The Kingdom of God

                                            The Kingdom of God

Last night I was awakened suddenly with what Paul wrote about the Kingdom of God being Peace, Joy and Righteousness. So I lay awake thinking about what it meant. The Major theme of Jesus’ messages was the Kindom of
God.  He explained about how and who can see and enter this Kingdom. He talked about the principles of the Kingdom and the great reversal. John the Baptist called out to people to repent and get ready for the Kingdom.

Peace:  This quality of peace is between Man and God vertically, and with one another horizontally. The means of this peace is the cross. So what happened on that cross is central to peace. Jesus’ death on the cross, paved the way for man to be reconciled with God and re-establish a loving relationship with Him. God has forgiven man in Christ and there is no condemnation. Sin (trustlessness and lovelessness) that separated us from God was dealt with. Man is no longer a condemned sinner but a new creation. Fear and guilt are replaced by a sense of belonging and a gift of ‘sonship’. The result is peace where my inner being is at rest in God’s goodness and mercy. It’s a contentment of the soul in God alone.

The other aspect of peace is what the cross does between people. It brings together all sections of the society and creates a new identity. All barriers are broken down. Enmity, prejudices and complexes are removed and a new humanity is born at the cross in Christ.  The Cross makes it possible to look at the other and consider him as a brother loved by the same God. For this process to become real, the cross has to be embraced. Peace does not mean compromise but overcomes evil with good. Peace opens the way for a compassionate outlook and a radical brotherly love towards people all over irrespective of their reactions or responses. It is also a calling to be peacemakers in this world.

Peace is a gift that Jesus left with us.  It is His personal presence in the midst of all possible problems and difficulties.

Joy: This aspect of the Kingdom is a gift given by the indwelling spirit of God. Joy is an expression of freedom. This happens when one knows that God is smiling as He sees us. When shame is removed, it is replaced by joy. It is part of the blessing God pronounces on His children. It is God’s face shining upon us. It is a result of knowing and experiencing God's amazing love. It is having the assurance David talked about in Psalm 23 “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of God for ever”. It is the result of knowing that all is well and will be well.

Righteousness: When there is peace and Joy in our hearts, it gives us motivation to live the right kind of life in accordance with God’s will. It starts with a major shift in values and attitudes. It is counter to our culture and traditions.  This dangerously radical life style, Jesus modelled for us to embrace. It cannot be done without the cross and it is the result of the ongoing work of the cross. Right living is a trusting life in a gracious God. It is a life style where self is dethroned and self-will is submitted to God’s will. Right living embraces various truths revealed in the word of God and allows ongoing repentance to take place at a deeper level.

Power: This is very different from the world's idea of power. Power in the Kingdom is to love and to forgive. It is the power to serve and to be humble. It is the power to say No to sin and to the devil. It is the power to say Yes to God's will. It is not to control or dominate things and situations and people but rather to lay down one's life for the other. It is not position hungry or title crazy. It does not judge the other but understands and empathizes and acts in love. It is proactive and full of energy to do good. It refuses to be self exalted.  It is the power to hang on the cross when there are options otherwise. It is the power to wait and allow the outcome in God's hands.

So the Kingdom is a growing phenomenon. It begins with hearing, understanding, repenting, inviting and receiving God’s gift of salvation in Christ. It is grace in action in human hearts. It is life that flows from being united with Christ. It is not a calling to copy or duplicate Jesus. No one can do this with out the indwelling of the risen Christ. The kingdom of God being with in you is an ongoing experience as He transforms the inner man. This is the work of God's spirit and a transformed person will be empowered and enabled to live out the Kingdom life in the world. Jesus used many parables to show us what the Kingdom is like. No one picture is sufficient to show all the aspects of this new order. Man cannot create it. It is from above and it is a redeemed community living out ordinary life in an extraordinary way. It faces opposition and persecution yet continues to expand. It waits patiently for human habits to be altered, godly character to be formed and a new humanity to arise out of the old order of things.

It knows no barriers but the devil and his forces are against this movement and will do everything possible to damage and destroy the unity and the love in the community. This makes its witness ineffective and delays the expansion at a slower pace in a particular locality. At the same time it leaps and bounds in other areas in the world. It is a mystery. Its impact is felt in all areas of life as individuals gets transformed and reclaim God’s creation from the devil’s hand. It will be a minority, yet so powerful and their light will shine and the darkness will not overcome it. It wins wars with out weapons and defeats the enemy through the Word and prayer. It knows only one enemy who needs to be resisted. No man is kept outside its perimeter of love and the doors lay wide open for all to come in to faith. Every one has a choice to enter or not. All are given the grace and free will to accept or reject. Heaven alone knows how and what transpires in human hearts. Others have no business to judge or condemn or question the dealings of God. If God is just and fair and full of mercy we need to believe that He loves all equally and He desires that all will come to the saving knowledge of His Kingdom. Our responsibility is to live out this life and be a witness.

Jesus taught us to pray, ‘let your kingdom come’. This ought to be an ongoing prayer and a desire of the Kingdom community. We need to be involved in Kingdom building activities. Basically it is believing who Jesus is and going about doing good and trusting what He did. This involves proclaiming Kingdom news and displaying Kingdom lifestyle. God will confirm this kingdom through wonders and miracles and by affirming His presence in our midst.

May all who call upon the name of The LORD seek this Kingdom individually and collectively. Kingdom people will wait for their King to return. So we also pray, “Let your kingdom come’ (and in the same breath – let my kingdom go) and also ‘Lord Jesus, come quickly’.

Scripture

                                My understanding of Scripture

Paul wrote to Timothy saying " All scripture is God -breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in right living" so that a man of God is equipped for all good work. Paul, at this time had only the Jewish scriptures, The Law of Moses, Psalms and the Prophets. In the book of Hebrews it says, 'God spoke through prophets at many times in various ways". Peter says that, "Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, ( no prophecy of scripture is a matter of private opinion), but men spoke from God as they were carried along or prompted, by the Holy Spirit". When God made man out of dust, He breathed in to him and man became a living soul. When God breathed on the written word of men and women who were inspired or moved by God's Spirit, it became alive having the power to speak, challenge and transform those who believed in it and it also brought condemnation to the disobedient. "The word of God is living and active, sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart," The scripture became animated with God's authority. It can scan and apply its lazer power to burn the dross. It reflected God's character and His desires partially. Revelation, history, experience all found their places in the scripture. The power of the choices made by people and the consequences that those choices brought  are recorded for our benefit. Public reading of the scripture awakened people to follow God's ways and it instructed them about how to conduct their lives in this world. Paul says that "everything that was written in the past was written to teach us and to give us hope." The scripture can be used to teach truths about God and man. There are stories that can show us the effect of human sin and the reality of God's mercy. It has warnings about the consequences of breaking the built -in life principles in humans. The scripture has enough instruction about living a life of wisdom. Correct and diligent application of the word is needed for it to be effective in people's lives. God's common grace to all is displayed in the scripture and there is more than enough for any one for wise living in this world. But it is incomplete to bridge the gap between fallen man and God. Hidden away in this scripture was the promise of the coming Messiah. Prophets could see this hope dimly. In the fullness of time Jesus of Nazareth was born in an insignificant village. Being a Jew, he too studied this scripture. Slowly and steadily, the picture of the Messiah began to emerge, not as a powerful warrior as others expected but as a suffering servant. The Messiah's words, actions and life style were all portrayed in scripture in bits and pieces like a puzzle. Jesus began to embody this picture of the Messiah and lived out his story in the scripture and began to fulfill the role that was given to him. Jesus saw himself as the one crushing the serpent's head, as Moses rescuing people from slavery, as a priest interceding for all, as a prophet expounding the kingdom of God, as a teacher instructing the way of life, as a sacrificial lamb becoming a ransom and a sin offering as the Son of Man triumphing over death.So the fulfillment of Jewish scriptures was all concluded and maximized in Jesus Christ. What ever else is still left to be fulfilled will be accomplished as history comes to a close. History is His story indeed!

After His resurrection, Jesus met with two of his disciples and  explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning Him. He opened the scriptures and opened their eyes to see Him as the fulfillment of all the Desires of ages and what prophets had longed to see. As followers of this Jesus, we need to see Jesus in the scripture and proclaim this Man-God who is The WORD. Everything needs to be examined through this Living Word. The Living Word can be experienced through the written word. His words and His life rise above all that was and is and is to come. Every interpretation of the scripture ought to be done from His revelation and His perspective.  Yes, there are events, stories,  predictions, actions and reactions, which can all be used to draw lessons for living in this world. The human 'sin experience' (missing the mark or falling short of the standard) is universal and we can be equipped to act and react in a right way if we apply the truth of the scripture and its instructions in our lives. Yet all the Old Testament revelations culminate in Jesus Christ and He became the salvation for all. Jesus said,"you diligently study the scripture because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about me." So anyone who 'has the Son' has life. The Scripture cannot reduce or replace THE SON. He alone is above all. The word became flesh and this Living Word alone needs our full attention, adoration and obedience. "Listen to Him" is what The voice said. 'Do what ever He tells you' is what Mary said to the disciples. We are admonished to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in us. Jesus said that "His words are Spirit and Life." Anything that does not incorporate the mind of Christ needs to be discarded, discredited or displaced to make room for His words. He is the Pearl of Great Price. He has supremacy over everything. Jesus revealed the truth about the unseen God as a Loving Father. Once some thing is fulfilled it has only academic interest and we ought to hold on to the fulfilled reality. The fulfillment of any pregnancy is the birth of a healthy child. After the child is born, it is not so vital to continue to talk about and focus on all that happened during pregnancy. The Baby is the focus. Jesus came to give rest to our souls from all religious struggles. When religion becomes a burden and an end in itself, Jesus offers rest. He is the focus. Coming to Jesus and having faith in what He has done on our behalf and being united with Him on a daily basis is the Gospel that frees us. It is all about Mercy, Mercy and more Mercy!!

The biggest Mercy of all is the Gift from the Father of 'the comforter', the blessed Holy Spirit. Even His job is to reveal the greatness of The Son and empower us to live out the Kingdom Life which is The GOOD LIFE. It is impossible to live out the Christian life with out the Triune God. At every moment we need This God. The purpose of reading and studying the scripture is to appreciate and acknowledge what the Triune God has done and enter into a loving relationship with God and with one another for ever. The devil's strategy is to blind people from seeing this miracle of Grace and miss out life in its fullness. Our prayers ought to focus on opening the eyes of all and the removal of the veil that blocks the truth, to behold the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

Pioneering

Pioneering In today’s world.

The Pioneering spirit originated in God.  He is the original Pioneer. He pioneered in creating the world and us when He could have been content with heaven.

Pioneering is sharing God’s love

God took risks in creating both the angelic hosts and Man. Yet for Him it was a love worth risking. When man failed to receive love in one form, God pioneered into acting it out in a different way. The Devil too pioneered in inventing ways to destroy all that God was doing. So pioneering can be for selfish reasons or altruistic reasons. It can be for enslavement or freedom. It can either promote life or death. We have examples of both in abundance in the history of mankind.  Jesus pioneered in reclaiming all that was lost or corrupted and in bondage. His pioneering started in heaven, limiting himself of privileges and rights and took upon incarnation, entering into the dark world. It involved a simple life style, hard work, being misunderstood, laughed at and labeled. He experienced rejection, loneliness and pain as a result of it. He saw many deeply entrenched in religion yet trapped and hardened by it. They had a negative vision and power struggles. Others oppressed, harassed and controlled both from with in and with out. Incarnation helped Jesus to enter their lives and feel what they felt. He watched the way society and religion functioned and how it shut God out. Yet he saw the yearning in many to seek truth and have a revelation of God. These people longed for some kind of touch from God out there. Jesus pioneered in revealing God and gave Him a face. He lived a life so radical in loving, that he could unashamedly say, “He who sees me sees God”.

Jesus the God-revealing Pioneer

After walking around the villages and towns of Galilee, Jesus was at His best when He hung on a cross. He showed that God is on the side of man and no power on earth or hell could separate man from His love. He pioneered in death defeating and hell conquering life style. He pioneered in absolute trust in God and obedience unto death, displaying that the urge to sin could be overcome.  Yes, Jesus, above all pioneered in showing that this world is not the ultimate reality, but there is a life beyond the grave and it is possible to have eternal hope through His resurrection. He called the disciples, all weak, fearful and ordinary people, to pioneer in the spreading of God’s kingdom.

Now you and me

As a follower of this matchless pioneer of faith, love and hope, I am called, as you are called, to this adventure of life-giving pioneering! It means incarnation to a new situation and a definite sense of being sent out into the same old dark world. Nothing has changed after 2000 years either in God or in humanity. The message to man is the same and the remedy for his sickness is the same. It is a call to ‘Act out faith, love and hope” in the way Jesus did. All those who truly follow Jesus will face similar experiences. But there will be great Joy deep within. We have a responsibility to know what is happening around us and enter into our neighbor’s story. Empathy ought to become compassion. The Pioneering spirit is to know how to express this compassion in practical terms and also using the Jesus’ way. It is a calling to remain uncontaminated by the moral filth and pressure to take on the worldly ways to solve problems. The pioneer needs to be constantly in need of inner transformation.

Pioneers are God’s commando force

In this there are risks and no guarantees. The whole picture is not given. It calls for trust in a God who is also the Father. Whatever may be the vision and the call, the pioneering spirit ought to be a loving, compassionate otherworldly spirit. There are many in the world who are involved in both good and useful ventures. Evil too is alive and will do everything to undo and undermine God’s mission mainly through interpersonal problems.

The Medical Mission in India had many pioneers. Learn from them. Read history. Now many such missions have lost their visionaries and have become just a structure that continues to do the ritual of routine medical work. It is so predictable and calculative; there is nothing exciting that draws one’s heart. Missions have negative rituals and many leaders do not have the courage to dismantle the structure and look afresh for a reason for its existence. Where is God in the Mission? Can these dead bones live? These are disturbing questions. God is able to raise up new people who will take up the new challenges if the old mission has lost its purpose. Just like the religious system prevented people from experiencing God and being transformed, the mission set up can be the biggest hindrance to any pioneering spirit. God is always doing something new. So the old pattern of functioning needs to be put aside to create space for the new wine to discover its potential. The new pioneers need the support and wisdom of the old. Know and understand the history of the mission. Respect the past but have the courage and freedom to experiment with the new. Every new thing will become old in a matter of time. Someone else will come and do something different and life goes on as usual. It is okay, as long as it is all part of the Kingdom building process.

The Pioneer

His person:

His own personal encounter with the risen Lord qualifies him to be sent out as a pioneer. His model is Jesus Christ. He sees the world through God’s eyes and feels the needs the way God would feel. In the process he will be changed from within to become an instrument in God’s hands. He believes in the power of God’s word to speak and direct his steps. He accepts the correction and encouragement of God’s spirit. He realizes his strengths and weaknesses and is aware of various temptations to which he is vulnerable and takes the necessary precautions to be obedient to his Lord. He also realizes that his failures are not fatalities and God is able to bring out something good out of all negative situations. He has the ability to use the past as fertilizer for the future growth. The pioneer is primarily in a field for his own transformation and growth. If this is not achieved his whole mission becomes an anti witness.

His mission: incarnation

His mission cannot be different from his master’s. It is to incarnate God’s love in a broken world and being an agent of re- conciliation and redemption. Jesus knew people and the way they felt and thought. He knew the struggles, the temptations and the oppressions. So the pioneer needs to prepare himself with sufficient knowledge and skills to enhance the healing process. He will not use these to promote himself or to make a big empire of self-glorification. The skill and knowledge ought to be upgraded according to the need and used as a tool to help people.

His field: unlimited

This can vary from person to person. The need in a particular field can be difficult to meet realistically but can be challenging for the pioneer if that is the call. It can be slum work, palliative care, and counseling. It can be work in an old mission hospital, either as a GP or a specialist. It may be private practice, polyclinic or freelancing. It may be a socio-economic development project or running a home for addicts or those afflicted with HIV. But job-hopping seems to be arising from a lack of commitment and inability to be part of a team. What ever may be the area of work, he ought to be part of a team and a servant. There is a need to value the gifts of others and work as partners in God’s field. He needs to see himself as a people- person and become part of the suffering community at a personal level instead of becoming a mission compound person.

His team: relationships

Here wisdom is needed in knowing who can fit in and who can be involved and trained to share the vision. The team ought to have people with different skills and knowledge and who will give differing points of view. They should be able to feel the pulse of the people around and be sensitive to the situation and provide wisdom. There needs to be openness, accountability and integrity. The team needs to sharpen each other to keep the Kingdom values and purposes as priorities in all decisions. The power of money needs to be dethroned and the unrighteous mammon ought to be used for furthering the things of eternal value. Looking to God for unmet needs and holding on to His promises ought to be the lifestyle of the team. Any unwise decisions and its consequences can be avoided through wise counsel.

His support:

It is important to develop a group who will pray and provide spiritual nourishment to the pioneer and his team. Some individual may need financial backing till the work is established. Others need emotional support. Good communication with people around and with those who send the pioneer needs to be a day-to-day reality. He needs to have a lifestyle that will speak what he believes. Greed and covetousness that reflect the lack of trust ought to be abandoned. Hidden agendas and motives in financial matters only undermine the power of resurrection in one’s life.

His own family:

Again the need to have a shared vision and on going dialogue with one’s own family and choosing a lifestyle that reflects Kingdom joy and peace must become a priority. Standing together as a family in God’s given field has big strength. Time given to family is time invested wisely. Passion for the living God and His plans can be caught by one’s own children if they are loved and cared for through Jesus’ eyes. One’s family and God’s family in the mission field can be the biggest source of strength for continuing the work. To sacrifice God’s call for the sake of family’s material needs is a big temptation and the war zone is filled with many such casualties.

Reality check:

None of the above guarantees a smooth sailing in pioneering. The enemy is constantly pulling down what we cherish. There will be sabotage and unexpected events and turmoil. Yet the deep conviction of the call and the encounter with truth will be the only anchor at these times for the pioneer. There are many great moments of joy for the pioneer. He experiences much appreciation and respect from simple people. There are many who pray for him and the work. Seeing God answering prayers and meeting needs can lift his spirit high and give strength to go on. Even professional satisfaction takes a new shade. Physical and emotional tiredness can be discouraging. Spiritual darkness can lead to days of depression. Interpersonal difficulties can take away all the energy even to look at another day with hope. One has to believe that all these will pass as the days go by. Yet he needs to examine himself to know whether the problems are caused by his own attitudes and way of functioning rather than some body else's. Sometimes a break is needed to get away to find rest and rejuvenation. Others may need a change of pace and programs. God is able to provide these at the right time. Every burnt out or distressed person in the field reminds us that there are others who are not responding to God’s call. Thus the load has become heavier for the pioneer. Moving away from the call because of disappointments, failures or lack of resources may not be the right thing for someone who heard the call.

So may God give the pioneering spirit abundantly to all those who are willing to get out of the present systems of the world including the traditional mission setup. Let us run after the living God. It is an adventure of faith. It is a walk with God. It is beholding Jesus, the pioneer of faith, hope and love and becoming a channel for blessing!

The blind man

Healing

In this story of a miracle, Jesus encounters a man born blind. The disciples wanted to know the cause of this suffering. What causes such sickness and who is responsible for such meaningless suffering?. They could only come with two options, the personal sin of the man or the sin of his parents. Jesus discredited both and came with a third reason. This kind of situation happens and God uses this as an opportunity for showing kindness so that the person can experience God’s work in his life! His life can become a testimony to God’s grace. What a strange answer when everybody else is trying to find the cause and whom to blame. Jesus says that when an opportunity is given to us to show God’s heart for the suffering, take that opportunity and do not miss it. Such opportunities may not come all the time.

The blind man in this story does not ask for healing. He is too blind to know what was going on. He is just a victim and had no voice. The blindness made him to be a beggar. This is what happens to many in our country. Birth defects and handicaps make children beggars. They are a burden to families and they become social out-casts living without the dignity of a human being. They stretch out their hands and raise their voices to draw attention to get some coins for their food or eat from the rubbish bin. They hope for some one to show compassion. They are pushed around and scolded and seen as a nuisance to the social structure. They are the unwanted scum of the society living out their karma. They live in the dark and have no bright tomorrow.

Jesus encounters such a person and decides to do the work of God. He took soil and mixed it with his saliva and made mud and applied it on the blind man’s eyes and told him to go and wash. A Strange act. The blind man could not see what was put on his eyes! He was a beggar any way and it did not matter. The man also needed to do some thing, to go and wash. It was not just a one sided miracle. He had to co-operate. He became a partner in this act of God. He got healed.

He faced all sorts of questions and threats. He was ridiculed and eventually labeled as a sinner steeped in sin by the religious authorities. But in spite of all these, he developed courage and conviction to speak of his experience. He was willing to undergo rejection for the sake of his faith. His own parents did not give him the needed support. Now he could see but nobody wanted him. He faced a greater dilemma. When he was blind he could not see people, now he could see them and experience their hatred. He could see the blindness of the religion and its keepers. His own faith matured slowly. Initially his opinion about Jesus was that he was just a man called Jesus who healed him, then to a prophet, then some one sent from God. When Jesus heard about what happened to him, he used that opportunity to reveal himself as the Son of Man and bring him to a real faith.

What is the work of God?

In this story, it was to give dignity to a broken blind beggar and elevate him to a position where he could develop courage and conviction to face the world. His eyes were opened to see the wonder and beauty of God all around Him. Another aspect of the work of God is to help this man to recognize the one who healed him as the Son of Man, the Messiah and put his trust in Him. Jesus was able to accomplish both and challenges us to be involved in the work of God as the opportunity presents itself to us. Everyday we have enough opportunities to show compassion and kindness. We have people all around us whose dignity can be restored. Many of them may not even ask for it, but in the process of being given that dignity, they may open their minds and hearts to faith and see the Son of Man. Various problems that may arise as a result of restoring some one, but these are not that important. That’s how evil works. But God’s work is in spite of all that is negative. He redeems and restores. He gives hope and courage. He reclaims and sends us out to be His witnesses.

My calling is to be involved with God in His work. I do not have to waste my time trying to find the cause and effect of so many problems. They happen. I am given an opportunity to give dignity to people and elevate them to a position as children of God. All that de humanizes people and diminishes them do not come from God. Many times people are just victims of something unseen. Any thing that devalues the worth of a person and disfigures the image of God needs to be restored. My concern ought to be the person who is suffering and what can be done to help. This may provoke anger and rejection from others but this is how God works. The suffering of others becomes a mirror to reveal my own need for healing at a deeper level. The Pharisee in me is in need of a greater conversion. I am also faced with the opportunity to reveal Christ who is the Son of Man. Faith and trust may take time to develop in an individual’s life but when that opportunity comes, I ought to be there to seize the moment and share the true healer and dignity giver! 

The Seed

The story about the farmer and the seed.

   ( in Matthew 13 and   Luke 8  )

I think it’s about opportunities and choices. It is also about various influences that we allow ourselves to affect us. It represents the state of our hearts. Receiving the word requires that we take in and understand and apply the word.

When there is no thinking and understanding, devil takes away the word. If we think over what we hear, God will give understanding, if not devil will cause a premature death of that word.

If there is no depth to our life, then difficulties and problems that come our way force us to compromise and we take the path of least resistance. Circumstances can influence us and we stop living according to the word.

If we have not made serious heart decisions about what ought to occupy our hearts, then all the desires for glory and glamour will influence us and we will embrace sensual and material things above God's kingdom. Our own self can defeat the purposes of the word.

But if we allow God's rule to influence, then we will have a fruitful, abundant life.

christmas

                                                        Christmas 2011 

For many all over the world this is a time of stress. All worrying about what to buy, what to eat, where to go and how much to spend. Basically it’s all centered on money. This money god has captured the mind of all and everything is colored by this power. Individuals are valued, relationships are evaluated and success is measured by how much influence this god has on our thinking.

In the midst of this ugly power, a helpless babe is born to undermine and destroy this addictive power. This baby in the manger was born to die, to redeem all by becoming a ransom and also to cleanse us from all that is not of the Kingdom of heaven. This baby grew to become a teacher, a prophet and eventually a sacrificial lamb that conquered death, devil and hell. The historicity of the person of Jesus of Nazareth is well established and this challenges me to consider His words, His Life and His death. No one spoke like Him or lived and died like Him. He became my guru, my role model and my ideal. Then His resurrection from the dead made all the difference between seeing Him as a perfect man and God Himself. His own words about Himself leave me without a reasonable reason to ignore Him. My own heart echoes the truth that He is not just a man and compels me to call Him Lord and God. The good news proclaimed by the angels moves me to bend my knees and adore this God, the giver of faith, hope and Love. May we all share this joy that He brings in the midst of all the uncertainties of living in an unpredictable world?

Have a Blessed Christmas. 

Captivated!

    

                              Who captures my attention?

How do we begin to get attracted to a person? I am not talking about physical or romantic attraction. How do we begin to follow some one and elevate that person to a level above everyone else? What are the qualities that will make us stop and take a second look and consider that person worth our attention? We watch that person in real life situations and listen to the words and analyze his actions. We look for contradictions and complexes in his personality. We watch him relating to people around. We watch his emotions and see his life in private. Many times we hear about a person and come to know about what he is and what he does and this creates a desire to know more about that person. There is a longing to meet that person and move from second hand knowledge to more of a personal encounter. We may move from appreciation and adoration to a desire to be with him. This likable quality eventually may lead towards a higher longing called 'love' where everything and everyone else may become shadows in his presence. This love has the quality of exclusiveness and can only be realized through sacrifice.

I look into my own life and look at the people I like and love to some extent. I see bits of good qualities in many of them. But none of them got all the qualities all the time. I also have not spent a lot of time with many of them to know all about them. I sense an inner resonance with them and a feeling of being understood. I think there is a spiritual dimension to such relationships. Some of these persons pulsate with life and spread a lot of energy around. They are not easily discouraged but seem to be having a different view of life. They have a higher reason for living and they infect others with this enthusiasm. They value people and elevate their moods. They are empathetic and care for people who ever they may be. There are no hidden agendas in their attitudes. They have a sense of humor and are proactive and display a great level of trust. They are forgiving and sensitive to the pain of others. I like the way they speak or the way they look. I am touched by their gentleness and courage.

Now how many people can we find in our own circle of friends with these qualities? There may not be more than one or two, yet this small number is sufficient for us to hold on to life and go on in the midst of meaningless life all around. Is there some one who has all the qualities that I long for? Is there some one who can take me to a higher level of longing? Is there one person who will take me as I am and lift my spirit to feel and think differently and enjoy life in its fullness? I too find that my own heart is empty of such qualities.

As I read the Gospels, I see Jesus of Nazareth as that kind of a person. His words and life matched. He talked gracious word and touched people with compassion. He was not ashamed to express his feelings of sadness, anger and frustrations. He looked at people with moist eyes and felt what they felt. He taught what he believed and what He knew with out any apology in spite of it being other worldly. He did not compromise but was willing to pay the price for standing for the truth. He had authority that reflected the divine yet he could take a child in his arms and bless her. Evil shuddered in his presence yet sinners found peace in his presence. His hands touched the lepers and lifted little children. He exposed the inner thoughts of his critics without humiliating them. He stood tall before his enemies. He is the most beautiful person who draws my heart to himself. The Man among men.

The disciples were attracted to him as they spent time with him watched every move he made and listened to every word that he spoke. Their doubts slowly changed to trust. They watched his miracles and had dialogue with him alone.  They walked with him and shared meals with him and had picnics. There was such openness in him that he welcomed them to come and stay with him. He washed their feet and shared his heart with them. He was totally free to be His true self at every given moment. He entered and embraced all that was awaiting in humility. They witnessed his agony in the garden and many hid themselves for self preservation. As he carried the cross to Calvary, all of them lost their hope on that Friday. Their aloneness intensified and Peter's fear transformed into betrayal and then into tears in the darkness of the night. In spite of the message of resurrection, confusion overwhelmed them on Sunday.  Their confidence and faith melted away at the crucial moment. They acted as if they lost their friend for ever. They could not handle his physical absence. They could not accept him as a Spirit ever present.

 In the midst of all these happenings, there stood women of ill repute, Mary Magdalene. She was well known for her fallen and devil possessed life. She was forgiven and touched by the Gentle Carpenter. She knew that she deserved death and hell, yet this Man from Galilee made her human again worth all of God's love. She could not walk away from such wonder and mystery. She was not ashamed to break the alabaster jar of perfume, the symbol of her trade, before her critics and anoint this Man's feet.  She was not occupied with her self image but became free to kiss his feet and wipe them with her hair. Such display of affection was too embarrassing for the onlookers. Yes her love for this Man made her stand near the cross and watch his slow death and hear the wonderful words that came out in between his gasps for a bit of air. On Sunday all she wanted was to touch his dead body and cover it with herbs as an expression of her intense love for this beloved. She could only think of embalming the memory of her beloved. She waited when all others left. She had no fear. May be in her heart she knew love never dies. She wanted to hear him and hold on to him. This kind of love only gets satisfied with another perfect love. That happened to her when Jesus called her “Mary". Human Love recognized DIVINE LOVE in that whisper.

Can truth alone produce such love? For Mary it was the tremendous experience of forgiveness that created such love. It became a reality for her, not just theoretical understanding of facts. Jesus wanted this kind of love from his disciples. He longed to experience such love from them. The Man who conquered the devil, hell and death, longed to hear this word of Love from the hearts of his followers. So he took Peter aside for a walk on the beach after giving him breakfast. Peter's heart was beating faster as he waited for the rebuke from his master. He was too ashamed to re-live that moment of betrayal. He could not face himself or his master. He only wanted to get away in to the familiar sea and go back to his trade and forget the philosopher. Jesus ignored all of Peter's negative thoughts and asked only for his love. Peter do you trust me to hold you for ever? Are you still committed to me Peter? Does your heart beat with my heart beat? Are you willing to forget all that happened and start your walk with me again? Can you take care of those who are in my fold? Can you share your joys and pain with others as you have experienced it? Can you be a wounded healer Peter? I need your Love more than anything else Peter. All that you are and what you will do needs to flow out of that Love, Peter. Are you willing to reflect my love in your love Peter?

What can be our response to such a longing from His Heart? All Peter could say was,” you know that I love you". What else can we say? What will make our hearts respond in this way? For Mary it was the intense experience of forgiveness and the way he hung on that cross. For Peter it was the wide open heart of the savior at the beach. For others it was the miracle of Pentecost when they experienced the reality of the lover as the Spirit in-dwelt in them.

Behind all these experiences, stands the Man from Nazareth with nail pierced hands and crown of thorns. His voice full of grace and no condemnation. His wounds still fresh and life giving blood continue to flow from his side. His strong gentle hand takes the bread and breaks it and He calls me to part take of it. He gives the cup of wine to drink to experience the reality of His forgiveness. As He does this He asks me for my Love. 

Incarnation

Incarnation...

God becoming man..  What did it mean for God?

The Triune God's heart breaking with pain,sadness, anger, mercy.....

The Devil cheated the man and sowed  seeds of doubt about the goodness of God..

Man desiring to be like God...to decide for himself what is good  and bad...

Trust turned into disobedience..life into death...controlled by fear instead of love...

Thoughts of the first person in the Trinity sensed by the second one…..who will go to save, rescue and redeem mankind?

God's love bringing forth from its bosom an unthinkable thought, a plan..originated in the mind of the first person who was the Father,

The Second person responding to become the thought of the first one thus becoming the Son...

The Third person.. the Blessed Holy Spirit..watching and ever waiting to animate the event..

The Son, equal with the Father and Spirit. omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent...to become a man..and enter space and time...

The first step of emptying was to let go of  God- power, knowledge and spaciousness.. to embrace weakness and limitation... to become nothing..just 46 chromosomes.. so minute and insignificant..

What did it mean?  we will never know....!!

The Son becoming a real human child..second Adam...Where did God create the first Adam's genetic materials?

Yes, a man choosing to become a slave, a servant, the lowest level in the hierarchy of the human system.

The Son shrunk to a single cell and was implanted by the Spirit into a borrowed womb.

How long did this process take....from the foundation of the world to the fullness of time…… many centuries on the human clock...

This incarnation would go further and would hang on a tree and die naked and buried in a borrowed tomb..

How far can the second person 'let go' for love's sake? Was it only for 33 odd years?  or was it for eternity..? Salvation of mankind cost the second person of Trinity His status and equality. He accepted  new titles given to Him, a brother, a glorified man, the bridegroom, intercessor, the advocate and a name above all other names.

Yes, incarnation meant death of the second person of theTrinity but the resurrection of a perfect Man who will represent the redeemed community for ever. He holds the keys to life and death. His heart was big enough to embrace all who trusted in Him. We now have a man in the Trinity.

The Second person of theTrinity became a real man by descending to the lowest level and became one with humanity...to go back to the original place meant the reversal of the process. So He remained as a man and the Father exalted this man to the Highest level of authority and power because of His humility. Yes He became the LORD thro ughobedience.

In the stillness of the night, this man was born, just like millions of other babies before and after him..yet so different by the choices he made.... This is what Christmas is all about...an example to follow in a power hungry world.