I have been noticing the cries of a little girl every morning as her father leaves for work. They stay in a flat on the floor above mine and every morning she calls out "Papa" several times as her Dad leaves the flat, enters the elevator and comes down to exit the building and walk away to work. This morning as I stood at the entrance of the building, I could hear her shrill voice crying out "Papa" repeatedly even as the guy was in the elevator and coming down.
As soon as he stepped out and heard her cry, he shouted back...What's it baby....I'll be back soon...Promise. And she in turn cried back....Don't be late....I'll be waiting.....Promise, he shouted back. Then she became quiet.
Do we long for Jesus in the same manner? Do we love to be with him day in and day out? Are we waiting expectantly for his return? He says.........Behold I am coming soon.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Random Thoughts- 34
Random Thoughts- 34
Travelling in the desert city, a familiar sight captivated me often. Circles of beautiful flowers cultivated amidst roundabout signals. Thousands of vehicles ply around all through the day and I believe the sight is a blessing to everyone, small and big, rich and poor alike.
I caught a rare glimpse of the gardener yesterday, working hard despite the heat and the chaos all around. Wonder whether people cast a glance at him ever. It's part of his job, some may say; he's getting paid, others may add. Yet the flowers are the fruit of his labor; perhaps he deserves more than his pay; a pat on the back, for a job well done.
The fruit of your labor for the Kingdom of God may be enjoyed by many, but perhaps the appreciation that you receive may be little. But do not worry unduly about that. There's coming a day, not so far in the future, when you will certainly hear the Master's voice saying,
'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Travelling in the desert city, a familiar sight captivated me often. Circles of beautiful flowers cultivated amidst roundabout signals. Thousands of vehicles ply around all through the day and I believe the sight is a blessing to everyone, small and big, rich and poor alike.
I caught a rare glimpse of the gardener yesterday, working hard despite the heat and the chaos all around. Wonder whether people cast a glance at him ever. It's part of his job, some may say; he's getting paid, others may add. Yet the flowers are the fruit of his labor; perhaps he deserves more than his pay; a pat on the back, for a job well done.
The fruit of your labor for the Kingdom of God may be enjoyed by many, but perhaps the appreciation that you receive may be little. But do not worry unduly about that. There's coming a day, not so far in the future, when you will certainly hear the Master's voice saying,
'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Random Thoughts- 33
Random Thoughts- 33
Can friends be a problem? You bet they can! Especially if they happen to be the ones on Social Networks. The requests come by the dozen each day and many of us just approve the "new friends", without even batting an eyelid. So here I was with more than 200 friends on Facebook. Sometime later, because of my hectic schedule, I couldn't log into the site for a while and then when I finally did, I found out that "my friends" there were a problem, because Facebook wanted me to identify my friends, so that my login be authenticated.
I failed because all the friends of mine that they put forward for me to identify I could hardly recognize.
Perhaps there must be a new definition to the word "friend", these days.
The Bible has a few definitions...
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
Can friends be a problem? You bet they can! Especially if they happen to be the ones on Social Networks. The requests come by the dozen each day and many of us just approve the "new friends", without even batting an eyelid. So here I was with more than 200 friends on Facebook. Sometime later, because of my hectic schedule, I couldn't log into the site for a while and then when I finally did, I found out that "my friends" there were a problem, because Facebook wanted me to identify my friends, so that my login be authenticated.
I failed because all the friends of mine that they put forward for me to identify I could hardly recognize.
Perhaps there must be a new definition to the word "friend", these days.
The Bible has a few definitions...
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Random Thoughts- 31
A couple of months back, a middle aged man came to me for treatment of his Diabetes. Lean and slender, not more that 5 ft. in height, he looked pale and worn out. His blood sugar was very high. When I told him that, he said he didn't care. He continued, "Last week I took an overdose of Insulin, wanting to die; I lost conciousness,when I woke up I was in the hospital, my wife had taken me there in an ambulance on finding me unconcious." Poor planning, he added, I should have walked away from home after taking the overdose, no one would have known.
Why do you want to die? I asked. No one cares for me, that's why, he said. Talking further, he told me how he had worked day and night to support his family, lived in pitiable conditions in the gulf for some 25 years, helped his sons to complete their education, but now they didn't care about him. I talked about God. He said he was an Aethist. I told him, "No wonder God brought you here."
That set up a discussion. He was stinking of alcohol, but I thought I may not get another chance. He was not in agreement but he said, "I'll come back to hear more."I gave him a couple of my books as he left and asked him to go through them. He agreed. He came back a couple of weeks later and I enquired how he was. I'm O.K. he said, and then added, "I couldn't get your face out of my mind for the past 2 weeks." Can you explain, he asked.
I laughed thinking of the ways of the Lord. He looked perplexed. Then I said, "I hope God replaces my face with his in your mind."
I talked to him again about Christ's love for him. He didn't seem to agree and left a little while later. But I was happy, a seed had been sown. My part in the great plans of God in his life had probably been done. Never saw him again. Perhaps will. Only God knows. Perhaps another person has taken over the baton from me in God's scheme of things.
Why do you want to die? I asked. No one cares for me, that's why, he said. Talking further, he told me how he had worked day and night to support his family, lived in pitiable conditions in the gulf for some 25 years, helped his sons to complete their education, but now they didn't care about him. I talked about God. He said he was an Aethist. I told him, "No wonder God brought you here."
That set up a discussion. He was stinking of alcohol, but I thought I may not get another chance. He was not in agreement but he said, "I'll come back to hear more."I gave him a couple of my books as he left and asked him to go through them. He agreed. He came back a couple of weeks later and I enquired how he was. I'm O.K. he said, and then added, "I couldn't get your face out of my mind for the past 2 weeks." Can you explain, he asked.
I laughed thinking of the ways of the Lord. He looked perplexed. Then I said, "I hope God replaces my face with his in your mind."
I talked to him again about Christ's love for him. He didn't seem to agree and left a little while later. But I was happy, a seed had been sown. My part in the great plans of God in his life had probably been done. Never saw him again. Perhaps will. Only God knows. Perhaps another person has taken over the baton from me in God's scheme of things.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Random Thoughts- 30
Of the diverse prayer requests that I receive, one stands out. A middle aged woman once came to my clinic for treatment of Diabetes, Hypertension, Acid Peptic Disease, Rhematism & Partial Blindness. She was very sick and after I had examined her and given her the prescription, she said she had one prayer request.
OK. I said with a smile. Soon, with tears in her eyes she said amidst sobs, "Can you pray for me to die?"
I was taken aback and thought it was because of her sickness that she wanted to die. But on enquiring, she said it because of her son that she wanted to die. He was a chronic alcoholic and verbally abused her threatening to kill her if she didn't hand over whatever property was in her name after her husband's death. He rarely worked and even if he did work, he finished all his earnings on liquor. Many people had conselled him but he did not have a change of heart. She said she was fed up of life with sickness, poverty and abuse.
I did not immediately speak, so she continued with her woes.
I just let her talk and pour out her sorrows. After a while she just sat near me sobbing.
I didn't see any instant solution; she waited for me to pray.
I prayed, not for her to die but that Jesus would grant her peace amidst all the sorrows in her life. I told her about the love that Jesus has for her and that she should trust in him to bring about a change in her son's life. She shook her head in the affirmative but seemed unconvinced that things would change.
We live in a world that is suffering.... The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans:
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
The whole creation is groaning....only a child of God has hope.....
OK. I said with a smile. Soon, with tears in her eyes she said amidst sobs, "Can you pray for me to die?"
I was taken aback and thought it was because of her sickness that she wanted to die. But on enquiring, she said it because of her son that she wanted to die. He was a chronic alcoholic and verbally abused her threatening to kill her if she didn't hand over whatever property was in her name after her husband's death. He rarely worked and even if he did work, he finished all his earnings on liquor. Many people had conselled him but he did not have a change of heart. She said she was fed up of life with sickness, poverty and abuse.
I did not immediately speak, so she continued with her woes.
I just let her talk and pour out her sorrows. After a while she just sat near me sobbing.
I didn't see any instant solution; she waited for me to pray.
I prayed, not for her to die but that Jesus would grant her peace amidst all the sorrows in her life. I told her about the love that Jesus has for her and that she should trust in him to bring about a change in her son's life. She shook her head in the affirmative but seemed unconvinced that things would change.
We live in a world that is suffering.... The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans:
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
The whole creation is groaning....only a child of God has hope.....
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