Oh! Not another one Lord!

Ps:120:1

I took my troubles to the Lord

I cried out to Him and He answered my prayer.

Oh! Your troubles may look overwhelming. Your problems might look huge and unconquerable. You might seem puny before the huge wave that looks to devour you. Before the huge mountain that blocks your way.

Your strength seems to ebb away and your confidence melting into thin air. Because you do not seem to have a clue as to what to do. All your wisdom. All your assets and strongholds which you have gained over the vast experiences of your life seem to vanish off. Because whatever you try to do is not working. You literally are helpless not knowing what exactly to do.

The world seems to give you suggestions. But none of them seems to work for you. You do not seem to have strength to face the giant. But then one strength you have been provided. To take your trouble to the mighty God. You have been given the power to take it to the Lord. All you have to do is to take it and place it in His hands.

And if you boldly and confidently do it - He wouldn't either give you strength to overcome. He would equip you to scale over it. Or He would give you grace to suffer, to wait patiently. With the promise attached to it - And it will not subdue you. Slowly and steadily He will enable you to be not affected by it. Slowly and steadily you would overcome. And while in the process of deliverance you would have learnt something beautiful. May be a sin of yours. May be an attribute of God. But the process would be beautiful because you walk with Him.

Recently my son lost a badminton match with someone way younger to him. Today morning as he wakes up from the bed, this is what he had to tell me about it, "Appa, do you know, why I lost that match? Because I was proud. Because I thought I will easily win. "

God had to take him through a failure to teach him about the pride in his heart. Then I had to tell him, it was the Holy Spirit that taught him this truth because the Bible says, "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. "

Failures are definitely stepping stones to success. The world says, it motivates you to work hard and scale over that mountain the next time you face it. But the Word says, success is when you really meet your Saviour. When you put aside all your burdens and seek your Redeemer. All the hardships are means to bring you closer to God. Be it a life threatening disease, be it losing your job, be it uncertainty about your children's future. Whatever it is. Nothing is too hard for God to handle.

Job was a person who lost all his wealth and all his children on the same day. Can we even imagine that? In few days he is struck with a disgusting diseases with unbearable pain. To add on he has all the more reasons to go to depression because of the discouraging words of his dear wife and accusing words from his friends. But in all this Job did not sin.

Will God be confident in giving you troubles to face. One after the other if it keeps coming, means He desperatley wants to teach you more things.

Or is your ship smooth sailing?

When the torrents strike which seems to sink your boat. Remember one thing. TAKE IT TO THE LORD AND MAKE IT.

And whatever He has to offer would you gladly receive? Knowing full well that He is in control? Be it instant victory. Or process of healing and learning and coming closer to God through the dangerous looking way ahead.

Both are from God. And the best part of the story is this - He is with you in this.

Image credit: https://www.freepik.com/premium-ai-image/boat-ocean-is-sinking-storm_47206143.htm

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Thresh

Micah:4:12 That He is gathering them together To be beaten up and trampled Like sheaved of grain on a threshing floor. The Lord gathers together to beat and trample. Oh! Isn't it mean? How can a loving God allow this? He is supposed to be our fortress and our refuge. He is expected to protect. He should in fact gather to bless. Not to trample. Not to beat up. Oh! I am bleeding. Doesn't He see it? My tears have gone waste? The query that came to the bard's mind, as he was pondering whether God is good or cruel, a blessing God or a naive entity is this - What is blessing? How do you define blessing? Very often the word blessing is linked to - all would go well. Well that is true in one angle. But the problem is man is tuned to think only finitely. All would definitely go well - for sure. God speaks about eternity. Not about the riches we inherit. But about character. About transforming into the image of Christ. About abundant life. And this threshing is the

The Holy Temple

Micah:1:5 Where is the center of idolatory on Judah? In Jerusalem; it's capital. The very place which was supposed to be kept sacred and holy, has now been defiled and become the very center of desecration. Fully polluted and corrupted. Why should He not be wrathful? The heart of holiness; which was supposed to be the throne of the most High God with all His richness and glory has been befouled and debased. The very heart dear bard - which is supposed to be the temple of the most Holy God, what all do you entertain? Confines the king to a corner in your quiet times and church and bible study. As if you give charity and satisfy Him and then you do whatever you want, the rest of the time. You think you can fool around with His holiness? This is one chant that goes up in heaven for eternity - Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. Oh! Don't nullify it with your fancies. He is serious about His holiness. And that is why sin had to be tackled with. Not just brushed

Delight

Ps:147:11 The Lord's delight is in those who fear Him If you delight in Him, He will delight in you. Oh! Is it like tit for tat? No dear bard! He has already delighted in you. He has loved you while you were still His enemies. You are mine He declares. You are His signet ring, He proclaims. Not because you fear Him. Not because He foreknew you would fear Him. But because He loves. Hosea was asked to marry a harlot and he continued to love her despite her unfaithfulness. Just like He continues to delight in you oh! Bard despite your persistance and adamancy. Oh! What love. Where else can you find such love. Image credit: https://butternutbakeryblog.com/moist-chocolate-cake/

Keep your promise forever

Ps:146:6 He keeps every promise forever. Everyone loves promises. It is even more beautiful when the promise is fulfilled. God is a God of promises and He is faithful. What He promises He always fulfills. Not even one goes wayward. There is no doubt about the general promises He makes in the Bible. One by one we see them fulfilled through the story of Israel and early church. There are enough and more personal promises which are staring at you face on. He is faithful to fulfill all of them too forever. It is upto us to believe and live a peaceful life trusting in the One who called us. Rather than like a high tension wire, ready to snap. Can we believe - He will take care. He is enough. He is sufficient. He is faithful. He never changes. He will not sleep nor will He slumber. He keeps His promises forever. Amen. Image credit: https://everydaypower.com/promise-quotes/

What are we supposed to do Lord?

Micah 6 V:3 What have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? V:5 Don't you remember, my people? When I the Lord did everything I could To teach you about my faithfulness. V:6 What can we bring to the Lord? What kind of offerings should we give Him? V:8 This is what He requires of you. To do what is right, to love mercy And to walk humbly with your God. This is the only thing you're supposed to do Oh! bard. Only thing He requires of you. Not to accomplish great things for Him. Not to conquer nations for Him. If that is your calling, well yes, do it. But more important for Him is this. Very simple thing He expects of you. To do what is right. According to His heart. According to His standards. To love mercy. To deny all self righteousness and self centeredness, be filled with compassiin and consider others better than yourself. To walk humbly with your God, denyinh your own self. To keep aside all your pride. To love each other more than y

When you don't have anything else to do......

In the fish's belly Jonah was there for three days and three nights. In that dark place, he could only look to God. He could not run away, which he was so specialized in. He couldn't do anything else which he was an expert. He couldn't do anything he wanted to desperately do. All he could do was to sit in God's presence. Sometimes God places you in circumstances where you can only pray. You can do nothing else. And at that time, please pray. Do not try to do anything else. Even if you do not feel like praying, that is the time when you are supposed to. Helpless as you are, you can open up to your Father. Words do not matter at that time. Even a drop of tear is enough. You might not be a prolific pray-er. But remember the Father is always listening. Image credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/man-praying-on-knees

RRRR

Obadiah 20-21 As Edom receives all punishments, Israel is blessed. Israel is chosen to come back from exile. From the ends of the earth, they are called back into God's bosom. They - Return Resettle Rescued Rule Not because they repented and came back to the Lord. Even before they repented, He paved the way back. The door was already kept open for coming back. The choice had to be made though for them to actually return, to resettle, to be rescued, to rule. They had to make that choice. Yet the road was already set to accept them back. There was no uncertainty whether God would allow. The cross has already paved the way, the ship has already been set for return, for bringing them back. But I have to board the ship. If I don't, the loss is all mine. The ship with all its aboard passengers will sail to the promised shore, for sure. Jesus is calling- to return, to resettle, to be rescued and to rule. Will you accept? Image credit: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cr

The halfbaked Bard

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