SOJOURNER

It's Friday night.   You are getting ready to face the busy weekend. You checked the calendar twice to make sure you are well prepared to receive the visitors this weekend.   All set and you go to bed at peace.   The alarm goes off in the morning, and you are up.   You plan for a quick shower and then hit the road to receive your guests at the airport.   But... But you find no water in the bath.   Pause... Your mind races back ... Oh no... It’s just a leaky cistern which you ignored the previous night, and all the water stored for the next two days are drained!   The drippy cistern was no big deal... But it had drained out all water.  That is exactly what the Lord says in Jeremiah 2:13, My people have committed two sins. They have forsaken me, the spring of living water and have dug their own cistern, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.   When God, Almighty is talking about living water, which never runs dry - our human int...

Mr. Robert was a wealthy business man from the region of Norwich. He received the call of God to serve in India. He wrestled with his call and decided to strike a deal with God. He wanted to save wealth before he left to India.  He invested his money and waited for God's favour. First World War took him away from his family and when he returned, he found that his friends had swindled his wealth. Robert was bitter against God. He decided not to go to India and settled in Canada. After his death his wife raised his 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys, in God-fearing way.  The boys went their own direction, earning and living their own way. One day on their way to the club, music from a church pulled the boys there.  They stayed there for a while and continued their journey to the club. Youngest of the boys, said, "I can't go.  I have to go back to that church and see what that is all about" .  Brothers did not want anything to do with religion. But Alfred re...

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace... (Esther 5:1) Proverbs 3:27 says “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act”. Esther grew up as an orphan in an alien land. She was raised by a God-fearing Jew Mordecai.  She very well knew that it is an abomination to God to be married to a heathen, no matter what is his status in the community. She was forced into her situation. Esther may not have enjoyed her position. But accepted that she has to act on the crisis. Esther chapter 4 narrates the communication that happened between Esther and Mordecai. Mordecai did not have any difficulty to accept her position as the leader of his people to plead for their lives. He urges her to respond rightly. Now Esther asks Mordecai to gather his people to fast and pray. She, with her helpers fast for three days. Mordecai and Esther were fully aware that their dependence is only...

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth , and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. (Gen. 1:29) Genesis records the history of creation - how the world came into being.  When God created the vegetation, He created them for our health and sustenance – of course with seeds. Genesis 1:11 and 12 say how the earth sprout forth vegetations, plants and fruit bearing trees with seeds. And God saw that they were good. A seed is the life of any plant in dormant condition, which is capable of developing into another such plant. But today market is flooded with seedless fruits and fleshy vegetables. Man changed the genetics of the fruits so that they become sweeter and tastier. This verse makes us wonder, is there a difference that a tiny seed can make to a fruit? Research tells that seeds have more nutritional value than the fruit itself and they are the cure for many illnesses. But, i...

Joe, sitting under the kitchen counter... along with the water cans! Joe turns 7 today.  I praise God for His faithfulness.  When I carried this precious little miracle in my womb, God said, "I will remove all those you love... But I will be with you". So we named her Hephzibah.  I was a 'people-person' all through my life. I need people around m e to keep me happy. Caste, creed, race, language did not bother me. I am comfortable with any one and any culture. But... I need people. When God said this, I did not understand the magnitude of His statement. Yet I submitted myself for the task. He removed one by one from my life... He weaned me from relationships I cherished....  Through this HE remained faithful! Few years back Joe asked me worried, "Mummy, why there are no photos of my childhood? You have plenty for akka (meaning big sister in Tamil)".  I know why. While Imman enjoyed posing for the photos, Joe was keen on finding what i...

UA Glimpse Into Heaven. I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven's door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its décor. But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me sputter and gasp -- The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbor Who never said anything nice. Bob, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well. I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?' I would love to hear Your take. 'How'd all these sinners get up here?' God must've made a mistake. ''And why is everyone so quiet, 'So somber -- give me a clue.'' Hush, child,' He said, 'They're all in shock!' No one thought they'd see you.' JUDGE NOT! Remember... Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standi...

Anger! How many of you would say, anger is good for you? Many studies say that anger is not good for your health. How many of you would raise your kid saying, anger is good for you?  I was raised up to be a tamed monkey - Never angry and never cross. I was an angel with my friends and neighbours. But the case was always the opposite at home. I argued with my parents. I fought with my sister. Then I got married and had two kids - that means I have three outlets to vent out that builds within.  I tried to change myself so that others can have peace. Every little thing bothered me. After the wedding I joined the same organization, where my husband was working - a residential school. I met a man, who had two extremes in his nature.  There was no matching for his temper or for his love and care. People enjoyed his care, but trembled at his anger. I admired him a lot, as I continued my inner struggle with my anger.  He was my boss and the Founder of the S...