WHY?

Questions are forerunners of mankind's progress. The 'How?' question led to unimaginable scientific advancement while the 'Who?', 'Where?' and When?' questions contributed to the enrichment of today's treasury of historical and geographical knowledge. But for the life of me, I find it very difficult to understand why anyone in their right senses would invent the 'Why?' question.

In my opinion, the 'Why?' question must have been the original fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil! Original sin stemmed from a thought that ran along these lines: "Why can't I disobey God?". And here we are today with the world in one big mess!
Think about it. The 'Why?' question - "Why do people die?", "Why do relationships break?", "Why do bad things happen to good people?" "Why is life so unfair?", "Why is there so much poverty, war and violence in the world?" "Why am I here?" and most importantly, "Why is this happening to me?"
The dreaded 'Why?' - root of all discontent....the springboard for man's eternal quest for spiritual answers. Have you noticed how easy it is to come up with an obvious answer to someone else's 'Why?' question? In Biblical times (and sometimes even today), a man's sickness or misfortune were often blamed on his sins and the sins of his fathers AND the sins of his forefathers to boot! Remember Job? Or the blind man from Jesus' time? I wonder though, if every head that nodded agreement at the derivation of this comfortable solution, would have continued to nod affirmation if the illness or despair had been their own.
Life often whirls us into situations of trial, temptation, life-threatening disease, dignity-threatening issues, financial disasters and moral failings and it must be a very hardened heart or a completely hopeless one that doesn't sweep it's eyes heavenwards and cry, "WHY????". But heaven is strangely silent. There is no answer. God seems a million miles away....sometimes, even imaginary....
And yet, the Word of God is firm in it's assurance....."And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Frustrating huh? It's very clear that nothing can happen to a believer that God is not in control of. But then, doesn't that mean He knows and allows what we're going throught? What could possibly be 'good' about a handicapped newborn or a dead wife or a devastated family or a failed career? What 'good' could God see in the heart-rending pain that He allows us to sometimes suffer?
He dismisses our reasoning of pain being the consequences of 'past sins' with a careless wave of His hand and assures us that present crises are exactly that - of the present and not of the past. Then Why, Why, Oh Why do these things happen? Isn't believing in His holy name supposed to render us immune to the fiery darts of the Evil One? Isn't Almighty God the big kid on the block who's supposed to fight for us? Why then, do failures, disappointments and disasters happen?
The answer is actually rather simple. God never promised us immunity, prosperity or freedom from problems. He freely gives us instead, the gifts of salvation, eternal life and and freedom from sin. But are these intangible gifts worth the very real pain we go through? Yes they are. Why? (see, the incorrigible 'Why' strikes again!) Simply because He thought we were worth the tremendous physical and spiritual pain that He suffered on the cross....
Life will never cease throwing painful situations at you....but the next time you're in one of them, instead of clutching your hair, staggering about and groaning "Why?", you would do well to remember you've got a dad up there with an excellent aerial view of the maze you're struggling to navigate.....and He paves your roads with experiences and situations that draw you closer into fellowship with Him and serve to glorify His holy name some distant day in the future.
”‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Now if that ain't a guarantee, I don't know what is! So with eyes turned hopefully towards an unknown future and our groping fingers firmly gripped in His omniscient ones, may we gratefully head towards the horizon of a new and completely fresh year.

Blessings, prayers and best wishes for a Christ-centred and radically fulfilling New Year 2007! God bless!

Hair Care

How attached are you to your hair? Whoa, wait, hang on now....before you start discussing your hair loss problems with me, here’s a spot of clarification.....what I meant was, just how much do you love your hair? If I should hazard a guess, I’d say a whole lot! Well, atleast I do.
I’m blessed with thick dark hair and even as a child, I have loved my hair with all my heart. While all the princesses in my fairy tale books (including the very memorable Rapunzel) had looooooooooong, flowy locks, it was the bane of my young life that my mom didn’t seem to see things the same way. No long hair for princes to climb over for her. As far as she was concerned, long hair meant more washing, scrubbing and combing. So every month (with monotonous regularity because my hair grew like the dickens), I’d be dragged off, heels digging into the dust.......to the barber’s saloon.

No, don't re-read that....it was the barber's saloon alright, not a beauty parlour, but the barber’s saloon! My parents are a very practical couple and they didn’t see why a 7-year old had to be dragged all the way to a beauty parlour in the city when the chopping can happen just as efficiently in the friendly barber’s parlour just next door. Ok, so I wasn’t grooming to win any local beauty competitions, but still, a barber’s parlour? You guys may not think it’s such a big deal….but I’m the one that had to sit on a hard wooden seat every month and watch my lovely locks getting pruned off me like a lamb before the shearers!

And inevitably, I would return after every haircut with a jubilant father, visibly relaxed at escorting back a quiet and withdrawn child who on the way to the torture chambers had been a tornado of teeth and feet, biting, dragging and kicking all the way! And beside this victorious man would walk a solitary tearful little figure – me, drooping, wilted, staring watery-eyed at a tiny fist clutching little clumps of my massacred hair that I’d surreptitiously managed to salvage from the barber’s chair!! Yeah people, I loved my hair that much! Don’t feel too sorry for me though, ‘cos I invariably got my revenge. Now my mom wants me to have long, plaited braided hair like a traditional Tamil girl and what do I have? Shoulder-length layered cut! Hee hee!

By this time, you probably have a lifted eyebrow and a “And your point is?” look on your face. Ok then, here’s my point. Sure, I loved my hair enough to take home the remnants, but my grief lasted only a few fleeting minutes. An enticing lollipop from my mom’s mysterious candy cupboard would have had me forgetting my barber shop woes in seconds….after all, it was only hair (Tamil readers, you’ll probably get my gist!) and mine grew like someone fed it Super-Gro anyways! But the Word of God says that the Lord considers even this most superficial part of me, something precious. He cares so much about my hair that He keeps daily count - knows just how many new hairs grow and how many we lose on a daily basis! Now isn’t that awesome? I mean, like why would anyone really bother? But He does bother! Anything that has anything to do with me is His concern, however unimportant it may seem to the rest of the world.

Mothers are known for being hawk-eyed and fiercely protective. They know exactly when baby has popped a stone into his mouth and they know exactly where to hunt for the lost pacifier, stuffed animal or shoe. But even they couldn’t stand up to the attention you and I get from God! He’s constantly watching us as we trudge through life trying to do things our way (consequently messing them up), ever ready to come to our rescue even when we push Him away, planning out a future that we usually toss in the bin and simply seeking our hearts with a yearning to feel His love reciprocated!

Look at it this way people. Here we are worrying about everything from dandruff to death while God’s working quietly, calmly, unruffled and at His own pace. From the top of your head to the tip of your toes, He’s got it ALL covered! So let your hair loose (pun intended) and know that you’re loved….more than you can ever comprehend….yeah, even those of you going bald right now….it’s ok…atleast you’re making it easier for the Lord to keep count!

Matthew 10:30 - And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Sex: God's Gift Or Mankind's Curse?

For those of you who scrambled down here in a tearing hurry because you saw the word ‘sex’ in the title, terribly sorry, but I’ve got nothing titillating to say. This is a rather preachy piece and I’m not apologizing for any lusty sentiments I may be treading underfoot because I believe that (1) my opinions are based on the Word of God (2) the Word of God is always right and (3) this is my blog and I’m darn well gonna say whatever I want to, on it! Don’t fret reader. You can always go back to your own blog and crib about the injustice of it all….

From ages past, sex has been a fascinating topic to discuss, debate, opine and generally just roll around the tongue. It was a mysterious act, shrouded in intrigue, taboo and darkness. Granted that open discussions on sex have blossomed in the 21st century, but that I would think is more out of fear – fear of STD, VD and the dreaded HIV. Over the centuries, culture, fashion, lifestyle and popular opinion have tossed their opinions of sexuality around, swinging from one extreme to the other. While upto the 20th century sex was frowned upon as a healthy topic of discussion, the 1960’s saw the era of the flower children and free love became cheaper than a lemon.

What is sex really? A gift from God or a curse on mankind? Diplomatic people would say a little bit of both. I say it depends on how you use it. While some people completely dedicate their entire lives to the exploration and celebration of the same, there are others who shush you and frown at the mere mention of the word. After all wasn’t it this dirty thing that brought AIDS into the world? I beg to disagree here. It is WE dirty things that brought AIDS into the world!

The Word of God at first glance seems to indicate that God primarily meant sex for procreation and not recreation. But then, think about it. If that was true, he might have just had us all laying eggs or something. I mean, there is no doubt that sex is an activity that is pleasing and acceptable to human beings. The human body is engineered in myriad exquisite ways to enhance sexual pleasure and sweep the participants to heights of ecstasy. How could it be then that God didn’t mean man to enjoy it? Of course He did.

But God, being the model for all earthly fathers, also laid down a few rules here. “Play by my rules”, He said “and all will be well with you”. Pretty simple rules really. Here’s my idea of how God would put it:

• "You’ve got one body, one heart, one soul….whaddya need more than one partner for, you greedy pig?"
• "Look human, I can’t make this clearer- same sex intercourse is disgusting…so get that'straight'!" (pun intended)
• "And no, you can’t do it with your family members either…why do you insist on making me puke?"
• "If you use my gift as a tool of violence or power one more time, I’m coming down there and then it won’t be pleasant!"
• "Just what is your problem with waiting till you’re married? Afraid every single member of the opposite sex will be raptured before that?
• "You need your neighbour’s partner like you need a bullet in the head…. what’s wrong with you people?"

I often imagine just how frustrated God must have felt at the way mankind hearkened to the Prince of the World and twisted and perverted what ought to have been a glorious gift to be indulged in with joyous abandon within the confines of holy matrimony, into a base instinct, a dirty thing to be done in the dark and sniggered at in daylight. Love, quickly replaced by lust.

Take pre-marital sex for instance. In today’s world it’s a done thing. If you’re still a virgin, it signals that you’re probably a dork with stunted social skills! The secular world sees sexual promiscuity as freedom…God sees it as sin. Yeah, some people condemn it too…for all the wrong reasons. Unwanted pregnancies, danger of STD, breakdown of sexual and emotional health – all very real undesirables, but there’s a bigger reason to wait. It’s called GOD.

If Christ is truly Lord of your life, then wait. Wait for the one He’s appointed for you. Wait for God to okay when and how you become sexually active. Wait for Him to bless the union and the experience will be positive and uplifting. Without Christ at the centre, sexual experiences can become frightening, perverted, repulsive, painful and even traumatic….all leading to guilt, fear, sickness of mind and body, obsession, psychological damage and more importantly the foundation for a barrier between you and your heavenly Father.

God gave us the amazing gift of sexuality to use wisely and relish, the way it was originally meant to be relished. A pure mind turned to Him, a consciousness submitted completely to His control, a heart that yearns to please Him will all help you say “no” at the right time. Look to Him for understanding and He will not refuse it to you (James 1:5) and be careful reader…tread soft ....do not awaken love before it so desires (Song of Solomon 2:7)....

God has a funny bone too!

An explorer in the deepest Amazon suddenly finds himself surrounded by a blood-thirsty group of natives. Upon surveying the situation, he says quietly to himself "Oh God, I'm screwed!!!" Suddenly, there is a ray of light from heaven and a voice booms out: "No, you are NOT screwed. Pick up that stone at your feet and bash in the head of the chief standing in front of you." So the explorer picks up the stone and proceeds to bash the living heck out of the chief. As he stands above the lifeless body, breathing heavily and surrounded by 100 natives with a look of shock on their faces, God’s voice booms out again: "Okay… NOW you're screwed."

Had a healthy laugh? Good. Its difficult to imagine God giving such instructions, but that sure was funny wasn’t it? In my opinion, humour is one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. I don’t think he wanted a man who frowned or deadpanned all the time. He animated our features by teaching us to smile and delighted our souls with the sound of laughter. But He also understood that smiles and laughter would be become mechanical activities unless we had a reason for them…I think that’s when he decided to give us His divine gift of a sense of humour!

Humour is certainly divine, there’s no doubt about it. The Word of God itself is filled with subtle humour. It may not have you rolling in the aisles, but look hard and it’ll certainly tickle your funny bone. Take Jonah for instance. Has there ever been a funnier prophet? I mean the way he scrambles in one direction when God beckons to the other is worthy of being classified as slapstick comedy! He finally decides to play along and goes ahead and makes all these dramatic predictions of brimstone and fire raining down in divine judgement on the city of Niniveh. And then those silly people go and repent and our just and fair God forgives them! What an ass Jonah must have felt! And imagine the comical look on his face when his precious creeper wilted, leaving him frying in the hot Mediterranean sun!! Oh man, God’s a funny guy alright!

Clean humour never hurt anybody and can be used as an instrument of adoration and worship when directed well. I mean, who doesn’t like a strong sermon peppered with funny but meaningful anecdotes? Jesus Himself told parables…most of them satirical or even funny pertaining to the standard of humour in those days. Remember the time when the Pharisees tried to trap Him with the taxation controversy? Jesus deftly sides-steps them with a ‘Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God, what belongs to God’. Then there was this other time when He gently explains how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven – “Like a camel passing through the eye of a needle” – a ridiculous picture if you actually imagined it! Sharp-witted guy, Jesus had to be!

John 11.35 is something people dwell on over and over again – ‘Jesus wept’. But consider this. This was a gentle man, who played with children, spent lots of time with friends and common people in pastures, mountainsides and lakesides, made merry with the poor, the sick and the shunned, inviting the displeasure of the rich, the religious and the powerful…..surely, he must have laughed too….sometimes in derision, sometimes in scorn and sometimes, in pure, unbridled mirth. My take is that the Bible didn’t record His laughter because with Jesus, mirth and rejoicing were an everyday occurrence while His tears were highlighted because that’s the only time it ever happened with Him! The best argument of all however that drives home to me that God has a sense of humour for sure, is from life itself – how else do you explain Murphy’s Laws people???

In Philippians, Paul exhorts us to ‘Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!’. Why not through humour then? A well-told joke, sharp and ready wit, a gentle satirical nip can chase the gloom away and rejuvenate us to keep living the kind of joyous Christian existence that our Lord expects from us. So what are you waiting for? Let the miracle of humour be born in you again and may silver peals of laughter ring out the birth tidings!

Come like little children…..

When I was a little girl (and that was some time ago!), I was constantly told that Jesus loved little children, that He honoured their prayers and that it didn’t matter to Him what colour or shape or size they were….with Jesus, all little children were welcome!

I never questioned this…to me, it was a fact of life. Jesus loved little children because little children were special weren’t they? They were cute and endearing and funny and just….special! Everybody loved little children. So what was the big deal about Jesus loving them too? The only tangible benefit I could see in this whole ‘Jesus loves you’ business was that my prayers for a Raggedy-Ann doll at Christmas were much likelier to be answered than a grown-up’s!

At that age, Jesus to me was not an awesome, powerful God….He was my playmate, my brother…..the friend who always hung around with me. I spoke to Him at all odd times of the day and each time I could hear Him reply! His voice I remember was soft and low and sometimes we even laughed together. I took maximum advantage of His attention and would often ask for small favours - like finding a lost textbook the day before a big test or for weather changes depending on whether I had a picnic or a test the next…..and more often than not, He obliged!! Trust me, He did. And I took it all for granted.

As I grew up however, in a strange inexplicable way, this interaction came to a grinding halt. I woke up one day and suddenly realized that I couldn’t hear His voice anymore. It didn’t bother me much at first. I sort of thought He was taking a sabbatical or something…..but slowly, a kind of panic overtook me….a panic that slowly faded into regret when I realized the process was irreversible….a regret I still haven’t overcome today. Somewhere along my journey from childhood to adulthood, I’d lost the ability to converse with the Lord unselfconsciously and with nonchalant ease. Even today, though I have a satisfyingly deep relationship with Him, it is nowhere close to my experience as a child.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it”. The NIV study Bible says Jesus was referring to the merits of a child’s nature where natural openness and receptivity at the acceptance of gifts abound. I however like to think differently….

In my view, this one little statement whisks us back to the beginning of time, to the book of Genesis where Adam and Eve frolicked in Eden, unaware of nakedness or shame. These were feelings alien to them until that fatal bite into the taboo fruit from the ‘No-No’ Tree. In effect, Adam and Eve were like children – innocent, unbiased, free of hate, prejudice, fear or anxiety. Their interaction with the Lord was personal and face-to-face …….until Adam fell.

That very moment mankind’s innocence was shattered. Since then, I believe the only time we humans glimpse that primal gift of blissful naiveté and artless, guileless state of mind, is in the genuinely simple nature of children.

In my understanding, Jesus demands that we let go of our prejudices that discern between colour, caste, race, religion and creed and learn to love each other the way children do. Children care not if their friends are poor or ugly or fat or even dirty! They do not shy away from another small grubby hand offered in friendship because the owner of that hand has AIDS. They don’t stop to think that they’ve draped their arms around another small body wearing shabby clothes. They don’t see people in terms of black and white, just a world full of colours merging in harmony. In effect, children reflect primal innocence…they remind God of His first human relationships and I think, that’s why Jesus loves them more.

When Adam fell, his eyes of discernment were opened wide. Today, Jesus demands we close them again and walk in faith in His Light instead…….that we give up our view of the world and revert to the innocence of our childhood……are we up to the challenge?

A Walk with God…..

An unspoiled beach…… blue-green breakers weaving their way to the shore ……….dolphins prancing around in the water….. …..palm fronds swaying gently in the light breeze…..golden sunshine dappling the shadows………a pleasant salty smell in the air …….seagulls squawking in the distance…….little bits of shell glinting in the warm golden sands…..all creation at peace and in harmony………..

Sounds like paradise huh? Such must have been the scene when Adam walked with God in the freshly created, lush and beautiful Garden of Eden.

The Word of God says the Creator God actually walked in Eden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). Imagine that! God Himself came all the way down here to enjoy a garden that must have been nothing compared to the marvellous architecture of heaven. I suspect that what the Lord came to enjoy was not so much Eden as Man himself!

The loving Father God who had created so many intricate designs, wonders of engineering, physics, chemistry and biology, living marvels in flora and fauna, had set his heart fully on only one of all His creations – Man……he that was born of clay …the spitting image of God and breathing within him, the breath of God……..Adam – the only one of his kind, born without a bellybutton!

God must have been very absorbed in the first human being, Much like a proud parent who points to a picture and asks the child to name it, the Lord brought to him all the animals that he had created and left it to Man to give them whatever name he wished….and it pleased the Lord to do this. He taught Adam to work the land and contribute in a positive way to the earth’s flora and natural resources. I like to think of the scene where God and Adam went fly fishing the very first time. They must have had fun!

God gave Adam the freedom to eat from all trees in the garden but one. He who gave his precious baby the whole earth, withheld this one thing from him because He knew Adam wasn’t equipped in any way to handle the consequences of discerning good and evil. Like most parents, He wanted His child to be innocent forever – a kind ambition that was not to be.

He gave Adam a wife for a helpmate and friend and the holy union of man and wife did not change the sweet communion that He shared with them in any way. If anything, I only believe it must have been strengthened even more. Now God had two people to love - a fragile human Man and his even more fragile wife! God must felt the protective, fierce rush of love that parents feel (watching their children at times) everytime he saw Adam and Eve frolicking with the innocence and naivety of children. In His heart, He must have had great dreams for them….dreams of perpetual happiness that would follow them all their immortal lives!

But then again, Man had free will and he had to spoil it all. One act of disobedience, one moment of betrayal and all was lost. God’s heart must have been wracked with pain when He saw what His children had done – they had destroyed themselves. Their walk with God was over.

But despair not reader, the story doesn’t end there…….because Christ died for us on the cross, today, we have a renewed opportunity to resurrect that deep and loving fellowship with God. In each of us, He sees Adam His firstborn and his love for Man is as passionate and committed as ever. He’s willing to let mankind take a U-turn from the road to destruction and extends to us that same friendship and companionship that made Eden such a blessed place. He’s reaching out today hoping you’ll respond….will you accept the invitation, to walk one more time with the King of Kings?

Showers of Blessing…..

Monsoon season is all set to start in India and every year around this time, I remember the many monsoons of my childhood…..

Rain was so exciting ….a torrential downpour was a Godsend….it meant no school! I loved sunny days, but I loved rainy days more because they set the mood, mellowed my tomboy spirit and allowed me to dream….of faraway lands and flooded pixie homes!

As the sky turned gray and the rain lashed down unforgiving on a parched earth, I remember clambering up onto the bed, pressing my nose against the window bars, relishing the cold air with its spray of droplets that bounced off our sunshade. I would watch the rain for hours sometimes while my mom boiled or fried (in sand) salted groundnuts for me.

I watched untiringly as the ditches and holes filled up with clear rain water, the open playground near my house flooded and overflowed, plants, flowers and creepers smiled – bright green and fresh, relieved of their dusty coating, umbrellas mushroomed on deserted streets, coconut tree leaves swayed dangerously in cyclonic weather, raindrops glinted on the guavas, oranges and mangoes in our garden and everything acquired a scrubbed and renewed look……even the sky, once the downpour was over. I would only turn away from this fascinating scene when I was certain I had caught a cold!

There wasn’t much I didn’t like about the rainy season (except maybe the yucky worms that seemed to populate the roads the minute it started raining). I loved running barefoot into the puddles once the rain stopped, fishing for tadpoles, picking newly grown mushrooms to paint and decorate the house with (much to my mom’s despair), shaking droplet-laden tree boughs onto unsuspecting friends, breathing in deeply the fresh smell of the earth and even trying to figure out what the frog choir was singing while curled up in bed with an Enid Blyton, a warm blanket and some hot milk! But it was the sky I liked best of all….the sky right after a shower…..so washed out, such a light, powdery blue…..as if a baby angel had spilt water on God's bright-blue oil painting....…..I loved it!

It occurs to me now to thank God for such magical moments, such beautiful memories, apart from the practical and functional aspects of rain….….what would man have been without rain? The word of God says that before the time of Noah, the earth was only watered by springs from below and the inhabitants had no clue what this ‘rain’ was, till one day the heavens opened and the wrath of God came crashing down as mighty sheets of water, destroying the entire world population at one go! How frightening rain must have been to them, cascades of water pouring from the heavens, accompanied by unearthly rumbles of thunder and blinding flashes of lightning ….so fearsome to those seeing it for the first (and the last) time in their lives! I’m so sorry for them…..

But Ezekiel 35:26 says, “I will bless them…..I will send them showers in season; there will be showers of blessing”. Rain is not the only blessing referred to here…..the fruits of the spirit and every spiritual joy is the Lord’s personal shower on souls that seek Him relentlessly. My heart rejoices for the showers of blessings, both of the liquid and the spiritual kind that the Lord God enriched me with all these years….….does yours too?

A New song in my mouth….

I think the earliest noises I made that could be termed as anything close to ‘pleasant’ apart from my baby gurgles, were the little ditties my mom taught me. ‘Row, row, row your boat’ I think, was the first song I ever sang, strumming my little red toy guitar and I remember having trouble with the number of ‘merrily’s in it! After that came ‘Jesus loves me this I know’ and ‘Santosham pongudhae’ obediently performed to an audience of bored relatives and proud parents year after year at my birthday parties. Then, when I started school, it was time for the films to take over and I went through a string of songs (having mostly embarrassing lyrics mouthed with my baby lisp) from the hit Kamalhassan and Rajnikanth starrers of that time. Don’t think my parents were particularly pleased with that though. They heaved a sigh of relief when I finally switched over to Sunday school songs. In any case, the point I’m trying to make (if I haven’t made it already) is that music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

My dad is a renowned pianist and musician and my mom has one of the sweetest soprano voices I’ve ever heard and therefore it was naturally assumed that I would have a lovely voice too. My home reverberates with music at all times of the day, sometimes even at night. We’re a strange family, see? We burst into song whenever we feel like it….and God save the neighbours if they’re not fans of Western Classical church music! But things weren’t always like this. There was a time when music made me miserable.

It happened when I was 14 years old. I’d been dragged away from my beloved Sunday School and made to attend boring, b-o-r-i-n-g sermons inside church (not fair! Kids today can attend Sunday school till age 18!!) and I hated it. Then my dad decided to make my life worse. “Join the choir”, he said. "That way you’ll be more involved in the services". I was consoled. I was this talented man’s very talented daughter wasn’t I? I was going to be wonderful. People were going to swoon left, right and centre at my renditions and those left standing would be gazing at me with mouths open! Oh I had great plans for myself!

I was placed in the first row of the choir along with the Sopranos and thus began my illustrious career as a diva! The first month, things were ok. Then I noticed something. My neck was permanently slanted way, way up whenever we sang……because the notes were too high for me! I couldn’t believe it. How could this happen? I was the best, the best ever…how come the others could sing notes I couldn’t? Maybe I just wasn’t trying hard enough. I was sure nobody could match up to me if I did. So I did. All that happened was that my dad noticed his darling daughter squeaking in the front row looking like a frog with a neck sprain!

What happened next was horrendous for me. He very promptly dismissed me to the second row – the Alto row! I was crushed! What? Sing with these women with the voices like men? My dignity was hurt….my feminity offended….so I couldn’t sing a few silly high notes……what was the big deal? Didn’t they know I was going to be the greatest Soprano in the world? My dad hated me…...he’d killed budding talent and would probably regret it in his old age! Such were the morose thoughts that darkened my mind as I spent the first two weeks sulking in a corner, crying tears of humiliation, feeling very sorry for myself indeed.

And then, one of the Altos decided enough was enough. She pulled me close to her and sang to me the Alto part for a song in her clear, deep voice. Then she taught me how to sing like her, beautifully, strongly, clearly……and in time, I realized I actually liked this! This voice range was very comfortable and as I learnt to read notes, my happiness was soon complete. I realized I was actually a part that added the beauty to a plain melody…and those silly sopranos could only sing a plain melody….Ha!

It’s been 14 memorable years since then and I lead the Alto row in the choir today making my dad one proud man. My voice is deeper, clearer, rounder and stronger than ever and if I can give the basses a run for their money today, I have only my God to thank! Besides, everytime we sing a Bach chorale and the Sopranos struggle with the sky-high notes, I smile a secret smile of satisfaction and know I could never have been happy doing that!

What I'm really trying to say is that we all have niches in life and if we're surrendered to God, try as we might, we can never force-fit ourselves anywhere else. Like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle, our God fits us where He knows we’ll do best and it’s in our best interests to listen and obey……so as Psalm 57:7 says, “I will sing and make music…….” to the Lord, all my life long!

Footprints in the sea....

One of my favourite verses from the Bible is from the Book of Psalms, Chapter 77, verse 19. The NIV version reads thus: ‘Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen’.

At first glance it seems an ordinary verse, nothing wonderful about it - a prayer for help, midway through which, the psalmist changes his tune. “I will remember the deeds of the Lord”, he says, “Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago”. He derives strength and confidence from the Lord’s mighty works in the past while he waits for his prayer to be heard.

What follows is an account of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Hebrews in a terrible situation from which no doubt originated the expression, ‘between the devil and the deep sea’. The children of Israel under the leadership of Moses and the command of God, chose the deep, deep sea. And what happened next was history.

Imagine this: Quaking, trembling Israelites dragging their horses and carts and donkeys and fowls, children wailing, women wondering if Moses was mad, old people wishing they could die peacefully back in Egypt rather than drown in the sea, Moses trembling himself for he knew he could trust God and yet……command his people to walk into the sea? What was he doing? They stall, push each other, cry, steel themselves, place gingery feet into the water and then slowly trudge into what they are sure is their doom. A few feet into the water, a miracle, a miracle…..as they move deeper, the sea parts in two!

Two fearsome walls of liquid hem them in on either side, defying all rules of physics and gravity! No creatures of the deep get to them, no rush of water strangles their oxygen supply. An awesome silence must have prevailed. Even as they crossed, they must have doubted….especially when they were right in the middle. What if the waters came crashing down now? There would be no escape….more crushing fear….a little hope maybe. Then suddenly the shore comes into view…now they’re all in a hurry to get out…pushing, treading on each other's feet, bumping into each other, rushing to be first to set foot on dry land. They’d made it.....they’d made it!

What joy and singing must have started….but wait….the Egyptians were following them…now what? Did they come all the way only to be slaughtered? They watch, silent, fearful….and then the murmering starts…someone’s noticed the air’s changing…something’s wrong…and then, the great crash! The waters come together in a mighty show of nature’s power and Egypt’s greatest warriors are drowned like rats in a river! Cymbals, harps, music, Hallelujahs! Imagine this!

In the midst of this all, they must have thought Moses a very powerful leader, a great man with magical powers maybe. They must have considered themselves very special people indeed if God had parted the seas for them breaking all rules of Nature…how proud they must have been!

Now return with me to Psalm 77: 19. Israel never stopped for a moment to consider this. The watery grave that gave them way, they had not walked alone. Verse 16 of the same chapter says: ‘The waters saw you O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed!’

The Lord Himself had walked ahead, his footsteps invisible to their eyes! But all creation recognized Him. The Lord, the Lord Almighty Himself had condescended to walk in their midst!! What an honour, what privilege! And so, the way a crowd of people part before a VIP, the sea bowed low before our God….bowed and gave way…keeping his feet dry as long as He walked its depths……and that my friends, is the only reason the Israelites got to the other side in one piece!

Today, in our lives we see situations like these everyday. Doors open to opportunities we never dreamed of, problems solve themselves even before we attempt to sort them out, success comes looking for you of its own accord. Each time this happens, know this: His invisible footprints walk ahead, His awesome presence leads the way. And when this happens, nothing will be denied to you……NOTHING!

This thing called ‘Love’……

Human beings are a plethora of emotions…..happiness, sorrow, anger, peacefulness, jealousy, frustration, ecstasy, hate, love and many more….and everyone feels most of these sometime or the other. But the one emotion that has for ages hogged the limelight on the world’s stage is ‘Love’……

What is this ‘Love’? A little girl experiences it while skipping along in the park - an ice-cream cone in one hand and her dad’s protective hand in the other. A little boy feels it when his puppy yawns, rolls over and licks him on the nose. A teenager goes through it when he reads a mushy love note that his crush left in his locker. A mother understands it when her baby’s tiny fist closes over her little finger. A young couple acknowledge it when they look into each other eyes at the altar and say “I do” and old couples know it when they look back at a life of togetherness and memories on their 60th wedding anniversary…..

What is this ‘Love’? How can it apply to so many different people, mean so many different things and yet be the same thing? Is love a feeling, an emotion only? Or is it something more? In my opinion, love is more than just a feeling. It is a commitment. Feelings change…they pass. Commitments are forever. When you make up your mind to ‘love’ someone, you’re essentially making a commitment to care about that person regardless of what they do, where they go or who they become. Easier said than done. If all of us could do this, there would be so much less heartache in the world.

It must be borne in mind that people, being inherently imperfect, WILL let you down, hurt you, abandon you, forget you, and sometimes even turn against you. Nevertheless, true love still loves. I Corinthians 13 says “Love is patient, kind, not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love is slow to anger and keeps no grudges, hates evil, rejoices in truth, always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres”. From a human viewpoint, these qualities may be visible in your love relationship with others now and then. But to consistently love this way seems impossible. Correction: Difficult indeed but not impossible.

Our Lord Himself is our role model here. Despite the many ways we turn away or turn against Him, He remains the faithful lover, the Hound of Heaven that chases us to the farthest corners of the earth in order to win us back. Frankly, we ought to be flattered. I mean, the Creator of the Universe actually sets apart time from his packed schedule of running the place to chase you!!! How amazing can this be? Thrilled? Delighted? Great! Now think….if God who has absolutely no need for human company can love us so much, how much more must we, who depend on relationships for emotional survival, love each other? Chew on it……..

Jesus on your Doorstep...

One book of the Bible that I sneaked looks at frequently in my teens, but never studied seriously, was King Solomon's Song of Songs. Long, idyllic Sunday afternoons while the whole neighbourhood took a siesta was the appropriate time for me to read love poetry. The stillness of the afternoon, the baby blue clouds, the very slight breeze sighing through the trees in the backyard and the chirps and coos of the birds in them will forever remain associated with the Book of Songs in my mind.

What a romantic book it seemed to me...better than even the thousands of slim Mills and Boon volumes that teenage girls my age devoured for breakfast, lunch and dinner! A handsome king, rich and mighty falls in love with a shepherdess, a dark but comely lass, who toils with her hands and is no match for the refined, smooth-skinned ladies of the king's court. And yet it she that the King loves and pines to make His own.

It was much later that I discovered why such sensual romance was part of the Holy Bible....that this was more than just a human love story.....that the Song of songs is an exquisite allegory for the love relationship we share with Christ.

In one memorable chapter, the maiden demurs to open the door for her lover who comes seeking her at night because she's half-asleep and can't be bothered to arise and dress again. The hesitation passes as the clouds of sleep clear and she realises that he is gone. Frantic, she runs around a darkened city, seeking him, calling him by name, only to be beaten and harassed by the night watchmen........in her own words, "she is faint with love" and yearns to be reunited with her royal lover.

Lovely setting....and to me, very remniscent of Revelations 3:20 - Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock.If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with me".....does the similarity strike you?

The Lord stands at the door of our hearts today, a passionate lover, waiting for us to let Him in.....do we hesitate to seize the chance to entertain the most honourable of guests? Does He turn around and walk away slowly, full of disappointment? Do we seek Him then, maybe way too late?

Reader, be advised: Jesus knocks today at the door of you heart......will you let Him in and enjoy His love in the midst of great rejoicing, or will you turn Him away unanswered? The choice is yours.....

Mirror mirror on the wall....

What did u see first when you woke up today (apart from the ceiling fan that is)? The dawn sky blushing silver and gold? Green trees, grass, flowers? Your dog wagging his tail for all he's worth because he's so happy you're stirring again? Or maybe (if you're the typical young person), it was just your TV set tuned to your favourite channel. But there's one important thing we rarely observe everyday......ourselves.

How many of us actually stand in front of the bathroom mirror and take time to gaze at ourselves....sure, we all do that in the prime of youth (or when we've just had a facial!). Sometimes, we take hard, critical looks at our features..."if only my nose were smaller, my lips poutier, my pimples gone and my stomach flat....." we moan....People in good shape go, "Mmmm...you handsome devil you...ur in great shape for your age!"

But how many of us actually stop and wonder at the creation that is 'us'. The wrinkles on your forehead, the crow's feet near your eyes, the leathery quality of old/sunburnt skin, the cracks in chapped lips, even the gray in your hair...how many of us take closer looks at these. We turn away hastily...we don't like visual cues that reminded us of ageing. The next time you turn away like this, STOP! And think...

The Word of God says we are wonderfully and fearfully made and that includes not just clear youthful skin, jet black hair or a firm body, but also gnarled rheumatic fingers, a toothless mouth and a face hidden in wrinkles....no matter how old we are or how ungarciously we age, we are still God's wonderful creations...every cell in your body speaks of His wonderous handiwork......every nerve, and the tiniest bone cries out praises to His name...every blood corpuscle, lymph node and the thinnest of veins marvels at His master design.

So the next time you pass a mirror, wait up, take a deeply appreciative look and say, "Praise the Lord!"

Gonna 'Bug' Ya Today!

Isaiah Ch:40 says "The Lord sits enthroned above the circle of the earth and its people are like grasshoppers"....Grasshoppers! Imagine that.....this is one verse that always struck me as terribly funny and intensely serious at the same time. I am as inconsequential as a grasshopper? On light summer days I remember sprawling on the grass of my garden, idly watching dragonflies, grasshoppers, ants and other little critters busily running, jumping and generally hurrying around on some pre-set busy schedule. I wondered wherever they could be going in such a hurry, but that was that. Not being an entomologist, I rarely gave them a second glance.....and now the Word of God likens me to one of these teensy things I could have stepped on if I'd wanted to!! Amazing!

So this is how I look to Almighty God from His throne in heaven? An inconsequential bug that runs around aimlessly, trying to achieve purposeless things, win meaningless victories, chases money, fame and fortune to no eternal end and finally one day, drops dead? Humbling thought! So I'm not really as wonderful as I or the world make me out to be? I'm just as important as a bug? Very Humbling! And nothing I do that doesn't have God at the centre of it matters? Food for thought huh?

If truth be told, we're not that inconsequential, atleast not to God. In our swollen-up self-important states of mind, it's easy to think that it's natural for God to love us. I mean, we're wonderful aren't we? We're beautiful, rich, successful, talented, popular...why wouldn't God love us? I've got news for you people...Hang on to your seats, but the truth is, God doesn't HAVE to love us....how many grasshoppers in your garden do YOU love???? And yet, God SO loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son....that's the amazing part!

He looks down at us grasshoppers, shakes his head in wonder at our misplaced priorities, weeps over the sinfulness, hate and violence that runs rampant among us, reaches out to rescue, redeem and repair our fallen hearts and through it all, continues to madly love us with an unquenchable passion. There's nothing we could have done or can do now to buy such priceless love....the single unchallenged beauty of Christ is that His love comes free...........yes, even to grasshoppers!