You are an uncut Diamond and an unpolished Pearl

As I was riding my bike back home I lost in thoughts like I usually do. I thought about my clothing label and some of those people who walk in the store and really bargain. I thought of few customers who compare khadi with some mill-made cotton and say why is it so expensive? Now, who would tell them that you can never compare something made by hand with something made by machine? sigh! you are in the wrong place dude! I told myself. "If only you are in the right area where customers would know the value of ur product and respect you for your creativity"..I said to myself. in short I told myself "if only you get ur true value"! Suddenly I remembered this parable of Jesus that goes like this-

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Mathew 13: 45.Jesus is talking about you and me here. we are the precious pearl and He is the merchant. You & I are like precious stones or pearls of great value whose worth is not recognized by the world. So we were carelessly kept, thrown around, trampled and abused till one day the One who knows our true value saw us. & When He saw us He got so excited that He ran back home sold off everything He got and paid a heavy price for us to the utter shock of all those who has been treating us carelessly. The world always tries to underrate us.The world tries to limit us. It shows our weaknesses and flaws and say we are not worthy. But what does God say about us?

Imagine yourself being auctioned. You are standing there and around you are many people who are trying to put a price tag on you. Some one would say I would really love to pay a little more for Joshua for I know he is able, but look his other side- he is lazy! Some one else would walk upto me and say I don't mind shelling few more pennies had you been little more organized. One more would walk upto me and say "had you not have that habit of lying, I would have valued you little more. You are standing there with your head down humiliated,thinking "hope some one recognize me with all my worth..". Then came a very rich looking man in expensive robes . He looked at you, studied you carefully and said "Wow"! How much? The one who is auctioning you asked Him..how much are you willing to pay? "The other person replied "I know he is a man of great value. He is made in the image of God.in him lies a great potential. In exchange of him I'll pay everything I got. My position, My glory, My honour. yes I would give away everything to redeem him. But wait.Wait. Wait! even that won't be enough. look at him,beautiful! for him, I'll pay the greatest price anyone ever can pay or paid. I give my life away as a price for him.Yes. That's what I'm going pay for him. with My life" wouldn't that be awesome? Isn't that exciting?

Jesus actually did that for us. the bible says "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.(1 Corinth 7:23). You are bought at a price. A heavy price, it's His life.It's His glory. When Jesus was talking about the parable of sower, He said "... And some fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.Like 8:8".In every seed that was sown, was a potential to yield hundred folds.But then they didn't. They were stolen, they were suppressed, they were scorched and killed. God made us with a great potential. And He loves to see us rise to our full potential. But who stops us? The Enemy. He loves to see us fallen, weak, guilty and compromised.While It's God who encourages us, equips us and strengthens us..It's the enemy who discourages us, tempts us and leaves us resigned to fate.

It's a very common scene in my city to find people who are heavily drunk lying on the footpaths. There is activity around him, people are moving around with a purpose but he is lying down there unconscious beside a drainage or a waste dump as if that's where he belong. What do you feel when you see some one like that? definitely not respect. I'm sure even he doesn't respect himself. Who enjoys seeing him like that? the Enemy does. Jesus says at John 10:10 that "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy". But who feels miserable looking at him like that? Your maker, your father i.e. God. He says "But I have come that they may have life and life abundantly". God smiles every time you try to rise up from that rut. He does everything He can to help you rise up on your feet again to get back to life with dignity and purpose. With God on our side, it's never too late.With God on your side, there is always hope.

It's time we look at ourselves the way Jesus saw us from the cross. Worthy! Worthy to give away His very life in exchange. It's time we remember who we are in Him. It's time we look unto Him and run the race. With endurance. With an expectation. To receive the crown one day. to receive that pat from Him and those words that would echo in eternity "Well done my Boy!

Hey God.. good Job buddy!

God wants you to appreciate beauty..He just doesn't want you get lusty. Says pastor Chaitanya. When was the last time you complimented some one? especially a girl and she didn't look at you with a doubt in her eyes trying read your intentions? I remember how many time I was in trouble for complimenting some one(girls)'s eyes or hair or clothes and they would look at me like "so you are observing me aah. what else?"
Why it's not the case with Americans or Europeans? "it's sunny day"! they say& before you realize you are already in conversation with them. But why we Indians so closed when it comes to converations& appreciation?

In NIFT, the college I went to, we had a subject called "art appreciation" for a semister in which all we got to do is visit as many art exhibitions as possible &... just appreciate art. start feeling it, pondering on it, comment on it. Be sensitive to it. As you keep doing it, you develop taste for it& start seeing beauty in everything which is around you. you find beauty in unexpected places!
As christians..is this what we need to do start feeling the beauty of God? why we are not expressive? why don't we voice out? why are we conscious of the people around us more than God who is in the midst of us? I think if we start appreciating the beauty around us..we will learn to appreciate the creator of beauty too. Let's be creative in worshipping God. let's develop imagination, appriciation& expression to enjoy the worship at it's best.

the Almighty God who wants to breast feed you.

what do yo think about our God? Male or female? I got this doubt coz just now I read a telugu blog that was talking about women's importance in Hinduism. it says that hinduism is the only religion in which "woman" is given a great importance by being worshipped as "jaganmaata""(mother of the universe) where as in other religions like christianity woman is not given right due.is it true? is christianity some kind of male dominant religion(I'm not talking about RCM church here where mother mary is worshipped) where woman is supposed to cover her hair& shut her mouth & do nothing other than shedding tears in prayers? I heard some pastors bragging "our god is not an impotent God, he is omnipotent!". Jesus was a man. so the moment we think about God, either Yahweh or Jesus, we see a male. is there more to a woman in Bi...ble?you know one of the names of our God in hebrew is "El- shaddai". most english version render "El- shaddai" as God almighty. but "shadaim" in hebrew means breasts. then El- shaddai would mean "God with breasts". (shocked?) God of sufficiency and nourishment. Is there any food in this world which can be compared with mother's milk when it comes to nourishment? God is promising us the complete sufficiency.

a new born baby immediately recognises her mother. I could never be to viri what her mother was. only she can put her to sleep. she would sleep only on her shoulder. only her mother could comfort her from crying. what's the difference? the breast feeding. Viri understood that there is no greater love than her Mother's. God, loves us somuch. that He would comfort you, feed you like a mother. He want's to breast feed you. (wow! I just love this Idea). He is not only a All powrfull, almighty God. He's also a loving mother to you. just hug him tight today.(my opinions are open for debate or correction)

U r called to be a lion chaser!

‎"chasing the lion on a snowy day& finishing it in a pit". sound very heroic isn't it?

( 2 samuel 23:20. king David's mighty Bodygaurds)

or "going against a mightily armed gaint with only a sling in ur hand in a vally"?
( I samuel 17:45)

whe Benaiah was chasing the lion what were the people saying? Or when little David was walking towards the Big Goliath in that vally...

was he cheered or jeered?

they must have shouted "fool, don't do that to urself!"

I believe every fool might not be a Benaiah or David but Benaiah & David definitely were fools who tried to do the Impossible(?)!

The safest palce in a war is the spectator's seat. So u want to play safe, sit tight in us spectator's seat with your seatbelt on, like those Israelites who were watching little David walking towards the gaint Goliath. '

But don't shout "come here& sit beside me", they won't pay attention.coz just like you are not born to be in the battle feild, they are not born to be in the spectator's seat.

The Biblesays:

"having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power" 2 timothy 3:5

..భక్తి గలవారివలె ఉండి దాని శక్తిని ఆశ్రయించని వారు... 2 thimothy 3:5

So next time you see a fool chasing a lion, it's ok if u can't cheer him, but atleast don't jeer.

if people like Steve Jobs, uncircumsized (spiritually), can make such a valiant Lion chasers, how much more we, sons of the LIVING GOD?

what does Bible say about these rich fools...

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain[a] we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 timothy 6:6


సంతుష్థి సహితమైన దైవభక్తి గొప్ప లాభ సాధనమై యున్నది. మనమెలోకములోకి ఏమియూ తేలేదు, దీనిలోనుండి ఏమియూ తీసుకుని పోలేము. కాగా అన్నవస్త్రములు గలవారమై యుండి వాటితో త్రుప్తి పొందియుందము. ధనవంతులగుటకు ఆపేక్షించువారు శోధనలోను, ఉరిలోను, అవివేకయుక్తములును హానికరములైన అనేక దురాశల్లోను పడుదురు. అట్తివి మనుష్యులను నష్తములోను నాశనములోను ముంచివేయును.ఎందుకనగా ధనాపేక్ష సమస్తమైన కీడులకు మూలము.కొందరు దానిని ఆశించి విశ్వాసము నుండి తొలిగిపోయి నానా బాధలతో తమను తామే పొడుచుకొనిరి. 1తిమోతి 6:6

How Jo learnt to count his blessings

The other day Jo& I were driving back from our badminton court. on our way a man with a disfigured face crossed us. He looked odd in the midst of normal looking people. I felt bad looking at him, & remembered an old Hindi song that goes like this.

दुनिया में कितना ग़म है ...मेरा ग़म कितना कम है !

I asked Jo..Jo, do you know the meaning of this song ?

he said "no. what does that mean?"

" It means...there's so much of pain in this world... that when I compare my grief with it ...mine is nothing!"

Jo said " very true. I've realised it some time back". & he shared his this experience from his life.

"last year I was going through tough times in my life. I lost my job. & was idle for many months. I attended interviews but couldn't get through. I was disappointed but still had the faith. After few months even call letters for interviews stopped. My bank balance was becoming Nil & I started panicking. I was running out of hope. Everyday I used to pray. & believe His help is on way. but in vain. It was a test of my faith. as being a christian, I can't doubt God's existence. Then the problem is with my faith. it was really tough to come to a realisation that my faith is not good enough to get His attention. I was frustrated& tired of this process.

On one of those days, on a Saturday, I finished my quite time & was getting ready to go to worship practice. I got dressed up & to pick up my bag I bent down& suddenly I sneezed. & that's it! I couldn't move. My back got a terrible sprain..lying down in the corner of my room I was calling for help. My room mate came running but couldn't find me for sometime. finally when he found me lying down, he tried to lift me up but couldn't carry me. some how he managed to put me on my bed. &The next one week - I was lying down on that bed being not able to stand up on my feet.

I just couldn't believe what happened. all did was sneezing& I ended up in the bed arrested. it was painful yet funny. But as I was lying in that bed all alone in that room I've realised one thing. all these days I've been complaining to God that He didn't give me what I wanted. But never realised the value of the gifts He gave me. He gave me Health. there are many people out there who got riches but not health. I've realised I need to be thankful for what He gave me rather than having bitterness against Him for what He didn't .

When my church friends came to know that I'm bed ridden coz of sneezing, my room was full of visitors. Everyday somebody would come to see me. They would try to cheer me, pray for me. On Sunday the entire church was at my place. They prayed, gave me a massage& found a physiotherapist who helped me to get back out of the bed on my feet. wow! looking at them I've realised one more gift God gave me- Friends! I'm not alone!!. this revelation changed the way I looked at my situation. it gave me a new hope& God in His time gave me a job which is better than my previous job in many ways. "

Joseph finished talking. But it left me thinking. if we only have the right perspective of God, we won't get desperate& frustrated! All we need to know is to- "count our blessings...name them one by one! & we will be surprised at what the Lord has done!"

Amen!

do you love me?

do you still love me?

I asked her in the phone. "I can't tell you whether I still love you or not" she answered. it was 12th July 1998. After coming out of the telephone booth I caught a bus to Hyderabad. As the bus was zooming towards Hyderabad, I remembered the letters she wrote saying how much she loved me& the hours I wasted sitting beside my window looking for her. The pain I gave my parents by ignoring my studies& the insults I bore loosing my self respect.

Do you love me?
this question kept coming back in my life. the answers were different. "

some said "I don't know whether it's love or not!"

some said" yes I used to.but..."

some were really embarrassed when I used to be possessive with them in a group of friends. it's like.."c'mon, why do u want it to be public?"

years passed. my quest for love never ended. this thirst for some one who loves me despite my failure. despite my weaknesses. despite my drawbacks. for a love that wouldn't change. That wouldn't lessen with time. A love that is wouldn't fear. A love that wouldn't be ashamed of a public demonstration!

Couldn't find a single one. oh..what a hypocritical world! What a calculative minds!! what a manipulative talks!!!

tired of them. Tired of the way the world loves!

That's when I realised the greatness of my Redeemer's love.
He loved me when I was still a failure. He loved me when I was deserted by everyone. He loved me when my mind was still filled with filthiest thoughts. He loved me when I was still dirty.

But He loved me when I needed love the most.

He loved me& that's not where it ends. He paid a price for my redemption. He lifted me from the dirt& cleansed me with His blood. He took my shame, my guilt, my filth & threw it away never to be remembered.

does it end there?

my Redeemer, my True love - displayed His love for me in the public. He was not ashamed to be spat on, to be stripped, slapped, whipped& to be nailed!

All for me. All to tell me- that He loves me! That He loves me more than heavens, more than Glory, More than He loved Himself!!
He was not ashamed to hang on the cross publicly, openly so the whole universe knows!
that

HE LOVES ME!

Finally... I found Love. This valentines day- I'm not empty hearted. my heart is overflowing with Love. with grattitude. i'm in a awe of my True love's beauty! I'm happy!!