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

Storm

I have captained this ship for years. I have faced many a strom. But never has Captain Zadok been so helpless. What is happening? Why this outrage? The waves are higher than ten times what I have faced. There is ruckus all over this deck. The mast is broken. What is left of it is a ghost. The rudder has flewn off like a wheel. The anchor is lost. The stern is like a ploughed field. The shrouds are like harp strings, waving around and causing much damage. Shredding pieces of wood and flesh and blood everywhere it hits.There is vomit all around. The ocean water occasionally washes it into my own room and brings it back. The luggages are all floating. All of the crew is running havoc. Captain Zadok, what should we do? Captain Zadok shall we pull down the sail? Captain Zadok shall i call on my gods? You call on your gods, I used to tell, but I have got this. But have I? Is there somebody up there laughing at the gimmicks that i have been showing althrough my life? Asking m...

Divorce

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Slap

How can I show my other cheek. Already he has slapped me. The world will be making fun of me already. And if I show the other cheek too I will be called a fool. It is pride to not let go. To not let to be trampled. Jesus practised what He preached. He did not retaliate when He had all the power to do so. He could have brought fire from above and annihilated everyone who ridiculed Him. He kept quiet. He let Himself to be crushed in the hands of His own creation. If anyone calls you names. If anyone spreads rumours about you. One side of the world says to face it and retaliate. Other side says, not to bother, to grow above it. For you are what you think what you are and not what others think. Jesus says to love those who hate you. Oh! It looks improbable. But Jesus led from the front. He loved me who ridiculed Him. He loved me who denied Him. He loved me who did not want Him. Pray for him who spreads rumours about you. Pray for him who hurts you. It might be ...

Worry

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Eye

Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. Matt:6:22 Oh be careful little eyes what you see Oh be careful little eyes what you see The Father up above Is looking down in love. Oh be careful little eyes what you see. A tiny song that we learnt as children, but carries heavy significance even for us now. What goes in you either purifies you or defiles you. And the eye is the major gateway of what goes inside of you. And the phone in your hand is the highway that leads to that gateway right now. What do you feed yourself with? Search history tells it out loudly. Whether you have cleared your search history or whether it is in incognito mode or whether your watch history is off. It might be hidden to the world or to your spouse or to your children or to your friends. But apart from you there is one more person who knows it through and through. In fact spick and span. Where do your eyes wander as you walk down the street or drive down the lane? What do your eyes ...

Forgive

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Publicly

Matt:6:1 Don't do your good deeds publicly. God looks at your hearts; not your hands. God looks at the motives behind your good deeds. If it is to gain appreciation and good words from others, then all the reward you will get from God will be lost. Does self stand between you and the reward that you would get? Whom do you want to appreciate you? Don't you want to hear from the Saviour? Well done good and faithful servant. If man's appreciation is all you desire, it is all you will get. If God's appreciation is what you desire, that is what you will get. So do everything as for God, so that people wouldn't know. Pray shutting the door behind you. Not empty babbling of words. Worship when you are alone more. Let your left hand not know what your right hand does. Image credit: https://www.inc.com/brent-gleeson/20-tips-for-mastering-art-of-public-speaking.html

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