A Strong Mind

A Strong Mind.

Be strong (heb: chazaq) in mind and depend upon God, while making decisions in times of trouble.

2Chronicles 16:9 reads, "For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him."

King Asa of Judah depended upon God in when he was facing a massive army from Ethiopia (Cush). Asa depended upon God and defeated the enemy and was victorious. But at an other instance when King Baasha of Israel was invading Judah, this troubling time, Asa instead of looking towards God, Asa sought help from King Benhadad of Syria. Prophets like Azariah and Hanani encouraged Asa to depend upon God in a troubled times. Asa sometimes listened and was rewarded within his walls with peace and rest, and when stopped worshipping the Lord he faced trouble. Though he defeated a massive army once, he sought help from an idlatrous king Benhadad, named after the the son of god of storms and thunder. 

Asa meant healer, rather than being a healer for his people and his land depending upon the Lord, he looked towards idlatrous king rather than making the Lord supreme over him. Sometime we too look unto the idlatrous rulers for our benefit rather than depending upon the Lord for help. Being a small army, Asa defeated a massive army, though we in this world are a small faithful people of the Lord, we too can defeat this massive hostile vigilantes. The only thing we require is the help of the Living Lord and an untroubled heart of strong faith in a gruesome world. 

C.S.Lewis in his 1948 essay, “On Living in an Atomic Age,” his words follow, seemingly applicable today as they were 70-plus years ago.

How are we to live in an atomic age?

I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.

If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs.

They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."

Let's not be troubled in this world as like ill knowledge people, but be strong in mind and decisions to face a troublesome world. Let's be aware that the Lord is searching for his faithful.

Philosophy and Holy Bible: Cultivation of Healthy Humanity.

Philosophy and Holy Bible:

I was going through a book edited by Rebecca Samuel and Joel Carpenter, "Christianity in India: Conversion, Community Development, and Religious Freedom". While reading I came across a quote by a famous American philosopher Martha Nussbaum. The reading goes on like this...

"Three capacities essential for the cultivation of 'healthy humanity' in today's world.

First is an ability to critically examine oneself and one's traditions.

The second is the capacity to transcend narrow group loyalties and to extend to strangers the moral concern we typically reserve for friends and kin.

Finally, we need to develop a 'narrative imagination' that makes parabolic, plot-line connections out of sequences of human actions and their consequences".*

To my curiosity, I found that all the three essential requirements what the philosopher was demanding for a "healthy humanity" were fulfilled in the life and works of Jesus Christ.

Firstly, Jesus certainly did question the tradition which outdo and eclipse humanity on many occasions, for example, humanity over Sabbath rest, in Matthew 12:9-14, and in other occasion, questioning the credibility of a holy life who came to stone the woman caught in adultery, in John 8:3-9. Clearly, Jesus is pointing the jewish law to retrospect and introspect before passing a judgement. The lucid expression of Jesus words are a critical examination of His own traditions.

Secondly, Jesus healing people around and explaining about the Kingdom of God before the crowds, goes on to say as in Matthew 12:46-50, verse 50 reads, "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (NIV). He doesn't want to limit His salvific redemption to His disciples, near and dear only, but to extend it to the whole world, verse 28 of Matthew 20: 26-28 reads, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (NIV). Clearly Jesus' words and works transcended narrow group loyalties here.

And finally, the plot-line, the disobedience of Adam and Eve and the consequence of their sin to eternal death was challenged by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. Apostle Paul summarises this sequence in his letter to Romans 5:15, 16 "But the two are not the same, because God's free gift is not like Adam's sin. It is true that many people died because of the sin of that one man. But God's grace is much greater, and so is his free gift to so many people through the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. And there is a difference between God's gift and the sin of one man" (GNB). Paul continues in his letter, 1Corinthians 15:45, "it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living soul (an individual); the last Adam (Christ) became a Life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]" (Amplified Ver). Here too, not in the narrative imagination sense of the action and consequence, but in a historical approach the salvific work of Jesus Christ in the sequence of the sin in action and the consequence is the "victory over sin". The aim and target are successful, the trajectory is perfect and on spot.

Therefore, the teachings, His life and the works of Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible are a complete guidance, for the brotherhood, peace, love and fraternity of a "healthy humanity" of the whole world.

*Martha Nussbaum, Cultivating Humanity: A Classical Defence of Reform in Liberal Education (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1997), 9-11. See also Inga Clendinnen, True Stories (Sydney: ABC Books, 1999), 6.

God's Providence: In Times of Epidemic.

How did early Indian Christian converts react to their existing conditions (as in similar conditions like our days) -

"...the existing Christian communities are seen to be prosperous beyond the average; ..they are known also to be remarkably immune from disease: if attacked by epidemics, large numbers of them recover. The ultimate cause of this latter remarkable fact is, of course, God's grace; but the immediate cause is that men who have awakened to hope no longer submit to avoid calamity, they take the missionary's medicine, and, better still, they make a fight for their lives".*

This is the great promise we have from the Lord Himself, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, .." (Exodus 12:13).

"The Lamb slaughtered" (Jesus)(v7), "His death" (on the Cross)(v9), "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4,5)

We have hope, because His blood is our sign, and we have hope to endure to live, and surely we will win over this pandemic. The Lord our Savior never changes (Hebrews 13:8), and we can surely trust and believe on.

*H.B.Hyde, South Indian Missions - The Present Opportunity, 1908.

The Church - it's Philanthropy

63. DISCUSSION WITH C.F. ANDREWS

[On or after November 9, 1936]

GANDHIJI: Their (Christian missionaries) behaviour has been as bad as that of the rest who are in the field to add to their numbers. What pains one is their frantic attempt to exploit the weakness of Harijans. If they said, ‘Hinduism is a diabolical religion and you come to us,’ I should understand. But they dangle earthly paradises in front of them and make promises to them which they can never keep. When in Bangalore a deputation of Indian Christians came to me with a number of resolutions which they thought would please me, I said to them: ‘This is no matter for bargain. You must say definitely that this is a matter to be settled by the Hindus themselves. Where is the sense of talking of a sudden awakening of spiritual hunger among the untouchables and then trying to exploit a particular situation? The poor Harijans have no mind, no intelligence, no sense of difference between God and no-God. It is absurd for a single individual to talk of taking all the Harijans with himself. Are they all bricks that they could be moved from one structure to another? If Christian Missions here want to play the game, and for that matter Mussalmans and others, they should have no such idea as that of adding to their ranks whilst a great reform in Hinduism is going on’.*

Reform! Why do you need a reform when you are so true towards the untouchables?

The mission of the Church is not just to evangelize and nurture, but to be a part of social cause too.

One missionary remarked, "It ought to be frankly recognized that it may be towards the Motherhood of the Church rather than towards the Fatherhood of the Savior from sin that the faces of the pariahs and aboriginal races of India are being slowly turned. They may be seeking baptism, for the most part not from a desire to have their lives and consciences cleansed from sin and to enter the eternal life of God, but because the Church presents itself to them as a refuge from operession, and as a power that fosters hope and makes for betterment."*

The Holy Bible reads,

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

(Matthew 25:35-40, NIV).

*Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume 70, page 58.

*H.B.Hyde, South India Missions - The present opportunity, The east and the west, VI (January 1908), 78.

The Crucified Cross - our only memorial.

The Crucified Cross - our only memorial.

The "U Go offensive, or Operation C", the Japanese offensive launched in March 1944 against forces of the British Empire in the northeast Indian regions of Manipur and the Naga Hills, through the two towns of Imphal and Kohima, one of the last major Japanese offensives during the Second World War. The Japanese and their allies were first held and then pushed back.

The war memorial in Kohima, capital of Nagaland, reads:

"When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today."

Ephesians 1:4, Paul writes that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.." God knows about each one of us even before he laid the foundations of the universe. He knows each one of us, because He created us in His own image. Genesis 1:27 reads, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;" What does God expects from us? Leviticus 11:44 says, "For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner.." God wants us to be holy; to holiness, Apostle Peter adds something more 1Peter 1:14, "Obedience", the scripture reads, "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy"" (1Peter 1:14-16). Rather than showing obedience, what did our ancestor "the first man Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) did? He disobeyed God's commandment, God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”(Genesis 3:3). Both Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned against God. The consequence of sin is death. Romans 6:23 reads, "For the wages of sin is death"; "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" Paul questions in Romans 6:16. And Paul reminds us of a remedy for this eternal death, the remedy or the gift is Jesus Christ, "..but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). God shows His love for us in such a way that "..while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd; ..I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep.. I must bring them also. .. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again" (John 10:14-17). The Annunciation, Birth, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ has a purpose and He is here to fulfill it. Jesus says, "..just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45). Writing to Timothy, Paul writes, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all,.." (1Timothy 2:5,6). As prophesied by prophet Isaiah, [“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 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. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:4-12)], Jesus was crucified for our sins, "He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right (righteousness)" (1Peter 2:24). He died for our iniquities, and as Jesus himself predicts his resurrection, "they will condemn him to death ..and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" (Matthew 20:18,19). As said He was risen on the third day. As the purpose is been served, so now it is for us to confess our sins, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9).

To conclude, if we can remember history and make a memorial for those brave soldiers who fought a brave fight in World War2, how much more are we owed to pay back for Him who had died instead of us. The punishment that we had to face, He took upon Him (Isaiah 53:5). Let us remember our Lord's Great Commission for us "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,..." (Matthew 28 19,20). The Crucified Cross is our only great memorial.

So, let's take a decision, "When I am out of home, I will tell them of Jesus and say, For your tomorrow, Jesus gave His life."

Source about Kohima memorial is taken from Wikipedia.

Contrast between "the first man Adam" and "the last Adam" - A thought.

Contrast between "the first man Adam" and "the last Adam" - A thought.

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").

Matthew 27:46 (NIV).

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").

Mark 15:34 (NIV).

We all know that this is the fourth saying of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Cross. The enunciation of this clearly expresses the pain, agony and the weight of the sin that was upon Him. This made Jesus felt like, He was been left all alone in the world of "evildoers" (Mark 13:27) "darkness" (Matthew 8:12) all around Him, "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mark 13:28). He cannot resist this because, there is no sin in Him (John 8:46, "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?")

But in contrast, our ancestor "first man Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) at garden of Eden, when he had eaten the forbidden fruit shared by his wife Eve (Genesis 3), they entered into a new world of sin, fear, nakedness, hate, lies, etc. which is nothing but death. They realized that they are experiencing anew and not the past.

I believe, if Adam at that moment, when he experienced something anew, he should have cried out to the Lord, as Jesus cried out to His Father, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani". I am sure that the cry for desperate help from Adam would have brought in a new solution for the remedy of sin. But this didn't happen, he hid and was afraid of God. So "the last Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) had to challenge the death by overcoming it. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Corinthians 15:55-57).

Hosanna - the Redeemer

Hosanna -

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the king of Israel!"

John 12:13.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:9,10.

Oh, how beautiful isn't this. In gospel of John, people are shouting "Hosanna", means, "Save us now, or Please save, or Save now". It's like a prayer, Save, I pray.

Whereas when it comes to Book of Revelation, people from every nation, tribe, people and language, are crying out of happiness, "Salvation belongs to the Lord". Their white robes signify that they are Redeemed and are Washed by the Blood of Jesus.

In both of the verses from gospel of John and Book of Revelation, we see people holding the branches of Palm in their hands. They are symbolically used for such ideas as triumph, victory, peace, plenty and also fertility. It is always evergreen. In one of Judaism' cults (Kabbalah) palm is symbolized as the Tree of Life. The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated military successes with palm branches.

What symbolism can a Christian derive from this. Yes, it is Jesus Christ who gave up His life as a ransom. In gospel of Matthew 20:28, Jesus says, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Ephesus, says, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us" (Ephesians 1:7,8). For we are been "bought with a price" (1Corinthians 6:20). So lets "stop becoming slaves of men" and this world (1Corinthians 7:23) and "by all means, glorify God in your body" (1Corinthians 6:20), because you're a Winner over sin and eternal death through Christ' death and resurrection. So let's continue our journey of Spiritual warfare with this hope.