Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud?

My favorite poem .. also Abraham Lincoln's.

Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud?
Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud
A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave
He passeth from life to his rest in the grave.

The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade,
Be scattered around, and together be laid;
And the young and the old, and the low and the high,
Shall moulder to dust, and together shall lie.

The infant a mother attended and loved;
The mother that infant's affection who proved;
The husband, that mother and infant who blest,--
Each, all, are away to their dwellings of rest.

The maid on whose cheek, on whose brow, in whose eye,
Shone beauty and pleasure, -- her triumphs are by;
And the memory of those who loved her and praised,
Are alike from the minds of the living erased.

The hand of the king that the sceptre hath borne,
The brow of the priest that the mitre hath worn,
The eye of the sage, and the heart of the brave,
Are hidden and lost in the depths of the grave.

The peasant, whose lot was to sow and to reap,
The herdsman, who climbed with his goats up the steep,
The beggar, who wandered in search of his bread,
Have faded away like the grass that we tread.

The saint, who enjoyed the communion of Heaven,
The sinner, who dared to remain unforgiven,
The wise and the foolish, the guilty and just,
Have quietly mingled their bones in the dust.

So the multitude goes -- like the flower or the weed
That withers away to let others succeed;
So the multitude comes -- even those we behold,
To repeat every tale that has often been told.

For we are the same our fathers have been;
We see the same sights our fathers have seen;
We drink the same stream, we view the same sun,
And run the same course our fathers have run.

The thoughts we are thinking, our fathers would think;
From the death we are shrinking, our fathers would shrink;
To the life we are clinging, they also would cling; --
But it speeds from us all like a bird on the wing.

They loved -- but the story we cannot unfold;
They scorned -- but the heart of the haughty is cold;
They grieved -- but no wail from their slumber will come;
They joyed -- but the tongue of their gladness is dumb.

They died -- ay, they died; -- we things that are now,
That walk on the turf that lies over their brow,
And make in their dwellings a transient abode;
Meet the things that they met on their pilgrimage road.

Yea! hope and despondency, pleasure and pain,
Are mingled together in sunshine and rain;
And the smile and the tear, the song and the dirge,
Still follow each other, like surge upon surge.

'Tis the wink of an eye -- 'tis the draught of a breath--
From the blossom of health to the paleness of death,
From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud:--
Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud?

-William Knox

To see you again

You held my hand and walked me through the woods
Told me stories by the candlelight..
Your eyes twinkling as you read stories of yore
I sat in rapt attention, lost in the sound of your voice.

The meals we shared..all the times we laughed..
For everytime I held your hand..for eveytime I shared your joy;
I can't believe I won't see you again.
I keep holding onto your hand, your fingers in mine.
And time can't take that away.

I had my heart set on happiness.
Now, a fist clenching my insides
Sinks down my vitals
and I can hardly breathe.
My heavy heart wears me down,
And I'm not allright.

His ways I don't understand,
and I don't even try.
It is His to give and His to take away.
And I can only look back.

I'll just rest my head at His heart.
Lay my hurt on His shoulder.
I'll just be held in His arms.
Entwine my fingers with His,
and live under the shadow of His wings.

Music- All for Glory

It's an oft repeated criticism. How can loud, raucous music glorify God? How can songs that do not even mention' God' bring glory to God?

We don't seem to come to the right answers because we don't ask the right questions. What does it mean to bring glory to God? I'm glad to say my perspectives on music as an instrument for God's glory have broadened over the years.

Our Lord is God of the church and also of the world. He calls out people to be His own, to be separate from the world, yet, He asks them to let their light shine while they are living in the world. We are called to be the salt and the light of the world. To permeate the world we live in, and slow its decay by being the salt and dispell the darkness by being the light; all the while retaining our identity as children of God and standing up for God's standards without compromise or shame.

Our heart breaks for what breaks His. We share His concern for the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless, for justice, for social reform. These are good fruits of the outworking of the gospel. So, it's wonderful and scriptural when a band or an artist speaks out on socio-political issues. What their songs reflect are their concerns for God's world. Some bands may have found their calling and fulfillment in songs with evangelistic themes. Some lean towards social action and reform. Either way, as Christians,we all are called to be witnesses, whatever our profession. When we recognise men as having an intrinsic worth because they are made in the image of God, it must reflect in our good works, in our works of art, in our sciences and in our songs. Yes, indeed, music offered up for glory!

The Chronicles of Narnia

I had never been into fantasy movies. Maybe Prince Caspian will change that. It is the second in the 'Chronicles of Narnia' series of seven books by the renowned Christian thinker and writer C. S. Lewis. And I wanted to watch the movie only because of the great writer. I was not disappointed.

There was never a dull moment in the movie. The characters are funny and endearing. Aslan, the lion, comes to the rescue of the Narnians and the kings and queens of Narnia (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) in trying circumstances, when their faith was tested and they could not see Aslan. He is the only character to appear in all of the seven books and presents Christian metaphors on various occasions throughout the series. According to the author, he is not an allegorical portrayal of Christ, but rather a different, hypothetical, incarnation of Christ himself: "If Aslan represented the immaterial Deity, he would be an allegorical figure. In reality however, he is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, 'What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?' This is not allegory at all."

In the end, Aslan tells Peter and Susan that they are now too old to return to Narnia and all four of them go back to earth. In this backdrop the song ' The Call' plays and the stage is set for future events with the words "No need to say goodbye". I cannot end this review without appreciating "This is Home" sung by Switchfoot; which is full of longing.

The plot is rivetting, the themes noble and the visuals splendid. All in all a wonderful movie.

Involvement

I have often wondered why many of us and our churches aren't in the forefront of social concerns. The evangelicals of the 18th and 19th centuries, both in Britain and America were immersed in the preaching of the gospel along with being involved in socio-political issues. The confusion over the Christian role in modern society calls for deeper study and action. We must indeed take an active part in social service and go beyond, to social action. John Stott in his book 'New issues facing Christians today' illustrates social action by the example of people being attacked on the Jerusalem -Jericho road. Good Samaritans reaching out to the battered travellers, fulfill an immediate need and provide social service. While being important, social action would go beyond and seek to eliminate the root cause by working to provide better lighting on the road and take some measures to tackle armed robbery. These days, I pray, God raises up more people who would influence policy-making in our beloved land.

So, then we are without excuse, to be a part of social service, social action and social reform. While each one's specialist calling and ministry may differ, we are all called to serve, as the Body Of Christ. Jesus went about preaching and teaching...healing and doing good works. We must share His compassion for the poor, the needy and the oppressed. "Is that not what knowing Me is about?" the book of Isaiah puts a disturbing question.

Jesus Himself left the comfort of heaven and came down among us, sharing and entering into the lives of the poor, the destitute, the fatherless, the homeless, those in need of comfort or a timely word. Service to the less-privileged must result from the understanding that all human beings have an intrinsic worth because they are made in the image of God. Man is body and soul. We believe in the transforming, life-changing power of the Gospel and also reach out to meet the practical needs of those we minister to. We must share Christ's heart for the suffering, be willing to step out of our safety nets and not be content with our own private fellowships of like-minded people ; lest we turn our church into a social club, where people with a common interest meet.

God is sovereign. He is God of the church as well as of the nations. Let us not make the same mistake Israel did, when they changed the sovereign, all-powerful, supreme, living God into an exclusive deity. A tribal God in the ark of the covenant.

Evangelism and good works must go hand-in-hand. Life-transforming faith produces good works, best illustrated by Jesus' example of the sheep and the goats on the day of judgement. A good work done for the least one, in the name of Christ, Jesus considers as being done for Him. A poem writen by a homeless lady who went to a bishop for help, who promises to pray for her, goes thus:

I was hungry
and you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.
I was imprisoned
and you crept off quietly to your chapel and prayed for my release.
I was naked,
and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.
I was sick,
and you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless,
and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely
and you left me alone to pray for me.
You seem so holy, so close to God
but I am still very hungry-and lonely-and cold.

I must be willing, then, to get my hands worn for service.
(Recommended resource: John Stott - New issues facing Christians today).

An ode to Switchfoot

Favorite band? Kids in college 'clued in' to the music scene greet newbies with this question to determine if they are worthy of inclusion in their club.

Though I've preferred, not having favorites, (wonder if you can start a sentence with 'though'), Switchfoot, comes closer than any I've ever had. If memory serves, the first song I heard was 'Meant to live', which I think, was also when they met with large-scale success. I listened to the entire album soon - 'The beautiful letdown' and the songs were anything but.

I liked the refreshing, clean sound and Jonathan Foreman's raspy, throaty vocals. Amazing, I thought. I found the lyrics to be reflective, deep, yet simple. And when he crooned,

"Maybe redemption has stories to tell,

Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell.

Where can you run to escape from yourself?

Where you gonna go?

Salvation is here.."

I knew I'd say 'Switchfoot', if someone ever asked.....

December 17, 2007

Rarely am I left tongue-tied. Today I am. A strange day, today. A good day. A blessed day. Yet, strange. Good, because it made me look in the face of some of my desires with clarity. Blessed, because, it left me with inspiration and hope. Strange, because I never saw it coming.

Well, God speaks in different ways. My thoughts wandered. I felt a deep, resounding thud somewhere in my core. I said, Lord, I don't want to ever look back with regret, at times I could have better spent, things I could have done, words I could have spoken and a person I could have been. I don't ever want to come to a point and wonder, what if..? Never.

Reach my creative potential. Led day by day. Step by step. One day at a time. Trusting, serving, truly living. Deep, complete, total surrender. Here I am. All of me. All for You.

For God so loved

For a first post, I couldn't think of anything else to say!

Since the creation of the first man, to the world of today, man's basic problems have remained the same. He grapples with the same issues, the same doubts and the same questions." Who am I? What am I here for? Where am I going?"

"Is there a God? Does He know I'm here? Does He care?"

Oh Yes and how! The Bible says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life".(John 3:16) Everybody needs forgiveness. Everybody needs love. And everybody needs salvation.

"This is love. Not that we loved Him, but that He loved us and gave Himself up for us."
This is love! And this love is mine..how about you?

Build that hedge. Why safeguarding your emotions at work is crucial to long-term success.

It’s often said that men are good at compartmentalizing, that they are able to keep different aspects of their life distinct, without scope-creep. Imagine a file cabinet, with neatly divided sections, and clearly labelled folders in each section. Women on the other hand, allow different areas of their lives to mingle with each other, and there’s abundant overflow from one ‘section’ into the other. While there are pros and cons to compartmentalizing, my goal here, is to make a case for why it’s a practical approach to carry to our work lives. 

We devote 9-10 hours of our day, sometimes longer, including the commute, five days a week, to our work.  It consumes a good part of our lives, our resources, our attention spans, our mind spaces, and our skills and abilities. Justifiably, what happens at our work places, spills into our personal lives. We carry positive vibes from a productive workday into our homes, and similarly, a lousy work day affects our time at home, even after we return. We cannot truly switch off from work. I say that as someone who has difficulty disconnecting from work – I frequently bring work back home, and lose track of time when immersed in a task. So, in my opinion, that makes a careful safeguarding of our emotions all the more important. 

In my first job, at a company which shall remain unnamed, the culture was notoriously toxic and poisonously competitive. People felt they could succeed only by stepping on someone else, and that grotesque tone was set right at the level of the business unit head, a charlatan with zero integrity, character and morals, who eventually was 'allowed' to leave, after his treatment of female employees, and various sexual harassments came to light. None of it was news, or shocking to those who worked around him – he had a perverse reputation and was proud of it. That was his despicable life-story and contemptible legacy. 

Enough said, but as a result, the worst and basest instincts of the team came to the fore. Interactions were fraught with nastiness, snide remarks, crude jokes and back-stabbing. In that cut-throat atmosphere, I was determined to keep my head down and get a solid start to my career, in managing a prestigious brand with immense potential. I was quite the sponge, soaking up new learning experiences, and then asking for more. At this time, another team member, devoted herself to maximum drama – concocting stories, gossiping, and making a production out of every task, to gain attention, and pry credit and accolades away from me. I find it remarkable now, that I was able to keep my poise, and completely shrug off her frequent darts as water down a duck’s back, when I was just fresh out of school. A year later, I boiled at the recollection of her attitude toward me, and was able to simmer down, when I remembered an assessment from a co-worker in a managerial position, in relation to Ms. Toxicity’s workplace shenanigans “I know I don’t have to worry about you. I admire the way you carry yourself, with sophistication, keeping your head down and focusing on your work.” It was a higher compliment than I would have expected, but I realized that my openness in discussing problems directly, and never being seen as bad-mouthing even a colleague bent on doing me harm, had not gone unnoticed. 

As another plus, I also ended up developing a thick skin. You most certainly can shine at your work, without getting embroiled in office politics. If you have standard, predictable responses to potentially inflammatory social situations, in time, a pattern will emerge, visible enough, that the usual suspects will pass you by, when you refuse to fan the vitriolic flames. 

A last advice around this issue, is to never give your co-workers the power to hurt you – they could possibly offend, but not hurt. ONLY those in your inner circle, your family and closest friends, should wield such influence over your emotions. That is easier said than done. I do not want to reduce it to a simplistic heuristic, because human interactions are messy, complicated, and entangle quickly.

However, if you have built a hedge around you, with God at the centre of your life, your family, and deepest nourishing relationships, being your go-to for fulfillment and refreshment, the tendency to seek validation from work and co-workers will wane. Of course, there will be instances where you cultivate close personal relationships at work. You do want to be human, empathetic, and connect with co-workers on a personal level as well, but that can be accomplished without spreading your emotions too thin by going full-throttle in a professional environment. Remember, it’s a hedge you’re erecting around your emotions, and not barbed wire. A hedge is made with shrubs and bushes, unlike barbed wire which is cold and threatening. 

You must remind yourself frequently that your worth comes from your identity – who you are, and not what you do, as important as that is. As a Christian, I know and remind myself that my identity is in Christ, so I am free to work through significance, and not search for significance through work.

My story of the year

My name is Ajin; for those of you who do not know me, I've been coming to Sheridan Park Family Church for a little over a year now. I’ve been in Canada for roughly the same time. Since my arrival here, I’ve had the privilege of being an active part of this church, serving in a few roles, and being a part of small cell groups. Many of you have also warmly opened your hearts, houses and hearths, demonstrating the love of Christ in meaningful ways. 

In all things, I’ve experienced the rich providence and tenderness of God. As someone who came in without any connections to a whole new country, I’ve experienced the kindness of strangers, in almost all cases, without ever asking. I’ve been learning afresh that God, the maker of the universe, is interested in even the tiny details of my life and they are not inconsequential to Him. I can keep going to God in prayer, and ask with boldness and confidence, and do not have to pull back my requests, unknowingly treating God as a genie who only grants a limited number of wishes - so I better make my request worth His while. He is not the evil judge who has to be pestered to loosen His hand, but the God who delights in giving good gifts to His children. 

That realization however, does not take away from the fact, that I have also experienced dark nights of the soul, where my faith has been severely tried, and for a long stretch have also walked in a fog. God does not miraculously take my difficulties away, although he very easily could, in the mere blink of an eye. The winters of our lives are an invitation to wrestle with God, to take a hold of Him, and be utterly dependent on God. Isaiah 62:7 “You who call on the LORD shall take no rest for yourselves, nor give Him any rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth." If I were to say it colloquially, God loves to be bothered by me. 

In the midst of this season, while things were very uncertain for me personally, I began to pray about ways to be active in sharing my faith. In India, where I come from, although a very few are Christians, there is a deep spirituality and profound hunger for the divine, that makes it relatively natural to share your beliefs. There is no taboo on discussing religion or politics. In fact, invariably discussions return to ‘issues of the soul’ with ease and enthusiasm. I wasn’t sure about broaching religion or faith in a culture that seemingly had Judeo-Christian roots, but seemed a little keen, in my opinion to disassociate from them. However, not wanting to waste time, I thought of organizing meetings at a coffee house, and inviting people to bring their questions about the Bible and discussing its relevance for lives today. To my surprise, several people signed up, and a few began showing up to these meetings. I held them once a month, in a non-threatening venue, so people who’d never show up to church, may feel comfortable, and experience a setting where they are not judged due to their beliefs or lack thereof. 

There were a couple of meetings where only one person showed up. I’m learning that it doesn’t matter. I had the opportunity to meet one such person, who comes from a liberal background, been to church here with me, who also calls me occasionally to pray. Other times, there have been 7 people, with the most diverse stories - a gentleman who drove all the way from Cambridge, raised in a strongly atheistic home, who searched for the living God and found Him. Another young adult, who had an encounter with Jesus in his room on Christmas day, and is reading the Bible for the first time. It was mind-boggling to look at the Bible with his wonder and amazement as the stories unfolded, and he did not know what lay ahead in the next chapter. 

The star of this story is Jesus - He makes much out of the very little we give Him. And He does it for His name’s sake, not because we are skilled, or faithful. Colossians 4:5 says “Make the most of every opportunity." When we take God at His Word, take even halting, stumbling and awkward steps, it is my testimony that God always, always, honors and delights in blessing the tiniest acts of obedience. 

And lest I make it sound like it’s a great sacrifice on my part, it is absolutely not. In season or out of season, we must always look for ways to share the love of Christ, because that is a powerful tool that God uses to work in our own hearts. 

I do not go to any one of these meetings to minister. Without exception, I was the one who was ministered to, it was my soul that was nourished, rested, and reminded of the active, and living work of God. It doesn’t matter much what the method is, or even what the results are - it is about taking God at His word, and exercising our faith. God can use anything - an eloquent speaker at the pulpit, or an insignificant somebody at a coffee house.