It was our Headmistress’ class.  She was a nonindulgent lady.  She was tagged the ‘Perfect Headmistress” by our teachers.  Her appearance and the way she conducted herself made us call her ‘Lady Hitler.’  Her form of punishments were fine, lashings, and lambasting in front of your peers, so you dare not commit the mistake or mischief again.  But, at heart I tell you she was a pure Gem.  She had tinges of the Principal, if any can recall, the movie ‘Matilda.’

Now coming back, to her classes, she was our language teacher.  From the description above, I guess one can imagine how her class would be.  There was sheer silence only in her session.

It was Diwali time and as students and young kids one can envisage the excitement that preceded the festivals.  Some friends were meek enough, but some were boastful of their crackers, and new clothes for the festival.

It was our headmistress’class.  She entered the class and there was utter silence.  After the attendance and other formalities, we headed to our classes.  We were interrupted by a teacher who had come searching for the principal and when she found her in our class, both of them started discussing on some matter seriously.  We had no clue about it.  As they were in deep discussion, it was our time to chit-chat and do all nonsense as we always do.  We were all talking, laughing, doing what-not, forgetting the fact that ‘LadyHitler’ was in our class.  From my childhood days i.e., KG days up to my higher secondary days, I used to occupy the first seat of the first row.  You may call it advantage or disadvantage sitting right in front cause you will be the first one to whom the question is shot.  Being the teacher’s pet and a rank student, all the teachers wanted me right in front in order to help them out.  So, sitting right in front, having put other distractions to rest, me and one of my best friends’ started discussing about crackers and other things.  I was taken aback when my friend had got one-of-a-kind cracker pistol to the classroom.   I was so excited to see that pistol (itz actually not a pistol, I have christened it to be a Pistol), I snaffled it out of her hands.  My friend also tried to grab it back, but I prevailed and fired it without thinking even for a second if there were rounds of crackers present in it.   The cracker burst out and there was pin-drop silence in the classroom.  Everyone was dumbfounded as to how can a cracker go up in the middle of a session.

Ms. Hitler came right at us.  It was time for interrogation, caning, and parent-teacher meet.  Ms. Hitler in her usual grumpy voice asked both of us to stand and explain the incident.  I just point-blankly blamed it on my friend.  I responded, “Ma’am I was viewing it, but then when she tried to snaffle it from my hands the cracker burst out.  I never fired it, I never did anything.”  The headmistress turned red, she never gave a chance for my friend to explain her point, right away she sent her out of the classroom.  I had a great escape as I blamed it on my friend.  To cut a long story short, after the incident we patched up.

I was thinking, in a split second, how was I able to blame it on my friend though it was not her mistake.  By the way, I was not saved back then…. but still how was it possible from my end to do such a thing?

I am reminded of the fact that Jesus too took all our blame upon himself.  He was called a sinner, a gluttonous man, an evil man, all he quietly accepted for our sake.  He never went to argue when he was labeled.  He took upon himself our suffering, our pain, our rejection, our curse and set us FREE forever.

Isaiah Says,

“He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.”

“He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”

What an Awesome God!!! It was unforgettable Diwali!!!

Shall we run to him?

Faith is believing that we have a good God, and that He protects and provides for those who trust in Him.  Remember the parable of the prodigal son? (Luke 15:11–32) Jesus shared it to illustrate how good our heavenly Father is.  The wayward son had squandered his father’s inheritance before he decided to go home to ask his father to make him a hired servant.

But before he could reach home, his father saw him from afar, ran toward him and embraced him. And instead of making him a hired servant, the father turned to his servants and said, “Bring out the best robe! Get a ring and sandals for my son! Let’s kill the fatted calf and celebrate!”

Now, when the older son returned from work and heard about the celebration, he became angry and refused to enter the house. When his father came out to ask him what was wrong, the older son complained, “Look, I’ve served you all these years. Yet, you never gave me a calf to celebrate with my friends. But as soon as this prodigal son of yours comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him!”

Notice what his father told him: “Son, you are always with me and all that I have is yours. We should celebrate because your brother was dead but is alive again. He was lost but is now found.”

Can you see how the older brother perceived his father? He saw his father as a hard and stingy man. He believed that he had to work to get something good from his father. He didn’t realize that he already had an inheritance! He could have killed the fatted calf any time for a celebration!

Everything on the earth belongs to us, his heirs.  We can enjoy the benefits when we are in him and he in us…

Like the father in the parable, God has already given you an inheritance in Christ. Don’t fail to enjoy it by doubting God’s goodness or by believing that you must work for it. See your Father’s heart of love and goodness toward you, and celebrate your inheritance today!

Let not our eyes be blindfolded and we miss an opportunity to enjoy what he has in store for us..

A friend of mine was asked to do a project, she put in her sweat and blood into the project and completed it before the stipulated time.  After viewing the reports, all she got was criticization.  She slipped into depression subsequently.

It is very hard to find a person who can appreciate another person for the work that they have rendered.  Very Difficult!!!.  There is only one person who can appreciate you for even the slightest effort you have put in building his kingdom, that is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The world we live in today is a shrewd world.  People are egoistic, want to pull you down and climb the ladder, selfish.  You will not be appreciated, but rather criticized and pulled down.  Have you felt let down lately?

Do Not Worry….”Shrug it off”.  Do not give your ears to all the negative comments or talks.   If you do so, it will make you a weaker person and bring you to an end.  Shrug it off and walk ahead, rather run focusing on your goals.  There is a whole new horizon waiting for you out there.  Don’t give a Damn to it.

Stay calm and pull yourself up.

Hebrew 12:1 says, “let us strip off every weight that slows us down.”

So, shrug it off and move on.

The Touch

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.”

The above sentence may sound clichéd, but then it has a lot of significance.  Time and again, it gives you a new outlook every time you look at it.

There were 2 Important things that led her to take the extreme step of FAITH.

1.  Counsel:  The woman out of the blue did not go out there to meet Jesus.  She had been to various physicians, sought numerous options etc all to no avail.  There could have been a couple of friends or near or dear ones who could have counseled her about Jesus.  There could have also been a few people who would have given her the best doctors name and even their home remedies.  But, the woman took the Counsel that led her recovery instantly.

In our day to day lives, we come across various situations and people from all walks of life ready with their counsel.  Some would edify us and some would make us all the more worse from the former.  It all depends on us, whom do we choose to listen?.  The woman chose the counsel that released her of suffering, that gave her breakthrough.

The word says,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand
in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”

2.  Step of Faith:  After listening to the counsel, the woman did not sit with “if’s, but’s, maybe’s.”  She took the extreme step of faith.  She went all-out to find Jesus and claim her healing.  The path that led her to Jesus was not easy.  She had to push her way in through the crowd.  Once she forced herself through it, healing came on, her blessing came on.

It so happens that when you take that extreme step, you would be jostled with various problems.  We need to cling onto our faith and move forward and receive our healing and blessing which is on its way and in abundance.

Are we today ready to take that extreme step to receive our Healing?

Take your step in Faith and I’m sure you will be blessed.