Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Cookie is our one year old puppy. I truly believe that he is God given gift for us, to ease me a bit through stressful days. As first time pet owners, we did miss out big time on teaching him commands and obedience. Staying within the boundary of the house, there is not much need to test his obedience skills.
We love camping trips and have gone for 3 years till the pandemic lockdown happened in 2020. I did miss camping trips and didn’t know when we could go again. Suddenly, it worked out as a friend initiated the conversation and plans started making effect and we got to go on our camping trip. We took Cookie with us. I had bought a basket for Cookie to ride with me in the bike. I myself am a very amateur bike rider. In my young age, I did not have the need to learn to ride the bike. Only few years back, I learnt to ride the bike as I have two boys and I didn’t want to be left behind when they all went biking. So, putting my trust is the Lord, I learnt to ride the bike at this age which itself is a miracle. But I can ride only my bike. I can’t just take anyone’s bike and ride. My height and lack of skills makes it scary for me to ride on unknown bikes.
We set up our tents on Friday evening. I had not done any biking during the entire of last year and this year. So biking skills on my own bike had become rusty and Cookie felt terrified to sit inside the basket. It was hard and scary for me to pedal with him trying to jump off from the basket. The camping area suddenly got so dark and we were biking to find the rest rooms. My friend suggested to try her daughter’s bike while my husband took my bike with Cookie. My friend’s daughter’s bike was right size for me and I was able to ride it but it got pitch dark. With my rusty skills on a different bike in pitch dark, I felt scared that I would fall off and hurt myself. So as I was riding in pitch dark not really knowing how to ride it and what is on the way, I prayed and asked God to help me to be able to ride without falling off. And the God whom I know who is always my very present help in my time of need did help me. I made it safe back to the tent.
The next day when both the families started off with the bike, I did a few trials with Cookie, all by myself. Again, I prayed that Cookie would stay still inside the basket without jumping off. And he did stay still this time. And I got the hang of riding with him. As it was hard for me to pedal with him for long, I just did a few back and forth rides close to the tent. Though I could not have gone biking for miles, I felt happy to have made use of the basket and to be able to even do short trips with Cookie. I thank God for answered prayers, even the smallest ones. In fact, I praise God more when He answers the smallest of prayers because that lets me know that He is very close to my prayers whenever I cry out to Him.
Psalm 20:1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. Amen!
John 1:4,5 In Him(Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
In the above verse, Jesus is called the light that shines in the darkness. And Jesus calls His followers, that is us, that we are the light of the world.
Mathew 5:14, 16 You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Even in a pitch dark place, a small candle makes a mighty difference. The light from a small candle can drive away the darkness and bring clarity to our eyes. Our spiritual light should grow from a candle to a lighthouse, shining the light so bright so that the lost can find their way back to the Way, the Truth and the Life, that is, Jesus Christ. Our Spiritual light is not to be kept hidden. Our light is not a personal light. It is to shine so bright for others to find their way to Christ. John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”. Our heart should overflow with the living water so that we cannot contain it within us.
Mathew 5:14,15 A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Rain or shine, how can we be a light continuously? Referring to Mathew 25:1-13, we need to be like the five wise virgins who took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
What kind of oil do we need to be a light in this evil world? Anointing oil is what I want. Isaiah 10:27 It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, andthe yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
Psalm 23:5 You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. The anointing oil should overflow from within us and break the yokes of people around us.
2 Kings 3:17 For thus says the LORD:’You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ 18. And this is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
For the valley to be filled with water, first they had to make that valley full of ditches. Verse 16 says “Thus says the LORD:’Make this valley full of ditches. “
King Jehoram of Israel took King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the King of Edom in a war against the King of Moab. They went by the way of the Wilderness of Edom. They marched on that route for seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. Prophet Elisha was consulted to ask of the LORD for a solution. Elisha asked to bring a musician. As the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him. Referring back to the verses 17 and 18, after seven days of wandering without water, as they came to a point of seeking God versus dying in thirst, God gives the solution and even guarantees them victory in war which they did not ask because at that point living itself was at stake. Next morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water. Just as the LORD said, it was as simple as that.
The Moabites rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water as red as blood. Moabites thought the blood was because the Israelite armies killed each other and hurried to gather Israelites’ plunder. When the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them.
Ditches had to be dug before God could provide water. If there were no ditches, there would be no room to hold the water. If we look at the Old Testament great people, most of them were the outcome of tremendous shortcoming or lack undergone by someone. Samuel was born because of the emptiness experienced by Hannah. Isaac became a reward for Abraham after a really long wait. Jacob became Israel in his broken lonely desperate fearful moment. The greatest prophet of New Testament, John the Baptist, was born at the old age of Zechariah and Elizabeth who lived a righteous life before the LORD. When we undergo tremendous shortcoming in any area of our life, we are worried and we fret. We think low and inadequate of ourselves. We undergo shortcoming not always because God is disciplining us. If it is because of God’s disciplining, once we learn the lesson, He is our good father who rewards us. Even after righteous living, if we still undergo tremendous lack or shortcoming, that is for God to bring about some amazing blessing out of that. The above characters of the Bible are examples for that.
We just continue to do our part in serving God in all righteousness and God will definitely do His part in His time according to His will and plan. We might not always see the signs of it. Neither wind nor rain brought the water. Israelites did their part by giving the grain offering and the water gushed into those valleys which quenched the thirst of the three armies and their animals and also caused confusion on their enemies and with no war done, the enemies were defeated. The same water that quenched the thirst of God’s children destroyed His enemies by causing confusion among themselves. It all depends on “Are we on God’s side or His enemies side? Do we want to be taken care by God or destroyed by God? Choice is ours. There are only two sides- God’s side or the opposite side. There is no neutral ground”. Abundance is preceded by lack in order for us to see God’s hands in it. So let us not despise the lack. Let us praise God in advance for the abundant blessing that follows the lack. Amen!
Today is our 18th marriage anniversary. Life isn’t easy. Marriage isn’t easy. Parenting isn’t easy. Christian walk isn’t easy. It started at the garden of Eden itself. Till we are in this side of eternity, everything is hard because of our rebellion and disobedience before God.But by the saving grace of God alone, we continue to run the race, without giving up. We fall. We break down. We get bruised and wounded. We bear the scars. But Jesus is right beside us, walking with us, running with us, cheering us on, picking us up when we fall, and promising to see us through till the finish line.
I used to mark and make all occasions like birthdays, anniversary etc in our family special. As time went by, not seeing much meaning in all these rituals, like baking a cake, cooking special food, buying gifts hoping to surprise etc., this year, I did none of the above. Because I feel, more than any of these activities, walking according to God’s heart and not on my own fleshly will is more important.
I feel, marriage starts off in a nice biking trail which is flat and plain, and we whistle and hum along as we ride. As time goes by, the trail turns into valleys and mountain tops, and we have to catch and juggle lots of baggages thrown at us. Down the line, as we keep going, it seems like we end up biking uphill huffing and puffing, towards each milestone. It is not just the spiritual walk that displays the invisible warfares for which we are asked to put on the armor of God everyday. Spiritual warfare attacks all areas of our life. Marriage is what God instituted as the first thing after He created everything else. So it is extremely important in His eyes. No wonder, the devil attacks Christian marriages all the time, especially when we mindfully strive to walk with the LORD.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. If my spiritual walk was all about me reading the Word, Praying and walking with the LORD, it probably would not be as hard. But it involves all aspects of my life – marriage, parenting, workplace, my relationship with others etc. I am to bear the fruit of the Spirit in all these areas without taking a break. That would mean that I am supposed to be on a vigilant watch 24/7 for the schemes and attacks of the enemy of my soul. In my case, I have come to realize, the devil places hurts right before such occasions in my heart and gets my spirit downcast, which leads to self-pity, and my withdrawal from others, and moping in my hurt.
When I am hurt, in my flesh, I love to make others miserable as well. I would tend to withdraw from family, refuse to take part in any happiness and would recite in my heart about how I am going to act. But these days, by God’s grace and His Holy Spirit at work in my heart, I am a lot mindful about what Jesus would want me to do. If I do in my will, I know perfectly well what I would want to do. But, these days, I get reminded to ask,”LORD, this is how I feel. I am hurt in these areas. This is how I want to act on this occasion and make their lives miserable. But what do You want me to do? Because, what You want is more important to me than satisfying my petty grudges”.
As I started praying today morning, I started off with my venting out my hurts to God. The devil’s tactic is to make me feel unworthy of any good things, by whispering in my ear to not to accept any kindness shown towards me, and to withdraw from the family emotionally, thereby making them miserable too. A little into venting out in prayer, I realized that and said, “LORD, I give this day in Your hands. I know this much that if I hold this day in my hand, I will perfectly well ruin it. Would You show me what You can do with this day for me?”.
Prayers are mighty weapons, my friends! And prayerful friends are mighty warriors! My prayer friend texted me and asked if she can pray for me. I gladly said yes. As she was praying, I realized, if I keep the petty complaints aside, there is always so much to be grateful for. We look around us and see the many different and very difficult circumstances that so many people are going through. Compared to those, our little hurts are put into perspective. The devil wants to keep us in a complaining and a whining mode. However, may God help us to continually remember to thank and worship and praise Him instead.
My husband loves to buy gifts for me for special occasions. But I would feel so unworthy to accept the gift. Because I had asked God to help me to do the right thing according to His heart, as my husband mentioned about going out for lunch and to go pick a gift, I nodded quietly without opposing him. I put aside my fleshly will and yielded to choose peace. Similarly, Christ’s gift of salvation is offered to us freely, as Christ is always willing to redeem and forgive those who come to Him humbly and earnestly. The devil instead whispers in our ears, reminding us of all our shortcomings to make us feel unworthy. But Jesus has paid the price on the cross in an unimaginably painful way. So let us not give ear to the devil’s lies but with a grateful heart accept the free gift Jesus offers us with arms wide open.
Prayers are mighty weapons. Just as I asked God to take the day and show me what He can do with it for me, He did! He gave me a good anniversary day! I got to experience an instant reward from God. My husband and I picked up a nice gift for both of us which was for almost regular price with no discounts. But the shop attendant said that they can match the price with Amazon for 15 days. When we checked Amazon while being at the shop, there was no price reduction in Amazon. So we thought we will keep an eye for the next 15 days. We got home after half hour and we checked Amazon again, and to our great surprise, there was a price reduction for the same item, so together we saved a pretty big amount. To me, that was a reward that came from God.
Yes, the daily struggles would still continue. We would still fall, bear bruises and wounds and carry the scars. Love God and love others as yourself are the two greatest commandments. Loving God is even easier because He is always good and perfect. But loving people is not always easy because we are all imperfect and I am one who would love “my way or the highway”. We deal with imperfect people as imperfect people. But Jesus will still continue to be right beside us, walking with us, cheering for us, without forsaking us, and seeing us through till we reach and cross the finish line!! All glory be to Him alone! Amen
