Sky? or Tata sky??

The more I study the creation, the more I'm in awe of the creator: Loui Pasture

last Sunday after the service we all went to dev's place. Dev& Soumya who are recently married, stay in a pent house near Malaysian town ship. After having a delicious lunch, the women practiced singing for their " Women's day celebration" while some of us ( pravin, kishan, ruth & I) happily slept & snored. By the time we woke up it was dark. I still managed to emotionally black mail soumya & make her prepare some tea. & After having tea, finally we came out to the terrace to leave. As we were walking towards the stairs I looked into the sky casually & found the moon & twinkling stars in the clear dark blue sky.I couldn't resist saying Wow ! the serenity captivated me. An emotion, a feeling associated with many memories from my child hood gripped my heart. I couldn't stop but think "When was the last time I looked at the stars?"

It also reminded me one of my conversations with my wife before we got married. I mean, when we were still just friends. One night when I called her casually, she said she's on terrace. I asked her "what are you doing on terrace?" she said "nothing. Just looking at the stars". That answer was quite surprising. I mean "just staring at stars" ? don't you have anything important to do?

After that incident, as I was pondering on it while I was driving to my boutique, I remembered my many experiences with "star gazing". My childhood was spent in villages. Some part in Polavaram, a village on the banks of river Godavari. Life was all about playing in polavaram. Playing in the sand at the river's shore, playing cricket along with my brother on the clay on the bank of the river ( I still remember how my dad chased both of us from the cricked ground to our house when we were playing in the red hot sun), Playing in the muddy pools with friend after the famous floods in 1986. But the most nostalgic memory is lying on the terrace along with annayya& akka in the summer vacation & looking at the stars& moon listening to the stories told by chinnanna. Then we used to go to grandparent's village. Eating the cookies grandmas made, we used to roam along with friends all through the day. But in the night, we all used to lie down on the nulaka mancham ( a cot widely used in villages made up of some Eco- friendly yarn) & stare at the stars twinkling in the clear dark blue sky. Looking into the sky was a everyday programme in summers.


What a days were those..


When we were in Bapatla, some times my dad used to narrate us stories from Russian revolution while all of us used to lie down after dinner in the summer vacation. Staring at the white lit moon, as the cool breeze used to touch us softly & leave,we used to get lost in an imaginary world hearing our dad fascinatingly explaining how Stalin's men fought bravely with the unbeatable Germans& made them flee. Slowly& unknowingly we used to get into a deep slumber. Those golden days of my childhood. No need of any fans, no knowledge of mosquito coils. When was the last time I felt free& liberated like that? When was the last time I looked at the stars?




After coming to Hyderabad I tried to do it again. lying on the terrace& looking at the stars. But even before I could find where the moon is, the mosquitoes would find me & start having a feast. No number of mosquito coils or no amount of repellent creams could save me. Slowly & gradually I came out of this fantasy called star gazing& started sleeping like how everybody sleeps in Hyderabad. With fan in it's maximum speed, a mosquito coil beside my bed& watching TV.




That night after getting bumped into the moon& stars at Dev's terrace, I suddenly realizes what I've lost. I've lost eyes that would look into the sky. I lost a heart with curiosity. I lost my imagination. I lost my sense of wonder.& I lost it coz I stopped looking into the sky & started watching TATA sky.



the Bible says:


1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. colossi ans 3:1


When was the last time you looked at the things that are above? When was the last time you looked into the sky?

Our mornings start late coz our nights start late. Our nights start late coz our work demands us to leave late. The pollution & the traffic leave us dry& lifeless so by the time we reach home all we want to do is lie. Who got time to look into the sky?

They say What we see is what we believe. Come out of your apartment & try to look around. All you see is sky scrapers, buildings. On the way to our offices all we see is coolest vehicles& latest cars. Even if you want to look into sky, your view is obstructed by hoardings. Hoardings displaying latest movie or latest car or latest alcohol brand. As most of us believe only what we see, we end up believing the latest car or coolest house or latest fit of jeans as ultimate reality. We work hard to make money throughout the month & spend it on these "realities" .

If only we could see the sky...

The magnificent Sun & the splendour of the moon, the twinkling stars & the large blue sky..they would witness the Creator's Handy work. They would lead you to the Master craftsman. As we get lost in appreciating the beauty of the creation we end up finding Creator in every thing we see.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

3 There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard. [a]

4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world. Psalms 19:1-5

How pity that even we, Christians, who are called to hope for the "city with foundations, whose builder & maker is God " are getting trapped in this illusionary reality. There were days when Christians were kicked out of houses for believing in Jesus. Not having more than one pair of clothes to wear, not having anything to eat, But still had this inexpressible & glorious Joy in Christ making them restless to share the good news with others. People like Sadhu Sundar singh, Bhakt singh were thrown out of the houses not having a single penny in their pockets for believing in this faith. My mom used to narrate me stories about people like P.M Samuel garu, (the founder of Indian Pentecostal Church), how he had only one pair of clothes to wear & how he used to wash it in a pond outside the village& remain in the pond till it gets dried& then come out, wear it & go to the villages to preach GOOD NEWS. Men of God, who were desperate to save the souls from hell. who were desperate to share this joy of salvation. El- Roi, the God who sees, did not fail them. Their blessings are beyond this lifetime.

What are we called to be & what we've become?

Where did we loose the hope? Where did we get lost?

why our churches are so pompous &became our idols?

why we take pride in the golden jewellery we wear than the Holy Bible we carry?

why reknowned preachers are standing in the courts facing land grabbing allegations?

Why christian names are heard in murder& robbery cases?

Why our youth find wearing one big metal cross in the neck is "cool" but coming & sitting in the church is pain?

Where did we go wrong? Where did we loose our hope?

We lost our hope coz we lost our focus. Instead of looking unto Jesus, we started looking at the world& lost our track.

the Bible says:

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Corinthians 15:19

It also says:

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

Let's look unto Jesus today. Let's look unto the SUN of righteousness today. Let His glory, blind us for this world& it's pleasures. & let His light shine upon our lives . Let's get lost in His presence today.

Let's look UP to HIM& HIM alone today.

Great brand! poor brand ambassadors!!

Some time back me & my wife, chinni went to a town in Tamil naadu to attend a friend's wedding. The next day after wedding we went to see a hill station near by. It was not a great place. not much of a greenery, nothing really exciting except few scenic views. But we didn't want to be disappointed so we started enjoying whatever the place offered. We hired cycles & had a ride around the lake sweating in the scorching sun. People were looking at us strangely but that didn't let our spirits down.

Then not knowing what to else do...chinni & her friend started climbing the trees around the lake & I started clicking like mad. But that was not enough, as we still had lot of time to kill. So we got into our cab & started exploring. As we were going in one of those narrow lanes we found a shop selling what generally sold in every hill station. Herbal shampoos, Neelgiri eucalyptus oil, dry fruits etc.

But what grabbed my attention was something else. There were four chairs made up of solid bamboo in the shop. They were simple in design but something made them unique. It's the construction. Looking a them I could make out that they are very carefully& meticulously constructed that gave them strength to withstand weight. I got so excited looking at them. I asked the shop owner where he got it from. He said that one of his friends made for him who make these as a hobby . I took his number from the shop owner & went in the search of the artist who works with bamboo. He stays in a town around 50 km away. It was not easy finding his house, but when we finally did, I was really surprised & glad. The walls of his house had posters about denied justice for Bhopal gas tragedy. Some news paper clippings talking about the poisonous industrial wastage that's dumped everyday in the waters in Indian metropolitans like Mumbai. His small office room had grass mat flooring& bamboo furniture. He showed us around his work shop & fell in love with his work. He is not one of those for whom talking about Eco- friendly products is a "in thing". He's an environmentalist with a conviction. He means business when it comes to injustice towards earth& humanity. We ordered for some bamboo furniture& left that place inspired. As our friendship grew with time I came to know more about him. when ever I talk to him, he leaves me thinking. Few days back when I called him, he was telling me about his visit to Chattisgarh & the atrocities of the government against innocent tribes in the name of "operation Green hunt". He sounded really disturbed& agonized. He asked me "Arvind...can you please ask your director Shekhar kammula to go through this information & if possible make a movie about this unjust war of this government in the name of fight against terrorism? The world need to know about this oppression& there's nobody to stand for them. The government gave the license to to corporates to do mining of natural resources & threatening the tribes to leave their homes."

I asked him..."Piyush..why are you getting into all this trouble? what about your family?". he smiled & said something which I'll remember for a lifetime. " it's one life arvind."

It gives me great joy to call him my friend. But how did I meet him? Through a bamboo chair. Through a product. A lifeless thing, a product that spoke about it's maker. Creation that testified about it's creator. What an awesome fact!

Want to share one more experience with you.

Last time when I went to my in-laws place in Anakapalli, I had one day to visit my parents. As chinni should not travel, I went alone, spent a day & wanted to return by the first train next day morning. I got into Ratnachal express in Tadepalli gudem. The compartment was crowded. I was assuming that the train would be free& as it's only a few hours journey, didn't get my seat reserved. I looked around for somebody who can spare some space for me to sit down. But you know about general compartments & people who "own""seats. They would accommodate all kinds of bags, suitcases, samosas & tea cups but a fellow human being. I stood for sometime seeing through the window. In the next few seats were sitting a group of people who looked like Christians. (It got affirmed after seeing the way they drank the sambar after eating good number of idlis). It was a three seater & only two guys were sitting in it. I got elated thinking I got a seat. After all, they are Christians. After patiently waiting till they finished eating, I politely asked them, saying "excuse me sir, can I sit here?" that guy looked at me & said" how can you think there's a seat vacant? no station came & nobody got down right?" I was shocked at his logic. Still said"there are only two guys right?" . He said "all our guys are setting in the next block" saying that he called "hey hepsi come here". Two girls from next adjacent bunch of seats came & sat there. I felt embarrassed for my desperation. Few minutes passed & a station came. one middle aged woman got in. in the search of seat she came to the adjacent seats & asked our christian sisters. "ammaa..looks like it's vacant. can I sit here?" Oho...you thought somebody got down coz there was a station?" shouted our man. All our guys are sitting here. Hepsi..go & sit there" he said. this girl went back& occupied the place there. Now this brother, to save his seat from me, sits in the seat with his legs folded. I didn't want to lower my dignity by asking him again. There was a guy standing beside me looking at the whole thing. He said "Is this what the Lord preached?" He continued saying..."there were days when we used to think that Christians are different people. They doesn't long after earthly things like money. But now....everyone are the same. everybody is selfish, everybody is after money". I didn't want to tell him that I'm a christian too. We went on talking about various things like Telangana, YSR's death etc. In the background our christian brother is shouting in his cell" Esther..you woke up? good. Did you pray? Pray & get something to eat...." I wanted to tell him "brother ...no need to shout. your actions are much louder than your words".

I got down the train. But I kept thinking. How a lifeless bamboo chair testified about it's maker. Led me to it's creator.& How we Christians are becoming a wrong witnesses of our God. I looked into my life. how many times I misrepresented my King. Showed Him in poor light. Gave a wrong testimony about Him with my filthy deeds. & instead of leading them to the creator, I misled many people away from God with my talk, with my actions.

The Bible says": "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." Romans 2:24[a]

I read in the news paper recently, that some of the international brands are thinking of firing Tiger woods as their brand ambassador, as the sales of their products dropped considerably after his scandoullous sex life came into light. I remember how "Thums up" fired Salman khan because of his violent& anti social behaviour, like hit& run & wild animal hunt.

The brands can disown their brand ambassadors& move on, if they damage their brand's image. They can fire them & find a new ambassador.

It's not the same case with God. How patient & long suffering is our God with us. How steadfast is His love for us. that He doesn't disown us despite the damage we cause to His name. That He doesn't just fire us& move on. From day one of His creation, out of all the creation, human beings are the only ones who failed him & pained Him.

(And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Genesis 6:5,6)

The oceans, seas, colorful fishes& corals, The great mountains & hills& all the great& small animals , The trees , the creepers& beautiful flowers, birds, caterpillars & butterflies, The awesome sun, moon & all the great stars.....The universe diclares His majesty. It declares His beauty. They testify though they can not speak. They represent Him by obeying Him & standing for Him. We are the best of His creation. We are made in His image. We are blessed with wisdom, free will & ability to speak. What are we doing with it?

It came into my thought again. A lifeless bamboo chair lead me to it's maker. It showed the the quality of it's creator. When will I, with all this He gave, will show Him, through my talk, through my action to a fellow human being?

when will they see Jesus when they see me?

daddy, will you take me back tonight?

Talking about love of the Father, I thought of sharing this parable told by Jesus with you. which explains the unexplainable& illogical love He got towards us. Love, that loves you just the way you are.

Jesus said: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Luke 11: 24

What are we seeing here?
A grown up son, who want to break free.

What is the father doing?
He divided his possessions& gave him. Though he has a right to say "NO"
The son is off to a new place made friends& enjoyed every kind of pleasure.
When you are rich & successful everybody wants to be your friend. So there was no lack for friends. No lack for pleasure.
After sometime the money is finished. So the friends are gone. girl friends are gone. pleasures are gone. & the man is left alone.
There are so many songs written how great a thing this "friendship" is. & How a great a thing "love" is. But some of us know that very few friends stand by you when things fall apart. Very few love you when success& money deserts you.
This man was going exactly through the same lane. More than loosing all the money, loosing friends must have hurt Him. It's tough to digest, the girl who told you that you are her everything, doesn't even answer your call now. Who can explain? How & why & when they dessert you?Why they leave you behind? The same people who adore you would mock you now? laugh at you ?
You ask, they doesn't answer. You search, but can't find that love again. you knock, but the doors are closed for ever (No wonder the fast track ad says "move on").

Have you ever been there?
This guy is in the same lane. rejected by friends. desserts by loved ones. Nobody cares. Nobody to comfort.
What did he do?
He remembered. & he repented.
He remembered that there's one who doesn't reject him. & He ran to that one.
He wanted to say " father, let me be one of your servants". Was is it just food? or it was thirst for love? For a unchanging love.
love. what an abused word in this world. What not people do for love. Some get trapped for a life time & ruin their entire life just to have some body's love. Elders abusing kids in the name of love. Men killing the women just because they couldn't get their love. People who commit suicides being not able to digest rejection of love.
The world longs for Love. You can live without food. You can't live without Love. But how many of us really enjoy true love?


The son was walking towards his father's house. Trying to collect few words to say to get His love back.
What did he find instead? The Father running to him before he could even open his mouth & say sorry.
Father hugged him & kissed him. The son was mumbling something. The father in His joy doesn't even care. He is shouting"Get him new clothes, get him a ring & give him a new foot wear , prepare a feast & let the celebration begin!"


What is this parable all about?

The father's love for his lost son.

Who's the father?

God the creator.

Who's the lost son?

you & I. Who disobeyed God by not acknowledging Him as our creator. Or worshipped the creation instead of the creator. Or set ourselves wrong idols like money, pleasure, love & gone astray.


What happened to the lost son?


He enjoyed every pleasure. Swanky cars& latest gadgets. Lovely girls& long drives. all night parties with loud music, dance & booze. He thought he found what he wanted. Life with no breaks & love with no limits.


But what happened one day?


The money was over. so was the party. welcome to reality.

Did you ever realise that love of this world comes with a price tag?



Money! Success!! Power!!!



You got it?You are loved.



You lost it? You are forgotten.


parents love you, If you do well in studies or career. (I don't know how many young boys& girls committed suicides fearing failures in their studies. Suffocated in this "black mailing love" of parents). Friends love you, if you are a somebody in the society. Girls love you, if you can afford to make them feel special ( & I don't know how many young women & men end their lives not being able to catch up with this "love that moves on!").

You successful, they are satisfied. You are a failure, they are disappointed.

conditional love. Give them what they want, they'll give you love which you want.

Did you ever wonder.... is there anyone in this world who loves you just the way you are?

Is there anyone in this world who loves you when you are still a failure?

Is there anyone in this world who loves you when you are a loser?

Is there any one in this world who loves you when you are poor?

Is there anyone in this world who loves you when you are still a sinner?

Is there anyone in this world who loves you when you are guilty?

Is there anyone in the world who can love you unconditionally?

No religion, no god. No prophet, no guru.



I haven't seen or read or heard any god talking about unconditional love. About loving a outcast. About comforting a broken heart. About forgiving & restoring a sinner.


JESUS!


what a contrast! In the midst of these colorful images of gods.

Throughout His ministry on the earth, He was found healing a leper. Or forgiving & transforming a prostitute. Or inspiring a tax collector to to give up corruption & start donation. Or restoring a rejected. He called the fisher men & changed them into fishers of men. He fed the hungry. He forgave the sinners. restored the broken hearted. He cleansed the unholy& called the dead back to life. He was a light to those who were in darkness. he was the living water to the thirsty. He was the comforter of the outcasts.


He said "And the one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out." John 6:36


Why is He not like other Gods? Why His image is so colorless? When other gods talk about wars, women & romance, why He's always bothered about giving, loving & forgiving?


Father...please forgive me& take me as one of your servant" wanted to say the prodigal son.

"Son, welcome home, be my heir". said Father.


All day long I have held out my hands

to an obstinate people,

who walk in ways not good,

pursuing their own imaginations- Isaiah 65:2

Why is He not like other gods? Why does He care for what we do with our lives? Why is He doing this to us?

coz.. He is your maker. your Father.

He is loving you with the Love of a Father. He is compelled by love. Love that doesn't want to see you loosing. Love, that doesn't want to see you crying. Love,that doesn't want to see you dying on the highway to hell. Love,that doesn't want to see you hurting yourself in the search of momentary pleasures & temporary love.

Jesus said:

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mathew 11:28

This parable, told by Jesus 2000 years back, is still new. It's still fresh.

Throughout these 2000 years, throughout this world, these words of Jesus, soaked in true love, gave hope to many prodigal sons who were on the high way to hell. On the highway to self destruction.

The aroma of pure love these words carried...convicted many prodigal sons to repent , to return & start a new life all over.

friends, it's not a story. it's a promise. It's an invitation.

From the father, to his sons & daughters.

From the creator, to His creation. From the greatest ever lover, to all those who are looking for true love.

From the Friend who laid down His life, to all those burdened souls.

Today you can take a decision, to return to Him.

Why spend one more day feeling miserable? Why miss one more day without true love?

letter from a father.