I love you and I need you in my life

This is another amazing love story and of course with a moral.

Once there was a married couple who found themselves quarrelling so much and being so unable to adjust with one another that they found themselves in the verge of a divorce. However, the judge who was to hear their case was a very kind and good hearted fellow and he counselled them a lot before the day of the final hearing.

The night before the divorce, the husband and the wife could not sleep at all. They had a number of things going on in their minds. The husband ruminated over the incidents during the counselling and looked back to the day they were in love and newly married. The wife pondered how to get the divorce finalized because the judge looked bent on persuading them to forget their differences and stay together.

The next day that is the D’day, they reached the Judge’s office. He said, “Before I give my decision, I want you to do one last thing.” He handed both of them some sheets of paper and continued, “Both of you should know the grievances you have for each other. Maybe, you will realize that you should have given your relation a second chance.” They were given an hour to write down their complaints against the other. Both of them started writing. It was like a competition where each was writing as many flaws of the other as they could. They took additional sheets and extra time.

Finally, when they kept gave their sheets to the Judge, he did not even look at it. He handed the wife’s sheet to the husband and vice versa and asked them to read. After a couple of minutes, the wife got up and hugged her husband. There were tears in her eyes and they did not get divorced.

Do you what was on the sheets of paper? The wife had taken utmost care to mention each of her grievances in a chronological order with the dates. There were complaints like: He forgot our anniversary; he came late and did not take me to the movie; he doesn’t keep his shoes in the proper place; he messes up the whole place and I have to do all the cleaning.... But in the husband’s sheet, he had just repeated one sentence: I love you and I need you in my life.

In the Bible, God is referred to as the husband and the people are referred to as the Bride. This is what happens many times in our lives, with God and with people around us. When we are blessed we don’t acknowledge His blessings but when we go through bad times we start cursing God and go astray. We lose faith in Him and want to throw Him out of our lives. But despite all this, His answer is always the same, just like the husband’s in the story: I LOVE YOU AND I NEED YOU IN HEAVEN.

Relationships don’t strengthen when we keep counting the mistakes that the other person makes and keep blaming each other. Relationships strengthen when we forget all the bad things that would have happened between us and just know one thing that we love the other person and need them in our lives. This message goes to say: Let’s acknowledge the love and friendship of all those around us.

You are all precious to me.

God bless you.

Sarita, have you given me all the chocolates...

Today I am going to tell you the story of Sarita and Saral. The two of them were the best of friends. However, there was something standing between their friendship. It was Saral’s craze for marbles. He had lots of marbles that he had collected meticulously. (I am sure some of you would also have collected marbles when you were kids.) Those marbles were like trophies to him. And his favourite was a bright, big, blue marble that he could touch and identify even in the dark.

Now one day, Sarita got lots of foreign-made chocolates from her grandma. When Saral saw the chocolates, his mouth started watering. He asked Sarita for some chocolates which she gave happily. After all they were friends and Sarita had forgiven him when he refused to even let her touch his blue marble. However, some chocolates were not enough for Saral. Mind you, they were no ordinary chocolates. They were expensive foreign-made chocolates that would melt in your tongue and they were rare. Now when Saral asked Sarita for the chocolates again, she was quiet. When Sarita did not respond for a long time, Saral said, “Ok Sarita, I know, how will you give me all the chocolates if I keep asking you like this. Let’s exchange. I will give you all my marbles and you give me all the chocolates. Is that fine?”

Sarita was amazed that for once, Saral had offered to exchange his marbles for anything. She recalled all the moments when Saral had just ignored her because he got so busy playing with his marbles. Though she too wanted some chocolates for herself, she thought that this was a golden opportunity to throw away the marbles that stood between them. So she agreed and they exchanged their possessions. Sarita gave all her chocolates to Saral. However, Saral kept back his favourite blue marble.

Taking the marbles with her, Sarita turned to go home. But hardly had she taken a couple of steps when Saral called, “Sarita, have you given me all your chocolates?”

Sarita: Yes, I gave you all and I have none.

As she turned to walk again, he called once more, “Sarita, are you sure, you have given me all the chocolates?” She again replied, “Yes, you saw right.”

Again as she started walking, he asked for the third time, “Sarita, are you very sure that you have not kept even one chocolate with you?”

Dear friends, this is not just the story of Sarita and Saral but mine and yours and our relationship with God. When I heard this story for the first time I pondered and found it so very true in my life. Someone asked me why I was writing about forgiveness and my answer is Forgiveness is the best medicine to all your sufferings. You don’t just have to forgive your enemies and those who have hurt you in some way or the other but you need to forgive yourself and forgive God too. It’s only then that you can start trusting Him. Did you find out why Saral could not believe that Sarita had given all her chocolates to him? The answer is very simple. Because he had not given all his marbles to her. We too can’t forgive others completely because we doubt whether they have forgiven us or not. However, it’s other way round. And at the same time, we don’t forgive ourselves and God and deep within we think that we are not forgiven. Do you know why we are so reluctant to start conversation when we quarrel with our closest of friends? Not because of our ego but because of our weaknesses and ignorance about the power of forgiveness.

I don’t know whether forgiveness does any good to the forgiven or not but I sure do know that it takes away a huge burden from the forgiver and releases him from the bondage of hatred. It teaches us to love more selflessly.

Let this Lenten season be a season of forgiveness. Forgive yourself and forgive God for all the bad times you may have had. At the same time, let go off the entire grudge you may have harboured in your heart since ages. Let forgiveness flow...

God bless you.

I thought I could never love...

There was a loud thump at the door and I was too scared to even open my eyes. Then the noise started. I was so scared that I started crying. The awful noise outside made me sick. My dad was drunk again and I knew that he was beating up my mom. I wanted to protect my mom but I was too scared to even go out. I knew that my room was the only safe place and I was not ready to abandon it. But the noise became louder and louder and then I could hear my mom no more.
For a while, my I could hear nothing but the mad beating of my heart. And then I could not stop myself. I threw open my door and ran downstairs. I saw my mom lying in a heap and my dad beating her up with a thick stick. I ran and pushed my dad aside. For a while, I thought my mom was dead. But the next moment, a heavy blow landed on my head and I started feeling dizzy. I gathered all the strength I could and hit my dad with a metal flower vase. he fell down but I did not care. I dragged myself and my mom out of the house and kept walking till I dropped. And then I cried. I hated my dad with all the hatred I could muster and thought I could never love any man again. I hated all the liquor sellers and makers and all fathers and husbands. I spent the whole night with my mom (who eventually lost all her senses and was paralyzed for the rest of her life).

I didn't know what to do. The next morning, a missionary van saw me on the roadside and they took us with them. I started working in the mission house and met many kids like me who were victims of family violence. And then, the miracle happened. One girl told me that deep down I loved my father and I wanted him to be saved, so I should pray for him. I shouted at that girl and walked off. But she kept telling me about Christ's love and how it flows untamed; how life is in forgiving and looking forward to a heaven where you would love to have your family with you, and how prayer can work miracles.And she told me that she would pray for me.
I was moved that someone had time for me, that someone cared to pray for me and I started praying for my dad.
A couple of days before my mom died, I went to see my dad. I moment he saw me, he came running and hugged me. There were tears in his eyes and he kept asking for forgiveness. I found that he had quit drinking. I told him about mom's condition and he came with me to see mom. Now I am staying with my dad again. I have realized that prayer, love and forgiveness can make anything possible.
This is a testimony of a girl who had a bitter experience in her life. I read about this when I was in my 10th grade and I thought it was impossible to be so good, it was impossible to love when someone has hurt you so deeply. But with time, I realized that with man it is impossible but with God nothing is impossible. The love of Christ compels you to share His love and forgiveness. Forgiveness heals the forgiver more than the forgiven.
This lent, let Christ's love and forgiveness flow from you.
God bless you.

Lent is the time to "Overcome evil by good"

As we stepped into the lenten season, it is time for each one of us to realise that it is not about feeling guilty for what we have done in the past but to be thankful for the salvation that we receive by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and is the saviour, redeemer and Lord of all and over all. This time, I am going to share with you all the Salvation Way.
Jesus Christ came into this world to save mankind from sin. The important thing to note here is that He came to save us, from the PENALTY, POWER and PRESENCE of SIN and not just only one of them.
When I started reading the Bible and especially the Old Testament, I used to be scared at the punishment inflicted on the people who sinned. The most common and popular story of Adam and Eve and how they were thrown out of the Garden of Eden for disobedience is a classic example of the magnitude of God's anger and hatred towards sin. It was then that I was told that SIN is the most devastating thing one could ever imagine. Sin is self replicating. All of us are sinners, even a child. Nobody teaches a child to lie, still it lies. How? It is because of this evil Sin that flows in us. But the good news is that God is good all the time and He has made provisions for all of us to lead a life free from sin.

When Jesus died on the cross, He bore the sins of the whole world and through that sacrifice, He promises freedom from the Penalty of sin to all those who Believe in Him.
The most important gift that God has blessed us with is the gift of CHOICE. When you believe in Jesus and accept Him as your personal Saviour, He makes you realize the power of this gift of Choice. Titus 2: 11-14, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to all ungodliness and worldly passions...".
When I first read this verse, I thought it was impossible but with time I realized that I have the power and authority over myself. I am not a pawn but the chess player and it is my life is the sum total of all the decisions that I have made till today. Thus, the grace of God frees us from the Power of sin.
And finally, it gives hope that if you are living a spiritual life today, it is not a waste but the only sensible thing to do. It promises us that there is freedom from the Presence of Sin.
Lent is not just about fasting, avoiding meat or prayer. It is about learning to live Christ's sacrifice in and through our lives and Overcoming evil by good.
God bless you.