The halfbaked Bard

Hos:12:8 No one has caught me cheating My record is spotless.  There is a lot of difference between being spotless and being genuine.  You can cheat in an exam without getting caught and you will be safe. But it requires integrity for not doing that when others are doing. You might not be recognized. You might be considered cheated and not caught as the general rule.  You might not have boozed with your friends. But have you gone with them (even for the food's sake)  Obeying traffic rules even when the cameras are not there.  Blamelessness is good. But it has a catch with it. But integrity is a step further. It is a realisation that my God is watching. My Father is always awake. It is to Him that I should answer. It is Him I should please. Not to be not caught.  Image credit:  https://www.flexiquiz.com/blog/how-to-deter-cheating-on-an-online-exam

Hos:12:6 So now come back to your God Act with love and justice And always depend on Him.  This is the only thing that He asks.  Come back, love one another. And always depend on Him.  Come back, be like Jesus depend on Him Repent, be what He wants you to be, cling on to Him.  Return, imbibe His character, hold fast to Him.  Leave, rest, cleave.  Oh! Dear one. This is the only thing that He desires of you. He doesn't ask you to pray five times a day. He doesn't ask you to do all rituals. He doesn't ask you to fight for your faith. He doesn't ask you to donate your earnings. He doesn't ask you to build or protect temples or mosques or churches. He doesn't ask you to increase in numbers. He just asks you to trust in Him, trust also in Jesus. No matter what your situation is. No matter how big your mountain is that faces you. No matter how cruel your situation looks at you face to face. Just trust. Just cling on to Him. Just hold Him tightly. ...

Hos:11 When Israel was a child, I loved him And I called my son out of Egypt As a father takes care, loves, teaches, provides, protects his own son, so has God Jehovah loved you. Is it not?  From life's first cry, you were in His palms, even beyond. From the time you were formed in your mother's womb as a cell, God Jehovah has kept you in the centre of the palm of His hands. Is it not? Even beyond He says - even before the foundations of the world was laid, He was mindful of you.  But when we thought we could make our own calls, we took over the driving seat. And immediately crashed and have fallen into the pit. He out of His just anger could have left us there. Is it not? Because of our rebellion and disobedience.  Oh how can I give you up Israel How can I let you go?  My heart is torn within me And my compassion overflows.  Oh just as a father keeps on loving his son, in fact He says, even if a father or mother forgets you, God Jehovah says, I will...

Hos:10:12  Plow up the hard ground of your hearts For now is the time to seek the Lord.  Parched ground is difficult to be used for planting anything. Even if you dig it up, because there is no water, nothing will grow.  You need to soften the ground with water, to plough it up first. And unless you plough it, you can't plant. And even if you plant a seed; unless you provide more water, the seed won't grow.  How do I soften my hardened heart so that the word that is planted in me will grow? How do I plough it up?  A broken and contrite heart instead of callousness. That brokenness He will not reject.  The softening, the word does. But let me also be ready to be ploughed. To water with my own tears. To continuously be in an attitude of repentance.  And not to defend myself when the finger is pointed at. Not to justify myself. Not to give an excuse. But to cry out - against you and you alone have I sinned. Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Re...

It has been David's hallmark characteristic to shout aloud a word of praise in the midst of trouble. When everything around him is crushing him, he refuse to be crushed, raising himself on his feet and remembers with gratefulness the ways in which God has guided in the past and thereby remembering His character.  The surroundings or circumstances do not define God. Neither it defines our destiny. The unchanging Word does. That is what we need to cling to. The word says, He is good. He is good indeed. That is what we need to hold fast to especially in the midst of the darkest valley.  Ps:144:9 I will sing a new song to you, O God.  Image credit:  https://www.lamont.zone/2021/02/backstage.html?m=1

Oh! I feel powerless When I look upon the huge mountain before me When I see my enemy face to face Terrified; filled with fear Hopeless; how will I face this?  My wisdom will not surpass this My strength will not overpower  I waste away thinking of the pit I'm in My bones ache; my joints groan I'm sick to the core.  Every part of my body drags me along.  But then I will remember my Redeemer Who rescues me from all the powers of the enemy The One who is in me is more powerful  Than the one who is in the world.  Those with me are more than Those on the enemy's side.  He reminds me that the enemy is already defeated his head has already been crushed The victory is already yours And the battle is His.  And if God is on my side Who can be against me?  Do not worry. Do not be afraid For I am with you till the end of days Trust in God. Trust also in me Says Jesus who saved you from eternal hell Is anything too hard for Me?  Oh! Now ...

Ps:144:3 O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them Mere mortals that you should think about them?  Man is so futile. Man is so tiny. He might look up the food chain. But he is indeed powerless. He is not the biggest. He is not the strongest. He is not the shrewdest. He is not the fastest. Yet he is on top. For God created man in His own image and likeness.  Considering the variety of life in this world. Considering the magnanimity and vastness of the universe. Considering the enormity that we see or cannot see. What is man to be thought off. To be considered significant. That You were willing to look down upon him and consider redeeming him from his fallenness. For which you chose to come down yourself. You chose to send your own Son. To salvage him from his wretchedness.  Who am I to be loved like this? Who am i to be cared for so unconditionally. I am a mere breath. A mere worm. Yet still you loved me. From the fallen pit you saved me. You di...

Hos:8:9 Like a wild donkey looking for a mate They have gone upto Assyria The people of Israel have sold themselves Sold themselves to many lovers.  Whenever an army powerful came against them, when Israel looked to the neighbouring nations for deliverance, Lord has abhored it. It has been seen as adultery by God, where the people trusted men, more than the Almighty. He considers trusting in other help (which is no help at all) than Him, as idolatory.  Ps:118:8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people.  In the very and many crisis in our lives, where do we look to for help, for wisdom, for deliverance, for clarity? To men? To princes? Yes they are important. But not as imperative as going to your God in person. He is waiting to communicate. But if you don't go to His presence, how will He? Yes He has means to point to the sinful ways you are walking through, to encourage you, to comfort you, to ensure His love to you, through many ways. But He is mo...