The story behind the faces...
Look around you look at the faces that you see..... the smiles..... the lines, the pain..... each carries a story that goes beyond time and place..... Take the little chubby lad at the playground, who never joins the others to play..... what could be on the mind of such a young child?........the mother who all of a sudden begins to cry...makes you to wonder if you had said anything wrong to trigger a hidden pain....
We all carry stories behind the smiles....... the child who does not know his father because he disappeared before he was born......... the child who finds it hard to understand why the father chose for his job above the family....... or the father who spends more time out with 'friends' than with the family........ or the mother who is stuck with guilt from the past........the wife married yet not loved...... the un/documented migrant who is lost in the system......... the young man with lost dreams.......the wandering homeless .... the caregiver hanging on the thin thread of hope.......lonely is the one who sees.......those who carry the pain for the injustice around them.......the chase for fame that leaves one empty and restless.........the once active mind now imprisoned in a paralyzed body. The list is unending as you take a peep behind the faces around you. What is the story behind your face?.....rejection..... betrayal........ disgrace... . despair ..... fear .?
Look at the gentle face of Jesus......... can you read the story behind his face? ......look at his piercing eyes inviting you to sit at his feet and learn from him ...... he was also despised, .......rejected,........ betrayed,.. mocked ...denied........ the lover yet unloved........ the beggar knocking at hearts........the prisoner of love waiting for your visit........ the provider yet denied.......the creator who allowed to be mistreated by his creation .......see him hanging on the Cross........hear his cry for thirst for your soul....... so that his death will not be in vain........see his face disfigured by pain.........a man of sorrows......upon him was the chastisement that made us whole ...... by his stripes we are healed! No one suffers alone even if you feel alone right now. now....no story is new....... they are only understood in the light of His story....... we may be granted glimpses but full understanding is to be totally immersed in Him then it will no longer be you who lives but Christ in and through you; for you can do all things because of Him who strengthens you.
What is there that Jesus could have done that He did not do? ..... how much more pain must He have borne for you to understand His love for you? There is no pain on earth that He has not felt ...... If you hang onto Him and not give up, then you will find meaning in your story in the light of His...... we are all bleeding from infested wounds..... and He the Wounded Healer desires to make us whole in body, mind and soul.......
Monday 9 September 2013
Saturday 7 September 2013
What makes today special?
Today is not just another day in your life, it is a unique day, the only day you have that has been given to you as a gift. It is the one day that is present - a gift - today. So how do I fully use this day? Thanking God for eyes to see the world around and within.. appreciate the minute things that are usually taken for granted..... the sky.. the clouds...... the birds...... flowers........ trees......the sun...... feel the wind... the cool or hot breeze on your face...the smell of rain and the rain drops.....the weather is not only good or bad..or nice but a reflection of all that is happening and affecting your moods and feelings at the soul level. Lift up your eyes and just look at the clouds..... the formation and movement of the clouds ....and from your last trip recall your thoughts as you gazed through the window as the plane flew above the clouds ......
What about the people you meet today?...... look at their faces.... the smile, the joy, the pain......the silence... do you really see through them to identify with their feelings?...... they are no strangers but only friends that you have not met....
Whatever you are able to achieve today, however little or great is a gift..... so ask yourself , why have I been given this day and for what purpose......what did you do to earn this precious gift.......? If gifts are not earned otherwise they would not be gifts then they become blessings. What should be the response to a blessing?..... thankfulness leading to grateful hearts....If you can recognize that every thing about today is a blessing then you will fully appreciate today. Do not take the many blessings today for granted.... depending on where you live.....a cold or hot shower for example........ transportation system that works..... bringing fresh produce from distant countries to your local market at prices that make you wonder how much did the farmer actually earned for his toil............imagine the chain of workers that made this possible.........
Is your heart bursting with: 'Thank you Lord'? ... Let the gratefulness in your heart overflow to blessings to the people you meet and touch today. ...Freely you receive... freely you give.... If you accept today not only as a gift but as the first or the last day of your life..... then you will have spent this special day very well. .....The more you are given the more will be required of you.....
Today is not just another day in your life, it is a unique day, the only day you have that has been given to you as a gift. It is the one day that is present - a gift - today. So how do I fully use this day? Thanking God for eyes to see the world around and within.. appreciate the minute things that are usually taken for granted..... the sky.. the clouds...... the birds...... flowers........ trees......the sun...... feel the wind... the cool or hot breeze on your face...the smell of rain and the rain drops.....the weather is not only good or bad..or nice but a reflection of all that is happening and affecting your moods and feelings at the soul level. Lift up your eyes and just look at the clouds..... the formation and movement of the clouds ....and from your last trip recall your thoughts as you gazed through the window as the plane flew above the clouds ......
What about the people you meet today?...... look at their faces.... the smile, the joy, the pain......the silence... do you really see through them to identify with their feelings?...... they are no strangers but only friends that you have not met....
Whatever you are able to achieve today, however little or great is a gift..... so ask yourself , why have I been given this day and for what purpose......what did you do to earn this precious gift.......? If gifts are not earned otherwise they would not be gifts then they become blessings. What should be the response to a blessing?..... thankfulness leading to grateful hearts....If you can recognize that every thing about today is a blessing then you will fully appreciate today. Do not take the many blessings today for granted.... depending on where you live.....a cold or hot shower for example........ transportation system that works..... bringing fresh produce from distant countries to your local market at prices that make you wonder how much did the farmer actually earned for his toil............imagine the chain of workers that made this possible.........
Is your heart bursting with: 'Thank you Lord'? ... Let the gratefulness in your heart overflow to blessings to the people you meet and touch today. ...Freely you receive... freely you give.... If you accept today not only as a gift but as the first or the last day of your life..... then you will have spent this special day very well. .....The more you are given the more will be required of you.....
Thursday 5 September 2013
How much time is remaining? ....
What will you do differently if you know that you have began the count down? In fact each new day brings us closer to the big day that we will meet the Lord. "......I go to prepare a place for you and when I finished I will come and take you so that where I am you may also be,,,,, (Jh. 14::2-3) This is a promise and He who has promised is faithful.
We are all workers in the Lord's vineyard. ( Mat 20:1-16) some has worked for the whole day but many of us have only worked for few hours, We may have wasted greater part of life doing our own thing until by His mercy, accepted/responded to his call. The Lord is generous so even the latecomers will also receive the same just wage, like those who have toiled the whole day, their entire life. God is merciful in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have laboured a life-time for him and those of us who have just come at the last hour. While the reward is the same the motive for one's labour can make a difference. Do you work only for the reward or you work for the joy and the opportunity to work and serve others?.....performing your task with cheerfulness and diligence for the sake of the Lord?......
Even though it might have taken you so long to begin purposeful living, the Lord in his goodness will repay for the years which the locust has eaten (Joel 2:25), that is those wasted years of life. The Lord in his mercy has saved the 'Best' for the last as in Cana; ( Jh 2:10) therefore we need only to leave all behind, pushing on ahead to what is yet to come. The Lord died to atone for our past so we need to move on to find our purpose in life, thanking Him for the privilege of living for Him in the present - today. Therefore if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts......if today is the last day what will be the new approach? ..remember the best is yet to come as eyes have not sees and ears have not heard what the Lord has in store for those he has called.
We need to recognize the urgency of the hour, to start immediately as so much time has been wasted on frivolous things. Therefore for the remaining of this hour,.... this day......, this week........, this month....., this year........ - the rest of my life......, try to serve the Lord with all my heart and my strength and my soul. It's possible not by own might but in close walk with Him for He gives the necessary grace for the task.
What will you do differently if you know that you have began the count down? In fact each new day brings us closer to the big day that we will meet the Lord. "......I go to prepare a place for you and when I finished I will come and take you so that where I am you may also be,,,,, (Jh. 14::2-3) This is a promise and He who has promised is faithful.
We are all workers in the Lord's vineyard. ( Mat 20:1-16) some has worked for the whole day but many of us have only worked for few hours, We may have wasted greater part of life doing our own thing until by His mercy, accepted/responded to his call. The Lord is generous so even the latecomers will also receive the same just wage, like those who have toiled the whole day, their entire life. God is merciful in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have laboured a life-time for him and those of us who have just come at the last hour. While the reward is the same the motive for one's labour can make a difference. Do you work only for the reward or you work for the joy and the opportunity to work and serve others?.....performing your task with cheerfulness and diligence for the sake of the Lord?......
Even though it might have taken you so long to begin purposeful living, the Lord in his goodness will repay for the years which the locust has eaten (Joel 2:25), that is those wasted years of life. The Lord in his mercy has saved the 'Best' for the last as in Cana; ( Jh 2:10) therefore we need only to leave all behind, pushing on ahead to what is yet to come. The Lord died to atone for our past so we need to move on to find our purpose in life, thanking Him for the privilege of living for Him in the present - today. Therefore if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts......if today is the last day what will be the new approach? ..remember the best is yet to come as eyes have not sees and ears have not heard what the Lord has in store for those he has called.
We need to recognize the urgency of the hour, to start immediately as so much time has been wasted on frivolous things. Therefore for the remaining of this hour,.... this day......, this week........, this month....., this year........ - the rest of my life......, try to serve the Lord with all my heart and my strength and my soul. It's possible not by own might but in close walk with Him for He gives the necessary grace for the task.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)