Laboring Queens

The last week was berserk.

Mumbai, the most energetic metropolitan of India was paralyzed with fear when terrorists attacked 11 busy and populated places on 26th November.The Taj luxury hotel, a prestigious 105 year old heritage building was under siege holding in custody many hostages. The Oberoi Trident Hotel was also victim to the same.The Nariman House, which is a Jewish outreach center in the city was seized and assaulted leaving 8 of its inmates killed. The total number of confirmed fatalities of the 2 day Islamic militant attack sized up to 195 and more than 300 people were wounded.

In Tamil Nadu, torrential rains created havoc.86 persons died, and thousands became homeless.Roads became inaccessible, and standing crops in over 100,000 acres of land became totally submerged in flood waters.

I was reading the book of Esther as a part of my daily devotion and in seasons of crisis, such as these times, I've learnt many lessons for my own life from the life of Esther.

"...Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" [Esther 4:14]

The Background

King Xerxes ruled over a kingdom that stretched from India in the east to Egypt in the west.

The lives of all the Jews living in this Persian empire were threatened by the order given by King Xerxes who in-turn was poisoned by minister Haman, an anti-semitic.
One Jew was safe, Haddasah, who rose to be a queen and was later named Esther.

She had a choice, she could reveal her identity and fish an opportunity to save her kindred, but if the King was not convinced she could lose her life instantly. Or ; she could stay silent, and live in safety and comfort while her brethren were being massacred.

We know how Esther fasts and prays for 3 days to boldly confront the situation. She meets the king, despite the high risk involved, plans a perfect banquet inviting Haman, and gently revealed to the king his evil ploy , and further created opportunities to provoke his anger and completely destroyed Haman, along with his plan and secured the safety and progress of the Jews.

The Lessons

Some are called to be a queen in the enemy's palace.

I am graduating in Engineering this year, I plan to do a masters in Business Administration and also want to be certified in various technologies.I see myself as an entrepreneur in the near future handling diversified products and services.

But do you know what I am called for?

I am called to be laborer in the field of the Lord's harvest.This is not my wish list, but my confirmed purpose.

Every work, every degree, every business venture for me is an effort, an act of labor in my Father's vineyard.

Esther used her position to maneuver the decision of the king preventing the annihilation of the Jews.She could not have done this, had she been an ordinary Jew girl.[Esther 5:3]

Sometimes God gives His children extraordinary position and power in this sinful world, not just because He loves to "bless" but because there is an assignment that He intends to complete through the position He's given you.
*God uses those who are willing to be promoted but who are not willing to be assimilated.

Greater the position, higher the responsibility towards the Kingdom.

You need Prayer even if you are a queen.

It is strange how some of us label only a few as "prayer warriors", and conveniently delegate the conscious praying habit to them alone.

She was the queen, but she fasted and prayed for 3 days in order to confront the situation with the king.[Esther 4:15]

Fasting is the act of humbling your whole being to the sovereignty of Almighty God.Prayer is the result of my yearning to be connected without interruption to the Heart of the Master.

Esther did not 'brainstorm' or try 'six thinking hats' or operate on 'metaphorical thinking' ,or 'Fuzzy thinking' or 'mind mapping' or 'Synetics' , to solve her crisis situation; instead she prayed.

I don't deny the power of creative thinking, but that comes second to the power of prayer. Don't just do it, Pray first; a prayer of humble submission.A prayer of total acknowledgment of the authority of God. The Master will then speak His strategy and plan for action.

Because she prayed,

1. she found favor in the eyes of the king and found an opportunity to meet him,[Esther 5:2]
   
2. she came up with a strategy to throw a banquet inviting Haman ;[Esther 5:4]
3. God made the king have swings of insomnia which compelled him to read the old diaries where he read the account of how Mordecai had saved his life from an assassination plot years before.He was reminded that he never rewarded him,so early next morning the king make arrangements to reward him.[Esther 6:1-10]
   

All of this further made way to complete her assignment.

On the day of the banquet, Esther intelligently provoked the king's anger by exposing Haman and his evil plot and caused him to be hung in the gallows that he arranged for Mordecai.[Esther 7:1-10]

Divine providence will not come your way, without continuous conversation with God.

Give up your present and step out in courage and faith.

Hadassah, gave up her comfortable average, ordinary Jew girl's life, and proceeded to venture out into an entirely new world, to become a queen in a pagan palace. She had to undergo 12 months of beauty treatment and preparations before she could enter the contest and qualify to be King Xerxes' new queen.[Esther 2:12-18]

It is easy to play a safe game, and stay secure. But it needs tremendous courage to get out of your comfort zone and dare to take the challenge.It takes preparation and perseverance to be promoted.I believe Hadassah believed that she was not ordinary material, so she stepped out and she made a difference in the lives of millions of Jews.

Once she became queen Esther, she did not settle for luxury, and allow her self to become a slave to the new life that had got hold of her, instead she stepped out in boldness risking her life by deciding to reveal her Jewish origin, saying "If I perish, I perish".[Esther 4:16]

As a Christian, we need to face battles in every day life, because we have a very powerful enemy who is afraid of our very powerful potential given to us by our omnipotent Father.

We have a choice, we can fight and move forward or grumble and remain where we are.

You make the decision.

Will you step out in faith and take a risk, and reap the benefit, for yourself and many others whose whose eternity depends on you?

"...Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"[Esther 4:14]

Cannot be forgotten

Dear Friends,

We are usually prone to getting into an emotional fit when everyone talks about persecution and pain, and then as time goes by conveniently forget things and carry on with our own lives.

I just want to encourage you to continue to join hands with thousands of other believers and pray for the persecution against our fellow brothers and sisters in our country. Orissa is still burning, and the injustices are still continuing with increased intensity.

Maybe we are separated by distances but we can travel on our knees and fight together. 

Traveling on your knees  

Last night I took a journey

To a land across the seas.

I didn't go by ship or plane - 

I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many people there

In bondage to their sin,

And Jesus told me I should go,

That there were souls to win.

But I said, "Jesus, I can't go

To lands across the seas."

He answered quickly, "Yes, you can -

By traveling on your knees."

He said, "You pray, I'll meet the need.

You call, and I will hear.

It's up to you to be concerned

For lost souls far and near." 

And so I did; knelt in prayer,

Gave up some hours of ease,

And with the Savior by my side

I traveled on my knees.

As I prayed on, I saw souls saved

And twisted persons healed,

I saw God's workers' strength renewed

While laboring on the field.

I said, "Yes Lord, I'll take the job.

Your heart I want to please.

I'll heed your call and swiftly go

By traveling on my knees..

By Sandra Goodwin

Prayer brings victory

How to pray for the persecuted church?

Affectionately yours,

Callie

Finally...

I put a post-it note on my desk that shouted "Work on LHC" on September 10th. It sure was an ugly frog, so I was delaying it.It is the 26th of October today, and more than a month since the LHC was shut down(19th September) due to a serious fault.

So I think, it is high time I got my hands dirty with this work.The reason I was procrastinating  it was because, I am an average student of physics and understanding this stuff requires some physics brain. But some of my readers will be familiar with my philosophy,"Better late than Never :-)"

But first, I need to tell you that we all are greatly indebted to the internet, and especially resources like Wikipedia, Howstuffworks, and thousands of other free projects that participate in knowledge sharing.If not for them , no way could anyone, except for the intellectually elite have any idea about the complicated world of Science and Research.

So I'll work on this in two parts. In one part, I'll show off how much I've learnt and in the other I'll share some ordinary insights!!

Wish me luck!!

Am I carrying my Cross?

A new spree of attacks on the Christians in the already blood smeared Orissa started on August 24th 2008. Tensions were always there in the place, with Swami Lakshmanananda, the religious guru, who worked for the uplifting of the people but wanted to tuck them safely inside Hinduism. He vehemently opposed Christian Mission works, quoting what he said "I will work till I chase away every Christian who wants to make this land , a Christian land." He was killed on the night of 23rd August by Maoist rebels. The only reason remaining to spark the beginning of a fresh uproar of violence.

There is also an ethnic conflict that exists beneath the iceberg.The fight for ST status for the dalit Pano Christians. If you are eager to be a more informed Christian then visit the links at the end of the post for more insight.

I really didn't know how to start writing this post. I spent a week getting angry and forwarding prayer mails, another few days narrating stories of horror and violence to everyone, another few days asking God questions, another few days goggling up stories and videos on Orissa and another few days praying. All throughout I badly wanted to sit down and put everything that came to my heart on the blog.

I am still clueless about what to write. God has all the answers but the truth is that I can't find the right questions to ask Him.Neither am I matured enough to talk about what we must do in these times of persecution.

So I decide that I am not going to write about the persecution, or about the bodies burning nor about the many who have only the forests left to call as their homes, nor about the girls being raped,nor the hundreds who are being forced to reconvert with the knife ready to sling open their throats, neither about the many who have no hope, no future for the next conceivable days of their life.

I am an ordinary happy Christian girl whose maximum crisis could be a flunked exam, or a bad day at college.I've not witnessed a real accident, or even a fire breakout. I don't know what it feels like, to lose my family,my friends, my house or my church.So I was wondering if it was practically possible for me to empathize with the persecuted in Orissa, or am I just a victim to a sudden burst of emotion?

As I started looking deeper , God showed me a scripture, “If any of you wants to be my follower,” he told them, “you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me." (Mark 8:34 [NLT])

What's this cross that Jesus is asking me to bear? I thought of various things, but all of them led to only thing -"death". Afcourse victory through death, triumph of Jesus, salvation of soul..but ultimately the common denominator is "death". Death of what??Jesus was telling me, "You can't follow me just as you are,only if you carry the corpse of your identity (the cross) can you follow me."

I understood, that God has placed many blessings in my life only as resources to reach out, instead I was using them to carve an identity for myself. Anything that happened outside my identity did not affect me much.That's why I found it hard to empathize with the pain and suffering of my brothers and sisters in Orissa. That's why it didn't come to me naturally.

I've been a Christian for 7 years now, but I need to find if the 'I' in me is really dead.

I've been trying to follow Jesus, for my good, focussing God on myself, instead of focussing everything I have on God. The essential factor of Christianity is giving up yourself, but my version of Christianity is for me to become fatter. With this kind of attitude I can never really 'know God', 'love God' or 'live for God'.

"If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."[Mark 8:35-NLT]

When my 'I' dies, then it's no longer what "I want", what "I feel", or what "I think", it becomes, what "God wants", what "God feels", and what "God thinks". When this happens, everything that hurts the body of Christ will hurt me, the burden of the heart of Christ will become my burden, and His longing will become my longing.

I read a quote made by a pastor "Christianity will spread not by killing for Christ,but by dying with Christ so that others might live."*

Killing my identity is going to be painful, but I need to inflict personal pain for the sake of corporate good, following the model of the cross is an inseparable part of my Christian experience.

Peter could handle Jesus being the Messiah. But he rejected the Messiah’s destiny of going to the cross. Why? Because Peter was worried that he might have to follow Jesus to the cross. That was why Jesus spoke also of the cross his disciples would have to bear (8:34). In not accepting all of Jesus’ gospel, his followers were in danger of keeping him at a distance and not listening to or understanding him**.

I wear a cross as a pendant, I feel proud when I wear it. Every time I look at it, I used to say to myself "I am the child of GOD" But now when I look at my pendant, I ask myself "Am I carrying my cross or walking without it and calling myself a child of God?"

Pray for our brothers and sisters in Orissa.

*Graduation Moments

**ILumina Concise Commentary

Dalit-Tribal rivalry

The Burning Issue

There's no recession HERE......

I hate shopping!!! but few days back when I was walking past a busy street known for its extravagant shopping malls , I decided to do some window shopping, I looked at a Ralph Lauren Stretch Wool Executive Suit....I froze. It looked too good to be true..and imagining me in it....How I wished I could travel into my imagination and indulge in it for a while!!. I tiptoed into the showroom with my rather simple unbranded jean and khadi kurtha and asked the pretty looking lady in the best accent I could make up "How much does that cost?",bang came the reply, "Rs.21,334 ma'm" I hid my shock, disappointment and dismay with a broad smile and a very polite 'thank you' and left the building.

I've always doted on Mercedes cars. While I was walking back, I was envisioning myself, a Ralph Lauren suit, a Gucci handbag,a Carlton London footwear, a Rolex watch, in a white Merc, without erasing my elite figure from memory, I went home and googled the brands to check out the total price on the tag... it was a staggering Rs.40,96,908. Thank God we can dream for free..!!!

I've exaggerated a bit, but most of the young earning population today are very brand conscious.We want to adorn ourselves, with the best in the market and posess the most elite gadjets. But sometimes, we're so carried away that we don't mind being in debt, just to satisfy our craving for luxury.

Inflation....wherein the value of money has decreases. If you were able to buy 10 things yesterday with 100 Rupees, an inflation allows you to buy only 2 things with 100 Rupees. Today India is facing a seven year high of 8.75% inflation.

Economists would describe many causes like; The increased oil prices and the sub-prime crisis in the USA which caused the dollar recession.The root cause for all this in simple terms is, excessive demand and wasteful spending.

The utility of a bag is to carry some stuff, it should be reasonably strong, and look decent, I could buy a good one for Rs.150, but a branded bag would range from Rs.2000 to Rs.32,000. Now, This is wasteful spending!!. The summation of unhealthy spending habits in the world today, results in a slowing down of the economy, during when unemployment increases, giving opprtunities for anti-social activities,heinous crimes, hunger and death.

God said it right, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil..."(1 Timothy 6:10).

The governement could change the fiscal policies, monetary policies, cut taxes, and do all the stuff possible, to stop the financial condition from worsening. It would stabilise, but it would'nt remain, its bound to happen again and again. Because, whatever change is being brought up, are only cosmetic changes, they will soon wear out. Any really effective solution can only be brought up by an attitude change, which is birthed out of a change in heart. A change in millions of hearts.
Millions of hearts that are touched by Jesus Christ.

"Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us." (Hebrews 13:5-CEV)

I believe that that the way I spend my money, speaks about my relationship with God. God holds us accountable about how we spend our money. How we spend our money, depends on how much we want. How much we want is dictated by the desires of our flesh. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God"(Romans 8:14).That means, we should not be lead by the cravings of our flesh.

If we boast about being children of God, then we should comply to the higher standards set by God, and not by this world. ...."Who gave Himself up for our sins to save and sanctify us, in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father" (Galatians 1:4).

No matter what's 'in trend' today, if its not required, I don't have to buy it.When I say God has a plan for my life, it also means that He has a specific purpose for my finances, I need to focus on God to find out what He wants me to do with my finances and not devote my finances to indulge my desires. This is sin. God hates it.

This world is doomed to be destroyed, and so is your flesh, if I want to make an investment that will draw huge returns, I need to invest it in the Kingdom Of God.

Mathew 6:19-20
Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.

Me!!! First

When I was returning from college today, I saw an ambulance blaring its sirens and trying to find a way in the busy city roads. The other vehicles in the traffic were rather very slack in giving way, not wanting to loose their leading places on the road. After a rather clumsy scene the ambulance roared its way ahead...And the scene that followed!? a group of vehicles racing behind the ambulance crowding the road further.

My pal looked at me and said.."See what's come upon us?", "Our work has become more important than someone's life".

What happened on the road shows a miniature model of how the world works today. Pursue your own good everywhere, anywhere, and always even if it is at the cost of somebody. People call it 'Competition'. I call it 'Selfishness'. Our world is seeing progress in leaps and bounds , but it is also seeing terrorism, poverty,hunger, pain,crime in the same rate because of being self-centred. We are afraid to help, hesitant to rescue, and apathetic to the needs of others.

India's has a GDP growth of 9.4 percent which is way high compared to other asian countries and it is expected that it will emerge as the third pole in the global economy after the US and China. But the mortifying fact is that this phenomenal growth rate is not helping 70% of the villages drowning in poverty.

When I see the world around me, I remember my Lord, God of Creation, King of Kings, Majestic God, who for the sake of this sinful world took human form and was exposed to the worst form of torture. Jesus is the perfect embodiment of selflessness. Only Jesus taught us that if you want to be first, you got to have a servant attitude.When we surrender our life to such a God, we too die to ourselves and by His grace live a life that reflects Him, a life that loves others as we love ourselves. There is no other way this world can change...... Until the Glorious return of Jesus Christ...

Mark 10:43-44
...... Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

Luke 10:27
....'Love your neighbour as yourself.'

Phillipians 2:5
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.