The Journey 177
Tuesday, June 26
Read; Joshua 24:1-11
My Dad: It was all about his dad. Tim Tebow the New York Jets quarter back was the main attraction as he spoke on Father's day on how his father Bob, had influenced him in his life, in his faith and in his sports. Around 26,000 people flocked to San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium to hear Tim as he recalled the role of his father in his life. He was a special guest for a ceremony titled, "Father's Day 2012: Encouraging Men To Live, Love & Lead,". Tim in his speech stressed the need for role models for the next generation, and shared to the people how his dad was one for him. According to Tebow, "It was something very special watching my dad, how he acted, how he treated my mom, how he treated my four siblings, and that's where I learned the most from my dad is because it wasn't about what he said, it was about what he did. For Tim remembering his dad, the model and the faith that he has passed on him and to his siblings is something that he will always want to carry throughout his life. Here is a famous athlete who wants to be proud and be a part of his rich spiritual heritage of his family and transmit it to the next generation. What is a spiritual heritage according to the Word of God and how does this spiritual heritage helps in the transformation of an individual and a family. This week we are meditating on the theme " Transformation in our Family" based on Joshua 24: 1-5. This is one of the passages in the Bible where the leader of a nation is asking them to look back into history and be thankful to God for the way He led their fathers and their forefathers, and how their past generation was blessed because God was with them and they were a special nation to God. It is this wonderful past that Joshua reminds the people and ask them that they should never forget their glorious past and their present faith living should be reflection of their wonderful past of God leading the nation. Joshua affirms that all the blessing that they have received today is because of God and hence they needed to be faithful to God. Here is Joshua reminding the people of their rich spiritual heritage. What is the relevance of spiritual heritage today in our faith living. One of the saddest things that happened today is the way people condemn their parents because of their faith and the way people leave one church to move to another church saying that neither their family, parents or church has given them anything in life in terms of spiritual nourishment. In such a context what they forget is that faith living and faith nurturing is life long process where parents, and the community of faith starts transmitting to the child faith nurturing patterns to the child as the child is raised up. But once the child is fit to walk by itself it is tragic to see the grown up child denying everything that the parents and church did for them. It is in remembering your spiritual heritage we understand where our spiritual foundation is.

The Journey 173
Friday, June 22
Read: Amos 5: 18-27
                   The movie "Courageous” was a  movie that made a  mark in the Christian circles last year. It was a movie that helped many people to take their responsibility of fatherhood seriously. The movie  tells the story of four law enforcement officers who passionately does their job by bravely facing the worst that the streets have to offer. Bu then there is a contradiction in their life. They are passionate about their responsibility as law enforcement officers but at home, they are failing in their duty as dad's. One of the officer nags his son and brushes off his daughter; another officer  is divorced and hardly sees his child; while the third officer is guilty of fathering  a daughter when he was young and then walked away. It takes a personal tragedy, and more, to help these men recognize and accept their responsibilities as Christian fathers. One of the stars of this movie was  Robert Amaya. This week he was one of the speakers for the Hispanics Advance Conference, which was  attended by over 200 Hispanic pastors and leaders from 20 states and several countries prior to missionary convention and  annual meeting in New Orleans.  Number of people came and witnessed to Amaya, that the movie  helped them to commit their lives to the Lord and be a better father and husband. Amaya preached to the people by saying don't let this day pass by "Live the truth". What is needed today if we Christians need to be a witness to the world through our responsibility is to live the truth.                      
                              This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in my community” based on the book of Amos. The  meditation for today is from Amos 5: 18-27. This is the portion where Amos tell that the day of the Lord will be a dark day.  The judgment on Israel is going to come and hence the Lord says that he hates the festivals that the Israelites celebrated, despised their fellowship and assembly. The Lord also will not accept any offering that the people are going to do in the form of grains or fat animals, neither is the Lord interested in their praise and worship songs. [ Amos 5: 21-23]. What has happened to the people of Israel is that they have observed all these rituals without living the faith behind these rituals and not practicing truth in their life. Israel was the called nation, but the calling is often relegated to some ritualistic actions which has no meaning or significance in the life of the people. It is in such a context that Amos communicates to the people of Israel that they cannot just claim to be called people but they need to live the truth of being called people. The message of Amos is very relevant today. We the members of the body of Christ often takes our calling and our commitment for granted. Our life is not based on the principle of truth that we are supposed to live by. We have also relegated our faith living to some mere observances like Sunday worship, prayer meeting and so on. Can we rise above the celebrations of  rituals to a life of where the meaning of these rituals and celebrations are manifested in a practical way in our Christian life. Robert Amaya of Courageous preached to live the truth, Amos preached to practice the truth daily. It is up to us as to how we are going to live and practice the truth daily. It is then that the community around us could see the transformation that the body of believers could do.

The Journey 172
Thursday, June 21
Read; Amos 5:1-24
Anyone heard of Manny Pacquiao?. I presume that only a handful may know Pacquiao. He comes from Sarangani in Philippines and he was the person who fought with Timothy Bradley, who became the winner at the WBO welterweight title on Saturday, June 9, 2012, in Las Vegas. Though Timothy Bradley was out boxed and out powered by Manny Pacquiao, yet  he was awarded the title on a split decision by the judges which shocked the boxing world. It was a verdict that disgusted many of the experts who came to watch the boxing fight.  But for Manny Pacquiao he did not loose heart.  On the contrary he became a champion in a different arena. While holidaying in California after the boxing fight, he came to know that flash floods had destroyed his home town in Philippines. Pacquiao immediately responded to this crisis by donating the money he made from the boxing bout with Bradley a few weeks back, to help people rebuild their homes. The boxer also cut short his Californian vacation with his family, and arrived in Philippines with the help of about 20 vehicles which carried  rice and other essential items for the victims. He says the decision to spend the finances on the people of the country was a part of his responsibility as a public servant. Here is an individual who is ready to share his riches and glory for the sake of the less fortunate. Community becomes transformed when there are people like Pacquiao who puts the interest of the community above their selfish interest. But what about the nation of Israel?
                   This week we are meditating on the theme              “Transformation in our community” based on the book of Amos. Today our meditation is from Amos 5. Here you find again, Amos detesting the life style of the rich and the famous in Israel. They are guilty of trampling on the needs of the poor and then taxing the poor so that through that tax they could build palatial houses [ Amos 5: 11].  They also deliberately close their eyes to the needs of the poor and then they tend to ruin the life of even righteous people by taking bribes. Thus the sins of the people of Israel is countless and hence the prophet tell them to “ seek the Lord and live” [ Amos 5: 6]. It is in such a context that Amos also speaks to us. We live today where everyone wants to make riches at the cost of his neighbours needs. We are not concerned today whether our action will be beneficial to others or will it cause harm to others. We tend to close our eyes on the needs of our community and we tend to build a world where we are concerned only on our needs and our needs alone. Jesus taught us that we should always seek the will of the Father in heaven rather than seeking and doing our selfish will and ambition. What is needed in the world of today is people like Pacquiao who is not concerned whether by sharing his riches he is going to be poor on the contrary it is by sharing oneself to the needs of the community that we become rich. We are people called by God to become agents of transformation in our community, so let us rise above our selfish interest and goals so that we commit to the building of the kingdom of God.

The Journey 171
Wednesday, June 20
Read: Amos 2:6-16
          The famous television evangelist Creflo Dollar was in the news last week.  The founder pastor of the World Changers Church International was arrested and later released on a personal bail of $5000, on charges of abusing his daughter. The issue it seems arose when the daughter wanted to go for a party, for which Dollar did not allow. This followed into an argument and according to his daughter, Dollar choked her, threw her to the ground, punched her and hit her with the shoes. That is when the daughter called the police and according to Creflo Dollar he only tried to restrain his daughter when she became disrespectful after he told her that she could not go to the party. Dollar admitted of spanking his daughter and wrestling with her, but that happened because she began hitting him. This event has brought about a huge discussion in the country whether this country is destroying its moral fabric by not having any sorts of rules and discipline. Questions have also been raised as to what is the role and the type disciplining that needs to be enforced both in the society and family? And finally when does disciplining  becomes abuse? I am not a supporter of Creflo Dollar and I don't subscribe to many of his teaching especially on the issue of  faith and financial prosperity. But we need to clearly  understand that if a family, society and a country has to be made strong, then there has to be some element of rules, structure and discipline that needs to be enforced. But how can we protect our children from being abused in the name of discipline, is something that needs to be taken care of. The dividing line between discipline and abuse is very thin and hence there needs to be a proper differentiation between what constitutes a discipline and what is abuse, my help us to enforce some element of rights both for the parent and for the child.
                    This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in the Community” based on the book of Amos. The portion that we shall meditate is from Amos 2: 6-16. This is a portion that where the prophet brings to the notice of the people of Israel their moral deterioration. The nation had piled one sin upon another.  Israel has forgotten its status of a called nation. Amos begins his condemnation of the Israelites for their  sins of economic oppression: “They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2:6b).  According to Amos the wealthy has corrupted every element of the society and as result of that the innocent are judged guilty and sold into slavery debt.  He graphically depicts the defenselessness of the poor before the greedy money lovers:  According to the upper class and the wealthy, the poor were worth no more than just “a pair of sandals.” Thus with poetic style, Amos deals not only with social injustice , but he also confronts sexual misconduct in the nation of Israel. Amos roars that God is going to bring judgment on the nation of Israel. What Amos reminds the people of Israel is to order ones life according to the commandments of the Lord. I think this is what is needed today also. Every individual needs his life to be ordered by the laws and the principles of our Lord. If life has to be in order, this should not be done in a spirit of fear but out of love. It is my love for the Lord that helps me to order my life rather than ordering my life out of fear. In any home or society I feel it is to that atmosphere should we work out to. Discipline and rules that is enforced and obeyed not out of fear but out of genuine love. I feel when the love of the Lord is the foundation of our life, then both parents, and children can understand the true nature of discipline. It is then the family, society and nation becomes strong. 

The Journey 169
Monday, June 18
Read: Jonah
                  Everyone loves to work for a great company. To work for a great company is both a prestige and also the returns for one life and living is also sometime fabulous. While in India, I still remember my friends proudly telling me that they work for companies like Infosys, Wipro, IBM, Samsung and so on. There was a spark and a glitter in their eyes as they talked about their work and the company that they worked for. Here in United States I read the list of  100 best companies that one can work in the year 2012, released by Fortune, a list which is co authored by Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz.  Number 1 as the top employer list in US is Google. Google has about 18,391 employees. The attraction to work for Google is because it has a  great campus, tons of perks and you become a part of a highly skilled co-workers, and more that that there is a feeling of prestige among Google employees. Second on the list the Boston Consulting group based in Massachusetts. This is a professional services group dealing with consulting and management. Third on the fortune list is SAS based in North Carolina, while fourth is Wegmans Food Markets based in New York, which has about 41,717 employees. Fifth on the list is Edward Jones based in Missouri. Net App, Camden Property Trust, Recreational Equipment, CHG Healthcare services and Quicken Loans take the sixth to the tenth position. In all these job opportunities people always look mainly for a good salary, financial remuneration and additional perks like retirement benefits, pension and so on. Very few people link meaning in life, passion about ones work and God’s calling to their professional job. It is in such a context, that we need to rediscover the glory of ones professional work and calling that God has given to each one of us.                                               Today is a big and a memorable day for me because I complete 24 years working in God’s ministry, 24 years of working as a clergy in the Marthoma Church. I had never dreamt that I would be a clergy of the Marthoma Church and never in my life planned to be a clergy.  But there are times in life when you consciously think as you ask yourself “ Why do you live”, “ What is the meaning of life and how can I live a life of meaning and purpose”.  It is these questions that led to me to know Jesus Christ and I am proud to say that I committed my life to the Lord on this day “June 18”. I was a Sunday school teacher for a number of years and when I used to teach Sunday school, I always use to take the singing session. At the end of the singing session I use to sing the song “ When He calls me I will answer, I’ll be somewhere working for my Lord”. This was something that I used to do regularly every Sunday, until one day as I sang the song with the Sunday school children, the Lord spoke to me and I was convinced that the Lord was calling me to work for Him in His ministry. I kept on rejecting God’s call but finally I felt that I could not run from God nor from His call. Great is God’ work and His plan. God’s divine plan was once again manifested when  on June 18th itself, in 1988, that I got ordained as the clergy of the Marthoma Church. I am always honoured to say I am in the service of the Lord and in the ministry of the Marthoma Church. All the blessings that I have received in my life is because of the grace of our Lord, because of my position as  clergy of Marthoma Church and finally due to the constant prayer support that I have received from my parishioners and friends all over. Life for me is very meaningful and working in the Lord’s ministry is the most passionate thing that I do. What about you? Are you passionate about your job and your life? If not God is calling you to work for Him.     Willing to work for a “Boss who is a Jewish Carpenter”

 

The Journey 166
Friday, June 15
Read: John 8:1-11
Another news items needs to be seriously taken into consideration. According to Tom Strode who writes in the Baptist Press has reported that the British newspaper, "The Telegraph"  has brought out a startling news about a new blood test. What is unique about this new blood test which has been developed is that,  it will help doctors to screen unborn children for more than 3,000 genetic disorders.  This is a research published on June 6, by a  team from the University of Washington. The team has reported it was able to map the entire genetic code of an unborn baby using a blood sample from the mother, who was 18 weeks into her pregnancy, and saliva from the father. The researchers has predicted that this noninvasive test could be widely used in the coming years, would enable screening of thousands of genetic conditions. The scientist as well as pro life group activist, acknowledges that the  research  raises lot of ethical and moral  questions since a common use of this blood test may induce lot of parents to go in for more abortions, especially if the  screenings of the unborn child indicate problematic  genetic conditions. But activists and groups who support these types of test  argue that, when discussing about the ethical and moral issues of an unborn child, issues like whether allowing a child to suffer for the rest of his life with a genetic disorder, is such a life worth living, and also should parents be made to bear this emotional and mental stress for the rest of their life. Whatever be the case, I think we always need to affirm life and  also whenever we are faced with contentious  issues we need to take a comprehensive outlook rather than giving vent to our emotional feeling with no reason or logic associated with it. This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our personal life” based on John 8:1-11. This is one of the passages in the New Testament, which raises  a  lot of inquisitive questions. The whole episode revolves round the plight of a woman caught in adultery and is ridiculed publically. The plight of the woman could be gauged by the charges that was leveled on her– caught in a adultery.  The very act not only is sinful but brings total disrepute to ones character. It is this issue that is discussed not behind closed doors but publically to discredit and bring disrepute to the woman, when the male members involved in this particular crime or sin is hiding in public and may be the ones who have come in front to punish her. It is then we find Jesus maintaining silence while the accusers trade charges on the woman. What Jesus does is to bend down and write something on the sand. We do not know what Jesus wrote. But when he says the most powerful words “Those who have not sinned should throw the stone first” creates such a awesome response and reaction that people who raised the charges against the woman leaves the place in silence. Why are those words of Jesus so powerful that made the accusers leave the place so quickly. There may be lots of reasons but I think here is Jesus communicating to all of them and to us whether when we condemn have we understood comprehensively the moral and ethical issues faced by the people whom we condemn guilty?. Unless we do not understand their plight and their context, we have no right to pass sentence on another. What is needed today in any issues affecting life is that we need to take a comprehensive outlook about it rather than reacting and judging purely out of our bias which may be based only on our emotional feelings. How comprehensive are you in life?

The Journey 165
Thursday,  June 14
Read; John 8:1-11
           One of the most wonderful book that had a powerful impact on people was the book "The Purpose Driven Life" written by Pastor Rick Warren. According to a documented estimate that was done five years ago 30 million copies were sold. This  book was also named as one of the top 100 Christian books that  changed the 20th century. Now  Pastor Rick Warren is publishing the 10th anniversary edition of this book and for that he has teamed up with his book publisher and a crowd-sourced graphic design company to create a new cover for his bestseller book. It seems that the anniversary edition will have a rearranged title in hopes of attracting readers from the millennial generation, according to Zondervan, the book publishing company. This is the book that became famous for its quote and question " What one earth am I here for ?". I think if every individual tries to find an answer to this probing question, on ones vision and mission in life, each of our life will be made wonderful not only to the creator God but also a blessing to our fellow brothers and sisters. We wish Rick Warren all the best as he continues to inspire others to make life worth living, by living for Christ. But the question that make one make life living for Christ is one when we also try to answer the question whether we know why we exist for?. This brings to a powerful aspect in our life, whether we live life that is self examined.    This week we are meditating on the theme “Transformation  in our personal life” based on John 8:1-11. A wonderful incident that brings out the wisdom of Jesus Christ in helping others to stop judging but think about one’s self.  The whole portion is replicate with the compassionate attitude of Jesus Christ to the woman and also critiquing the self righteous attitude of the Pharisees. When Jesus said to the crowd that the person who has the right to throw stone at the woman should be a person who has not sinned. Here is a powerful probing question that Jesus raised that brought in each of the Pharisees a sense of guilt and shame, and soon they all left the scene because they knew that Jesus had nailed their self righteous living.  He also tells the woman “ did no one punish you or condemn, even I do not condemn you, Go and sin no more”. What Jesus did was helping people to self examine ones life before making a judgment on others. One of the things that we all do is we tend to make judgments fast on other people’s fault but never move our little finger to correct our life so that our life is pleasing to God and to others. The moment we fail to live our life, without self examination, we may tend to move away from the grace of God and also move to the level of self righteous living. Transformed living is all about examining our life in the light of the calling that God has given  to each one of us and to make our life a blessed experience. Rick Warren through his book wanted each individual to think as to why we are on the earth, but as a Christian our Lord want us to examine our life so that our life and living is wonderful and worth living.  Are you living a self examined life or a life lived just according to our own selfish passions and ambitions?.                                                                                                   

The Journey 164
Wednesday, June 13
Read: John 8:1-11
New York Times reported last week of an interesting news item. It was about two Christian missionaries from North Carolina, who fought with robber with a gun in hand, risking their life. The two young missionaries belonged to the Southern Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. They had come to New York to do a mission work. What happened that fateful day was that, a woman well dressed with designer sunglasses was walking on the 37th Road, off Broadway, at Jackson Heights, when she was spotted by the robber. He felt that the woman would be an easy prey and since the crowd was also thin, he thought that the chance of a getaway was also bright. With this intention in mind, he snatched the purse and ran. But then he did not foresee the events that were to follow. A fire fighter who was standing nearby confronted the robber, who fell of his balance and that is when one of the missionary, Andre Aganbi, a student at Duke University, was sharing the gospel among the people on the streets suddenly saw the robber falling on the ground. He also fell on to the ground trying to pin the robber down, with the help of his friend Mark, and that is when they realized that the robber was going to take a gun out of his pocket. With swift tackle the robber let loose the grip of Aganbi, fired and fled. Within minutes the robber had fled, and by the time the cops arrived, the group of missionaries were in a shock. But they quickly regained composure. They formed a circle and started praying in the middle of the street, by holding hands and thanking God for the narrow escape from the jaws of death. But looking back at the incident, the young missionaries felt that they felt good that they have been able to do something that they were expected to do as Christians in a situation like this. It is easy to preach the gospel, but there are times when one is forced in situations and experiences where one is put into a centre of action where one need to act out the gospel message, message just preached or what one stands for. The ability to understand some of the sudden contextual demands and challenges of the gospel message, and to risk ourselves is what the life style of a believer is all about. This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our personal life” based on John 8:1-11. The gospel passage describes how Jesus puts the message that he preaches in a practical way and also in a totally different perspective. Here is a powerful group of people– the Pharisees bringing to the presence of Jesus, the woman caught in adultery. Jesus knew the intricacies of the law, in a situation like this, the challenges that he may face if he antagonizes the Pharisees. He was also aware that the Pharisees may create hurdles and also oppose him, in his ministry if he does not toe their line of thinking. But Jesus is not concerned about His image, or the opposition that may come in His ministry, but concerned about the welfare of the woman who is a termed a sinner yet has been condemned by people who are actually involved in the sinful act. It is here that Jesus takes the risk to stand along with the woman and lead her to a new transformed living. Today most of us are just peddlers of gospel message, we don't have the guts to take a stand for the welfare of others because that may make our hands dirty, or may be our image may take a beating in front of others. My convictions is that, if I am a gospel messenger, I am not supposed to play safe in my ministry but on the contrary ready to take up risk for the sake of my people whom I serve or for my church for which I am a minister. The missionaries form North Carolina proved that being gospel messengers also means to take risk for others, not concerned about ones safety, so that others could experience gospel in action. Are you messenger living in safe zone or ready to jump into centre of action?

The Journey 163
Tuesday, June 12
Read: John 8:1-11
               Recently a friend of mine asked me to read a book that has been recently published, which has some trending news about the young men. The name of the book is “The Demise of Guys: Why Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It” by Dr. Philip Zimbardo and Nikita Duncan. I saw that the book on Amazon Kindle store, and soon downloaded it on to my kindle. The research findings that  the authors are bringing out in the book, may redefine the ministry of the church, especially in the work among the youths. It deals with the topic of how the men and young boys are loosing certain aspects of their personality which can be very fatal in the long run both in the personal life and also in the well being of the society. What the author is communicating is that with the advent of gaming consoles like Wi , PSPO and Play Station, we are creating a generation of  young men who wants to live in a world of fantasy and want instant gratification  of their desires, rather than comprehending what is reality and how we need to have certain long term goals also in our life. According to the authors these addictions unlike other addictions like drug and alcohol force the men to go on higher lever of thrill and experience. When the kids or young men win the first round of the online gaming, they want to go to the next round and then it is a vicious cycle. I still remember a married lady seeking help from me to dissuade her husband who would spend long time at home, playing games on computer and thus forgetting his duties at home and also at work. What guys want today is instant thrill and excitement, even though it may cost them a price that will affect their entire life, they seem to be unperturbed.  Thus because of this the authors argue that these boys and young men don't live in a real world, they don't want to enjoy life that is real and they are not ready to take responsibility on a long term basis, as there is no thrill in that. Thus this change in behavior and life style of boys and young men can have an adverse effect on institution of family. What is the relationship between the findings of the research and our journey towards transformed living.
          This week we are meditating on the theme “Transformation in my personal life”. The portion that we shall use for our meditation is from John 8:1-11. This is a portion where Jesus is put to test by the Pharisees. They bring to him a woman who was caught in adultery and want to mete out the punishment to her as according to the law of Moses, where  by she is supposed to be stoned to death. But Jesus instead of condemning the woman asked the Pharisees to stone her– but with a condition that only that person could stone her, the one who has never sinned. Here is Jesus condemning the attitude of the Pharisees. Here is a lady who is a victim of the people who want “Instant gratification” in their life. They use  the lady for that gratification, but the pain has to be borne not by oppressed but by the oppressor. It is here that Jesus Christ teaches us a valuable lesson. If we need to transform our life, I think we need to make a conscious effort to see that our life is not dictated by the principles of thrill and instant gratification, on the contrary on the  principle of responsibility, mutual respect to each other and life built on both short term and long term goals. Life is not just travelling on highway but also on pot hole road too.

The Journey 162
Monday, June 11
Read: John 12: 20-23
                The First Church for the Deaf  or the Deaf Church This was the news that caught my attention, a news that I read over and over again. A deaf church? A church for the deaf? How can that happen. How can one have a church exclusively for the deaf people. How can the deaf people know Christ? Or how does a deaf person acknowledge Christ?. These were the questions that was raging in  my mind. But the truth was as broad as the daylight. The first church of the deaf has now been founded in Sudan. In this church you have a few believers who are deaf but are baptized Christians. How did this happen. One of the deaf believers was an orphan who used to steal and also lived on drugs. Finally he learned the sign language and then one day he learned about the greatest sign in his life– JESUS, and that changed his life. Once he experienced Jesus he learned about baptism and soon through sign language learned that one had to get baptized to be a part of the body of Christ.  Thus about 21 deaf people got baptized and they formed the first deaf church in North Africa.  There are a few missionaries who work among the deaf to help them to respond to the gospel message and they say that deaf believers exist in many  countries in the northern African region,  but then they have not yet formed communities of faith. The challenge they face is very hard and there are number of people who are also physically challenged,  who are not reached by the gospel and they all are waiting– For the Message and the Messenger. One of the most wonderful thought that came to my mind, as I read this news is to praise God for his wonderful working and His mysterious ways of working.  How does the news of the establishment of the “Deaf Church” impact our life?. The answer to this question will tell us how serious we have been with regards to the impact of the gospel in our life and the transformation that the gospel brings about in our life.
          This week we start a new theme for our meditation which is “Transformation in my personal life” The portion that we shall use for our meditation is from John 12: 20-23. This is a portion when Jesus is his in the final leg of his ministry, teaching the disciples and the people who was following him about the life giving bread and about the death that he was going to undergo so that through his death, humanity could be redeemed. Jesus was also exhorting his disciples that they have to die so that only through death that they could raise to a  new living and a new life [ John 12: 24,25]. It is at this time that the a group of Greeks comes Philip and tells them that they wanted to see Jesus. Philip goes and tells this strange request to Andrew and then both Andrew and Philip goes and tells about the Greeks to Jesus. Here is a group of people who are outside the fold of the Jews, who “do not come into the fold of salvation act of God’, but yet they are keen to know and see Jesus. I think the church sometime are not interested to see and meet Jesus and it is the individual who are outside the fold of the church who are the people who wants to see Jesus and also live like Christians.  Today in church you have people who have eyes and ears, yet do not see or hear Jesus and hence they live “Unchristian” life while on the contrary just as the news reported, you have  people in Sudan who cannot hear   yet they have heard about Jesus and have responded to the gospel message. Isn't the Church of today blind and deaf to gospel message?  Let us give ears to the deaf believers of the first deaf church– That is when transformation in our life will begin.

The Journey 159

Friday, June 8

Read: Acts 18

Never call a man a dog- It’s a shame to the dog. This was one of the funny quotes that I found on the net. Your comments on this statement may vary. But give an ear to this news brought out by Yahoo news. They  have  reported that a  dog is now a hero in Ghana. The reason for this the dog had protected a new born baby by keeping the baby snuggled against him. I am thankful to Prince John of Christos Marthoma Church, Philadelphia for bringing to my attention this news item which is published on Yahoo News. It was actually  Madam Rosemary Azure, Director of Health for the Talensi-Nabdam District, in Ghana that shared the remarkable story with Ghana News Agency at a ceremony for a different occasion entirely – the launch of two vaccines that will help prevent diarrhea and pneumonia. What happened was that a  search party had been convened to look for the dog and not the baby, when the dog’s worried owner got concerned that her pet hadn't returned home in the evening. Searchers spent most of the night tracking the hound through nearby fields and woods, and came upon the unlikely pair of the dog and the baby, quite some time later; finally locating him under the bridge near the farm and that is when they were surprised to find the dog curled around a human infant. The baby himself is in relatively fine fettle after his ordeal. His umbilical cord had not been cut, and had gotten infected, but the little one was otherwise unharmed; he's had all his vaccinations, and is currently in the custody of a local health directorate until new, arrangements can be made for him. The police are investigating as to what led to the baby’s desertion. What is unique about the news is the human values of concern, that a dog shows, when these qualities are now becoming rare in human beings “ who are called the crown of creation”. Why these qualities are becoming rare is because we don't tend to inculcate these qualities in our family nor try to transmit to the next generation. That makes all the difference in the transformation that needs to happen in our family through our Lord.  This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our family” based on a  missionary couple Aquila and Priscilla. Here is a couple who are  not very rich. They have a profession of tent making. Here is a story of a couple who helps us understand how to grow in the grace and in knowledge of the Lord and also how one can be a help in the Lord’s work.  It seems Aquila and Priscilla were already Christians when they met Paul in Corinth, and moreover they seemed to share same trade of tent making or it can also be called as leatherworking. One of the unique aspects of both Aquila and Priscilla is that they had an eagerness to grow in the Lord and also in whatever ways, support the Lord’s work through their profession.  They had only little yet they were concerned about the Lord’s work. Often in our parish and family life, we are always recipients of somebody’s labour and we don't care to support the Lord’s work nor do we set model to our children to show how the family can support Lord’s work in whatever ways we can. The dog in the yahoo news had no responsibility towards the new born child, yet did something noble, but what about people like us. Are we able to show the same concern and support that the canine showed to the new born baby, to our fellow brothers and sisters or even to God’s work. It is these qualities that brings transformation in our family and in our personal life. The capacity to distinguish between who has been created as a dog and as a man…makes all the difference

The Journey 158

Thursday, June 7

Read: Deuteronomy : 6:6-9

Robert Raikes: While ministering as the general secretary of the Marthoma Sunday School Samajam, I  might have used the life history of Robert Raikes a  number of times both in the sermon and also while addressing youths and Sunday school children in camps and retreats. His life story had challenged so many children including myself, and I always felt thrilled to tell others the life of history of the founder of the modern Sunday school movement. Even while teaching,  Christian education in the Marthoma seminary, the life and times of Robert Raikes, was one of the topics for study. It was thrilling to study and teach about a man who during the industrial revolution decided to work among the children who were left alone by the parents,  because both the parents had to work to make a living during those times. With no proper care from the parents, the children lived wayward lives and started getting into a lot of vices. It was this sight that made Robert Raikes to start very informally the nurturing process in children. Thus the beginning of the non formal way of Christian nurturing and the beginning of  Sunday school activities. One of the strange aspect during this time was that Raikes was  never encouraged by the church and moreover the church was totally against the methodology of Christian nurturing being done by Raikes.  Yesterday was a memorable day for me. Being in  London for a short trip,  I had the opportunity to go to visit Gloucester and the home of Robert Raikes. But when I visited this wonderful and historical place for the whole of the Sunday school children in the world, I was saddened by the sight that today, the home of the founder of Sunday school movement is used as a bar or a pub. The house has a few artefacts which tells that this house is where Robert Raikes lived, while people come and go out of the house, after having their drinks. Does the house of Robert Raikes carry any memories for us?. I think just as the church totally disowned Raikes in the beginning of his ministry, I feel the Church today also has  disowned his history and memories today also. It is at this point that we need to address that what is the place of history in  our life and how much value do we ascribe to the incidents of the past and the people who have led us, the church and the country. History carry living memories that are dynamic and only when we understand that can we bring transformation in our life, in our society and in our family.

                This week we are meditating on the theme “Transformation in the family. The passage for our devotion is from Deuteronomy 6: 6-9. Here we find the command given by God to Moses. “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates”.  Why does God give this command to  Moses to use certain aspects as symbols to be tied on the hand,  to be used a objects on the doorframes and signs on the foreheads?. These are some of the ways that the next generation will remember the Lord and His mighty ways  both in history  and in human life. Thus in order to remember the  Lord, and also if faith has to be nurtured to the next generation, the family  needs to use symbols and memories and also living experience of people and family who were led by God. When there are no memories or if memories and history has no place in the life of an individual, it is the family that suffers. If family life has to be transformed it is important that we show to our children symbols of our wonderful redemptive past and also memories associated with our life. It is through these types of experiences that Christian nurturing begins. Church forgot the contribution of Robert Raikes and let not our children forget the way the Lord led us in the past both in our personal life and in our family life.

What is the place of history and memories in your family?

The Journey 157
Wednesday, June 6
Read: Acts 18:1-23
             Yesterday was a memorable for all the people in England. The  Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Queen Elizabeth, was telecast live and millions of people through out the world viewed it live.  The Queen described  the diamond jubilee celebrations as an experience that was humbling.. The President of United States, Barack Obama praised the Queen  and said that she stood as a witness to the power of the alliance between the UK and US.  What was one of the significant aspect of the celebrations was the thanksgiving service that was held at the St Paul's Cathedral. This thanksgiving service was attended by around  2,000-strong congregation, where one of the highlights was the sermon by out-going Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Some of the excerpts of his  sermon is worthy to be quoted and to be given a second thought because of its high note of thinking and the fresh light that the Archbishop sheds on some common biblical concepts. While praising the Queen for her dedication, he said “ Dedication to the service of a community in a biblical sense not only involves an absolute purge of selfish goals, but it is also the opening of a door into shared riches. I don't think it's at all fanciful to say that, in all her public engagements, our Queen has shown a quality of joy in the happiness of others; she has responded with just the generosity St Paul speaks of in showing honour to countless local communities and individuals of every background and class and race. She has made her ‘public’ happy and all the signs are that she is herself happy, fulfilled and at home in these encounters”. The thought that dedication is all about not only purging of selfish goals but also opening the doors to shared riches. I think these words and ideas are powerful not only for the growth of a nation, but  more for an individual and also in the context of family, especially as we think this week on transformation in our family.
              This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our Family”. The portion that we will take for our meditation is from Acts 18, which describes the life style of a couple Aquila and Priscilla. Here is a couple who are involved in their own profession but consciously made attempts to share their riches with others. Theirs was a home where the apostles could come and stay. A home that was open to others, a home that was hospitable. They were gracious host to the whole church even when they lived at two different places,  Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:19, 5-9; Acts 19:10) and Rome (Romans 16:3-5). It is believed that Paul was a recipient of their hospitality, and it is presumed that it is in their home that he wrote the letter to the Thessalonians. A couple who understood that riches  in life is all about a home that is open to others, and being hospitable to others, and that is when  ones own family life is also enriched. We live in a world where we are very choosy about who comes to our home, how we spend our finances and try to be very closed to others even as a family. Here is Aquila and Priscilla teaching us that if our family life has to be enriched we need to open our homes and our life so that others could also share not only in our happiness but also in our riches that God has given to us and thus making our world of our family,  little more wide. That is when we truly get the prayers, love and support from our fellow families, making ourselves  and our family life a blessed experience. It is these experiences that will help us to realize what it means to be dedicated as propounded by the Archbishop in his sermon. The Queen said the celebrations were a humbling experience to her and if so  let also think today as to how we can make our  life and our family life a humbling experience to each other.

The Journey 156

Tuesday, June 5

Read: Mathew 19:1-6

   What is the foundation of a nation?. I believe it rest on a strong family. Laura Kay S. Hymowitz, has written a wonderful article, which I believe is an eye opener in the Los Angeles Times dated 3rd June, titled “ The single-mom catastrophe "and how the demise of two parent families is creating  an economic disaster for the United States.  The single-mother concept started way back in the 1960s when Americans started to break the historical connection between marriage and childbearing, and in the process  turning the family concept as single motherhood and the fatherless family  as a  viable, and an alternative and also even welcome arrangement for children and for society. The reasons for this  shift were many factors that included the sexual revolution, a powerful strain of anti-marriage feminism and the sense of individualism that crept into every area of  the American life. Some of the western countries also came to conclusion, that it  is fine for the unmarried individuals to have kids. This was because what they had in mind was a substitute for marriage, but something that was similar, in creation of a stable arrangement where two partners, living together for a  long term, would raise their children together. But in the United States, the “lone motherhood" phenomena — women bringing up kids with no dad around was an American contextual issue. The single-mother revolution has been an economic catastrophe not only for women, but also for men and for the country. The effect of single parenting is very painful not only for mothers and fathers, but also for the children. Research have shown that the children of single mothers are twice likely to drop out of high school when compared to children growing up with both parents.  Even if the children graduate from school they are less likely to go to college. In such a contextual issues of single parenting, how do we understand the concept of transformation in our family life?  This week we are  meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our family life” based on Mathew 19: 1-6. As we discussed yesterday, this is one of the powerful exposition about marriage by Jesus Christ. In this passage we find, Jesus communicating to his hearers that marital relationship is all about two individuals, a male and female who makes a conscious decision to enter into family life with commitment to God and to each other. When an individual makes a commitment towards God as he and she enters into marital life, what the couples is affirming is  that they are ready to live a life of relationship, a life of fellowship and a life where both of them agree to live together in mutual harmony and intimacy. They also make a commitment to raise  the next generation with the help of the  grace and strength of God so that they grow in faith and in commitment to Jesus Christ. Family is an institution to be built by two partners committed to God and to each  other. There is nothing that can substitute in this world for the role played  by father and mother together in the building of the family and also in nurturing of our next generations.

The Journey 155

Monday,  June 4

Read: Mathew 19:1-6

The Daily Mail in London, UK, has reported an incident last week, about a news that an  Indian Telugu woman has filed for divorce within two months of marriage, on the ground that her husband had not changed his relationship status from being single to married in his Facebook page. The 28-year-old woman, told the family court that she cannot trust him anymore, since he did not announce on Facebook, the news about their marriage and hence the reason for separation. Meanwhile her husband has told the court that he had forgotten to update his status as he was busy with his work. Looking at the merits of the case, the family court judge has asked both the partners to undergo  six months of counseling.  There are lots of news floating around stating that some of the social networking sites like Facebook are some of the main reasons for one third of the divorce last year in United Sates.  Some of the reasons people associate Facebook causing issues in marital relationships are issues when one spouse finds messages that are flirty in nature, photos of their spouse at a party that they did not know about or with someone they should not have been with. But then we need to seriously analyze this issue whether is it Facebook that is the real issue or whether the spouses have been able to develop their marital relationship with a sense of trust and confidentiality, rather than blaming social networking sites for marital rift.

                       This week we start a new theme for our devotion and that will be “ Transformation in my Family Life”. The portion taken for our devotion is from Mathew 19: 1-6. This is the gospel portion that is read during the sacrament of marriage in the  Marthoma Church, a time when the celebrant joins the hands of the bride and the groom as an act of joining them together in the holy matrimony.  What is significant  about this passage is the teaching of Jesus Christ with regards to marriage and marital relationship. In v: 5, we find Jesus telling that “ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife”. It is in this verse that you find some of the most powerful messages that we  need to internalize to make our family and marital life meaningful. Here is Jesus Christ telling us that if our marital relationship has to be blessed one, we need to detach ourselves in a healthy way and be attached also  in a healthy way to a new relationship. Here both man and woman is being asked to commit themselves to a new set of relationship and also to a new priority in relationships. Till the day you are married, you had a primary responsibility to the home that you grew up and to your parents, but once you are  married, your responsibility towards parents does not change but there is a new priority in life. And that priority is building up of ones marital and family life. One of the tragedies that happen in many of the families is that even after an man and woman is married, they do not change the priorities at home and also  are not able to see the relationship with their parents in a new perspective, thus failing to develop and strengthen their relationship with their spouses. There are number of youngsters who have got married, but fail to take steps to strengthen their marital relationship basically because it is their parents on whom they are dependent on and on whom they still are tied emotionally in a unhealthy way.

What is important in family life is take steps consciously to strengthen ones spousal relationship along with other web of relationship.

The Journey 153,
Saturday, June 2
Read: 2 Kings 5:1-27
   A horrific incident was reported  by Yahoo,  Washington Post and host of other news channel about the death of Pastor who died of rattlesnake bite last week as he conducted the worship service. The name of the Pastor is Mack Wolford, who is from West Virginia, and who was famous for serpent-handling, a talent that he exhibits during  worship service. He had planned for a praise and worship service where he proposed that all the believers would have  a great time, by speaking in tongues, while he would show case his talent of handling dangerous rattle snake as a part of his test of faith and faith living. But on the contrary that Sunday was day horrifically going wrong when he was bitten  by the rattlesnake he owned for years. After about half an hour into the praise and worship session, Wolford passed a yellow timber rattlesnake and laid it on the ground and sat next to the snake which bit him on the thigh. The worship service came to a halt thereafter  and Wolford was taken to a relative’s house where he finally breathed his last. According to Mack Wolford and his faith belief, Bible gives the Christians the authority and the mandate to handle serpents to test their faith in God, and that, even if they are bitten, they trust that God will heal them. The passage they cite for this belief system is from Mark 16:17-18 , “And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” What is strange about this pastor is that his father who was a pastor and also a serpent handler had died in the same manner. Isn't sad and strange that even today there are many believers who put Lord to test by doing strange things,  when sickness and suffering comes to their life or in the family and then dictate to the Lord on the particular way, healing should take place?.
               This week we were meditating on the theme  ”Transformation in the life of the sick and the suffering” based on the healing of Naman in 2 Kings 5: 1-27. If we look at the bible we have different ways by which God heals people. In the case of Naman, the prophet Elisha asks him to wash himself in the river Jordan seven times. “ Seven times in the river Jordan”. In the New Testament, we find that there are times when Jesus uses different method to heal. When he healed the centurion’s servant, he did not even meet the servant, he only commanded and the servant was healed. But when he heals the blind man mentioned in John 9: 6, he  puts his spit on the ground and then applies the clay in the blind man’s eyes and the tells him to wash  in the pool of Siloam. That is the method that Jesus used to heal the blind man but when he when he meets Bartimeus [Mark 10:46-52],  he does not do anything like what we mentioned before, on the contrary he says to Bartimeus that his faith has helped him to get his eye sight back. All these passages in the word of God teaches us that God in his souvergnity knows and it is He who decided the mode and the method of healing in each one of our life. What the Lord wants from us is to trust Him and in His will and also understand that it is our Lord who gives us deliverance from sickness and suffering by his own unique ways rather than putting  God to test by saying that God will heal me, even if I don't take medicines, or God will heal me in this particular way that I believe. Let us remember that we are mortals, and that life and death is in the hands of God. Test of faith in my life is not testing God about His faithfulness.

The Journey 152

Friday, June 1

Read: 2 Kings 5: 1-27

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. An architectural wonder, an iconic structure, an engineering masterpiece is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and its year long celebrations were inaugurated this May.  It was in May 1937 that the bridge was inaugurated and opened to vehicular traffic.  But before the bridge was completed, this was considered as in impossible task , due to persistently foggy weather, 60-mile-per-hour winds, and strong ocean currents, which whipped through a deep canyon below. But the  man who gave wings to his dreams and vision of building a bridge in such hostile environment is Joseph Baerman Strauss.  For many years Strauss, who was a distinguished engineer, dreamed of raising a span across the Golden Gate. It was in response to his vision, to countless people who used to challenge that that such a bridge could not be built. But, amazingly enough, Strauss held fast to his vision, and a span was eventually raised across the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge was finally constructed in a little more than four years costing about $35 million. The total length of the bridge spans 1.2 miles . Even today, the massive spans of the bridge which are often shrouded in fog,  sways 27 feet to withstand winds of up to 100 miles per hour. The two great cables extending from the bridge contain 80,000 miles of steel wire, which is enough to circle the equator three times while the concrete poured to cement the bridge into the stormy waters below could have also been used to pave a five-foot sidewalk from New York to San Francisco. Incredible. I still remember driving through the golden gate bridge in 2006 along with James Veeramala Achen, totally wonderstruck and in awe beholding such an iconic beauty. As the nation celebrates the 75th anniversary of this architectural wonder, there is also a small but bitter aspect behind this bridge, which is very shocking and also tragic.. This sad but bitter  aspect is that more people chose to end their life by jumping off the bridge to the water below. What an irony. On one  side one can marvel at this wonderful structure of human innovation and ingenuity, the gift that God gives to each one of us to explore human life to its widest possibilities and challenges thus making life worth living and on the other side people who do not want to explore God’s gift of wide possibilities in human life, not ready to take up challenges and thus making both living and life a total tragedy. When the topic of sick and suffering is discussed, I think we can see both of these perspectives in the life of people.

           This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in life of the sick and suffering”. The biblical portion that we are meditating is from 2 Kings 5: 1-27. Here is a portion where you find Naman who is suffering from leprosy standing in the doorway of the house of Elisha. This is when Elisha commands to Naman through his messenger, that he should go and wash in the river Jordan seven times. This peculiar demand makes Naman very angry. The reason for his anger is that there were rivers in Damascus like  Abnah and Pharpar where he could go and wash and he did not see any reason as why he had to go to river Jordan. Here is Naman who wants healing but at the same time trying to limit the wide world of God’s working and at the same time also trying to think that he can determine how God has to work. I think is this attitude that makes him angry. I believe there are lot of people like Naman who cannot see the wide and varied way of God’s working in human life and try to manipulate God in ones own way. This is utterly foolish. What is required from each one of us to submit to the awesome power of God so that He works wonders in our life in His own unique ways, even when we go through sickness and suffering. This will make us iconic objects of living witness of the living God, just like the golden bridge is a witness to the ingenuity and innovation of Joseph Baerman Strauss.