The Mark!

A priest and a rabbi from local parishes were standing by the road’s side, holding up signs. The rabbi’s sign read, ‘The End is Near!’ On the other side of the road, the priest held up a sign which read, ‘Turn before it’s too late!’ They planned to hold up their signs to each passing car. ‘Get a job.’ The first driver yelled. The second, immediately behind the first, yelled, ‘Leave us alone, you religious freaks!’ Shortly, from around the curve, they heard the tyres screeching, followed by a splash. It was followed by more screeching and more splashes!  It is just a story, but it conveys an important point. The prophecies of God are those signs to caution us and turn us back to our Saviour.  It is tough to read prophecies of destru...

The Lord is my Portion!

I completed reading the book of Jeremiah with a heavy heart. The entire city of Jerusalem, from the temple to the palace, was burned by Nebuchadnezzar.  They carried away all the sacred vessels and implements from the temple. King Zedekiah was blinded and taken to Babylon in fetters.  Judah was carried away from their own God-given land!  All because the people of Judah did not heed the warnings given by the Lord through the prophets.   They did not repent and turn from their wicked ways.  They willfully continued in all the evil practices of the surrounding nations.  Prophet Jeremiah witnessed everything with his own eyes and sat weeping and lamented over Jerusalem.  He says,&...

The Warning!

The waters of the Niagara River can be deceptive. It may be tranquil and calm initially, but as it approaches the falls, it will pick up speed. No one sailing those rough waters will be able to turn around after that point! Supposing two young men in a canoe sail down the Niagara river, what would you think? We would wonder how they could have ignored so many warnings about the approaching rapids. We would wonder how they could have forgotten the accounts of people who have accidentally fallen into the river and carried over the falls to their death. We would think that they must be simply out of their minds! Reading the book of the prophet Jeremiah, I felt the same sense of wonder! How could the people of Judah have ignored such clear warnings of the...

Does what I do matter to God?

I have read the book of Jeremiah many times.  But this time, when I started reading, God brought a particular passage to my attention.  The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah was between 629 and 585.  The southern kingdom of Judah had not learned anything from the fall of Israel.  They did not understand that it was the Lord who gave them over to the Assyrians because of idolatry, harlotry, and dishonesty.  Judah also committed the same sins but thought that the Lord would not destroy them because the Temple was in Jerusalem. God sent prophets to warn them to repent because Babylonian captivity was round the corner.  Jeremiah 5:1 says, "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look aroun...

Abundant Life!

The book of Isaiah addresses three different historical periods. Chapters 1-39 address Israel when they were confronting Assyrian invasions during the second half of the 8th century. Chapters 40-55 speak to the discouraged exiles in Babylon. Chapters 56-66 speak to the postexilic community.  These chapters deal with the history of the tragic fall despite the clear warnings given by the Lord through the prophets.  The Lord had told them clearly how they ought to live if they wanted to enjoy His favor.  The Lord had given them laws, decrees, and ordinances and had said what would result if they violated His laws. So what happened to them was the result of their own doing.  The invitation to abundant life found in...

The Stumbling Block!

Recently I read an article by Lama Chuck Stanford and Arvind Khetia on Mahatma Gandhi and Christians.  While Gandhi was a practicing Hindu, Christianity intrigued him. In his reading of the Gospels, Gandhi was impressed by Jesus, whom Christians worshipped and followed.  Gandhi wanted to know more about the claims of this Christ whom the Christians called, ‘the Messiah.' So one Sunday morning, Gandhi decided that he would visit one of the churches in Calcutta. Upon seeking entrance to the Church sanctuary, he was stopped at the door by the ushers. He was told that he was neither welcome, nor would he be permitted to attend that particular Church as it was only for high-caste Indians and whites. Because of the rejection, th...

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord!

A man once had a dream.  In that dream, he saw people carrying a Cross and walking.  Everyone seemed to be struggling under its weight, but they kept on walking.  A Cross was given to this man was also.  He thought that it was too heavy and looked around to see if he can exchange it, but since no one noticed him, he was left carrying his Cross!  As he struggled along, he spotted a chisel and a hammer.  He was overjoyed and decided to cut his Cross a little so that he can carry it easily.  He then picked up his Cross and joined the group. Very soon, they all came to a gorge with a river winding below.  As he watched, everyone laid their Crosses across, walked over to the ot...

Seated on the Throne!

Uzziah ruled as king of Judah for fifty-two years (2 Chronicles 26).  His reign marked the height of Judah's power. The army of King Uzziah was well organized and well equipped.  Special machinery that launched arrows and hurled large stone defended the walls of Jerusalem. Uzziah fought successfully against other nations and expanded the kingdom.  He constructed strong fortifications and dug many wells. Being a man given to farming, Uzziah possessed herds of cattle and even reclaimed the desert areas by water conservation. Isaiah was born and raised during the reign of King Uzziah, and at Uzziah's death, Isaiah experienced a deep sense of loss and fear for his nation's future.  When Isaiah began to fear for...

Under the Sun!

When we see the things that are happening around us, it is very distressing. Those who are supposed to protect the people commit cold-blooded murders. Those who are supposed to uphold justice themselves pervert justice and favor the criminals. Those who have to protect the children violate them sexually and murder them. Even animals do not assault their young ones in this manner! It is not the first time such things are happening. They happen all the time! I think such people think that in this world, they have it all figured out and that they have nothing to fear! They believe their money can buy their freedom. They believe their great connections will help them. They believe their political power will save them. That is why they think they can do wh...

The Message

The Bible is a message of grace, mercy, hope, and eternal life offered to Mankind because of the love God had toward His children.  The right response of Man to such self-giving love is to love the LORD our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. (Matthew 22:37) and obey His commandments. God longs for our love and obedience, prompted by that love.  Whenever I think of the Message of the Bible, I can only think of two things – love God and obey God!  Love for God shows our faith and obedience to His Word shows that faith in action!  In my mind, all other commandments are contained within this.

As I was reading the book of Ecclesiastes...