Month: January 2022

Brevity of life

I feel extremely saddened by the news of the passing away of a crochet Youtuber. Around 5 years back, when I was without job for couple months, I signed up for a crochet class in Joann craft store. It was a three hours session. I wanted to quit in 30 minutes as I could not keep up with the learning. By the time I got home after three hours session, I was clueless on what I learnt. I decided to check the YouTube to see if I can learn following any easy tutorials. That is when I came across this beautiful and passionate Youtuber. I loved how she did the tutorial. I followed that video and made a cap. I loved to watch so many of her videos and quickly learned to make so many patterns of caps and scarves.

I remember her announcing about diagnosis of a rare kind of cancer. Even saw her videos of getting treatment and such. I felt extremely shocked when yesterday her husband posted in Facebook that she went to be with the Lord. Over the time, I had watched several crochet Youtubers, but about her, I knew that she was a believer of Jesus. So I felt much saddened by this news. Her husband also had posted a picture from her last days. Instantly reminded me of my mother who went to be with the Lord in February of 2021. My mother also was diagnosed with cancer and in a few months, she also had lost so much weight and by the time I got to see her, she was very thin and fragile.

Though I do not know this lady more than through her videos, I did know that she was a believer. I just felt so deeply saddened to hear the news of her passing away. She finished her race in Christ. She is free from all the pain and sufferings of this sickness.

Be it a loved one or be it even someone whom we don’t know personally, death is a very real happening. This life is short and this world is not our home and eternity is extremely long. Most people don’t like to think about death or talk about it, yet it is a very real thing. We see the reality of it more than ever during this pandemic. Truth, whether we like to believe or not, is that we all are running towards a finish line, aren’t we? For some, the finish line is decades away. For some, the finish line pops up right in front as least expected. For some, the finish line is so unpredictable. For some, the finish line is just a matter of any time. One thing common is that we are all running towards a finish line after which is eternity in heaven or hell. There is no middle ground. The life that we live in this world determines if we would spend eternity in heaven or in hell.

As it is, I am not worried about dying. I have surrendered my life to Christ. Though far from perfect, I do strive to live a life that pleases Jesus for He redeemed me from the pits of sin, depression, failures, shame and many other such. He showed me abundant of grace when all I deserved is punishment. Yes, He did discipline me, but I saw His love and gentleness in that disciplining, while He could have zapped me with lightning. I am ready to spend eternity with Jesus if He would take me today. I saw the glorious smile on my mom’s face after she left. I saw the grace He showed her by being so faithful to her. But yet, whenever I hear such stories of people leaving too soon, it affects me much. Though I am not afraid of entering into eternity today, what worries me is awaiting the unknown. Everyone has trials awaiting. For everyone it is a different kind. The mystery of what is going to be our lot is what worries me. But, as always, God is faithful because He has promised that His grace is sufficient. He has promised that He is the author and finisher of my faith. No one of this world are capable of keeping promises. There is one and only promise keeper and that is Jesus.

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

My faith is in Jesus to finish this race in Him. I cannot do this on my own. Jesus is faithful as He doesn’t ask me to somehow make it on my own. He runs right beside me, picks me up when I fall down, cheers me and sees me through till I finish this race. I do not know what kind of trial I will face and when my finish line would show up, but I trust in Him as I run this race.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

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A tribute to Ruth

As I wrap up 2021, I am amazed and overwhelmed by the happenings in this year. In 2020, I did a role for a few months to help the people impacted by the covid situation in our country and I came across a believer coworker, Elizabeth. As we were all asked to introduce ourselves, we were asked to answer the question “What did we miss due to social distancing?”. Elizabeth was the only person who answered that she missed church and hugs. Her answer caught my attention because mentioning church or God in corporate is not easy. In the next couple days, we were able to talk to each other in relation to the job and we made an instant connection just as it happens when believers connect. In that role, we encouraged each other by even sharing Bible verses that uplifted our spirit for each day. This was a very difficult role for us. Once she got to exit from this role, she decided to retire. We still stayed in touch over text and phone calls.

One day she mentioned that she was traveling through Chicago and if we could meet. By God’s grace, we met at a fast-food place and we talked for an hour. It was an amazing God-centered conversation. At the time, Elizabeth showed pictures of her sister, Ruth. This was around the same time when I was going through some very difficult times with my dad, after my mom went to be with the LORD in February. As I poured out my burdens to God, I felt Him say, “You give your concerns to Me and you continue to do what I have asked you to do”. A year back, when I desperately needed a project at work, He had told me to pray for others while I am waiting on Him to give me a project. And in those days, the only places where I saw God’s hands were when I prayed for others so I prayed more and more for others. So when Elizabeth showed the living conditions of Ruth, my heart was instantly touched and the images just stayed in my mind. So from then on, Ruth had become the first name in my prayer list and I, by God’s grace, diligently prayed for her salvation and for being a vessel for God’s glory. I am grateful to God for teaching me to be diligent and consistent in praying for friends this year.

On Dec 24th, I got a text from Elizabeth saying that Ruth had died the previous day. I felt indescribably shocked by the news. My first question to God was, “Did my prayers even matter?”. Because I had been praying that she would be saved and also she would share the gospel with others who are in similar situation. So to hear that she passed away was hard for me to digest. Later when I talked to Elizabeth, she mentioned that how two weeks before her death, Ruth had mentioned in a conversation about a tornado destruction that she is a Christian woman and that she is ok to leave this life when her time comes. I felt touched by those words and in the coming days, God gave me so much peace regarding Ruth. I looked back and I saw how God brought her story to me. There are billions of people in this world. God brings certain people into our path. If not for God, I would not have even known Elizabeth or Ruth. God connected the dots in an amazing way and when her story was brought to my ears, He worked in my heart to pray for her. I felt so content that I did the part that God gave me to do.

He also taught me lessons through this. 1) the importance of accepting Jesus as our Savior is the one and only way to heaven 2) to have ears that are aligned to His heart and a heart to be obedient to His instruction 3) to pray for the salvation of everyone whom He puts in our path 4) to not instruct God on how He should answer my prayer, but to leave it to His higher ways.

Isaiah 45:9 Shall the clay say to him who forms it, “What are you making?”

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

As an answer to my question, I came across this teaching of Jesus.

Luke 17:7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8. But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?. 9. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do”.

Salvation belongs to the LORD. His ways are higher for us to understand. Our times are in His mighty hands. I have never met Ruth in person. But I am hoping by the redeeming grace of Jesus that one day when I go to heaven, Ruth will also be one of them who would welcome me. I am grateful to God for giving me the privilege to pray for Ruth. I am surrendering myself to be an obedient vessel to be instructed by Him to pray for more and more of His children. AMEN!

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