November 2021 -

Taste and say

John 2:8 And Jesus said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast”.

The first ever miracle Jesus did was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus and His disciples were invited for the wedding. Blessed wedding to have Jesus at the wedding. Yet there was a lack at the wedding. They ran out of wine for the guests. In the Jewish tradition, that was a huge disgrace for the hosts. As Mary, Jesus’ mother reported this to Him, He asked her, “What does your concern have to do with Me?”. Yet He does what His character is – Jehovah Jirah, the provider.

There were six water pots of stone kept outside, as per the purification manner of the Jews, to wash their feet before they enter inside. So obviously, the water pots did not have any other greater purpose. Perhaps the pots were not frequently cleansed. Perhaps the inside of the pots had sediments of dirt because the purpose of it is not for drinking, but for merely washing people’s feet. Perhaps the pots had not been moved around since they were placed there and had only one purpose to serve the dirty feet of people. Perhaps the water was just some ordinary water, which could not be used for drinking purpose. In an ideal day, the Jews who had so many cleanliness traditions would not have consumed this water even by mistake.

Jesus is the Master of using those who are despised and valueless in people’s eyes. He asks the servants to fill these pots with water. And they filled it to the brim. No one had experienced the miracles of Jesus yet, but they obeyed Him. Jesus did not say any prayer or speak any miracle over the water. He just said, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast”. The master of the feast exclaimed that the bridegroom had saved the best wine for later. Amazing change in purpose from dirty water to the best wine because of the intervention of Jesus. The taste of the wine was so good that no one inquired about its origin. We might be very ordinary people with very ordinary purpose. But when we yield to Jesus, our destiny is transformed and surpasses our origin.

Psalm 34:8 Oh, Taste and see that the LORD is good. The wine had to be taken and served to the master of the feast before he could taste. Unless God in His mercy gives us opportunities to taste His goodness, we only hear of His goodness from His Word and from others. Those who did not come for the wedding never got to taste such amazing wine. They only got to hear it from others. May we seek God earnestly to give us opportunities to taste and proclaim that He truly is good. AMEN!

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My Kids’ bathroom

Today is the day before thanksgiving and I took the day off from work. Not long back, I used to be so addicted to work and could never enjoy a day off without thinking about work. Now by God’s grace, I am delivered from work addiction. I work sincerely during the work hours. But on my days off, I keep work off my mind and day. So unusually, I started cleaning the house right from morning on.

I have two boys – one teen and one tween. I am not that incredibly responsible kind of mom. I grew up as the only child to my parents. I never did any much chores while growing up. And once I had my own family, I got to learn on my own. Somehow, I didn’t want my kids to end up not knowing to do any chores. Also probably because I am a lazy kind of mom, I got them to do some of the stuff on their own, like washing their plates after eating, washing and folding their laundry, taking the trash out etc. In a way that relieves me from so many such responsibilities, which probably I will not be very diligent in keeping up. It is definitely a great idea to teach them the basic work for their survival. One chore my kids had a late start on is cleaning their bathroom. I didn’t have the stamina to handle their whining if I asked them to start cleaning, so I kept continuing to clean their bathroom. I would feel so frustrated seeing the way they leave the sink and the entire bathroom so filthy. A few months back, I had enough and I put down a schedule for the kids to take turn every 2 weeks and clean their bathroom. I demonstrated once to them and from next time, they were expected to do on their own.

I would stay away from checking their bathroom as I didn’t want to end up cleaning again. Today, the day before thanksgiving, as I took a peep into their bathroom and honestly I was amazed. Their bathroom actually was clean, lot cleaner than I have ever seen before. I just saw a toothpaste cover, deodorant protector covers etc still sitting on the sink. I couldn’t help but appreciate them and told them that as I am happy to see this, I will do a complimentary cleaning.

That got me to think that how our spiritual walk also needs a constant check and cleaning. Previously, when left unattended, their bathroom gets cleaned after it gets lot unclean. Once they started being consist in cleaning, the easier it got each time, as there is less filth piled up. If we would constantly do self-analysis comparing with the Word of God, the lesser sin gets piled up. Constant repentance helps us have a cleaner relationship with Jesus.

Psalm 139:23,24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Why do Christians who follow and believe in Jesus talk about sin all the time? For the world who is busy living their lives trying to make more and more money, increase their status in the world and climb up the ladders of power, it would seem strange and idiotic when Christians speak about sin and repentance all the time. We all know one fact that will happen to everyone who lives in this world – one day death will meet every single one of us. Can we take any of the above mentioned things with us? NO. When we plan so much for a mere vacation we take in this world, making sure we know where we will stay, the whereabouts of the place, where we should go and what we should do, should we not know what happens when our life in this world ends?

Psalm 144:4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.

Does this not sound true? In Mathematics, whether we like it or not, have we all not come across how the mathematicians prove theorems? A theorem is a result that has been proved to be true. Bible is the Word of God which is proved to be true. From the first page till the last page, every Word is God breathed. And we have the privilege to read it, learn it, most importantly follow it – only till we have our breath. Once our breath stops, the timer stops and then the eternity is determined by whether we chose to walk by the Word of God or not. In this age of technology, the Word of God is at everyone’s finger’s reach. May we not take for granted the greatest privilege God has given us – His Word and His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins! AMEN!

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NO HALLOWEEN HERE

1 Peter 1:15,16 But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy”.

I am a mom of two sons. I grew up as an only child to my parents and my parents were pretty strict who restricted me from doing any fun stuff that the other kids got to do. I never got to go on school trips. I always had to braid my hair and never allowed to have any stylish hairstyles like other kids. Like keeping candy off kids, I was kept off from anything fun. I did have bitterness towards my parents. I didn’t want my kids to have the same kind of childhood. So, YES, I did take my kids for trick or treat in the neighborhood. And we did give candies to kids who came to our door. But, in my heart, I always felt like it was a very wrong thing to do as it is clearly such a demonic activity. I still took my kids year after year, but repenting my heart out to God each time as I walked with them in the neighborhood. I knew that I was doing a very sinful thing but along with repentance each year, I justified it saying to God about my childhood and how I did not want my kids to miss out on the fun. I think the heaviness of having to repent repeatedly for the same things when we commit it knowingly becomes huge to bear.

So in the initial years, it was just a slight uneasy feeling of doing wrong. But starting around 2018, God started working in me. He started breaking unwanted things in me, moulding me, refining me like silver or gold through fire. He is faithful God who gently fixes us one thing at a time. Where we deserve punishment, He shows grace and baffles us. He binds us captive by His grace that we overflow with gratitude, for we know what kind of severe punishment we deserved. I started understanding that a believer in Christ cannot live however their heart pleases. We are called to be set apart, a royal priesthood. And I firmly took a stand that I will no longer take my kids for trick or treat. My young son did feel disappointed because he loved to run to houses with his friends. I explained to them that as Christians we should learn and practice to sacrifice our desires and will and that we need to learn not to compromise God’s values. As they were still kids, I did offer to buy a bag of candy for them. They are to be content with that bag of candy. He agreed to it though he did want to go trick or treat. I am grateful for my kids who obeyed me even when it wasn’t easy for their age. To avoid kids from ringing the door bell, I put a note outside which said ‘NO HALLOWEEN HERE’. And not a kid rang the doorbell. I felt such a relief that year that I did not have to repent for this. Also, I understood at that moment that taking a stand for God is not that hard as we would assume. It gets easier once we set our heart like Daniel did. It gets easier once God’s way alone becomes our priority. Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

As Jehovah God set down His plan of deliverance for His children, the Israelites, from the nation Egypt where they were slaves, He sent 10 plagues upon the Egyptians. He set apart the Israelites. Though the entire nation of Egypt paid a huge price for 10 plagues, not an Israelite in that nation was impacted. As the tenth plague which would set the stage for the deliverance of Israelites out of captivity, God instructed the Israelites to do certain things. Exodus 12th chapter – He commanded them to take a male lamb of one year old and without any blemish. At the twilight, each Israelite family is to kill the lamb, take its blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of their houses. The LORD said that He will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the first born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; Exodus 12:13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you(Israelites) are; And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Every single family in Egypt were burying their first born – be it the father of the family who was a first born, or the mother, or the first born child and the first born of their animals. Can we imagine the number of burials that would have happened in each family in that age of time? All because of what? The living God who had the capability to strike the life out of them were not on their side to command them to sprinkle the blood of the lamb on their doorpost – the lamb later demonstrating the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. All because of the missing blood on the doorpost. Jesus has shed His precious and Holy blood. We are to be set apart from the world. We all tend to justify saying “Oh, it is just candy! Oh, it is just this and that!”. Satan’s snares are known to be subtle. He doesn’t come and stand before us in a red jumpsuit and pitchfork. His snares comes as subtle as “It is just a fruit! No big deal. See, how pleasant it is for your eyes!”. And here we are today. There is no middle ground in our choices. We either take one decision closer towards God or towards the devil. The choice is given in our hands though!

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

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