The halfbaked Bard

What does true and genuine worship incite? 2 Chron:30:15 † Does it incite an innate sin consciousness? Are you ashamed of your wretchedness? Your sinfulness is laid bare infront of the Holy God. Do you feel like the younger son who felt conscious of his sin against heaven and against the Father? Or like the elder son - equivocal of what is happening around, sang few songs and feels fully elated? When was the last time you cried in worship, being aware of your sinfulness and in comparison, God's holiness? 2 Chron:30:18 † Does it incite a desire to join the fold? Realizing the love of the Shepherd has for it, the lost sheep chose to sit on His shoulder to be brought back. Realizing the sinfulness and repenting leads to realizing the love the Father has for us. Undeserving as we are; we are now a chosen generation, a holy nation who is called to be His own. Do we deserve this? Am i grateful? 2 Chron:30:20 † Am i reinstated? As i come back to His bosom, which is the rightfu...

2Chron:30:6-10 A letter of invitation to all of Israel and Judah to come and celebrate the festival of Passover. The essence of the letter is  "do not" Do not be like your ancestors who abandoned the Lord and became an object of derision. Do not be stubborn. Learn from mistakes. Do not continue in arrogance and pride. Humble yourselves and admit your wretchedness and helplessness. That you need help from above. You will not be able to drive on your own. The Almighty Holy God is there. Seek Him. Your stubbornness is not your strong will. It is your foolishness. Amend ways; Change course. Helpless as you are; Seek. Do not continue in your ways. Take a 180 degree turn. Realizing that you are going the wrong way is the first step.

2Chron:29:36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people There is joy in the presence of the Lord There alone is joy complete For the God shaped vacuum can only be filled by Him There is abounding joy in Him alone Not your career, job or vocation Not your family or friends Not accomplishing what you have dreamt off Not money or assets or any dream come true These might give you momentary happiness But only when the purpose is fulfilled That you have been created in His image and likeness And in His presence alone there is complete joy In fellowship; in worship; in prayer In communicating with Him In walking a life in accordance with His desire There is unsurpassable joy. Man is eagerly running after things To find the source of joy Unexplainable joy comes only from the origin In Him alone; in His presence alone;in the centre of His will alone.

Atonement - a reparation. An act of repairing or keeping in repair  A reconciliation act. A solution for the consequence. To make amends. Something that you do to show that you are sorry for something bad that you did  Expiation. 2Chron:29:24 The priests then killed the goats as a sin offering and sprinkled their blood on the altar to make atonement for the sins of all Israel. In the Old Testament times - a young bull was offered as a sin offering. And as an atonement of your sins, the blood was sprinkled. Lev:4 A day of atonement was set aside each year - tenth day of the seventh month. But all these are acts done by the offending party as an act of repentance. To sort out  On the cross, Jesus Christ died as an atonement of my sin. Rom:5:11. Does it mean that the death of Jesus, prompts us to live a correct and moral and just life? (Though that is true, that is not atonement) God has decreed since the beginning that the results of sin is death - physical and ...

2 Chron:29:1-17 Reopen the closed temple; the closed doors Cleanse the defilation; take time to Rekindle the snuffed lamps; the Spirit of life Repent and reoffer the sacrifice which were once offered on the altar The temple is dirty; full of filth and grime and slime A place of prayer it was supposed to be But a den of thieves I have made it Filled with undesirable filth; unsought remnants My body - the things I do with it My mind - the contaminated thoughts I entertain My mouth - the filthy language I use My eyes - what all fallen things I desire to see Whether you eat or drink, do it for His glory Work with all your heart, as for the Lord Ashamed as I am; I see me only as the idol there Doing things to appease me; I have defiled the temple fully Father forgive me; for the selfish ways I have travelled For the self centred motives, that my heart has sought Forgive me for the paths that I have trodden All reflects my rebellion towards you  Help me to be restored; to reo...

When will I learn? That anger is not the way That adamancy is not the path But letting go and letting Holy Spirit work That letting Him work in you, outside the world's torque. That ascertaining my point, my will Persistently holding on to my views as well Will do no good; but ruin Unless I listen and I choose to hear them mourn. Not the king of my life; that I don't rule well Have to let go; Ashamed and helpless as I am Let Him take over; over and over again as I fail But do I take back from Him the wheel, as things fall in place. Tie my hands Lord; if You will As You told to cut off your hand that causes to sin Shut my mouth Lord and close mine eyes too Even when I am not willing. Take drastic steps; I am unable to. You be my Father and my Big Brother Who loves me so dearly and  Do not want me to go through that ruin. Hold my hands fast Lord and tight Do not let me take over Neither do I be let to pull over Continue to deal with me, with the same intensity With co...

In road transport, a yield or give way sign indicates that merging drivers must prepare to stop if necessary to let a driver on another approach proceed. (Wikipedia) 2Chron:28:22 Even during this time of trouble, king Ahaz continued to reject the Lord. Why don't we learn? That sin and rebellion is a way of declaring independence from God. To have our own way. And if we persist, despite the Lord trying to reach out to us, with the consequences and the sign posts. When will we learn? That life is not supposed to be lived the way we want. He has created us in His image, in His likeness to reflect His glory. And when I run rogue, I rebel. When I am anything short of that purpose, that's my willfull choice, not to. It all happened because of man's fallen nature. And God gives a second chance to be transformed into His likeness. To stop conforming to the mould of the world. But why do we insist to have our own way? May our inner eyes be opened and be enabled to yield...

2Chron:27:1-15 Sort it out. Rectify  Be humble. Not to just repent to God and apologize to the person concerned. But take determined efforts to counter your misdeed. Contrary to the world's teaching. Contrary to what your ego would want. Not that any amount of good work would appease the anger of God. How can a totally unrelated good deed please God and forget your misdeed? By paying alms, visiting pilgrimage and helping the poor, are you trying to bribe God? But if there is something to be sorted - that is particularly to be addressed, repented and rectified. Is there someone whom you haven't talked to for so long? Call them. Is there someone whom you are persistently jealous of? Repent to God. Ask God help and pray. Is there a junior or a subordinate at work whom you regularly snub because of particular reasons? Buy them a coffee. Talk to them lovingly. Show them kindness and show them you care. Stand for them. Are there people whom you have been neglecting or avo...

2 Chron:27:1-9 Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight. Nothing much is said about Jotham in the annals of kings (both in Kings and Chronicles). He lived in obedience to the Lord God. He was not a stalwart like David / Solomon. He was not a hugely popular king. Sometimes you might not be well known or well acknowledged in your circumstances. But as long as you do what is pleasing in God's eyes in obedience to the Lord. That's it! That is all what is expected of you. Playing the second or third or fourth fiddle is enough. You need not be the lead vocalist. You need not be the trendsetter or the show stopper. Agreed if the Lord leads you to, go ahead. Otherwise being low profile; being part of the choir in itself is enough as long as you are in the center (not of the choir but of God's will). The harmony is brought forth by God through you; through your obedience and submission. Your reward in heaven ( that is Jesus Christ) is great. Bard has always t...

But when he became powerful he also became proud, which led to his downfall. 2 Chron:26:16 Uzziah did not learn from his father. Once power and authority came into his hands, he became proud. We are not kings or authoritarians right? Are we immune? Not at all. When we have things in control, in our own lives. When we are sure of our abilities and we believe we can handle. When we are sure we are not helpless. That we will be able to make this out. Pride creeps in. But when I am helpless. When I am unable to do what I am supposed to do and I am persistently doing what I am supposed not to do. I can only humble myself and set myself on His feet. That is when I realise my issue with pride. Infact we needn't have things in our hands to be proud. We are always proud. We are in a pseudoworld, in an alternate universe. My own kingdom, my own state. Where I am the boss. I am the ruler. We are inherently proud beings. I can't help it. I need grace to be humble. I need broken...

Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah who taught him to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the lord, God gave him success. 2Chron:26:5 Accountability, mentorship, reality check. Is there someone who can openly call you up and say, what you did is wrong? Like Nathan for David. Like Zechariah for Uzziah. Like Jehoiada for Joash. Unless there is that somebody who has the freedom to correct you. It can be your spouses. It can be your parents. It can be your spiritual mentors. It can be your bible study group - your contemporaries. But there has to be. Don't let yourself loose. And when these corrections and admonitions come, am i receptive. Have i hardened my heart so much so that I don't want to receive. The callousness is so hard that it won't go in.

Pro:16:18 Pride goes before destruction And haughtiness before a fall King Amaziah, once he destroyed the Edomites, he was proud. Though it was the Lord who helped him enroute Edom, he immediately disobeys God, thinks high of himself, forgets God and brings the gods of Edom to Judah to worship them. He was not willing to listen to the admonition of the prophet. He was proud enough to declare war against Israel. There started his downfall. When there is something going well with you, do you think high of yourself? Do you think you have achieved this by your own merit? Talents, assets, strength, wisdom is all God given. None of it is gained by your hardwork. Of course it is nurtured and developed and watered. But that too is God given. What is there to boast. What is there to be elated and proud off? Beware if ever you think high of anything of yours, you will be brought low. For God resists the proud and He gives grace to the humble.

2 Chron 26 How easily mankind gets distracted? How verily he gets off the track? Why is consistency always a thorn in the flesh for all of us? Why we fail to persist? In our quiet times we struggle. In our prayer life. But in our sins, in our rebellion we are consistent. That shows the sinful nature in us. We always want to raise our fist against the Almighty. Does it reflect our plight? The need for repentance every moment?

The Lord is able to give you much more than this 2Chron:25:9 Do you feel at loss? Do you feel utilized? Do you feel naive enough to be fooled by everyone? The Lord says - Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 1 Cor:6:7 Let others have the upper hand. Let others win. The world can never accept or agree to this. Because it teaches exactly opposite. You have to take care of your needs. You should not be naive. Be wise. Be shrewd. But if you let others have the advantage over you, everyone would just trample over you and walk away. Remember the Lord is on your side. He will give you much more than this. He will restore to you the years which the locusts have eaten. Even a double portion He is able to give. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. God is there.

2 Chron:24:19 Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to Him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen. How receptive are you to the warnings that the Lord sends? How sensitive to the nudgings of the Holy Spirit?  The opposite of receptivity is being stiff necked. That is one word which has often described the pain in God's heart. Someone who is adamant. Someone who is not amenable, neither to open corrections, nor to signposts that God brings up.  There are definitely no prophets as in Old Testament times. But the Lord is still active. The Holy Spirit is alive. He keeps prompting. He keeps nudging. May be a word in church. May be a sickness. May be a word of warning from your mentor, your guide, your spouse even your children. If you are hard hearted and not accessing you would definitely go down the drain for God honours the choice and consequence of the choice is the aftermath. But if you humble yourself and repent and mend your ways...

2 Chron:24:2 Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiadah the priest. Yet when Jehoiadah died, Joash was led astray. A clockkeeper was employed during the middle age Europe in order to track time and maintain clocks. It was hard for the clock to succumb to winding, to subject itself to constant check. There is lack of freedom. But the clock would run on time. Do you have somebody to have a check on you constantly? A spiritual mentor, for accountability?who keeps your clock ticking? Who can correct you critically but not judgementally? Be it your wife / husband. Be it your friend. Be it your mentor or your senior. Let yourself completely open before them. Let them correct you outrightly. Let them rebuke you. Let them appreciate you. But there has to be somebody. That somebody, if he genuinely loves will stay only if you agree and oblige to be directed in God's paths.

Summon courage and decide to act Like Jehoiada, the priest at the time of Joash Queen Athaliah, full of evil was ruling But that didn't deter him from being on God's side Hold fast and cling to His statutes Who is there to part take with Him? God Almighty. Omnipotent. He alone reigns If you are not on His side; you are against There is no stand between. There is no "it doesn't bother me" Gather up strength to say a genuine sorry Muster up courage to reinstate a relation You may fail; but still you tried. God is pleased with you and your willingness Summon courage to keep quiet when an argument starts There is sound only when two hands beat Muster strength not to react Let them win; Let yourself be cheated Let yourself be utilised Gather strength to let others take the bigger portion Let yourself starve; let yourself have nothing Let others take away You have God

Stop running around. Stop making your hands busy. Stop thinking you need to make yourself occupied. Remain hidden in His presence. Rest in his lovely bosom. Sit on His lap. Enjoy His love that surrounds you. This is what for you are created. Not to do. But to be. Not to be a performer. But to be His beloved. Not to seek love. But be assured that you are loved. 2Chron:22:12 Joash remained hidden in the temple of God for six years while Athaloah ruled over the land.

2Chron:22:3 Do you encourage your children to do evil? Obviously and overtly you might not. But by your struggles. By your repeated failures. Do you set a standard for your children? They are also rebels like you. Because of man's fallen nature: we have all fallen short  It takes an active effort to be a good example for your child. About keeping aside your habits. And giving priority to the source of eternal joy. They are silently and nonchalantly but actively watching and learning. They learn normalcy through your habits. They learn the way of living through your demeanor. How you react, what are your habits, what is your language? They learn it all through the living example before their own eyes. "Parents are the pride of their children" Pro:17:6 No wonder; boys want to shave like their dads  And daughters want to dress up like their moms. They want to tell the very same words you say in joy or in chaos. They would do the same things that you do in a crisi...

A letter conveys a message. It can convey the love a man has towards his girl. It can officially communicate an order - appointment for a job or punishment. It can be an official request. A letter always has a central theme. You can extrapolate this very thing to the present day messages, WhatsApp, chats, tweets and retweets and what not. No matter how informal and how blabbering and how time wasting it may seem. Elijah sends a letter to king Jehoram which contained a solid warning. 2Chron:21:12 Was it worth it? Did Jehoram pay heed to it? The letter's purpose is not that. The destination of the letter is to convey the message. It is the duty of the heart to respond. There has been umpteen no. of notifications that God is trying to communicate to us. Regarding the walks of our lives. Regarding our attitudes and heart's motives. Regarding many of our unseen sins. How do we respond? 2 Cor:3:3 You are a letter to Christ. Do i convey the message? Do I proclaim or live o...

2Chron:20 Is anything too hard for the Lord? Is anything impossible for Him? He can heal the most resistant sicknesses. He can move an obstacle. He can create a way. He can melt the most defiant mind. He can soften the most deviant heart. He can do the impossible. But then why doesn't He do it always? Why doesn't He heal always? Why doesn't He deal miraculously always? It is multifactorial. Faith has to be sharpened. Sin has to be dealt with. In His will. In His time. God will do it. Will it be possible for us to trust that whatever happens; He is in control. We might not be able to understand the backdrop of why things are happening the way things are happening. But can we trust that the Almighty God has the reins in His hands. That is childlike faith that Jesus asked for. That God will take care then to add the suffix - 'Even if He doesn't'

When you are helpless, you could only but look to God. When you are powerless, there was no other help coming When you had no clue and did not know what to do When you are utterly and pathetically incapable; Remember the battle is God's. Jehoshaphath you did what was pleasing to God You stood for God in the midst of the improbables And when you had to face the mighty army Helpless, weak, defenseless; you learnt that the battle is God's. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged You will not even need to fight Take your positions; stand still; watch the Lord's victory Because that battle is not your's; but God's. Oh! I just thrust myself upon His bosom Into His everlasting protecting arms Need to stop working things out for myself Need to rest there; knowing for sure that the battle is God's. Sickness looming high like the Democles' sword Uncertainties about future, job, financial security Inherent, perennial deformities or handicaps Just rest and b...

2Chton:19:9 You must always act in fear of the Lord with faithfulness and undivided heart. Pro:9:10  Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Knowledge of the Holy One brings good judgement. Pro:1:7  Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom But fools despise wisdom and discipline. Pro:3:6 Seek His will in all you do And He will show you which path to take  1 Cor:7:35 I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible (NLT) ....Undistracted devotion (NIV) Can I give my Undistracted devotion to God? I was teaching my son antonyms, yesterday. And came across the word devotion (may be in a different context). It was said to be "dislike" Devotion is more than likeness. It is passion. It is an utmost desire out of love. That undivided devotion to God prompts us to do things for Him and everything we do would be wholeheartedly as for Him. Because He is perfect. He is holy. 1Cor:10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or...

2Chron:18 Jehoshaphath would have felt cheated by Ahab. Ahab had asked him to go to war with the royal robes on. So that the enemies would mistake him for the king. Ahab disguised himself as a common man, so that his life be spared. But in the midst of calamity and war, Jehoshaphath calls out to God and the Lord saved him. He had been warned that there will be defeat in the war. But still probably out of courtesy, he misconsiders God's warning. And then he finds himself in deep trouble. There he calls out to his God and the Lord saved him miraculously.  Out of your logic and foolishness; you might have ended up in troubled waters. Out of your obligations and unavoidable commitments; you might have ended up in this miry pit. Out of your disobedience and misunderstanding of the warning signs; you might have landed up in these marshy places. There if you call out on the name of the Lord; He will rescue you. For His love is unfailing. His mercy is unending. Credited to the ...

Reflecting God-dependance in a land full of pagan worshippers. Seeking God in a land full of God-marauders. Following God when all others are evil lovers. Clinging to God for every decision when people around you are inherently rebellious. Respecting Godly people in the midst of being considered silly. It takes a lot of courage. It takes a lot of boldness. It takes a lot of love to your Father. Jehoshaphath you are respected. You are an irrevocable and astounding example. To ask for God's ways in the midst of idol worshippers, God haters and rebels, though they were your own brothers. You were sent to flicker a light there. You have shone the lamp well. You have enquired of the Lord, You have set an example, in the midst of darkness. In the midst of thorns and thistles, you have sprouted well. I am often not able to stand for God even among peers who wouldn't be as rebels as Ahab or Israel, overtly; but are God ridiculers, the logics and the reasonables. Who conside...

From my mother's womb you have cared for me. Psalm:71:6 From all sorts of complications. From all sorts of sicknesses. From all sorts of dangers. From all the schemes of the devil. From all sorts of defame. From the rat race of the world. Thou hast protected me. You alone are my rock and my fortress; my strength and protection. You alone are my rock of safety where I can always hide. Even if I have stumbled, I have not fallen for Thou holds me by Thine hand. Thank you Father for your protection and care.

Oh! Asa, What have you done? At the last moment you have squandered Yes, your heart remained completely faithful Throughout your life, dear Asa. But when you face a crisis, through king Baasha Through a serious foot disease You had the privilege to cling to God whom you have sought But turned to others Why do you disbelieve, Oh! My soul Why do you consider God as abstract Where as His presence is always real God has always been close in times of trouble Faith is the sixth and most important of the senses Than eyes or touch or anything else To perceive His presence althroughout your life Is more beautiful than any other. Oh! Dear one, cling; hold fast; be steadfast No matter what; His promise is always true I will never leave you nor forsake you But will you loosen grip?

2Chron:16:9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. The Lord is in our favour He searches everything, everyone in this whole world in order to strengthen us and reiterate us. This is not like the Paulo Coelho quote in Alchemist - and when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. Why should the universe conspire to help you to achieve something which you desire? What is it's gain? But when there is a living God behind it, who loves His children so passionately and it is His children He is dealing with, when there is a fully devoted heart not towards something earthly but to a God who is eternal; then things are different. And it is not about the things that your heart desires. Whatever is needed will be provided. Not your wants. Jesus says -   Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well Matt:6:34 What...

The word seek keeps coming back to me. Today it comes with urgency, with seriousness and exigency. During the time of King Asa, all of Judah entered into a covenant with the Lord to seek Him with all their heart and soul (2Chron:15:12).  And because they sought Him, they found Him (v:15). A God who promises to be in a love relation with us, when we earnestly seek Him. A God who promises to be there even if we desert Him. But we have been tossed about; we have been waxing and waning; we have been in that sinus curve; with no cohesion; with no harmony; with no eagerness; with no earnestness. Earnestness means - no matter what situation you are in, you continue to do what you are supposed to do. Nothing would deter you. That just doesn't mean regularising your quiet time. It is just a means of earnestly seeking. Not just being regular in church or prayer or fellowship, but the end result of you being in harmony with the Spirit; that you trust in Him no matter what; you cli...

2 Chron:14 King Asa- a good king in the eyes of the Lord, came up with a crisis in his life. He was facing an army, almost three times bigger as his. He realized he was utterly helpless. So he pleads to the Lord. No one but you can help the powerless against the mighty. When we are literally helpless, when we have no resources to look unto, when we are completely powerless, we have no other hope but God. Rom5:8 When we were utterly helpless Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. The truth is, we are always helpless. John15:5 For apart from me you can do nothing. We need to realize that we can't do anything on our own and in everything we need to depend. Not only in big things where we are truly helpless. Even in apparent small things. For everything we need to pray. Talk to God seeking His will. For everything we need to ask for grace. Grace alone which God supplies Strength unknown, He will provide Christ in us our cornerstone We will go forth in g...