In My Place

If there is a frequent thought that crosses my mind often while meditating on the suffering of Jesus, it's the thought of Barabbas. I cannot help but see myself standing in the place of Barabbas. 

The Bible says Barabbas was a notorious prisoner(Matthew 27:17) and a robber(John 18:40). He was chained with his fellow rebels, they had committed murder in the rebellion(Mark 15:7). 

In other words, a man who deserved to die. The wages of his sin was death. But when Pilate asks the crowd, Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas or Jesus? There was no comparison to be made between Jesus and Barabbas. On one side here is a man who served the people. Healed the blind, deaf and the mute. He cleansed the lepers. And on the other side is a notorious criminal who harmed the people. He was a threat to them. And yet the crowd shouted they wanted Barabbas. 

I like to imagine that as Barabbas was waiting in the prison, for his turn to be crucified. That’s when the soldiers must have told him  “Barabbas, you are a guilty man – but you will be released because Jesus will die in your place.” 

That's exactly who I was, I deserved to die. I deserved the penalty of my sins. I was waiting for my turn to be in eternal damnation. But a Man chose to die in my place. Lord Jesus laid down His life in my stead. 

A righteous Man, a Man who knew no sin, took the place of a notorious prisoner! Actually, He took the place of all mankind! So that you and I could taste eternal life. 

Below is a poem penned with the thought of being in Barabbas place: 

IN MY PLACE...

As I laid lone in that dark prison,

The sentence of death was imposed on me. 

The concrete cell was opened to me,

And after years I saw streams of light again. 

With confusion my eyes fought the shine,

And I feared why the door was open at this time. 

Was it already time I wondered,

For me to be crucified for I was guilty. 

But they told me I was free to go,

And said a man called Jesus would die instead. 

I couldn’t understand my emotions for a while,

Does this mean I have freedom and life again? 

As I walked the streets as a free man,

I saw people running up the mountains in haste. 

They shouted with rage Jesus is being crucified,

I joined the herd up that mountain  to see that man. 

As I made my way among the crowd,

I saw Him raised bleeding on the the cross. 

And there was only one thought that came to me,

'This Man died the death I had to die, He was in my place!!!’ 

-M@ry

Retaking Exams - The Thoughts of a Repeat Failure

If you were wondering where I was over the past 1 year, I was busy retaking an exam (repeatedly) that I have been miserably failing. I keep walking into the same exam hall (even when I have no memory of ever registering for the exam!), to take this test and walk out feeling disappointed with myself. Do you remember the thoughts you have had toward tough subjects back in school/college? Some subjects come across as 'never worth preparing for' because 'you are going to fail anyway'. 

This exam of mine is for a class that pretty much everyone has to take in God's School of Faith. It is called An Introduction to Persistent Prayer 101. 

(I bet some of you are like - "Oh that is one of my favorite classes!") Others (like me), are brought back to the same beginner level over and over again because somehow the lessons learned last time do not seem to stick. 

If you reflect back on the prayers you have prayed in the past, will you be able to put a time duration between Request First Placed & Answer Delivered? What was your average waiting time like? Was the amount of time invested in prayer proportionate to the value of the answer when you received it?

My main struggle is in being persistent or consistent in prayer. We live in a fast-paced world that offers everything with a click and a swipe. We do not have to go to the post office anymore, thanks to door-to-door delivery. It is natural (but not immutable) that we expect God to answer our "drive-through" prayers that we hope to pay for (or invest in) without reaching for our time wallets. 

But what is the longest we have stuck to an earnest prayer (with or without fasting) routine (like Daniel did for 21 days in Daniel chapter 10)? Are we falling into a hope & despair cycle, harboring bitterness against a God who seems silent today? 

Apostle Paul said he considers his life worth nothing, if only he may finish the race and complete the task Christ gave him - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. (Acts 20:24) How many times have we prayed for things that make our life worth living? We idolize the things we do not have. We believe that our life is wasting away as long as the desires (even God-given desires) of our hearts remain unfulfilled. We live discontented lives, watching God "actively" answering prayers everywhere else.

A thought that I recently read in "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers reminded me of the man who persistently bugged his friend in the middle of the night, for some loaves of bread to serve his guest. (Luke 11:5-8). The friend appears uncaring, but because of this man's persistence he eventually helps him out. Our heavenly Father often comes across as an unkind friend - but remember, He is not.  The time will come when everything will be explained. But till then, will God find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion?

So, the question is not only 'How long have you been praying?', but also 'How well have you been praying?'. Stand firm in the faith dear friend, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. Much like the mother of Zebedee's sons requested of Jesus - often, we do not really know what we are asking Him for. (Matt 20:22)

#Martha

A Wild Fellowship

In Proverbs 6:6, we are told to learn from the ants, to consider its ways and change our lazy attitude to life on earth. God has often used to the simplest of creations to explain the deepest of truths. I would like to turn your attention from the ants to giant herds of zebras and wildebeests, to learn a spiritual lesson about fellowship.

These two species of mammals, move as interdependent herds. Zebras are animals blessed with good eyesight and a poor sense of smell, unlike the wildebeests that have poor eyesight and an outstanding sense of smell. When they live together in harmony, they are less vulnerable to predators. This is because the predominant weaknesses of one herd is complemented by the strengths of the other, and as a whole their flaws are neutralized. When there is danger approaching from their side, the zebras make a move according to which prompts the wildebeests to follow suit and vice versa, this results in using their strengths to work together for their survival albeit naturally. This is something that we as believers can be inspired from.

As Galatians 6:2 reminds us- it is the law of Christ that we carry each other's burdens. That in itself is explained as a form of fellowship, where we learn to combine our strengths for the benefit of each of our respective spiritual lives. Similarly, 1st Corinthians 12:12-35 speaks to us about the unity and diversity in the gifts given to the believers, let us learn to not only use these gifts to glorifying God but also to support each other. The spiritual gifts have been spread across to each one differently and have to be brought together for the glory of God and for the enrichment of our spiritual lives. Referring to the divine thought in vs. 26 - "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." Let us share with each other and learn from our Lord about the oneness in our diversity when we come into His presence.

(Guest Post - Steve Mathews John)

Following.. A comparison

I was pondering over the word "follow" in relation to two passages from the Bible - One from the Old Testament, in the story of the Israelites crossing over to Jericho (under the leadership of Joshua) through the dry ground of River Jordan by following the ark of covenant carried by the Levitical priests. The other one is from John 10, which speaks about Jesus our Good Shepherd and how we as sheep follow Him. I have summarized my points down in the table below (with diagrams that are entirely drawn by yours truly!)

JOSHUA 3:3-4	JOHN 10:3-4
".. "As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."	".. The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out… He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice."
A direct command to obey so that they will know which way to go.	A personal call out of love and care, obeyed because they know the Voice/Person behind the voice.
A distance to be maintained to respect the sanctity.	Walking through the only Way to the other side.
People of Israel passed by the ark of covenant keeping the distance from Shittim to Jericho.	Today we can cross over from death to life through Jesus Christ who is the Gate. (John 10:9 & John 5:24)

Is it not simply beautiful?

How an important "crossing over" from the Old Testament is very different from the one we can experience today as individuals?

Can we even begin to explain "by how much" He has brought us close to Him? He has reduced the 1000 yards (approx. 900m) by tearing down walls, the temple veil and even His own self on the cross just so that He can bring us to an immeasurable unimaginable level of intimacy with Him today. The sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.. No… you do not have to know the way to Heaven if you know Christ who is the Way..

One more thing to remember is that the Ark of Covenant of the Lord God stood firm on dry ground till until all of Israel crossed over safely to the other side of River Jordan. Read Joshua 4:11,18 - No sooner had the priests set their feet on dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place.

Christ is for us, in this age of grace - the Gate to cross over from death to life and into the presence of God the Father. The time is running out and He will soon return to take us home to be with Him in glory forever. Have you accessed this Gate to eternal life with God yet?

#Martha

Flattening the Inner Curve

The world is in a state of confusion more than ever. The future looks bleak with stock markets crashing, businesses shutting down, high unemployment rate and a host of other issues. I cannot recall from my memory such a chaotic time in history. We have so much precautions to follow for simple tasks like grocery shopping or taking a ride in the car. Masks and gloves have become an indispensable part of our clothing. The world is in a race to find the perfect anti-dote for COVID-19. Data analytics and AI have been used to disseminate current statistical samples and predict the future of the pandemic. Are we any close to flattening the curve? I am not sure whether it will be anytime soon but I will leave that to the experts.

The most important priority for governments around the world has been to get back into business as soon as possible. I believe this is important but we are still not addressing the core of the issue. From a human perspective, I believe the battle has been more personal than ever. We are witnessing the highest rate of depression in history. With the increasing death rate, fear has conquered mankind. It is true that we need medical assistance to counter the negative effects to the body but at the same time we are ignoring the needs of the soul and the spirit. Man has emotional and spiritual needs that cannot be addressed with medicine. I would term this as the ‘inner curve’ that needs to be flattened. A healthy individual is one who has perfect harmony within the faculties of his body, soul and spirit. Blaise Pascal, the great French mathematician and physicist wrote that there is a God shaped vacuum in every human being, an infinite abyss that can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself. We resort to a lot of things to fill this inner vacuum including entertainment, sensual pleasure, food, music, games and a lot of other things. Netflix, Amazon Prime or PUBG can keep you entertained only for a while. Yoga and music therapy may also bring some relaxation but not lasting. The wisest man who ever lived Solomon said “The eye is not satisfied with seeing,Nor the ear filled with hearing”. The inner longings of the human heart cannot be just satisfied by meeting the needs of the body and soul. Man longs for happiness, care, affection and love through different means. However, these only address the needs of his body. There is another dimension of the soul that still remains unaddressed.

The needs of the soul can only be addressed by being in contact with the spiritual realm. It is not a mere prayer or a ritual that would satisfy the inner needs of the soul. It is God himself whose presence the inner soul longs for. I am talking about a relation with God that allows you to freely communicate with Him. The body needs a cure for COVID-19 but most importantly it also needs a relation with God through which the redemption of the soul is attained. A relation with God has to be in person. God cannot be an unapproachable being with whom man can make no connection. God has to know man’s feelings to relate with him and be approachable. Well, it was through Jesus Christ that God made this connection with man. He was the image of God who came down to offer the way of relating with God on the cross. Karma cannot attain moksha for it is still at the level of your body and futile. Moksha has been already provisioned on the cross by Jesus Christ with the biggest karma ever possible. He gave his life so we may have a new life and attain the moksha of our souls. Eternal life is possible because He gave his life on the cross that by believing in Him we may never die. Just as Jesus Christ rose again, there is hope if we would believe. Death is not the end of the world. COVID-19 may kill the body but it cannot kill the soul that lives even after death. The destiny of the soul that lives after death depends on the decision we take while are alive. A decision that impacts our eternity in heaven or hell.

Heaven and hell have become more real to us with the ongoing pandemic. There is no question that man has more questions about life after death than any other point in history today. Live life to the fullest while you are still alive and leave the fate of your death aside is the current mantra around us. However, we frighten at the slightest hint of death or a bad medical report. Why so much fear if death is inevitable? Man fears death because life beyond it is unknown. The Bible promises through Jesus Christ that an eternal life with God after death is possible. There is only way to attain it and it is through belief in Jesus Christ. Man has to attain moksha through Jesus Christ for his sins. The Bible declares that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Sin deserves punishment which happened in the garden of Eden. All men have become sinners as a result of the first man’s sin. Sin is in our genes. We are sinners by birth and therefore however we try to do good works we would still not meet God’s standards. God found a way to solve the problem through Jesus Christ. He would take the punishment on our behalf. Jesus Christ said “ I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. The way of salvation has been already open since 2020 years. Man still resorts to rituals and sacrifices to please God. God has already been pleased with one sacrifice and that it is the only way to connect with Him. We have an inner curve that needs to be flattened. We may presume that our vitals are fine but we forget to see the inner curve in our soul caused by our sins. COVID-19 may never go away but sin is the greatest pandemic ever in history since the beginning of mankind. Are you vaccinated against this pandemic? Will you accept the free gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ? The cross is a picture of man’s sin and it is gross. There was so much bloodshed on the cross because of the gravity of man’s sin. God loves you eternally and is interested in your life. He longs for the long lost relation in the garden of Eden with man. God wishes to talk to you today, to be beside you in your joys and sorrows, to be your best companion, to hear you out, to be your hope, to give you eternal peace. Will you hear the call of this loving God today?

Arrow Prayers...

Nee- uh- my- uh… son of Heck- uh- lie- uh.. (Nehemiah son of Hakaliah)

Profession: cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia

Well.. Cup bearing was what he did when he was not doing what God called him to do...

I have always been in awe of that one second "arrow" prayer of Nehemiah 

(also known as one of the shortest recorded moment of a silent prayers in the Bible). 

I mean - the fact that the inspired Word of God chose to record such a fleeting moment.

The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 

“If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight,

let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

Thanks to this one phrase, a millisecond remains frozen in history - with a world of meaning to it.

But as I was reading this Bible passage (Nehemiah 2:4,5) it got me thinking retrospectively..

What happened minutes before Nehemiah answered the king?

The king noticed him.. Noticed that he was sad..

(Nehemiah himself gives explanation for this in vs 1 "… I had not been sad in his presence before..")

The king cared to ask him why he was sad..

Imagine that.. The King of Persia asking his official why he was upset..

It would fluster (and maybe even flatter us - if not make us skeptical) to think that our bosses 

would care to ask why we are upset or looking sad at work one day.

These days - unless it is for a performance review or feedback - bosses rarely want to involve 

themselves in the lives of their employees.

As we chew on this for a bit, let us ask again..

What happened days before Nehemiah answered the King?

He came across some seriously bad news - the city of his ancestors were lying in ruins 

and the gates were destroyed by fire. 

It would stir our hearts and move us into action if our hometown where we grew up and 

lived a major part of our childhood were to face destruction and despair.

Nehemiah mourned and fasted and prayed for days…. Before he spoke to the King.

Well of course, he had no clue at that point in his life as to how he would dare to do such a thing…

But there it is mentioned in Nehemiah chapter 1 - an elaborate prayer - 

probably a summary of all things he repeatedly asked the God of heaven:

                           I pray, Lord God of heaven,O great and awesome God,

You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open,

that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now,

 day and night,

 for the children of Israel Your servants,

and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You.

Both my father’s house and I have sinned.

We have acted very corruptly against You,

 and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances

which You commanded Your servant Moses.

Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying,

 ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;

but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them,

though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens,

yet I will gather them from there,

and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’

Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed

by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.

O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant,

 and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name;

and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray,

and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” 

Notice how Nehemiah asked what he needed the most at the very end?

Imagine the number of hours of prayer behind the "single second arrow prayer" 

before he answered the King?

Now that we understand the "how" Nehemiah answered the King, 

we also need to look into an earlier question that came to us - 

Why did the King care about Nehemiah?

What happened months before Nehemiah answered the King?

Well I guess it must be obvious by now that 

Nehemiah did his work well enough for the King to care about him.

Nehemiah did his work well enough for the King to care about him and ask him about it.

And provide him with everything he asked…

Notice how Nehemiah did not take credit for the request granted by the King -

 "…and because the gracious hand of God was upon me, 

the king granted my requests." Nehemiah 2:8

The request that was granted in full with travel insurance (2:7) and building allowance (2:8). 

How "well" are we doing our work today in the secular world?

How "well" are we preparing for those "single second arrow prayer" moments 

that are crucial for our life decisions?

How many hours have we invested into those silent fleeting prayers that can 

grant requests well ahead of time, in ways we could never imagine?

Nehemiah did not devise his plans behind the King's and his authorities' backs.

He did not resign his job and in one radical move, walk out from the King's presence 

like a rebel to help his people or fulfill his calling.

He spent hours mourning, fasting, praying… 

the Preparation for the Ministry, became greater than the Ministry itself.

I will leave you with these thoughts for now.. 

#Martha

A God who gives Rest

I still remember my first day at school as I held my Dad’s big fingers tight until he dropped me off at class. I had a huge lump in my throat as he bid me goodbye. I was anxious looking at all those around me crying and a completely new setting. I knew I had to smile through it all as I was reassured by my parents of being a big girl who goes to school and doesn’t cry. Thankfully I made it through!

“Psalm.25:4, Show me your ways O Lord, Teach me your paths”

During this lock down, I know all of us would have prayed to show us why this is happening and reveal His will for our lives. This reminded me of my first day in school. If Dad just showed me my school, class and teachers I would have never learned anything until and unless he let my hand off to the teacher. It’s during this lock down period I’m sure we’ve all heard the maximum number of messages. Social media and zoom meetings are filled with sermons almost similar to the times of Noah. There are many around us (Church, family, Evangelists etc.) who can show us the way to the teacher but are we allowing our teacher to direct our paths? We often want God to show us the best option (career, spouse, jobs etc.) but we need to allow him to teach us because we rely on ourselves most of the time.

From a human perspective, it’s not easy to stay calm listening to the news and death rates. Believers have become restless, anxious, worried and desperate similar to how my classmates felt on the first day of school. It’s easy to cry being fearful and anxious about leaving the comfort zone. Although I had a lump in my throat, I did not cry because of the reassurance from my parents. We have been reassured 365 times in the Bible to be fearless. However, we often forget that worrying is a sin. Our teacher’s presence is with us and He will give us rest (Exodus.33:14) Let us not be carried away by what is happening around us but instead allow our teacher to teach us knowing that His presence is with us and gives us rest. I’m sure it was difficult for all parents to see their children cry but they knew this is the best. God’s best plan is revealed through difficulties if we allow Him to teach us.

I am sure it was difficult for my Dad to leave me in spite of knowing the fact that this was the best option. It’s high time to let go off what you hold dear of this world to be taught by this teacher. It’s not easy to let your teacher rule because your flesh is weak but if your spirit is willing, our teacher is awaiting with open arms to intervene and direct our paths. Have you left your hands off from all that is dear? If it pleased our heavenly Father to let go off his only begotten Son, how much more should we let go off this world to learn from the world’s best teacher?

 My dad held my hand till he reached my class but when he saw the teacher, he gave my hand to the teacher knowing the fact that only a teacher can teach me. God let his hand off permitting His Son to bear the penalties of our sins. He has endured it all and so He understands our pain much more than that of human comprehension. In Exo.33:21- And the Lord said, Here is a place by me and you shall stand on the rock. It is our choice to take hold of that place or to be worried looking around. He will make us stand amidst the chaos. Although it might seem to be overwhelming with what is happening around us, we have a teacher who reassures us in Exodus.30:22-23 I will put you in the cleft of the rock and I will cover you with my hand. Our teacher directs our paths and takes away His hand for His glory to shine through our lives.Let’s allow ourselves to rest in Him and teach us His paths.

“Rock of Ages cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee”

(Guest Post - Stancey Mathew)