How many times when we find ourselves in a deep valley in this life's journey, have questioned bitterly or sometimes not so bitterly, why is God allowing this in my life, if He loves me? At times the questions become severe and the tone harsh, when we see someone so dearly loved by us, goes through these deep and dark valleys. Why is there pain and suffering when God is in control of everything? or even worse it leads some to "Does God exist at all?".
I am writing this, as recently I came across a song that I had heard long back. The song titled "I will sing" brought back with it all the precious memories that it holds, of my graduate days when I first heard it and the great comfort it was to read the passage in the Bible that this song arches on.
Prophet Habakuk says in ,3:17-19 :
"Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength.."
The passage marks almost the end of the book, which is very short as far it's length goes in terms of the number of chapters it contains. You can read the book in all of it's entirety in just a couple of hours, which by the way I would sincerely urge to, every one reading this article.
C.S.Lewis said "I could write another chapter on pain and suffering, only when I get over with this terrible toothache". It's easy to ask the philosophical questions, and worse even to lead the conclusions thereof damning the existence of God, when one hasn't even gone through it.
But having gone through it does not give one a right, without careful and logical assessment of the issue, to negate God or His existence.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Count the cost before saying Yes!
Jesus said [Matthew 16] "If anyone wants to come after me , he must deny himself , take up the cross and follow me" and in another place he said [Luke 14:25-35] "If anyone wants to be my disciple he must first, hate his life, take up the cross and follow him" .
The last commandment that Jesus gave to his disciples before ascending up to his Father in heaven, also known popularly among evangelists as "Great commission" was that of "go ye therefore , and teach all nations" [Matthew 28:19], "teach all nations" literally means to "make disciples". Jesus did not send for people to preach and make Christians or followers of a denomination, but to make disciples.
The question I want to ask, before even going into the study of "discipleship" is :
Do you want to be a disciple of Jesus?
Let me be very clear before you dive right in with a "Yes", what even Jesus forewarned with, anyone wanting to be his disciple. The journey is is Hard , is Painful, is Long. But the best thing is, amidst all this he gives us his "Grace" [2 Corinthians 12:7-9] among other things which is sufficient for us to carry on. And then above all as the Bible always potray's this world is only a wilderness we go through until we reach the promised land. Where those who have walked this journey faithfully with God, will be. Where every tear will be wiped away, and joy shall abound for ever as we abide in His presence. Is not that a great assurance, the Lord Jesus himself gave us , "In my Father's house are many mansions, I go and prepare a place for you", assurance of a heavenly inheritence to all those who believe on Him and walk after Him while yet in this world.
Another thing here is, you cannot say "yes" if it were not given to you of the Father above [John 6:44]. There were more than the "Famous twelve" disciples that followed Jesus, but they all left him, when the teaching sounded to them hard.
The follow up question , if you said "yes" to the one above is:
Have you counted the cost of being a disciple of Jesus?
I am in Germany for a while now , and will be for a short while still. And amidst understanding the culture, I could see where it is on this earth, the need to hear the gospel is the same:great ! And the need to preach the gospel is the same :Urgent! But how can we even start to carry out this great comission that the Lord gave to His disciples, when we don't feel the urgency and heart of Jesus. Jesus said "As the Father sent me so I send you" , there for the mission of the church and for that reason of individual disciple, has to be inspired by the life of Jesus. The life of Jesus was one which embarced people of all walks of life, but influenced and touched by his love. It was a life of continual and close relationship with His Father. It was a life of sacrifice for others to make the way to God, by himself becoming the way.
I see the great need to share the true gospel, that would bring the true repentence. This great need is not only in the remote areas of Africa or India or any other corner of the world, where no one has ever heard about Jesus, but sadly this great need is right in the midst of where we live, in our villages, towns or cities. At our places of work, study or play. Being a disciple is a life that we ought to live rather than just speak. As some one said "because most of the time the only gospel people will ever read is "You" " !
The last commandment that Jesus gave to his disciples before ascending up to his Father in heaven, also known popularly among evangelists as "Great commission" was that of "go ye therefore , and teach all nations" [Matthew 28:19], "teach all nations" literally means to "make disciples". Jesus did not send for people to preach and make Christians or followers of a denomination, but to make disciples.
The question I want to ask, before even going into the study of "discipleship" is :
Do you want to be a disciple of Jesus?
Let me be very clear before you dive right in with a "Yes", what even Jesus forewarned with, anyone wanting to be his disciple. The journey is is Hard , is Painful, is Long. But the best thing is, amidst all this he gives us his "Grace" [2 Corinthians 12:7-9] among other things which is sufficient for us to carry on. And then above all as the Bible always potray's this world is only a wilderness we go through until we reach the promised land. Where those who have walked this journey faithfully with God, will be. Where every tear will be wiped away, and joy shall abound for ever as we abide in His presence. Is not that a great assurance, the Lord Jesus himself gave us , "In my Father's house are many mansions, I go and prepare a place for you", assurance of a heavenly inheritence to all those who believe on Him and walk after Him while yet in this world.
Another thing here is, you cannot say "yes" if it were not given to you of the Father above [John 6:44]. There were more than the "Famous twelve" disciples that followed Jesus, but they all left him, when the teaching sounded to them hard.
The follow up question , if you said "yes" to the one above is:
Have you counted the cost of being a disciple of Jesus?
I am in Germany for a while now , and will be for a short while still. And amidst understanding the culture, I could see where it is on this earth, the need to hear the gospel is the same:great ! And the need to preach the gospel is the same :Urgent! But how can we even start to carry out this great comission that the Lord gave to His disciples, when we don't feel the urgency and heart of Jesus. Jesus said "As the Father sent me so I send you" , there for the mission of the church and for that reason of individual disciple, has to be inspired by the life of Jesus. The life of Jesus was one which embarced people of all walks of life, but influenced and touched by his love. It was a life of continual and close relationship with His Father. It was a life of sacrifice for others to make the way to God, by himself becoming the way.
I see the great need to share the true gospel, that would bring the true repentence. This great need is not only in the remote areas of Africa or India or any other corner of the world, where no one has ever heard about Jesus, but sadly this great need is right in the midst of where we live, in our villages, towns or cities. At our places of work, study or play. Being a disciple is a life that we ought to live rather than just speak. As some one said "because most of the time the only gospel people will ever read is "You" " !
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