect

Israel is a peculiar nation. When the Lord said to go and occupy the land, they hesitated,they doubted, they rebelled.

So the Lord says, because they treated the Lord with contempt, He is going to abandon this generation. For 40 years they would wander in wilderness. All except Joshua and Caleb who gave a good report on the promised land, would perish.

Now what do they do now? Num:14:39-40 says that when they realized the truth, they were filled with grief and the next morning they decide - okay then we will go.

No remorse, no repentance.

Just a change in direction. I don't think there is any trust involved. Nor is there any feeling of "Oh! I've hurt God"

Probably because their aim was their comfort. Be it going back to Egypt or now when this promised land has become more practical and makes more sense. Their God was their belly. They were not God oriented but self oriented.

Dear one, it is not about what you will do or what you desire to do or what will happen to you.

Lazarus had to die. Why? Inorder that God's name would be glorified.

It is actually about God. His glory. His character. And we being created in His image are only mere reflectors of Him.

The moon can never shine on its own. It just reflects the sun's light the way it can. It need not bother whether it's full moon or crescent or no moon. It's job is to reflect. Likewise our purpose in life is to be vessels of God's purpose and glory. Not seeking our glory. It's not that we shouldn't have desires. But we can't be adamant. "Not my will but yours"

Secondly. How genuinely repentant we are?About our words, about our thoughts and actions? Many a times we repent superficially so that all would go well with us. God calls it defiance.

A genuine repentance coming from our hearts and not from our mouths alone is rooted on the feeling that I have disappointed God and have hurt Him. Not to get things done for me.

It looks at God's heart, not His hands.

Comments

Permissible

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor:6:12 Everything is permissible. But not everything is beneficial. Let it not overpower you. You shall not be addicted to it. Definitely not the vice things. But the not so harmful things. The harmless habits. Things that you can, but would you? Does it edify you? Is it beneficial? 1 Cor:10:23 is the litmus test. Does it bring God glory? Ask yourself. Why do I want to do this? Does it bless me? Or will it take me farther away from God. Put your thoughts to what you do. Do not go with the trend. Just because others are doing. Just because of the hashtag. Just to be viral. Just to gain acceptance. Is it good? Is it profitable? Will I be mastered by it? Is it beneficial? Image credit: https://www.whoa.in/gallery/funny-men-wallpaper

Mere men - a prose

Are you not walking like mere men? 1 Cor:3:3 Why are you mere men, when you have the mind of Christ? Why are you running for the things of this world, when you have the mind of Christ? Why jealousy and envy, when you have the mind of Christ? Why the strife and unrest, when you have the mind of Christ? Why the faithlessness and unfaithfulness, when you have the mind of Christ? Mere men run around material things. Mere men look for earthly satisfaction. Mere men have shortsightedness rather than eternal heavenly perspective. Mere men think of finite goals. Yet you have the mind of Christ. Invest in the word of God and not fleshly motives. Invest in unceasing prayer. Invest in trusting and holding fast to Him. Not like mere men who have temporary goals. But you have the mind of Christ with an eternal mindset. Image credit: https://feedingonjesus.com/2019/05/07/never-lost-in-the-crowd-2/

Love your neighbour

He who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law. Rom:13:8 Love is the core of everything. He who loves his neighbour will not do him/her any harm. No adultery No murder. No stealing. No coveting. All of the law is summed up in this. The good Samaritan's story tells us whom to love and to what extend to love. Prayer: Father God, help me to love as you have loved me. Alien I was to you, but you still loved me. Rebel as I was, you loved me still. Help me to love others with no conditions. So that I would be able to forgive; so that I would be able to be a slave to them selflessly. You said you have come not to be served. But to serve. Let servitude be my word too. Selflessly denying my own self, my own ambitions and desires and uphold others desires fully. Lord let there be not even an iota of self creeping in. Like John the Baptist, let him increase and I decrease. May the other person increase. No jealousy, no envy, only love. Considering the other person, ...

Merry Christmas

Rom:15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The first message of Christmas is peace on earth and good will to all men. The song that angels sang is about joy that comes to the world. Glad tidings to all men is not because it is a festive of gifts and sharing. Not because it is a time of homecoming. It is because of the abounding hope that the God of hope gives. Man who is destined to be in that rut of selfishness and pride and sin, now has a hope, because the selfless God became one of us to rescue us from that pattern. Mankind has hope. You have hope. The manager is meaningful because of the cross. The cross is the reason for the manger. The cross is the ultimate gift you can get. Cross is not a symbol of pain, ridicule, shame and bloodshed. Cross is a symbol of hope and joy. Christmas is probably the best season of the year. But remember, it is meaningless if the cross is n...

Let it be....

Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 1 Cor:6:7 Not that you would be wronged or defrauded. But it doesn't matter when you are wronged. Let it be. Let you be wronged. Let yourself be snatched from. Let yourself be misunderstood. Let you be blamed wrong. When you are affected, when it happens to you, that is self being dented. When others cheat you, if you are hurt then that is ego. You think, people think of you what you are actually not, why do you get affected. What does it cost you if others have a wrong opinion about you? Where is the attitude of Christ? Who was fully misunderstood, fully blamed wrongly. If I am sure of my identity in Christ i would never feel bad. He never misunderstands me. He never judges me. He knows me in and out. It is only His opinion that matters. Then let others wrong me. Christ took the freedom to let me go through this. Image credit: https://daily.wordreference.com/2025/07/17/intermediate-word-of-the-day-snatch/

Immorality rebuked

1 Cor:5:1-5 This is not something to be done away with. It is rebuked by Paul and he promises to deal with it the moment he comes. It is to be taken seriously. Well I don't commit such atrocities in my life. I am pure. If any one looks at a woman with lustful eyes, says Jesus in Matt:5:28, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Be it offline, or online. Or on the Billboards or posters or in reality. Be it in your fantasy or in actual world. God defines it as adultery. Period. It is something that has to be dealt seriously and drastically. It is not to be pushed under the carpet. Paul says, such man, he has to be handed over to satan, so his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Jesus, May my eyes be pure And my heart be set apart For you my only husband. Image credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image-film?phrase=boy+computer+night&tracked_gsrp_landing=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.istockphoto.com%2Fphotos%2Fboy-computer-night

To discipline

1 Cor:9:27 But I discipline my body and make it my slave. Self control is a discipline. A gift. A fruit. A quintessential quality for a disciplined, gifted and fruitful life. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. To beat my body. To discipline literally means, to hit under the eye. To knock the body out, so that you may win. Regarding gluttony, lust, negative thoughts, anger, hatred, vengeful words. Have self control. Keep quiet when you need to. Say no, when you ought to. Keep the mouth shut, when you are supposed to. It is not just the willpower, but about grace too. Both are important for self control. If you don't have the will power ask for GRACE. Grace is always there. Seek grace, because it is made available always. It is just that once you are made aware of the need, you seek, you pursue. You might fall occasionally. But get up and start from scratch. It is worth it. Image courtesy: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/32...

The halfbaked Bard

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