Hope in the faithfulness of God.

In the midst of calamity.

In the midst of hopelessness.

In the midst darkest dungeons.

Jeremiah says - Lam:3

21 Yet I will dare to hope

When I remember this

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends

His mercies never cease

23 Great is His faithfulness

His mercies begin a fresh each morning

24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance

Therefore I will hope in Him"

25 The Lord is good to those who depend on Him

To those who search for Him

26 So it is good to wait quietly

For salvation from the Lord

27 And it is good for people to submit

At an early age

To the yoke of His discipline

29b For there may be hope at last.

31 For no one is abandoned

By the Lord forever

32 Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion

Because of the greatness of His unfailing love

33 For He does not enjoy hurting people

Or causing them sorrow

40b Let us turn back to the Lord

41 Let us lift our hearts and hands

To God in heaven and say

55 But I called on your name Lord

From deep within the pit

56 You heard me when I cried, " Listen to my pleading

Hear my cry for help"

57 Yes you came when I called

You told me, "Do not fear"

58 Lord you are my lawyer! Plead my case

For you have redeemed my life.

Image credit: https://www.lightstock.com/photos/hand-holding-burning-matchstick-in-the-darkness-lit-hand-flame-fire

Comments

For you

They began to spit ------ Beat him with their fists ----- Some slapped him, jeering Matt:26:67-68 It would be humiliating to be spat upon the face. His face would have been fully red out of bruise. A racoon eye probably. It is menial to be made fun off - more menial when people make fun of you disbelieving what you claim or what you really are. Matt:27:26 Jesus was flogged with a lead tipped whip Skin might have shredded to pieces, pieces of muscles torn away, splurting blood everywhere. Pain unable to be described in words. Psalm:129:3 The plowers plowed upon my back. Hematomas everywhere. Anaemic because of the blood loss. Internal organs lacerated. Excruciating pain from the tip of the hair to the toe. Dehydrated. Stinking. Stripped naked and made to walk through the streets in front of the ones you loved, the ones who loved you. Thorns on His brow. Nails driven through the median nerve. Struggling to breath hanging on the cross. He has to pull Himself up to expand ...

Not my will, but yours - a poem

Yes, Jesus was distressed and anguished too He was also grieved to the point of death So it is okay, dear one to be frustrated It might not be as grievous as that of Jesus, but it's fine. But how Jesus handled, that is a lesson for us He did not over react. He did not brood over. He did not vent it over. He did not blame Himself He just prayed - not my will, but yours. How you handle your stress makes you stronger and bolder Either you succumb and grow weaker But face it in faith, and you will grow stronger. Equipping you to face the next one. Ultimate purpose is to be transformed into His likeness Live as Jesus lived. Do as Jesus did. Here how did He handle stress and anguish? Not my will, but yours He prayed. Image credit: https://www.artisor.com/artwork/morgan-weistling/thy-will-be-done/

Coming back

Matt:24:37-51 When the Son of Man returns In those days When the Son of Man comes The Lord is coming The Son of Man will come If the Master returns and finds The Master will put The Master will return unannounced and unexpected The owner of the whole universe, the Master, has Himself announced that He is one day coming back again. To reclaim. To reward. It is foolish to think He is not. It is utterly foolish to think there is no such master. It is foolish to sit unprepared. Because Jesus Himself has said that He is coming back. There is no ifs there. The only if that we find here is that - if the Master finds... Coming is certain. When you see earthquakes, when you see wars, when you see false Messiahs and false prophets, be assured that He is coming back. These are signs that His coming back is near. Whether you believe it or not. Whether you want to accept it or not. Reinstate with Him, while there is yet time. Before it is too late. Image credit: https:/...

Plain and true

Mark:1:1-8 John the Baptist preached the gospel - plain and true. v4: He proclaims about repentance and turning to God to be forgiven. v7: He proclaims that Jesus is the only way. Acknowledging my sinfulness is the first step to salvation. By nature I am sinful. By my choices I am sinful. Realisation that I need forgiveness is the next step. And only God can give that. I need to turn to God to be forgiven. And finally Jesus is the only way to reach to God. He is the only way that this forgiveness is practicalised. Once I can approach God, through the forgiveness granted on the cross, of the sinfulness of mine, then the beautiful amazing journey starts. Have you taken this first step? If not, all other efforts are wasted Image credit: https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/what-does-gospel-mean/

Joseph of Arimethea

Joseph of Arimethea had chosen Jesus but was secretly following Him. We never come across him elsewhere in the gospels apart from the time of burial of Jesus. But at that point, he decided to go public. This is the time I should stand up for Jesus to give Him a decent burial- and that is how the prophecies came true. Being a silent follower of Jesus is good. Yes it is between you and God. But openly proclaiming that you belong to Jesus is a different level. It is a higher way of obedience. In your workplace do people know that they cannot mess around you? In your college / school, do people approach you to pray for them? Do people fool around you? Do they hush their conversation when you enter the room? Would your presence make no difference? Do people want to gossip about others to you? The basic question is - Do others know you are a Christian? Do others know you are a child of God? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinf...

Silence

I am often amazed by Jesus' silence on the cross. For all the accusations and false testimonies, how could he keep quiet. There was no " I never said that" or " "for whom am I doing this, why should I go through this for them" or "why don't you understand". Why can't I keep quiet when falsely accused or pointed fingers at? Why should I justify? Will that bring about a change in the situation? Will they stop accusing? Why do you want to defend? More or less because of the pride. To protect our own self. By defending ourself we think our tarnished image would be protected. Learning from Jesus' example is a difficult thing to do. Let the accusers say whatever. As long as you are a child of God. As long as you are loved by Him. As long as you are His beloved. Be secure in His love. Image credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/image/pictures-of-jesus-nails-feet-6723253?lang=eng

The Parable of the ten Bridesmaids

Matt:25:1-13 The foolish ones were not ready with the oil. The wise ones also slept off, but they had the oil. What has been told about Him, beforehand has been proved right. The same book says He is coming back. And when He comes back, will He see you waiting and ready with the oil of Holy Spirit; the oil of faith. Shouldn't the wise ones have shared their oil with the others? Isn't that what Christianity teaches to selflessly share. It doesn't work that way at the last hour when He comes. You have to have your own oil. The wise ones job is to tell the others about the need of the oil when the bridegroom will some day come, in an unexpected time, the need for faith in Jesus before it is too late. The choice is yours. Whether to be on the wise side or the foolish side. Would you keep oil for yourselves before He comes. If not, you would be called foolish, you would be labelled not ready, the door will be closed to you. Do not be foolish. Do not be on the unread...

The halfbaked Bard

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