Tried-and-True

Have you been in the company of people whose lives reflect an intense faith in God. They do not display the usual want to be types of the world. If you spend time with them, you come to experience a deep devotion for God. Their deeds towards others, their speech in just the ordinary every day things of life reflect love and compassion for fellow men. As you continue your relationship, over the years you begin to know you can trust them. You are sure they will not fail you or desert you at a time of crisis. Their enthusiasm for life radiates from within them. They display a certain peace and joy in their live despite external circumstances. Their disposition brings a sense of longing within us to experience the same.
In the case of Ruth she continued to be meek and lowly until Boaz agreed to marry her. She remained loyal and obedient to her mother in law. As Boaz and Ruth bond in their new relationship of love, they always had the laws of God keeping within the boundaries of their walk of faith.

What a wonderful way to end the story of Naomi. The poor widow who lost her sons and called herself Mara (Bitter), finds through the birth of a son to Ruth , a child she can clutch to her heart and claim as her own. Is she not reborn as Naomi (Pleasant)? Is this not abundant living even in tough time? The women blessed Naomi saying, “And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.. (Ruth 4:15,16)”

The words of Isaiah come to my mind, “ When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: (Isaiah 43:2-5)”

Boaz

The Book of Ruth reminds us that it was a time of wars and rumors of wars, decay in moral values, idol worship, disorder, rebellion, chaos and confusion. Boaz sparks a fire into the lives of Naomi and Ruth after a gloomy life of famine, death and transition. It is here we get a peek into the lives of the remnant of Israel that continued to "walk the walk and talk the talk" of the faithful. The story of Ruth begins to take the charectestic of an oral tale that was treasured by the faithful because of Gods divine intervention and saving grace. The two poor widows see a window of opportunity through which Gods rays of hope come streaming through their spiritual darkness. Boaz was a wealthy and influential business man in Bethlehem. He shows himself to be a caring and understanding man who respects his workers. His workers show a loyalty and good judgment when they gave an opinion on Ruth and her background.

Boaz had a keen sense of business ethics and moral values. He allowed Ruth to glean off his fields. Later under the counsel of Naomi, Ruth approaches Boaz with a wedding proposal. The circumstances could have easily led to Boaz taking advantage of the situation. Boaz could have looked down on her as a poor widow. He could have seen Ruth as a burden for him. However Boaz sincerely went about trying to get things right from the start. He agreed to marry her if the legal issues regarding their marriage were sorted out. Ruth was truly blessed, as she was already getting her reward for her labor of love toward Naomi and her family. To those embroiled in the controversies of a inter-racial marriage, the union of Ruth with Boaz stands as a paragon of stories to support the same. Their chesed (faithful) lives reflect what is expected of them as children of God.

Is it not amazing that we see the godly lives that St. Paul told the Colossians to live, so well expressed in the lives of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, garments of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness (Colossians 3:12,14).

Ruth

When Naomi returns to Canaan, it was the time of the Barley harvest. So she sends Ruth to glean of the harvest of Boaz an influential and wealthy business man. It was a custom where the poor who did not have the means to support, would do to get food for themselves. Here Ruth showed that she was not only willing to be faithful and kind to Naomi but also was hardworking and caring by going out into the fields. She continued to be a loving daughter-in-law.

When Boaz sees Ruth, he immediately takes tremendous interest in her. I wonder if she was a very beautiful lady? What was it that drew Boaz to her? The foreman said that Ruth was the young lady who came back with Naomi. It must have dawned on Boaz that she was the faithful daughter-in-law. Did Boaz see in her a woman he could trust? The foreman said she had been working hard at the field. Did Boaz see an energetic, sincere and hardworking girl who would make any man a good wife?

Boaz immediately goes to Ruth and tells her to stay in his fields and that she would get all the food she wanted. She falls at his feet and thanks him for his kindness and says that she is not worthy to be one of his workers. Does the humility and grace of this poor widow tug hard at the heart of Boaz? Does he see her wisdom and understanding of the situation she is in? Boaz praises her by saying, “The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. (Ruth2:12)”

Ruth’s humility before Boaz makes him bless her even more. Ruth humbled herself before her mother-in-law by accepting her God, now it was God’s turn to bless and lift her out of her misery. The two poor widows cast all that they had into the mighty hands of God.

St Peter says. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.. 1Peter 5:6-7”

Mother-in-laws

Mother-in-laws are world wide painted in a bad light. Whether it is in China , India or America they are a source of much tension and unhappiness. Was it Voltaire who said “Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother in law!!.”

When one is burdened with a lot of problems and does not have any realistic support to lean on, then how does one stay encouraged? What can give us the strength to go on? Our mind is so fragile it can easily be swayed by even the small things in life. There are some who vent over small issues because they have no solution for there larger problems at hand.

The words of Ruth to Naomi continues to give strength to many who read them over and over again. "And Ruth said, In treat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goes, I will go; and where thou lodges, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou dies, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. (Ruth 1: 16-18)”

Do you see the grace of God, working through Ruth as she vows to stay by the side of Naomi until death parts them? Do you see the grace of God working through the support of an alien? Do you see the promise of God for a Messiah being fulfilled through one of the descendents of Ruth?

In their sense of hopelessness they find comfort in one another’s companionship. It is a beautiful story where in their complete loss, they continue to stand firm in their love for God and their intense desire to be in a loving and faithful relationship. As they return to the promised land, they return with the only hope that God will continue to be by their side as support and strength.

Widows Might

Have you been through a devastating experience in your life? Are there moments you feel that life is not worth living at all? Do you know someone who went through a similar experience? Have you ever wished death on yourself? You are not alone. Some of the greatest prophets have felt the same way for various reasons. Both these mighty prophets went through bouts of self pity and hatred for living itself. Yet in time they stood firm and were strengthened through God speaking to them words of comfort. Yet in the case of Naomi in the Book of Ruth, we don’t see any direct words of comfort. She seems to endure through her hardships. Persevere with no dreams or visions or revelations.

Jonah the reluctant prophet who went to spread the message of God, to the people of Nineveh, found that when God showed mercy to them when they repented, he was filled with remorse. He wanted to die. Was he more keen on their extermination than on their reformation? A very difficult prophet to understand. Another Prophet undoubtedly a major prophet was Elijah. God worked mightily through him in casting a period of draught for 3 ½ years following his prophesy for no rain. He could stand up against the whole kingdom of idol worshippers yet after causing fire to consume a water logged sacrificial mound he ran for his life and wished he were dead when the Queen issued a death warrant on him (1 Kings 19:4) .

Suppression of discouragement is a major problem. We need to express it to someone who is willing to understand and guide us wisely. The greatest source of comfort and strength is God. Through the Holy Spirit he comes to us with comfort and strength. He helps us to think through our crisis. Even Jesus on the night before He was crucified went through intense despair, and found comfort in prayer. He did did not hesitate to reveal his feelings to his disciples and ask for prayers.

Discouragement is the greatest tool that the Devil has that works on all men, rich or poor, old or young, man or woman. It is very subtle and we don’t realize it is working inside of us, until it rears its ugly head in the form of a major depression, hatred, anger…etc. We cannot really pin it down to any particular reason. It can come from following tremendous success or even after great loss.

Just like Naomi we need to have the confidence that God is there even in times of Crisis.
The greatest strength during these times is to find a good church that will help us through this crisis of hopelessness and helplessness. We need to realize the extent of the love of Christ for us and His concern to provide for all our needs. We need to reach out to those who will be able to provide us with the help we need. We need to always hope that God will provide for our needs. There may be times we fall, but through the help of the Holy Spirit we will find our way back again.

Jesus loves me this I know
For a preacher told me so
Even when I have no hope
Jesus loves me so

Jesus loves me this I know
For my teacher told me so
Even when I fall away
Jesus loves me so

Naomi

The story of Naomi in the Book of Ruth, happens when the Judges were ruling over Israel. There was a lot of unrest in the land. People had forgotten the living God and strayed away to worship idols. As the book describes, it was a time when they did whatever they felt like doing. 

 Naomi’s family left Canaan with the hope to find a better life in Moab. From one angle it was an act of abandonment of God and His people. They were driven by their need to find food and shelter because of a famine. They had heard that Moab was a rich nation. Moving away from Canaan shows a lack of faith in God’s promise to His people that was their land flowing with milk and honey. Their sons marriage to Moabite women shows a dilution of the faith of the family with other idol worshippers. 

Naomi suffered with sores in her heart and mind. She went through similar sufferings as Job went through. In the middle of her tragic life she allowed the emptiness to fester into a bitterness that was slowly destroying her. She said she left Canaan with her whole family. But when her husband and two sons died in Moab, she is bitter, empty and hopeless. Why has this catastrophe happened to her? 

Naomi’s turning point comes when she humbles herself before God and her two daughter-in-laws Ruth and Orpah. She begs them to leave her and return to their homes in Moab. But one of them, Ruth stays on with her and is a source of great strength for her through out her life. 

“But Ruth replied, 

“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. 

Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. 

Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭

Her return to Canaan was an act of returning home to her promised land and her people. In a way can it be viewed as the return of a prodigal daughter, relying on the grace of God and her people to provide for her needs? Here was Naomi so discouraged with life yet she comes to a point in her life where she decides to endure through and remains faithful to God. Would she have ever envisioned Ruth’s descendent would be King David and then even further down to our Savior of the world, Jesus?

 When we go through experiences that leaves us hopeless and helpless how do we react? Are we confident that God will work it out for us if we pray? Do we find peace with God? Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper (John 16:23), “In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." We realize that even when Christ was on earth He went through many trials but overcame them by the power of God the Father who was within Him. When confronted with the most difficult of circumstances I find confidence through reading the Word and the love of God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. I find strength in the Holy Spirit who helps me to pray and find fellowship with other believers. 

Jesus loves me this I know 

For the Bible tells me so 

Where ever I may go 

Jesus loves me so 

 Jesus loves me this I know 

For the Christians tell me so 

Even when I am poor and low 

Jesus loves me so

Homeless

Today I was listening to Phil Collins’ song “Another day in paradise.” It is an eye opener for how many times I have ignored a needy person on the street. (In a country like India, we have so many beggars roaming the streets, we really don’t know who is a genuine or not.) It is a song about a poor lady who has been crying with blisters on her feet and can barely walk. She looks like a person who has been moved from place to place because she doesn’t fit anywhere. She cries out to the man walking on the street. She says, “Sir, can you help me? It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep.” The song goes on to say that he ignores her cry and walks on. He even pretends to be deaf. He starts to whistle and crosses the street; it almost seems like he was embarrassed to have been there. Phil Collins says in his refrain, “for you and me it’s another day in paradise!”

It is amazing how callous and indifferent I sometimes become to the needs of the poor. I find myself looking at a magazine with the most heartrending pictures of poverty and starvation and just turn the page as if I have a mind block!! There are times when I look at it and then sigh with sympathy and say a prayer for God’s continued support and strength. What have I done after the sighs and prayers?? Today the media reports about even controversies on how money are used by some NGO’s to support the fancy lifestyles of their owners. How do we hold them accountable? We need to pray for the continued work and ministry of all God’s people. When we are unable to help the greatest service we can do is to become a powerhouse of prayer for those who are out there in the mission field who are the hands and feet of the Body of Christ today. They are the ones who are out there are under great stress and even take their lives at risk.

The other day my cousin sent me a picture of an African child and a vulture. The shocking picture depicted the vulture waiting for the starving child to die. This picture supposedly won a Pulitzers award, for depicting the 1994 Sudan Famine. The photographer Kevin Carter, who took the picture was so depressed he committed suicide 3 months later. In real life aren’t some of us like vultures, waiting for the fall of some innocent person so that we can glean off or laugh at or mock at their broken life? When was the last time I spoke to a homeless person? Is there somebody out there I can reach who cries their heart out and feels that no one is listening? It is when we come to God in prayer that the Holy Spirit guides us to do God’s will. 2Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the Lord roam through out the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are loyal to Him.” The Lord strengthens us when we pray to Him. We rest assured in the confidence that God is working and will lead us to those who are in need of our assistance.

We lead such happy and comfortable lives without realizing how fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads. To be able to read this posting, we have to have access to the internet and other luxuries. We should thank God for His blessings – God has been so good to us. When we are discouraged we find our confidence in Jesus Christ. As for me, I look to the LORD for his help. "Therefore I will look confidently to the LORD; I will wait for God to save me: my God will hear me( Micah 7:7)." We begin to pray for God to save and protect all who are in need. It is through prayer, praise and thanksgiving that we find comfort in the knowledge that God will hear and provide us with all our needs.

Miracles

I came across the other day a blog where a missionary in Africa was trying to understand when one can say that God has brought about a miracle.

From my understanding of the word, If there is complete disappearance of all the symptoms of the disease; then what would have otherwise resulted in certain death or prolonged illness could be termed as a miracle. However if the symptoms persist one will have to continue to do all that is within ones resources to care for the patient and leave that which cannot be provided for in God’s hands to care for. We can humbly be comforted by the words of encouragement that came to St.Paul from our awesome Lord and Savior, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)”

“Physician heal thyself!” Is it really possible to heal ourselves? Only one thing I am certain of, is the new life of a physical, mental, and spiritual reawakening that has come to me in the presence of God, and so shall it be whether in life or in death. Through the eyes of faith we see divine healing and through the eyes of a wise physician we see the patient's medical condition; it is in the intertwining of the two, we find faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Does that mean we are being of double mind? Certainly not! We come to God with all our fears of our limited understanding , to be submerged with that of God’s mind, so that in the end we may be of a single mind that hopes for God’s will to prevail. Jesus’s concluding prayer before the crucifixion to God was, “Not my will but thine be done.”

We need to believe that He is a miracle working God. By being humble and meek we do not try to supersede God’s will. With the help of the Holy Spirit we plead for their lives with prayers and petitions that helps to ease the pressure of our worries and clear our minds of our anxieties of the situation. We need to believe that if it is God’s will, He can do the impossible. We should never forget that Jesus loves them more than we do.

I remember after a major operation, my cousin brother went into a four organ failure. We all wanted him to live. We believed that God could heal him. We all prayed for strength and courage, especially for his wife and two school going daughters. The physicians had reduced his survival to lower than 5%. But we continued to pray that God will give my cousin the will to endure and come out of this crisis. He lived and it slowly dawned on us that what we see through the eyes of a physician is reality, but what we see through the eyes of faith is God’s omnipotent power to heal. Jesus said to his disciples and the crowd that had gathered with the boy who needed healing, "Canst thou believe, all things are possible to him that believeth? And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."( Mark 9:23-24).”

In times of doubt let us make this our prayer, “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief.”

Broken Spirit

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalm 51:17) 

 Today there are millions of people who have no healthcare and are living in abject poverty. They don’t know where their next meal will come from. They are abused and live in lands torn by famine, war, disease, disasters, and debt. More than 100 million children go without primary education and are still subject to child labor. Let us pray that world organizations such as UN, UNICEF, World Vision, World Relief, Tear Fund, and others may carry out their mission for the downtrodden. Let us pray for the downtrodden that they might find the right people, resources, and above all meet Christ who makes us whole. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

1. Forgive us when we forget your people 

Wander in wicked ways 

Lord teach us to be charitable 

Pray for the downtrodden every day 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 2.Those with minds double 

And the proud you cast away 

You give grace to the humble 

So your scriptures say 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 3.There are many who tremble 

When they encounter disease, disaster and debt on their way 

Make them strong and gentle 

As their hearts yearn for you always 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 4. Our passions and pleasures make us stumble 

Malice, envy, and hatred draw us away 

Renew us to be faithful and peaceful 

Fill our hearts with compassion we pray 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 5. Laws make us quarrel 

Foolish controversies hold us in sway 

Devote our hearts to the poor and feeble 

Renew us with your Holy Spirit each day 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 6. Lord have mercy on us as we struggle 

It is our broken spirit we display 

We come to you like cripples 

Make us whole we pray 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today

Sometimes of Spiritual Darkness

(Inspired by the works of St. John of the Cross) 

 1.     Sometimes in our spiritual walk 

         Our thoughts are filled with remorse 

         Lose all pleasure 

         In all those things we treasure 

         Beloved on simple things dote 

         Our hearts fill with divine hope 

 2.     Sometimes in our walk 

         Burdened with guilt of impure heart 

         Fear of evil temptations 

         We begin our spiritual oscillations 

         Make us pure from all that’s wicked 

         White as snow and uncorrupted 

 3.      Sometimes in our walk 

         Overcome with spiritual wrath 

         Like a little child 

         Whose toy has been denied 

         Instill in us spiritual tolerance 

         Grant us divine patience 

 4.     Sometimes in our spiritual walk 

         We forget what we have been taught 

        Look down with spiritual pride 

         On all those people we deride 

         To be gentle and humble 

         Faithful to God and all His people 

 5.      Sometimes in our walk 

         Lost in written works 

        Loss of all feelings 

         In all of our dealings 

         Not on written works and bitter discord 

         Our minds enlighten with understanding dear Lord 

 6.     Sometimes in our walk 

         We ignore all our faults 

        Indulge in spiritual gluttony 

         Prayers, penance and acts of chastity 

         Your strong words employ 

         Fill our hearts with peace and joy 

 7.     Sometimes in our walk 

         We are overcome with spiritual sloth 

        Feed off others praise 

         Our egos on a pedestal raise 

         Wash our hearts so full of dross 

         Our spiritual eye see sacrificial love on the cross 

 8.     Sometimes in our spiritual walk 

         The path is pitch dark 

        Away from the path we wander 

         We cry out loud “Heavenly Father” 

         On His chest are we comforted 

         As He leads us home our loving Shepherd

Breaking the Cycle

I remember as a child walking home after playing on the floodlit basketball court all evening. There were times when the sun had set and I had to find my way back through the darkness. The path back home was narrow and had thorn bushes on the sides. The times I found easy to pass through that path was when the moon was shinning brightly in the sky. On a moonless night I usually would be poked by one or two thorn bushes even though I knew every bush on my path back home. So it is in our lives, if we walk through our paths when everything is sunny and bright we will encounter no problems. On a moonlit night we can feed off the light from another and find our way home. But are we ready for the periods when it is pitch dark and there is no guiding light? 

 Jesus says in Mathew 12:43-45 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” This is what Jesus said would happen to people or a generation who tried to only clean up house for a particular phase in their lives. The same evil spirit that dwelt in them would come back with more evil spirits so that they would end up in a worse state than they were before. 

 God assures us that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. As God is light, if we live in God’s presence, our lives will be filled with light. St. John the apostle says in 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

 Just removing bad company and our idols are not enough; they have to be replaced by the Spirit of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that will break this cycle in our lives. The Holy Spirit will help us to control our lives, instill in us love for God and help us find His purpose for our lives. St. Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23,25, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law….If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” The fruits of the spirit will fill our lives with light and there will be no room for darkness. 

 We need to look to Jesus who is our guiding light. It is He who will lead us to our heavenly home. He has set the path before us and the map has been clearly drawn. We need look to the Word of God daily for directions through reading, reflection, and prayer. It is here that we will encounter the Holy Spirit, the helper who will speak to us and strengthen us for the day. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).

Cycle of Spiritual Darkness

During the period of the Judges the people went through cycles in their spiritual lives. The Israelites would stay faithful to God during the period that they had a strong leader. Once the leader died they would fall away. They would rebel and disobey the laws of God. The angel of God rebuked the children of Israel saying that since they did not completely capture Canaan, the people living in their land would be like thorns in their sides and their gods would be a constant temptation for them (Judges 2:3). The same enemies they were supposed to have driven out when they conquered Canaan, became like disciplinarians for them. When they rebelled, since they had abandoned God, they would be defeated in battles and oppressed by their enemies.

The children of Israel would go through periods of prolonged darkness. When they began to suffer, they would repent of their sins. When they repented, the ever gracious and compassionate God would send them a deliverer or a raise a leader from amongst them who would free them from their oppression. During the time of the Crisis Leader they would continue to obey God and follow in the ways that were set for them. After a while they would again rebel and fall away. This cycle continued for many centuries even during the times of the Kings (Judges 3:16-19).

1. Obedience
2. Disobedience
3. Oppression and Suffering
4. Repentance
5. Deliverance

The Israelites went through phases of darkness when they completely blocked God out of their lives, when they wandered away worshipping other Gods and living lives that were not pleasing to God. Just like the Israelites do we as Christians continue to go through these cycles in our lives? Isn’t this cycle true in churches today? When a strong pastor leaves and is replaced by another, sometimes the congregation starts to back slide or starts looking elsewhere for fellowship. We as people are so dependent on the able leadership and guidance of our pastors or spiritual guides. Have you experienced temptations from old friends and places when you wander away? Why do we disobey God’s laws and end up in a state of enslavement to our sins? When do we realize the need to free us from this enslavement? How do we find deliverance? How do we free ourselves from going through this cycle all our lives?

The challenge for us as Christians is to strengthen our faith so that we can be a support to our pastors who are there to shepherd us. When there is a void in leadership it becomes incumbent on this support structure to be so strong that people continue to be nourished during the transition.

False Teachings

The book of Judges records how the people fell away from obedience to God. Once they had settled into the good life of Canaan they quickly forgot all that God had done for them. They forgot how God had delivered them from Egypt. They forgot how they had been protected and well provided for in the wilderness. They forgot how, with the help of Joshua, they had conquered Canaan. They started to lead lives of rebellion against the living God.

With the release of the book Da Vinci Code and its phenomenal sales in over 150 countries has kept people absorbed by the holy fiction and suspense of the story line. It reduced the Christian faith to a mystic cult with a secret society and where Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and had a child. It has put the Catholic Church in a bad light. As if the Catholic Church did not have its own skeletons to contend with already, with all the abuse scandals sweeping the nation, here was another to shake the faith of the people. The book even questions whether Jesus was God. Through carefully woven fiction it tries to prove with fictitious dates and incidents that the gospel message was a fabrication of the early church fathers. For one ignorant of Christ and His gospel message this is a message cloaked in sheepskins, but inside is a very vicious wolf that is tearing the truth to shreds.

When we compare these claims and what actually happened, our strong faith can so easily brush it away as bamboozlement. In 2 Peter 1:16 St Peter says “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” This verse clearly indicates that even as early as the beginnings of the church they were under constant attack about their faith. We become disillusioned if we see our faith portrayed in a bad light as seen through the eyes of an author like Dan Brown of Da Vinci Code. Jesus said in Matthew 6:23, “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” Christ clearly said to beware of looking at faith through the eyes of an evil eye - an evil eye will plunge you into darkness.

Today the church is faced with all kinds of teaching. People are confused about what is the right thing to do. Preachers want to live alternate sexual lifestyles that are in defiance to teachings and the laws laid out clearly in the Bible. Yet they claim to be the ones being persecuted and draw lines of comparison to oppression of slaves and women. We have more than enough quotes in the Bible to infer that oppression of women and slaves is wrong. Do we see anything in the Bible that supports alternate lifestyles? Today some churches seem to be losing this battle. St. Peter in 2 Peter 2 clearly warns us of people who, ensnared by their own evil lusts and desires, wander away and draw those who are weak down along with them. They will try to twist the words of the Bible to mean something else. This will result in disaster for them and all who follow them.

When Christ died on the cross for our sins, his disciples ran away and lived in fear for their lives. But suddenly when they met the risen Lord, they left their homes and went out as witnesses all over the world. They were all martyred except for one, and throughout their lives were persecuted for their faith.

St Peter says 2 Peter 1:12 “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” It is very important for us as believers to constantly remind ourselves of what Christ did for us and encourage one another to grow in our understanding of the Word of God. We have to remember who we are. We have to remember the saving grace and mercy that was given to us as a gift. We have to remember to serve the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. St. Peter (2Peter 2:5-7) exhorts us to live with a character that emulates faith, righteousness, knowledge of God, self control, patience, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. It is when we work toward living a pure and blameless life that we are at peace with God.

False Gods and Goddesses

The children of Israel started to serve the goddess Asherah and the god Baal and worshipped them along with their neighbors. These ceremonies often had sacred prostitution and from time to time child sacrifice. They even started to marry outside the Nation of Israel and this further diluted their faithfulness to God. Slowly but surely they began to wander away and loose faith in God. This desire to worship idols continued even during the period of 'Kings' until they went into captivity in Babylon. By the time they returned from exile they had been more or less weaned from Baal and Asherah. 

Today, do we have idols of our own that we worship? Are there any visible objects that we hold closer to us than we do God? Is there someone or something we adore excessively? How do we ensure that we stay away from worship of the powerful people who are idolized for their achievement and success today? We need to be careful that nothing, no idol, draws us away from our worship and service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 When St. Paul was in Ephesus, he confronted the businessmen who made idols for the Greek goddess Artemis. This goddess worship started in 1000 BC and was a mixture of Roman, Anatolian, and Greek values. The businessmen started a riot in the city when they found that the sales of idols were dropping. Was not the courage of St. Paul amazing? He displayed No Fear? Do we have the courage to defy the system when we see that it is heading in the wrong direction? Many people’s feelings were affected by St. Paul’s stance on the gospel message and the true and only God. Even today for some religion is run like a regular business. The priests that serve in the temples and churches to raise funds step down and compromise on their principles. 

 Corruption is often rampant in some churches where the leaders’ lifestyles are like those of the rich and famous. They lead lives that are contrary to the life that Christ led and advocated to his disciples. God today is portrayed as a God of prosperity and wealth. A God who is worshipped to heap gold in their coffers. A God who will bless them with more talents to make more wealth. Christ said emphatically in Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

 Are you so proud of your own achievements and unwilling to give God credit? Where does one draw the line and say 'this is enough for me'? When does one look at his hurting neighbor and say 'let me give you a part of my life to make yours a better one'? When does one say 'it is time I spent more time to know and understand the ways of God'? Do we hear the gospel message being praised? Or do we hear that God will save all? Has the grace of God been a means for many to continue their libertine lifestyles? Do you hear the voice of Christ calling you to come and serve him? 

 Christ talks about Spiritual Vision when he says in Matthew 6:22, The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. Christ really lays out a question here – when we look at our goals are they focused on God and what He wants us to do or on what we want and what the world has as reward? Christ said that He is the Light of the World and that we should be focused on Him to guide and lead us. If we are focused on Him, the single eye (single mind) will allow the light of the world (Jesus) to flood into our hearts & minds. 

Canaan after Joshua

The last verse in Judges sums up the entire book in a nutshell, on what went on during the period after the death of Joshua. Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. This is a chilling verse in the Bible when people do whatever is right in their eyes. The lack of a strong leader who the Israelites could rely on, caused the loss in the vision, mission and values of the nation. Christ is the head of our community, family and finally us. Unless we obey Him and His commandments, we start to drift, or may even start our race of evil. We are all made in the image of God. We should be led by the Holy Spirit to be known by God and to know and understand His ways. Unless we acknowledge Him as our head we will loose our spiritual direction.

Moses and Joshua were both leaders who were filled with the Spirit of God. When they were alive they had a vision of striving to be a people committed to God. Their Divine Vision came through prayer and staying in touch with God. They could lead the children of Israel through the right paths, with the help of the Holy Spirit. While they were faithful to God, He blessed them, worked miracles, and kept them under his wings. But after their time the children of Israel lost this vision for a couple of centuries. Joshua was a military genius but after taking over Canaan he did not anoint anyone to be a competent leader after his time. This lead to a rapid decline in the Israelites' spiritual lives that was later reflected in their daily lives as well. Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

While the children of Israel were with Joshua the whole nation had one common mission which was to conquer Canaan. However when they abandoned this mission, they lost the opportunity to take over Canaan completely. Once they got to Canaan, the children of Israel were so excited to finally find a whole country they could occupy they were overwhelmed. They had been deprived for so long in the wilderness, but now they found they could enjoy all the pleasures of life. Their loyalty to God and nation were divided with their own selfish goals and ambitions, and the neighboring cultures, religions, values, and traditions.

It is natural human tendency to get involved with whatever fascinates us so that we neglect God. We find that as we build up momentum with work, personal goals, and daily activities, we have no time for God. For some, after a while the virtuous life becomes a grind. St. Paul says that trying to up-hold the law only leads to death. It is very important that people grasp the Spirit of the law. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. We as Christians should pray for the Holy Spirit to inspire us to understand and to do God’s Will just as the Spirit inspired our Spiritual fathers. We as children of God should have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit who will help us in our daily lives.

Gregory of Nyssa was one of the spiritual giants of the church who lived in the fourth century. He advocated in his book “The Life of Moses”, that the word of God rather than be used for historical reflection, should be used for growth in a virtuous spiritual life. He used the lives of the people in the Bible to foster spiritual growth. He was convinced by the teachings of Paul that we are in a divine race, competing along the course of virtue, straining toward the prize of the heavenly calling. He believed in seeking the divine guidance of God, through the confines of the laws laid down in the Bible. He urged us to increase our speed in our spiritual race. He said that if we stop the race of virtue we begin the race of evil. St. Paul said we must forget what lies behind, press on to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13). Let us leave our evil past behind, and hold on to our gifts and employ them to press on to our calling to live a virtuous life.

Christ stressed on the importance of love for God and fellowbeings. It is necessary for our spiritual journeys to be focused on Christ’s teachings. When we start to love ourselves and our own selfish goals we become, separated from God and our fellow Christians. It is our calling to be known by God and to work toward emulating His image in our lives. When the children of Israel lost their love for God and his laws, the whole dynamic of their relationship with Him began to fall away. Moses' song to the children of Israel echoes in the Book of Proverbs "My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.." Proverbs 7: 1,2

Amazing Grace

Rahab a prostitute in Jericho had heard of the many miracles that God did for the children of Israel. So had all the people of the city of Jericho. Their hearts were melting with fear. Her inn was built right into the impregnable wall of the city.She provided a place to stay and certain special favors to those who lodged with her. It was the grace of God that led the Israelites to Rahab and protected them from the wrath of the King of Jericho. Rahab had taken a considerable risk by protecting the Israelite spies. She had faith in the God of the children of Israel and expressed it by hiding them in her inn. God gave her the faith to live through that pressure. There is much to be understood in the faith of Rahab.

Rahab displayed courage to house the enemies of her nation in her home. She may have got killed for her crime if she had been found out. A prostitute that ran a brothel or an inn for travelers, a totally weak and unlikely person was the one that God used to protect the Israelites. It goes to prove that God can use anybody He wills to accomplish His plans. Isn’t this a sign of great hope to the whole world? God will use anyone who is willing to trust in Him.

The Israelites led a procession around the city of Jericho hoping to bring the walls down and attack. Interesting enough the house of Rahab was on the walls of Jericho and she was unharmed. When the walls came down was it only Rahab’s wall that did not come down? The same scarlet rope that was used to let the spies escape was hung from her window to protect her from the wrath of God and the Israelites. Does the scarlet rope over her window remind us of the sacrificial blood over the doorpost of the children of Israel in Egypt? Does the blood on the door post remind us of Christ’s sacrificial blood shed for us?

Rahab displayed great faith in the living God (Hebrews 11:31). James also commends her along with Abraham as one who believed in the living God with a life that reflected it in deeds of faith (James 2:25). She had a faith that expressed “No Fear.” Thus we see that "belief and deeds" are two different sides of the same coin of faith. They have to be together for us to know, experience, or understand God. Further it was the grace of God that spared the life of Rahab and her relatives. Out of the ruins of the wall of Jericho emerged the House of Rahab unharmed. She was not one of the Israelites but was grafted in. Was this not an experience of rebirth for Rahab? To be born again into the household of God. Here was Rahab a reject in Jericho, being given the royal treatment by the children of Israel and the living God. Do you see many centuries’ later history repeats, where one of her own descendents is rejected by the world? From Rahab’s line will be born the Savior of the world. Isn’t this a sure sign of the grace of God at work?

She is later named in the “Who begat who” in the Bible. She is one of the few women mentioned in the genealogy of Christ. Have you wondered why they felt it important that her name was listed? Was it to clear any doubts that might question the genealogy of Christ? She becomes the mother of Boaz, who, with Ruth another alien, links King David. Who would have imagined a reformed prostitute to be the great grandmother of King David? Who would have imagined that a woman of her reputation would ever go through such a transformation? Do you think the children of Israel would have accepted her and treated her like royalty if she had not changed her ways? Do you know how they treat women with such tendencies? How would you treat a prostitute who comes to church and wants to know more about Christ? Would you be repulsed or compassionate? Do you see members in church today who lead and advocate libertine lives?

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, so goes one of the classic hymns of the last three centuries. John Newton a godless slave trader, when he was lost in a storm and feared for his life, he cried out, “Lord have mercy upon us.” This cry had a major impact on him. Later on reflection, he wrote this hymn. He began to treat his slaves more humanly after his conversion. The day of his rebirth when he converted from an infidel and libertine to a servant of the living God was always remembered by him. He said that was the day he humbled himself and submitted his life into the hands of his lord and savior Jesus Christ. Later he became a pastor of a congregation and wrote more than 200 hymns. When I was confirmed at “The Kirk” which was built 200 years ago to serve the Scottish Community in Chennai, my parents wrote these words in my Bible that was presented to me at the ceremony, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).”