One Lord, One Faith
What a beautiful night. “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD has commanded the blessing– life forever.” — Psalm 133. AW Tozer infers from this Psalm that Aaron was bald. Even so, every member in the Body of Christ is unique. Who could have thought that God would even have created such a unique one to confiscate my phone while demanding that I be faithful in every little work God that has entrusted to me? So I studied 8 sections of the KDPS* Act. My sister enjoyed it thoroughly. I marvel at God’s ways. Kezia* and I talked at length about the advancement of God’s kingdom. How far is it joined with the work of community service in this present earth? It is childlike to seek God’s power to be manifested in idealistic ways. But it is not foolish. What does it mean to be harmless as doves yet wise as serpents? How did the life of the apostle Paul reflect obedience to this instruction? Does Luke 16 fit into this? So many questions and the Bible has all the answers. Oh Lord, open our hearts to know your truth.
God’s grace abounds when His people are united. It DOES. And it is a Bride He is coming back for. Are we ready? The Bridegroom certainly is. “… what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” — 2 Peter 3.11-13
When I was a child I covered my knees with the blood and scars of my childish games. Now I am a woman of God and I am not called to play games. It is time for my knees to become bloody with prayer.
The Father’s Good Pleasure
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.–Luke 12:22-32
Tryst with Chacha Nehru
I’ve visited the Nehru Planetarium countless times as a child but I only learnt yesterday that Pt Jawaharlal Nehru also lived within the same premises for 16 years. The building which is now Nehru memorial museum, preserves among other things his childhood photographs, old letters, his office, the room where he died, and a beautiful library. I don’t know why I was so fascinated by his library. I noticed the smooth brown wooden furniture, the layout of shelves and arrangement of books. Of course for a library these things are not unusual. But the style was many decades old, and there was something stirring about the fact that it is always locked and visitors only look in for a short time through the glass windows before going away to look at something else.
There was a book on one shelf which immediately caught my eye, it was called “The Son of Jesse”. Amazon found me a book cover which looks like a plausible front for the spine I saw. I wonder what this book is about, and how it found a place in Nehru’s library? He also had a copy of the Holy Bible. A beautiful ivory-white cover, red letter edition. Was it a King James Bible? I doubt it would have been an American Standard, and I don’t know which other translations might have been popular at that time. It probably doesn’t matter. Nehru’s political career and popular image does not reflect an interest in or impact of the Bible. If a little bit of speculation is permissible, I would imagine it was for political safety and goodwill that Nehru kept a copy. A few books away was a copy of the Qur’an, which appeared just as fresh and decorative as the Bible.
The canteen above the Nehru Planetarium is a beautiful and quiet open-air terrace opposite the Shikaar-Grah. The Shikaar-Grah was built a few centuries ago as a hunting tower in the middle of the jungle (as it was in the time of a certain medieval Muslim ruler – I have forgotten which one). In Nehru’s time apparently this tower served as a mini zoo – I am told that Nehru kept peacocks, lions, etc here. Now, however, no traces remain of iron bars or whatever else would have been used to contain the animals, and the only wildlife still seen is parrots and squirrels.
I had the privilege of taking this tour with a delightful bunch of brats who couldn’t care less about Nehru’s history and heritage: which is ironic, considering that Children’s Day (which we were celebrating) is a commemoration of this very man’s birthday. But I suppose while it is easy for kids to love people who play with them, it must be a challenge to be persuaded to love a man simply because he would have played with them had he been alive and present…
The excursion started with running around playing bhoot-bhoot (a game about ghosts and monsters) and nalka-nalka (a game about handpumps) and ended with exactly the same. I daresay these kids observe this tradition to welcome summer, winter, springtime and harvest, which also they must follow to bid these farewell. Sighting crows, pigeons and discarded alcohol bottles in Nehru’s gardens was infinitely more fascinating to them than watching the life-like reproduction of tryst with destiny in a model of the Parliament House. In a brief interactive session about the freedom struggle, they were disappointed to learn that Gandhi did not teach his followers to use guns, bombs or canons. It also surfaced that they had entirely missed that part of the Munnabhai series where Munna leaves his bhaigiri and takes to Gandhigiri.
Kids obviously do not like boring role models! I write this so that I will remember when I have brats of my own. Do parents make the mistake of only emphasizing the Sermon on the Mount without also telling of the withered fig tree, the whip of cords at the cleansing of the temple, the end times and of course of His glorious return? He is the Rider of the White Horse, the Faithful and True Word of God, the Son of God and the Saviour of Man… My role model is not boring.
It’s raining tonight. He created the rain and causes it to fall on the just and the unjust.
I go now to open the window.
‘Twas Grace…
Sometimes God just humbles me and reminds me not to take things for granted.
I got hit by a bike, nearly got hit by a Fiat (the big ambassador-lookalike type) and nearly hit a Honda City. Also got hit by something which changed the position of my left view mirror but I didn’t even realize that happened till presumably much later, when I saw the mirror. And I got lost driving, took two hours to get to a place twenty minutes away from where I started out. Circled a certain market 5 times and landed up on the wrong side of it thanks to wrong directions given generously and very graciously by at least 10 different people. Just what I needed to get the strength back in my feet after 3 days of total bed rest! But praise be to God, He gave me opportunity to stop and pray, then I got to where I needed to go and was very moved by the reality of the fallenness of man. Yes, human casualties are much higher than animal and bird casualties when natural calamities occur! It is not a coincidence, is it? And then there was more driving, more privilege, more service, more grace.
[14 November 2009. 11 pm. On the phone to Paul]
Aridhi:
D* has an amazing testimony. They are three siblings who came to Christ through different people in different cities. One of her brothers was a Buddhist monk who turned to the Lord.
Paul:
Wow. Once he was a llama but now he’s a sheep.
—
Aridhi:
And do you know what Moolie* told me today?
Paul:
Why do you ask? Are you implying that she called me and told me before you called?
—
Aridhi:
Isn’t it amazing that so many people will come together to worship God tomorrow? All over the world, the people of God will come together for worship. Why should the earth not be shaken?
Paul:
Sunday is like a mexican wave of worship. That’s inspiring. Ok, I’m definitely going to church tomorrow.
—
So Paul was being funny tonight but not irreverent. I love that meaningful humour which Leonard Ravenhill also had. Paul doesn’t accept it but he is so much like Ravenhill.
*names changed.
Jehovah Jireh — God Provides (Part 2)
[Sometime last month. On the phone to Paul]
Paul:
What are you doing tonight?
Aridhi:
Working. I have a lot of work to do. Moot court memorials, five assignments, research on global warming and environmental crises… etc. Baaaa.
Paul:
You sound tired.
Aridhi:
I don’t want to accept that I am tired.
Paul:
<laughs> you Charismatic.
Aridhi:
<also laughs> yeah man.
—-
There is a test of miracles that Paul taught me about tonight. A miracle from God will testify about Christ. The coming beast will perform many signs but they will not point to “the hour” (ref. John 2) nor to the kingdom of God which is seen by those who are born again (ref. John 3). The difference between prosperity gospel, health-above-holiness kinda miracles and the witness of the early Church, is the testimony of Jesus Christ… God’s word is not understood by laborious interpretation but by divine revelation… God provides everything.
Jehovah Jireh — God Provides (Part 1)
“Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work…” – Exodus 20.9
I hadn’t taken a day off for over a month. Certainly hadn’t slept 8 hours most nights during this time… Often it was less than 3 hours. Planned to take a day off a couple of times, but things always cropped up and there was no rest. God provided energy to labour through this time and I am deeply grateful for the strength to pull donkeys out of pits. Again God provided rest yesterday (it started as something of a burnout) so I slept from 4 pm yesterday till 12.30 pm today with some short breaks… slept for a few hours again this afternoon and I’m so ready to sleep again now and it’s not even 11 pm. I can hardly move I don’t know if I will even go to college tomorrow. I’ve been counting down the days but now that the last days are here I’m falling short of the finish line. I suppose God knows how to make me “ready” to leave… I hate controversy more than many other things, I just want a clean exit. God is in control. Clean or not, may my exit glorify Him and let me not be reproached for transgression and fault. If it is for righteousness that I am reproached, I will rejoice.
It looks like I’m headed towards a new start, a new life. There are so many possibilities, opportunities, plans, desires… but there is one above all, my Lord Jesus Christ. I will go where He leads and I know He neither slumbers nor sleeps. I had a dream this morning, the exact same dream three times in the same morning. It was powerful, it was of Christ and of fellowship with His people, and it was exactly the same all three times that I saw it. May the Lord teach me His word and may I be faithful to learn it.
Fire
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. … Psalm 101.3, Galatians 4.9
I will not play with fire. … Proverbs 6.27-28
The way is NARROW… Narrow, narrow, NARROW…
Broken because of my foolishness… How do my eyes stray from Him?
Lord, forgive me, correct me, lead me in Your righteousness…
I am Yours, let nothing of this earth ever claim me except You, O Lord.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire but you.
Let me be that virtuous woman, whose husband is known in the city gates, whose children rise up and call her blessed, who trusts not in beauty or charm, but clothes herself in kindness and wisdom, and the fear of the LORD is her strength…
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” –Romans 12.2
Words fail me tonight. For horror of sin and deception.
Things Only A Mother Can Say
[4 November 2009. 9 pm. In Mum's room]
Mum:
Not long till your moot court is over now, Friday is almost here.
Aridhi:
Yes Mum, it will be over by Sunday evening.
Mum:
Why Sunday? Why not Friday?
Aridhi:
Thanks for being my well-wisher…
Mum:
Isn’t it over on Friday?
Aridhi:
No Mum, the researcher test is on Friday and the oral arguments are Saturday. The finals are not till Sunday. You don’t see me getting there obviously.
Mum:
When will you need to wear your formal clothes then?
Aridhi:
Um, from Friday to Sunday?
Mum:
Oh no!! Do you have three sets? Where is that white kurta you had…
Aridhi:
<has tuned out>
——–
[4 November 2009. 9.30 pm. In Mum's room]
Mum:
You must intern at a good place, beta.
Aridhi:
You know where I’m interning Mum.
Mum:
Where? Is it a good place?
Aridhi:
Mum, it’s the same place as last time.
Mum:
Oh, when do you start?
Aridhi:
November 16.
Mum:
Great, have you told them about it?
Aridhi:
Yes Mum, I rang them to tell them, and they were cool with it. In fact, they had recently hired a new associate but they have asked him to leave so that the cabin will be available for me. Everything’s in place.
Mum:
My daughter will have her own CABIN? Wow, are you serious?
Aridhi:
Erm, they will FIRE AN ASSOCIATE to give me a cabin? MUM!!
Mum:
Uff.
——–
Classic. Another one that ends with “uff”. 
I love my Mum. She is adorable.
You Tell’em!
[3 November 2009. 11 pm. On Gtalk with Vidha]
Me:
I’m discouraged.
Vidha:
About what?
Me:
Public speaking.
Vidha:
<long list of links> read these.
Me:
Thanks, you rock.
——–
One of the links*:
The Rule of Tell’em
Tell’em what you are going to tell’em, Tell it to them, and then Tell’em what you told them.
——–
You tell’em?
That sounds good. The last time I made up my mind to tell’em what I was going to tell’em, I went up on stage before a multitude of law students and law professors discussing the relevance of International Law in present times, and shared the gospel of Jesus Christ. I did that once before for a moot court selection process where there wasn’t a set topic for discussion (although they did expect it to have relevance to law and were taken aback by my speech on religion). That’s what I’m here for and that’s what I do. I guess that is a good fall back for Saturday. Don’t tell’em my team…
Do not fear those who can kill the body and beyond that can do nothing else. [Matthew 10.28]
So, while I’m absolutely certain that Vidha did NOT mean for me to interpret her wonderful favourite bookmarked links on public speaking in this way, I’m sure she is happy that I’m feeling better and ultimately does not care how it goes at the moot court. Nobody does.
*I have not linked to the website because of unwholesome content in other parts of the page. I have checked that the quoted text is available on many other websites and cannot be the exclusive copyright of the particular website on which I discovered it. Anyhow, my apologies.
Rodent
Funny how words often mean one thing, but end up being interpreted as something else.
