The halfbaked Bard

Gen 29:20b But they seemed like only a few days to him, because of his love to her.  Jacob's love to Rachel was so intense that 7 x 365 days seemed like only a few for him.  If you have a solid reason to focus, that is the same way you would feel about the course of your journey, no matter how much ever filled with toil that will be.  Jacob was willing to go through years of hardworking and toil, considering his love to Rachel.  Whenever he has to work really hard, he would think of her.  Whenever he has to take care of the sheep without even sleep or food, he would think of her.  Whenever he was sick, he would think of her.  And that would give him strength for more.  What would you risk, considering your love to your Abba Father? With the hope to be in His bosom one day and for eternity, what would you suffer? What would you venture out? What would you let go? What would you forsake?  And why should you do that? Because anything...

1 John:4:4 When we realize this truth. All our helplessness just vanishes. We might be small. But the one who is in us is more powerful than the one who is in the world.  Yes we are more than conquerors Rom:8:37 And I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil:4:13 Do we believe. Not in our abilities. But in Him who promised.  Abraham believed and that was credited to him as righteousness.  Greater is the one who lives in me Greater is the love of Jesus Greater than my son Greater than the grave Above all the thrones Above all other names Greater, You are greater - Chris Tomlin

Gen 28 God promises greater things to Jacob. But he is focussed on temporal things.  V:20 If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I will return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God.  Abraham also was so much focussed on having a son, when God promised him - I am your very great reward.  Eliezer the servant also prayed for temporary blessings.  But on all these instances, we do not see God condemning them, deeming them narrow minded asking them to focus on things eternal. In fact He grants them all their wishes. Ask your heart's desire; like to your father. It is upto him to grant it. He will never corner you saying you are narrow minded. Just ask. A "yes" or a "no" or a "wait" will surely come as an answer.  But do not forget the big picture of how He wants to bless you. His only relevant and lasting and eternal blessing is t...

Gen 28 At Bethel, Jacob had his first encounter with God. He thought the Lord is in that place. He did not realize it was not the place, but it was him, with whom God was.  Not Bethel, but Immanuel is His name.  How often do we give importance to things, places or people rather than God?  If only that pastor could pray for me! We have to remember the pastor has the same standing before God, as compared to us. Jesus the only mediator is your bigger brother to whom you have access.  That particular sacred thing will bless your life. Keeping the Bible under you pillow while sleeping. The Bible is the Holy word of God, but the book cannot save you. The Word in it can. Treasuring it in your heart is more important than keeping it safe in your shelf. Kerala is in the newspapers now because of one person who knew this heart of Malayalees and he sells antiques to them, which they thought would invoke blessings from the Gods. People are willing to pay millions....

Stairway resting on earth With its top reaching to heaven Angels ascending and descending Above it all, stood the Lord.  The Lord of your ancestors The Lord who led you this far The Lord of blessings Through you, for the whole world.  Men can try to reach upto God By sacrifice, by pilgrimage By paying alms, by being religious By helping the poor.  The tower of Babel, King Herod King Nebuchadnezzar, all in vain But the stairway that man need should be Resting on earth and reaching to heaven.  The stairway has to be from God And from man at the same time It has to rest solidly on both grounds All others would definitely crumble.  That is why Jesus is the stairway For man, to reach upto God.  Fully man and fully God.  His death on the cross, solved it all. 

Esau held a grudge against Jacob (Gen:27:14)  Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him (Gen:28:1)  The striking contrast. Both were sinned against and cheated by Jacob. But Esau held it in his heart. Isaac chose to forgive. In fact Isaac blesses him more.  Why do you think, Esau couldn't forgive (at least initially) and Isaac could?  Isaac loved Jacob.  Isaac knew the promise of God.  Isaac knew he was forgiven too.  Can we be loving to each other, keeping our eyes on God's promises and looking back how God forgave us and be forgiving to each other? There is more to life than feeding our minds with grudges that will eat us up and finish us off, of the abundant life that God has promised.  It might not be grudge as severe as Esau's like wanting to kill his brother.  " Oh! That particular person, he is so difficult to live with. Very difficult to love. So I will just stay away" "Oh! That kind of a person I will never be. I will never ...

Be not far from me O my God. Psalm:38:21b I will never leave you nor forsake you is a promise which we love to cling. It soothes and comforts us always. Behold I will be with you till the end of days is the promise our Lord has given us before He went back. The promise of the Holy Spirit as our helper is given to us. He is our everpresent help.  This prayer of David. Be not far from me. He feels God is far away from him. Because of the anguish he is going through. But God is always nigh especially in times of trouble. Remember the legendary story of the footprints?  So when does it really feel, God is far away? It is always sin, that the Lord abhors. A holy God cannot stand the presence of sin in your life. He convicts you. Unless you repent, there is no way you could enjoy the presence of the Lord in your life.  I remember reading a sentence in a daily devotion in my beginning years of faith.  " If you think the distance between you and God has increased...

Jacob started his life's journey with lies. Telling his father repeatedly that he was Esau, to get his blessing.  In fact he imitates the very same phrase God uses to introduce himself to others. "I Am". But with cheating, lie, deception written all over it. Fraudery and imposterity was covering the good thing he wanted.  Many a times we also start a new beginning with white lies, with lies that are harmless. So that we could get things done for us. So that there wouldn't be any scrutiny into our actions or motives. So  that we wouldn't be questioned, but just be allowed to do that particular things.  But we need to remember, a sin is a sin in God's eyes whether it is white or black. Whether it is harmful or harmless. And it will have consequences because it hurts God. Jacob had a long long waiting period of toil to claim those blessings. He had to learn the hard way. So if you have started something with a lie, please repent. That is what God asks...

Gen:27:20b The Lord your God gave me success.  Quiet a strong statement to make, is it?  Well! Taken out of context, it is a powerful statement of faith. But when we look into the background story behind it, we realize this as a cunning statement Jacob makes to cheat his father and brother.  You can't label with Godliness and do things in your liking. Making a statement of faith and doing things your own way is just like the cheating Jacob did to get the birthright.  Icing your life with God's words and promises and not walking in faith and obedience is using God for your own needs. What ultimately happened to Jacob? Years of hardwork and toil. Years of running away. He was not able to see his most loved mother before she died. Yes the Lord blessed him ultimately, but his incongruity cost him a whole lot of things and his life would have been different otherwise. 

Gen 26:24 is probably the first time recorded in the Bible where God appeared to Isaac. And He says, this is for the sake of Abraham.  Isaac was close to God though. It looks complicated, God's predestination. But all interwoven beautifully by the Father. We might have questions, but He has wonderful plans.  Isaac was chosen because God chose and also because of his genuinity.  Ultimately God's choice is imperative.But man's free will is also important. If Isaac had chosen not to follow this God, he would have lost on the opportunity. But God would have raised someone else. Or probably enabled us to learn from his mistakes. But it was Isaac who would have been at a loss.  When God gives an opportunity to seek Him or follow Him or obey Him. Snatch it, rush to do it. Lest you should be at the losing side. God might bring a way later on. But you should not lose the chance. 

I'm quiet surprised to see Isaac commiting the same mistake as his father Abraham. In fact to the same person. King Abimelech.  Abimelech would have thought, they are a family of liars. May be because of that he was cautious enough to take Rebekah.  I don't know why its recorded in the Bible. May be Abraham hadn't confronted it to his son. It was inherent genetic make up in them to be over protective. I don't know.  But one thing I'm sure. God is trying to tell us.  Sins of the father's have to be taken care of seriously. Repent and renounce. From your life. From your family. Be it anger. Be it depression. Be it jealousy. Be it lying. Be it selfishness. Be it lust or fantasy. Whatever if God has convinced you regarding something. Rebuke and renounce in the name of Jesus not from your life alone, but from your family's too. Your kids, do you want them to struggle like you did? 

Pic Courtesy:wikie Wade fine art Isaac loved Esau, Rebekah loved Jacob This is where everything of the rest started.  Jacob was not fine with his mother's love alone Hence he wanted the love of his father too.  To be blessed by him, To be loved by him.  He tries to be like his brother, whom his father loves To grab things for himself, what is not rightfully his.  Because his mother loves him more, she asks him to flee She wanted to protect the son she loves From the brother whose wives even disgusted her.  To the place she thought he would be safe, her home Which would ultimately make him toil for love Favour is good, but not favouritism, especially to kids.  They are all yours, gifted from your Father.  One might be like you, that's not a reason to push the other They are all yours, gifted from the Father God doesn't show favouritism, He loves us all Favouritism from the parents is the source Of all jealousy, pride, envy and all malice....

A question that men need to ask themselves, may be every moment of their lives. Your soul mate. Your companion which your Creator has given you. To love. To care for. To nurture.  Eph:5:25 is a clear admonition to us. Husbands ought to love their wives just like Christ loved the church. How?  By giving up Himself for her. Selfless. Not putting your interests above hers. Not giving importance to your desires, but hers.  To make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word. Husband is the head of the family. Though the present day might not want to agree. Eph:5:23 clearly says. Husband is the head of the wife (note:not family). It is not something to gorge upon. But a responsibility. Most importantly he is her spiritual head. A head sees to it that the parts of the body is protected, nurtured, taken care of. Not as a dictator who would want his subjects to listen to his opinion whatsoever. We see this among Isaac and Rebekah. Gen 25:21 - Is...

When Abraham died it was said about him that he was gathered to his people...  Do we live with an eternal perspective. Are our decisions all related to eternity or related to the temporary.  What and where is our focus.  After we die, do we feel we would be gathered to our people or doomed in eternal hell, or do we believe we will just vanish as we become dust.  There is an eternal God who has placed in us a desire for eternity. Do we live in accordance to that? 

Isaac was totally unlike the other stalwarts of faith. As like the prolific faith of his father Abraham. As like being a restored man like Jacob.  But one thing we know of him is that he was indeed a man who took God seriously. He was serious in his relationship to God. And that is exactly why he is included as second only to Abraham in the list of the forefathers. We see that in Heb:11:9. Along with Abraham - heirs with him in the same promise.  Why? All because he had took his God seriously. Probably not a great acheiver like Abraham or loud mouthed wanting to achieve some things like his son Jacob. Silent but serious about God.  How do we know he was?  Gen 24:63 We see him alone in the field meditating. He has just now lost his mother. Grieved as he is, spends time with his Father in heaven. That is when his Abba Father brings in the best gift for him, a companion for his life who would comfort him especially in this grieving time. Abraham was probably...

Abraham was so focussed on what God had told him. He was sure of his life, what is his destiny. What his call is. No decision he would take would counter that.  When Eliezer asked Abraham, what if your relative's family refuse to send the girl to be Isaac's wife, shall I take Isaac back there? And Abraham replies.  Gen 24: 6-8 Make sure that you don't take my son back there. The Lord the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me an oath saying "To your offspring, I will give this land".......... Only do not take my son back there.  He was so sure of what his calling was. All his decisions were based on that. He wouldn't let anything in this world deter him from that focus and counter his call. He might have thought of Lot, who had set out along with him, how slowly he faded away, because of subtle compromises.  How do you make your decisions? Big and small. Are all of those...

When Eliezer saw his simple prayer being answered, he doesn't reason it out to logic or chance. He simply thanks God and worships Him.  It so happened because - is probably the greatest enemy of Thank you Lord.  As intellectuals, it's difficult for us to believe that it is the Lord's doing. Doctors find it difficult to believe in divine healing. Students find it easier to push it to chance rather than blindly believe. That is why you are asked to have faith like a child. God values that so much. That is exactly why Jesus told Thomas - Blessed are those who believe without seeing me. John:20:29 Present day science also is thought to be contradistincting to faith. But it is actually the other way round. It was Louis Pasteur who said- The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator. Science brings men nearer to God.  How much more God oriented I should be, in order to see the hand of God in everything. And if I am able to see His hands...

Abraham's servant prayed the way he knew to to relate to God. He might have seen his master's relation to this God. Now he is in a challenging situation between his master's wish and reality. How is he supposed to find his master's brother's family in this vast world. He doesn't have an idea as to how to go about. So he prays the way he knows.  Gen:24:15 Before he finished praying.....  Many a times people look at how we ask, in order to grant the request. Parents often tell children to ask in a polite way. Officials are very meticulous that we fashion a request letter in the correct way in order to get things done. Even if there is a small mistake in the details entered or even an overwriting in the application form, they are often rejected.  But here is a God who respects Eliezer's faith. Eliezer prays the way he knows and God grants it exactly the same way he asks.  Whatever stage of faith you are in, God is not bored to listen to your prayer....

He will send His angel ahead of you. Gen 24:7b In times of uncertainties, in times when you are not sure of what lies ahead of you. When you take a decision and you are unsure of the consequences, of the path that goes before you. Whether it would be for good or for bad. What would happen to your loved ones if you take this eerie path.  This is one assurance you can have. Take your decisions in accordance with His will. Ask Him what He desires of your life. His promise is that He would send His angel before you.  In fact in Deutr:31:8 the promise is even bigger. "The Lord will personally go before you." In Ex:14:14 "The Lord will fight for you. You just be still." What more assurance do we need? What more certainty? When all apears dark and agleam (definitely it will look so), the surity that the Light of the world goes before you is so pacifying.  Let's trust. 

What is that between friends?  Gen 23:15 When was the last time you did something selflessly for somebody. Out of selfless love.  Disregarding the cost. Disregarding the burden you might have to bear.  May be you will have to suffer loss. Monetary or time or energy.  But the love for him /her motivated you to go to the extremes, suffering loss for your own self.  That's why Christianity is unique. Here is a God who disregarded His privileges to save you and me.  Cross is the centrality around which Christianity revolves. Without the cross there is no depiction of His love to us.  John:15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.  Example is there right in front of us. What have I done with my life? 

Today the world is after blessings, what God can give. Everyone looks at God's hands. The prayers have always been, bless me, bless my family, bless my studies, bless my work.  The stalwarts of Christian faith, especially Abraham was never after blessing. Never do we see him asking God to bless him. He was concentrated on loving God and believing Him and obeying Him.  So God told Abraham "Through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed - all because you obeyed me" Gen:22:18 What a testimony from God Himself. Now I know that you truly fear God.  Where are your eyes set? On the blessings He can offer? Or on God Himself? There were people who got it all wrong in the Bible itself. Jacob at least initially, King Saul. They wanted to be blessed, unlike Abraham, David and the like.  The key to blessings is obedience, loving God and He will naturally bless you. I'm not saying to obey Him, to be blessed by Him.  Set your eyes off the ble...

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Gen 15:6 What did he belive? Not the promises. But on the promise keeping God. Truthfulness of God.  God asked him to leave his native country - he did.  I will bless you into a great nation - he believed.  All families will be blessed through you - he believed.  I will protect you - he believed.  I am your very great reward - he believed.  Your servant will not be your heir, you will have descendants as countless as stars - he believed.  Live a blameless life- he obeyed.  A son is promised, next year - he believed despite evidence to the countrary.  Even when Lot chose the better land, he persisted in God. Building altars and worshipping Him where ever he went.  Take your son and sacrifice for me -he obeyed without questions.  We will worship there and we will come back - he said.  God will provide a sheep.  Yes it is the God he is following who...

Have you ever wondered what I have gone through. You all praise me as the father of faith. It's easy to sit on the other side of the bridge and appreciate the obedience.  But what I had to go through that night was terrible.  My own son, promised by my Father, born of my old age, as a relief of all ridicule, even among my household. My wife, poor Sara, what all she had dreamt off. She was always melancholic. But not after Issac came by. I could see the old youth of Sara, chirpy and joyous always but of course tired of age. What would I tell her, when I come back alone. All of them would label me a lunatic. Crazy. Forget about others. How will I live the rest of my old age without my beloved son. With the guilt of killing him with my own hands. Forget about my own self. How will I look into the tender eyes of his and slay his throat. What will he think of me, think of my God? He would feel betrayed, robbed of the chance to live. Will he understand this crazy obedien...

Testing times can be very tough, when we go through it. An act of obedience. A persistence in God and His ways. A clinging on to Him, no matter what.  But God calls for loyalty during those times of surreal seriousness. God calls for love.  Testing times are times of testing of faith, where it is purified into gold or silver as you go through it. When you obey, when you remain loyal, when you choose to cling on, all your dross are being removed. Whatever it's ignoble, whatever is impure, whatever is unwanted.  Remember it was before the testing of faith that Abraham was counted righteous. It was not because Abraham passed the test, God was pleased with him. It is in fact, the other way round. Because He is pleased with you, He allows testing times in your life. To remove everything He does not desire in you.  Oh! What a privilege to be purified by the Maker to make you like Him. What an assurance of the presence of El-olam with us Gen 22

Gen:21:33 El-olam: Eternal God.  Yet another name of God. He is God eternal.  He has no beginning. No end. Rev:1:8. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Rev 22:13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. The former is told by God the Father. The latter by Jesus.  He is not created. He was not born. He is the source of all life. This truth releases us from so much of uncertainties. The God who loves us is El-olam.  * Our yearning to live eternally. Superhero comics thrive on this ulterior desire of man. Jesus is the ultimate superhero.  * Our lack of clarity of future and dwelling in guilt of the past. If He is Eternal God and He loves us endlessly, then why worry of our past and be unsure of our future. I have plans to prosper you says our loving Father.  * The eternal question of what happens to us after death. He is Eternal God. He has raised Himself from the dead. And He also promis...

Ishmael felt all alone. His father and his riches are not his now. The rest of the household has all deserted him. Though he was the eldest son of his father, nothing was given to him. Now he is bereft of hope, dehydrated, under a bush, semiconscious, about to die. He could see his mother at a distance. Whenever he briefly returns to consciousness he could hear his mother sobbing, talking to a God. He could hear glimpses of the words she utters out. El-roi, a God who sees me.  In the brevity of time, for the first time of his life, Ishmael realizes he has become helpless. He has always been a physical man. He loved archery and hunting down animals. He was always fun, among his peers. But now all those had to come down to this bush, where he is all alone, left to die. All done. Yearning for a drop of water.  Out of his helplessness, mustering all his strength, he calls out to the same El-roi his mother had been telling him. He never used to take her seriously. God i...

God has brought me laughter Gen:21:6 The name Isaac means "laughter". Sarah was so so hapy because she was able to bear a child in old age. All the ridicule. All the secret laughing at. All the pointing fingers. All the disappointments. Vanished with the coming of laughter. She was so filled with joy.  She yet realizes that, the source of joy wasn't in fact Issac himself, but the One who made this possible. She declares. "God" has brought me laughter.  Many a times we look at the object of joy and try to find our joy in that. And forget the source.  The source of joy is to be given credit - praise and thanksgiving.  Be it our children. Be it our assets. Be it our job security. The source is always superior yet easily forgotten. As we see only the object.  1Cor:4:7b What do you have that God hasn't given you? 

Psalm:42:5 Why am I so discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God.  I will praise Him again.  My Saviour and my God.  We all have that season of our life when we are despondent and our heart is so down. May be there is a triggering factor. May be there is nothing. Some continue in these low spirits for months, even for years. Some struggle with this heaviness. They brood over it and sometimes are not able to come out of it at all.  For those who feel caged in their emotions, gripped by these feelings, this is the key. Put your hope in God. I will praise Him again, my Saviour and my God.  The verse continues to say. "Now I am deeply discouraged. But I will remember you." The key to coming back to normalcy is this. Recognizing and remembering a God who always loves you. May be your dear ones have disappointed you. But this God always loves you.  But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me.  No matter...

Abraham did the same mistake to Egypian Pharoah (Gen 12) and to King Abimelech (Gen 20). Not learning from your previous experiences is the characteristic of a fool.  Pro:26:11As a dog returns to its vomit So a fool repeats his foolishness.  Then he continues to say. There is more hope for fools, than for people who think they are wise.  Being a fool is no issue. But thinking you are wise when you are not, is utter foolishness. Thinking I'll be able to overcome it, (I will not sin beyond that point) and then exposing yourselves to temptations, is like that fool who  thinks he is wise and then repeats his foolishness. Whereas when you admit that you are helpless, that you are a fool and you take every measure to run away, to resist, then you are wise.  Dare I call Abraham a fool, but he was unwise. He was thinking he was wise, when he planned for himself and he does the same pretension and lying again. Why?  In order to save his own life.  G...

What is the most important priority in your life?  What is it that you live for? Or rather you would die for?  What is the dream that you want to see happen through your life.  The most important thing.  For Hannah it was to have a child.  To a little extent may be Abraham's desire was to have a son too.  For Lot's daughters too it was to preserve their lineage.  For John the Baptist it was - I should decrease, He should increase.  For Paul it was to reach out to the Gentiles, with good news.  The one desire. How do you want to achieve it.  By hook or by crook (like Lot's daughters or like Jacob) or wait patiently (like Joseph). Proactively doing for the Lord  forsaking everything else (like Paul) or being complaisant and lazy (like Peter when he went to fish)  Do you have anumero uno desire for the Lord? Or is it self oriented?  Is it God's plan, God's heart's desire that you want to see fulfilled in and throu...

Gen 19:16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful.  How many times the Lord has seized our hands and dragged us out, when we were hesitant, adamant in our selfishness? How merciful He has been? How gracious? Not giving us what we deserve and giving us what we do not deserve. What a loving God He is?  Grateful.