Change is what we see all around us. Maybe it would be more right to say that change and decay is what we see all around us. In this backdrop of flux and change comes this authoritative word from God, “I, the LORD, do not change!”1
What does it mean? It means that God is unchanging in his holiness, unchanging in his love, and unchanging in his judgement. Let me repeat that for you: “I the LORD do not change,” means that God is unchanging in his holiness, unchanging in his love, and unchanging in his judgement.
First of all, there is nothing more awesome than the unchanging holiness of God. He is full of light and there is no darkness in him. Nothing in the entire universe can compare with the splendour of the holiness of God.
Secondly, there is nothing more amazing than the unchanging love of God. He so loved the world that he gave Jesus and sent him to bleed and die on the cross. That each one of us might find mercy, forgiveness and pardon for our sins; and that each one of us might find the free gift of eternal life by believing in him.
Thirdly, there is nothing more scary than the unchanging wrath and judgement of God. It is popular to believe that a loving God will not punish rebellion, disobedience and sin. But then can a God of justice leave the guilty unpunished? The only way out for anyone is to cry out for the mercy of God.
Yes, God is unchanging in his holiness. Therefore his unchanging wrath and judgement on sin fell on his innocent Son Jesus on the cross.2 This was the greatest expression of his unchanging love towards you.
“I the LORD do not change,” also means that he is a rock and tower of strength to those who trust in him. God can be relied on in all the changes of life because he, the LORD, does not change!
— 1Malachi 3:6 Bible 2“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21 Bible.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Ceremonies are part of our culture. Today we were privileged to be part of a great tradition of our College of Nursing that began with the impressive procession. We witnessed a coming in and a going out. In a sense it is this continuity that marked today’s events.
We welcomed the newcomers with the lighting of lamps signifying the privileged role of nurses as bringers of hope into a dark world searching for comfort and strength. At the same time we are expressing our confidence that those students who are passing out and graduating with flying colours will do this Institution, teachers, and parents proud in the days to come.
Now as Principal of this Institution I stand here to express our deep sense of appreciation and immense gratitude to all those who made today’s graduation and lamp lighting ceremony a memorable and cherished experience.
First of all our thanks are due to Rev. Fr. ………… the Director of our Educational Institutions who presided over this function. We are grateful to have had such an eminent administrator and a man with a vision and mission as our Director. His leadership is reflected in all developmental activities of our educational institutions. Thank you so much for presiding over this function.
Our chief guest of the day Prof. Dr….. the Controller of Examinations of our University is a person with an illustrious career in the medical field. We have been really privileged to have him here with us today. His inaugural address set the tone for the events of the day. It was appropriate that his gracious presence for the distribution of awards and certificates for academic excellence was a great encouragement to students in particular. Thank you very much Sir.
As I said at the beginning we are witnessing a coming in and going out. Both are momentous occasions in the life of newcomers as well as those who are graduating. To address both batches is a challenging task and in Prof. Dr. ….. Academic Dean, College of Nursing, we found a worthy person equal to the task. Her words of wisdom, practical tips, and encouragement were so much interwoven into the tapestry of today’s ceremonies. We are grateful to you Madam for delivering the keynote address and also passing the light to freshers.
Bishop ……….. has blessed us with his gracious presence and words of wisdom. The thoughts he shared will remain in the hearts of all for a long time to come. We, especially the student community here, are much indebted to you for your priestly blessings. Thank you very much for bringing to this occasion a sense of the heavenly and for delivering the benedictory address.
The Oath taking ceremony is part of tradition and it is a significant moment in the life of a nursing graduate. I wish to thank Ms….., Nursing Superintendent, College of Nursing for administering the same.
Now I wish to thank ……. our Joint director who welcomed the gathering. His innovative ideas in the conduct of programmes and meetings deserve special mention as well. My thanks are due to Dr. ………….. Associate Medical Director and ………. our PTA president for their well-crafted words of felicitation.
A word of thanks is due to Ms. ………. of the previous Batch of Nursing of our College for presenting before us your reminiscences of life here at our college of nursing in such a lovely way.
I take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues who have laboured hard to make this occasion such a memorable one. To all parents and students, thank you for being part of our College of Nursing. We hope that that our association will continue in meaningful ways in future too.
A word of thanks to all in ways big and small contributed to the success and smooth conduct of this august function, thank you so much.
Finally I thank God Almighty for showering his blessing upon today’s function and once again I thank each one of you gathered here today. Thank you one and all.
Respected dignitaries on the dais, beloved colleagues, and graduating students,
Have you wondered how it feels when you’re aboard a ship going on a long voyage for the first time? What is the feel when the ship moves away from shore? You slowly lose sight of your loved ones and all familiar landmarks. Then it is all water everywhere.
But then what sustains you there? Hope! Hope of fulfilling your dreams, hope of a better tomorrow, and hope of a great journey ahead. My dear graduates and post graduates College of Nursing, you are soon going to be part of this situation I have just described. Life, my dear friends, is forward. There comes moments when we have to step out into the unknown and unmapped territories.
Let me briefly spell out three magic words that can light up your path ahead:
The first magic word I would like to shout out loud to you is the word LIFE.
We live in a world which is increasingly becoming hostile to life. The dignity of life is challenged everywhere. People are being reduced to labels, numbers, and even objects. It is in this context that we Nurses are called to nurture life, value life, cherish life, and bring health and healing to the world.
Have you understood the real impact of this? There was once a man, a common labourer in Europe who said, “I am building here a cathedral with the great Architect Sir Christopher Wren.” See, that person had the insight that though his role was to bring together the bricks and build the wall; he was engaged in a larger task of helping people worship God in a beautiful cathedral. He also had the sense of pride and dignity that he was working along with a great builder of cathedrals.
My dear Nursing graduates, you too are working along side our Creator God. He is in the business of giving life; and you along side with him are also engaged in helping people maintain healthy lives. Be thankful that God has entrusted you with this awesome privilige.
In this context let me remind you those beautiful lines from Michael Jackson,
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make it a better place
For you and for me.
The second magic word I would like to leave with you is PURPOSE.
In that classic movie Chariots of Fire which shows the Olympic Gold winning effort of Eric Liddel, there is a moment where he speaks his heart out to his sister Jennie. He says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.”
Likewise you all are called to be nurses with a purpose—the purpose to care, to give hope, and to put confidence in people. This is a high calling in life. To fulifil that call, you may have to make personal sacrifices.
Lini Puthussery is one among us in Kerala who with great courage and dignity made a great sacrifice to take care of people infected with the Nipah Virus. She could have played it safe. But she chose to pursue the call of duty. Florence Nightingale could have played it safe duringthe Crimean war but she was ready to be used as an instrument of healing in God’s hands. Or take the example of Edith Cavell, a British nurse who was executed by the Germans for saving the lives of many soldiers during World War I. She was quoted as saying, “I can’t stop while there are lives to be saved.”
So my dear graduating students, you are on a mission with a purpose–the purpose to care, to give hope, and to put confidence in people while nursing them back to good health.
The third magic word I would like to bring to your attention is COMPASSION.
We live in the age of ever-happening technology. What is the impact of this? Many husbands know their mobile phones better than their wives and vice versa. With artificial intelligence making great progress; today life is becoming more and more mechanical and robotic. Lost is the time of family prayer and dinner together. We have also let go of simple conversations at home. Everybody is busy chatting with everyone else in the world but not with members of family.
As Mother Theresa noted, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.”
So know that most people who come into your care are poor. They may have houses, cars, jobs, and plenty of gold but they are emotionally and spiritually poor. What they need is compassion. One of the characteristics of Jesus during his earthly ministry was that he stopped to listen to the cry of individuals because he was moved with compassion.
Can you be a channel of God’s compassion? If yes, a healing beyond that of physical sicknesses can take place. That is a greater miracle.
Let me conclude. I would like to thank all of you for inviting me to deliver this graduation address. I am deeply thankful for the kind words of introduction too.
My dear graduating students you are now going to be angels of encouragement and hope. You are going to be carrying the light of hope in jars of clay. In yourselves you may feel weak and inadequate for the great task ahead. But let me wish and pray that God Almighty hold you by your right hand and lead you on your journey ahead.
King David wrote in his famous Psalm 23, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Yes, he was looking to the presence of God with him for strength in the difficult times of his life.
What an assurance the promise that God himself is with us does give you and me: “I am with you always.”1
Life is a journey where we need companionship. Our loved ones and friends do give us needed support in different phases of our journey. But then is that enough? Isn’t there that vacuum in your heart that only God can fill?
It is when you feel lonely and without hope that you should be able to hold on to this reassuring promise of the Risen Christ: “I am with you always.”
When God himself is with us, it is a treasure that no riches of the world can compare to or is a match for. The realization that God is with you is the greatest motivation for you to walk out of discouragement today.
Yes, the presence of God with us gives us courage to face life and all its challenges. In God, you have a constant companion and friend. When you walk along with him, you need to align yourself with him to walk in step with him. The easiest way to do so is to do what pleases him. But is that easy? I doubt.
Yet the assurance “I am with you always,” is that of God and isn’t it comforting to know that he holds your hand even when you falter and lifts you up when you fall down?
— 1“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Jesus Christ, Matthew 28:20b Bible NIV 1984
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
My dear friend, “Are you thirsting for true love?” If so, your thirst ends here. For it is God who is saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”1
First of all, it is God’s promise of love. What he promises, he keeps. He remains true and faithful to what he has said. That means he will never break his word to you: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
Secondly, it is God’s love that is immeasurable. You cannot go beyond the extreme heights or depths or length or breadth of God’s love.
Thirdly, it is God’s love that death cannot break. God’s everlasting love goes beyond time to timelessness and stretches beyond death to all eternity.
Finally, it is God’s love for you for which proof and evidence has been already given. For God so loved you and me and the people of the whole world that he sacrificially gave and gifted his Son Jesus to bleed and die on the cross.
Yes, my friend, God has indeed loved you with an everlasting love. Do not trust your emotions which might feel this love at times and on other occasions feel great dryness in your heart and soul. God loving you with an everlasting love is real fact and truth. Will you love him in return?
— 1“The LORD appeared to us in the past saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” — Jeremiah 31:3 Bible NIV 1984
Most of us worry constantly. It can depress you and make you lose hope. In the midst of your anxieties, one way to stay afloat without losing hope is to ask yourself the question, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?”
Asking that question will compel you to think. It will make you confront the basis of your confidence, hope, and trust: “Who am I trusting my life with?” If it is God, then there is no reason for your soul to be downcast or for you to be disturbed within.
See, the present crisis in your life is yet another opportunity to trust God with. His arm is still strong to save and he is willing to help you. Do not give up hope. Your trust in God will be rewarded. You will not be put to shame.
Instead of the sighing you are going through now; your mouth will sing forth praises to God. Look forward to that moment. God has a way of making the end better than the beginning, the latter half more glorious than the former one.
The delay has always been in his sovereign control. He will never be late but on time. And when he acts, he will do it swiftly in its time. It will be immeasurably more than what you asked for or imagined.
Therefore say to yourself in the words of the Psalmist, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.”1
— 1Psalm 42:5, 11; and 43:5 Bible NIV 1984
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Did you know God is waiting for you? He knows that like a foolish child you’ve strayed and lost your way. So he is anxiously waiting to see you come back home.
“Come back home, my child,” is your Heavenly Father’s voice to you today. “Return to me,” is the call he sounds to you now. So take words with you, “Father, I have sinned against you. Please forgive me.”
Oh, God will run to you, embrace you, kiss you and accept you when he sees you come back from afar!
He will not find fault with you nor condemn you for wasting your life in wild living. But he will receive you with great compassion when you come back. He will show you great mercy.
The door of heaven and the heart of God is always kept open for you to come back. Angels will rejoice at your coming back. There will be celebrations in heaven when you come back to God and your home.
When you get back home my child God will put rich and royal robes on you. Then to all you will no longer be the beggar on the streets, but a son or daughter of God. Come back home my child to the rich welcome of God.
— This post is inspired by the story of the Prodigal Son Jesus told (Gospel of Luke Chapter 15 Bible).
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Not many of us are fully satisfied with what we see in the mirror; are we? Your image in the mirror does not reflect you accurately; does it? But then a mirror reflects a longing within us to see ourselves as we truly are; to be known fully and perfectly as God alone knows you and me.
St. Paul uses the image of a mirror to write about things we know now on earth and things we are yet to see in life beyond the grave. He says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.”1
Today we see through a glass, darkly; or in a mirror, dimly. But he shouts out the hope that one day we shall see face to face.
Yes, those who have known the love of God in their lives and have responded to that supreme sacrifice of Jesus on the cross where he poured out his blood for the forgiveness of our sins; one day will see Jesus face to face.
We will also see our loved ones again—all those who have died believing in him who died for them and rose again from the dead.
Then reflections in the mirror will give way to realities when what is dimly seen becomes clearly seen. This is our blessed hope when Jesus comes again as he promised to take us home for ever!
There are times when the flowers are in bloom, the sky is clear and blue, and everyone seems to sport a smile, but you are down; unable to see any good in things around you! It simply means you are depressed. And there seems to be no way out. But wait. There is still one thing you have; that is, hope in God. It will be your strength in these difficult days and times.
Even when there seems to be no way forward; even when no one seems to care or understand; even when there is no end to criticism against you; even when everything you’ve tried to do have seemed to have failed; there is God above it all, watching over you my friend. You are the apple of his eye. No trouble will separate you from his love and he will not give up on you. So hope in God and he will be your strength.
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.”1
Who has not been inspired by a teacher? Somewhere at the back of our minds stands at least one or two who showed us light and pointed out to us the path we need to travel. It is deeply appreciated from all of us. You deserve and have our utmost respect dear teachers.
On this occasion of Teacher’s Day, let me spell out who a teacher really is. A teacher is one who has a heart of love, a passion for knowledge, and a skill for communicating the same.
A huge gallery of famous personalities owe it to their teachers for having first identified their talent and are thankful to them for having nurtured it. The story of Helen Keller and how her teacher Anne Sullivan had influenced her is a timeless inspiration to all; isn’t it?
A teacher believes in a child even when others label him or her negatively and will not neglect a student because others have given up on that student saying that the student is not good in studies.
Many students have found the courage to hope and the dare to dream just because of one teacher who said, “Yes, you can!”
A teacher is one who is not satisfied with the knowledge of the past; but is always updated on what is new in his or her subject. He or she makes an extra effort to bring something new that is interesting, informative, inspiring, and even inter-disciplinary to class each day.
This extra effort is a thing of joy for the teacher and extremely satisfying as the class responds enthusiastically and attentively.
A teacher is one who listens carefully and attentively to what students tell him or her. In other words, when students find in a teacher a caring heart, they trust the teacher with even personal and intimate matters of the heart that they cannot share with even their best friend.
Above all these things, a teacher inspires. One timely word of appreciation from a teacher can ignite a spark and a fire in the lives of students.
Thus a teacher shining a small burning light even in a remote village might be igniting a fire in the life of a brilliant student who will carry that to the ends of the earth one day!
—
“I sing the praise of the Unknown Teacher,” wrote Henry Van Dyke, himself a teacher. “Great Generals win campaigns, but it is the unknown soldier who wins the war. Famous educators plan new systems of pedagogy, but it is the unknown teacher who delivers and guides the young. He lives in obscurity and contends with hardship. For him no trumpets blare, no chariots wait, no golden decorations are decreed.
“He keeps the watch along the borders of darkness and makes the attack on the trenches of ignorance and folly. Patient in his daily duty, he strives to conquer the evil powers which are the enemies of youth. He awakens sleeping spirits. He quickens and communicates his own joy in learning and shares with boys and girls the best treasures of his mind. He lights many candles which, in later years, will shine back to cheer him. This is his reward.” Source: https://repository.mainlib.upd.edu.ph/omekas/files/original/9e107c3a86ea8311c4812b044874b9d140684fcb.pdf
Many people are disappointed with prayer; maybe you too are! In this short speech you’ll discover four reasons why your prayers can go unanswered. Do keep in mind that your failure to wait to listen to God in prayer contributes to the problem of unanswered prayer as much as the four reasons that are going to be mentioned.
Prayers can go unanswered when your asking is not with right motives. God’s searchlights penetrate and light up every nook and corner of your heart. It shows up what you hide.
And when your lips say one thing and your heart means something else, that means you are asking with wrong motives and those prayers can go unanswered.
Faith looks more at the Giver than at the gift you expect to get. If this kind of faith is absent, then prayers can go unanswered.
Prayers can go unanswered when there is no persevering in prayer. God is not an ATM that delivers cash when you put in your card. He is more interested to see you grow in character. Therefore like a wise parent, he often delays answers to prayer. That will make some people quit praying. But those who are desperate for answers to prayer keep on praying.
This is not vain repetition but it is more of a “Do not give up” attitude Jesus taught about prayer. When this kind of perseverance is absent, prayers can go unanswered.
Prayers can go unanswered when they are not in tune with God’s will. This is very perplexing to many. We wish one thing to happen and we pray about it, and it does not happen. We become angry with God about it. Quite natural that we react like that. Yes, there are questions to which we don’t have any answers to.
Therefore Jesus taught us to pray to God, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If our desire is in contradiction to God’s will, that prayer can go unanswered.
Finally, let me end by saying God is interested in answering your prayers. But he is more interested in changing you to be ready for the answers when he is pleased to give them to you.
So pray with right motives, pray in faith that God will answer prayer, pray with perseverance, and ask God for wisdom to pray according to his will.
“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:17. 18 Bible NIV 1984.
All Sermonettes List In these speeches you’ll find hope in God to meet the challenges that you face in life!
Today I thought to challenge you with the Greek word “hamartia.” It means missing the mark.
Imagine someone trying to throw a dart into a bull’s eye. It falls short and misses target. That is an example of missing the mark. Or else think of a basket ball player shooting the ball into the basket. Instead of falling through the net, it hits the board and rebounds. That is yet another example of missing the mark.
In family, we can miss the mark if we do not value our loved ones and spend time with them when there are chances to do so.
In friendships, we can miss the mark if we fail to be a friend in need and do not give an empathetic listening to one who is sharing his or her pain with us.
In the perspective of eternity, we can miss the mark if we don’t prepare for it by making wise decsions and honouring God in our hearts on earth.
Yes friends, missing the mark is something each one of us should fear. This fear should make us have sharp focus, avoid distractions and unhealthy habits. This fear should make us strive with all our heart and mind and soul and strength not to miss the mark.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”1 But is it easy to become poor in spirit? No, not at all. You can be assured that it might take a lifetime to even come near to being poor in spirit.
Being poor in spirit is to see ourselves as spiritually bankrupt when we are without God in this world.
Being poor in spirit is to see how ugly it looks in the eyes of God when I am puffed up with pride.
Being poor in spirit is the opposite of self righteousness which claims ‘I am right, absolutely,” status always.
Being poor in spirit is a state of humility where you are aware of how much and more of God’s grace sustains you each day, moment by moment.
Jesus started off his Sermon on the Mount by pointing to those poor in spirit as heirs to the kingdom of heaven. He was saying that those poor in spirit are truly blessed, happy, and wealthy in a way earthly riches cannot make you.
His standards have not changed. Therefore, when the kingdom of heaven literally dawns on earth someday soon, there will be plenty of shocking surprises.
That is why Jesus said, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”2 And in those who finally become first will be a host of innumerable people who became poor in spirit and were rewarded with the kingdom of heaven.
Let me therefore end by asking, “Are you poor in spirit?”
— 2Matthew 5:3 Jesus, Sermon on the Mount. 2Matthew 19:30 NIV 1984
Many demand respect but sadly it cannot be commanded. On the other hand, respect is hard-earned. In this short speech let me highlight four ways you can earn respect from others.
First of all, you can earn respect with your behaviour. Let it be courteous. Treat others with the same kindness you expect them to show to you. Carry yourself with dignity and never be frivolous in good company. Remain humble and do not try to blow your own trumpet even when you have many ahcievements to your credit. Then people will respect you.
Secondly you can earn respect with your expertize. Be extremely good at something. It can be your academics, work, or hobby or something else you are passionate about. When people see your skill and the ease with which you get things done, they’ll naturally respect you.
Thirdly you can earn respect through your communication skills especially through the way you speak. Speech reveals the stuff and character you are made of. A gentle tongue can break a bone1 says the Bible. You might need to be persuasive and you might have to command at times, but when tempered with gentleness it cannot fail to earn respect from others.
Another important way you can earn respect is by your attitude.Being cool under pressure is something that marks out great captains in cricket. Being able to inspire others even when you are tested and under pressure is excellent attitude. St. Paul had this to say of this kind of attitude:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”2
So many get confused about which branch or course of study they should choose at major turning points in their academic life. There are no pat or easy answers I can give. But I would love to share certain general guidelines.
One, ask God for wisdom to choose. He is the One who knows the end from the beginning. He is the One who has promised, I will guide you with my eye: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”1
And wisdom is which God has promised to give to those who ask for it.2 He loves to guide his children much more than PAPI lights can guide a pilot for safe landing of an aeroplane.
Two, ask yourself what your passion is. If you are passionate about biology, opting for subjects of study related to it is a natural choice, isn’t it?
Three, ask what are the current career trends? Nothing is without change. When you look at career trends you should also try to foresee what changes might come in ten or fifteen years’ time. For example, artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, and careers related to them might dominate the world of technology for many years to come.
Four, talk to experts whom you have access to. They can be your parents, teachers, friends, relatives, subject specialists and so on. Gather as much information you can. Google it. Try to analyse. Most likely that will help you come to an informed decision.
Five, follow your heart. Occasionally, your heart is right rather than what the mind dictates. You might have a passion for English as I had, and I took a decision to not to try to please everybody but go ahead to study English Literature.
Let me conclude by saying that if by any chance you seem to have taken a wrong decision already, do not panic. Do not give up everything as lost. Don’t curse fate. In a land where more than 80% of youngsters never get a chance to study in a college, you are privileged to be one among those who got a chance to study.
Therefore, study well, work hard, and excel, in the subject you find yourself in. Someday you will be able to guide someone or empower someone to find his or her dream. Isn’t that motivating enough?
Good parenting does not happen by chance. Children need love but they also need some things more. I am presenting those things as 4 vital P’s of good parenting:
Pray for your child. There is no greater way to bless your child than commit his or her life to God’s hands.
Praise your child. Children need genuine appreciation. Instead of finding fault all the time and criticizing your children, try to make an effort to praise him or her for the good things he or she does.
Push your child. Every child grows up and finds a comfort zone. Push your child to move beyond that and excel in life. They might be hesitant to grab an opportunity. You can then push them to do so.
Play with your child. A child values nothing greater than the presence of his or her parents with them at play. It creates a bonding that time will not be able to erode.
To conclude, pray for your child, praise your child, push your child, and play with your child are the simple but 4 vital P’s of good parenting.
The Google search engine holds millions in its magical and mesmerizing web. Its power is so huge that a first page result is a dream come true.
Imagine walking into a library geographically the size of India or China or Russia or The United States of America? How ever are you going to walk through and find the book you want! It is almost impossible. But Google search engine makes it quick and easy in the virtual world.
Now imagine a virtual library spread across the world. How ever are you going to find a needed piece of information from who knows where it is actually located and stored in? But one of the most popular ways people reach there is through the Google search engine.
The way Google search engine gives you relevant results is fascinating and frightening at the same time. Think about algorithms that match your search strings to information or content that is available in time much less than a second. Yes Google search engine fascinates us with its speed almost like the speed of lightning.
Again Google search engine sometimes frighten us with the accuracy with which it suggests what we are actually looking for? “Does Google read minds?” you might wonder. How much optimization might be going on behind the screens to track your digital footprints to give suggestions like that! Amazing, isn’t it?
Let me conclude by saying that typing out a few words on Google or speaking it out on Google Assistant has become second nature to many. Searches are going to continue and Google is happily going to dig deep to bring you answers you are looking for in quick time.
Search Engine Optimization or SEO are a set of good and proven practices followed to edge your way to the topmost results on Search Engine Results Page (SERP). But many who try to make it to the first page focus on techniques while what they should be ideally focusing is on writing good quality content. There is no subsitute for this.
Let me end this talk on Mesmerizing Google Search with that very popluar saying, “The Best Place to Hide a Dead Body is Page Two of Google.” Though I cannot say for sure who said this first there is no better way to say how popular Google Search is!
Napoléon Bonaparte said, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” Martin Luther King spoke about the buoyancy of hope while Barak Obama wrote and spoke about the audacity of hope. Whatever it be, God is the source of all hope and he is the One who can cause you to abound in hope or overflow with hope.
St. Paul said that when childish things are put behind, among three things that remain one is hope. Yes, whatever be the context, hope is what you desperately need today.
We live in a time when hope itself is a scarce resource. People are not finding time to spend with God because they are too much distracted with what can be consumed on mobiles. Therefore they fail to plug in to the one source of all hope, God himself!
There is brokenness in relationships that is creating divides that take time to heal. Yes, hope is what you desperately need today.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit“
How many people know you by name? That question is deeper than you think. In that sense the question is, how many people know you truly?
Your name represents you. Isn’t your name sweet to your ears? Your name gives you your sense of identity and your sense of uniqueness and to a great extent you are not an impersonal alphanumeric code because you have a name.
When others call you by name they respect you as a person. In fact, by calling you by name others are not dismissing you as an lifeless thing or object.
And when God says, “I have called you by name; you are Mine!” it is the highest honour you can have. It means that God knows you like no other. He knows your heart’s true desires. He knows where you fail.
But beyond that when God says, “I have called you by name,” it means that he knows your future. You need not worry about it any more for you are known and intimately known by the One who holds you future.
Isn’t that comforting? But then do you know the One who calls you by name? Do you know the One who has even all the hairs of your head numbered? Therefore, try your best to know him who knows you by name!
“Am I good enough?” The truth is you are not. If you wait till you get over this feel to speak, you will wait for ever. So find comfort in the thought you are good enough with all your faults, shortcomings, and imperfections.
One speaker expressed it like this. “In gully cricket sometimes an opening batsman gets out for a duck the very first ball. Then the opposing team allows him a second chance by starting the game afresh once more. This is similar to God’s grace.”
Often I have heard speakers say that God is a God of the second chance. Is that true? What if he stopped with that second chance given? I believe that God has given us multiple second chances.
The point is simple. It will take a bit longer than your life on earth to get all your problems solved. Therefore learn to speak in spite of all your difficulties, all your “I am not good enough” feel.
You can keep on waiting. Or you can take a bold step and start speaking. The choice is entirely yours. Positive Thinking
The fisherman prepares his nets and fishing rods. A cricket batsman prepares in the nets. The motto of the Scouts says “Be prepared.” Are you prepared?
What is the other extreme? You are invited to speak, told about a coming game or informed of an upcoming exam. What happens then. You start to postpone preparation. You meet with inertia according to Newton’s first law of motion, which states “an object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless it is acted upon by an external force.”
Why do you yield to inertia? Simply because you hope that motivation will fall on you from the sky like the legendary apple that fell on Newton’s head. But you only experience gravity pulling you down.
So what can you do to overcome this?
First of all realize that there is nothing pleasant or romantic about preparation. It is simply honest hard work. You might have to do it alone. No one might see you do all the toil. No one will applaud you.
Secondly,look at people who perform well. They make it feel that it all happens easily. Realize that it is so only because of the long hours and perhaps months and years of preparation. There is no substitute for it.
Thirdly, the secret is to simply start. Inspiration will follow. Do not wait eternally for inspiration. Often it comes as a result of hard work and not by waiting for it. For example, if you have decided on a topic to speak just take a sheet of paper and write the topic. Note down one or two thoughts that comes. It need not be perfect and it need not be the best. That doesn’t matter. What matters is you got started.
Fourthly, try to cover as much ground during preparation. For example, you are to prepare for a speech. You might be using only forty to fifty percent of all that you prepared for the actual speech. But then what is the importance of extensive preparation?
It helps you to improvise while you perform: As a speaker a new idea will come suddenly while you speak and you can go for it like Martin Luther King did. His “I have a dream segment” was not in the original written script but was the inspiration of that historic moment.
Similarly, you might have seen a batsman in cricket execute improvised shots with great effectiveness. This is the power to improvise you get out of preparation.
The fifth secret about preparation is anticipation. You need to think about all situations that can go wrong and be prepared for it. Let me give you real life examples. I have forgotten to take the notes I prepared for an important speech. I have faced power failure at night during speeches. During your preparation you should be able to foresee situations.
The sixth secret is rehearsal. The more the better. The moment should come when you feel you have had enough of it and you feel absolutely weak and nervous and almost unable to perform. Until that point rehearse and rehearse till you are dead tired and fed up with the whole exercise.
Finally,get some good sleep the day before your performance. Today’s preparation will help you in some future crisis. The result will be a performance with confidence. Then you will be thankful that you did all that hard work when you had the chance.
Exams cause a lot of fear to you; don’t they? Expectations of parents and teachers, comparison with siblings and friends, comments from neighbours and even strangers add fuel to the fire. Now what can you do to overcome your fear of exams? Here are 7 few thoughts for you:
Of course, God blesses you with good memory and ability to understand your lessons and calmness of mind to write exams without undue pressure.
The second thought you need to remember about exams is that you need to discipline yourself to prepare long-term. Refer to question papers of previous years. Write down notes on your own summarising content from textbooks while you study. Use your own codes, diagrams, and tables to reduce content to points you can easily revise at the time of exams.
Writing down notes on your own will help you internalize content without having to memorize. Use these notes to have a quick look the day prior to your exams. It will help you write exam well.
The third thought is that you shouldn’t try too much to study new content at the time of exam. It will create more fear and tension. Instead focus on what you already know and try your best to make it thorough.
See, isn’t it practical to think that generally the one who sets the question paper will not be asking all the tough questions together? So don’t worry too much. There will definitely be a lot of questions simple enough for you to answer.
The fourth thought is about getting good sleep. The more you lose sleep it will affect your good judgement while you write exams. You might forget to write your hall ticket number. Or in a much worse situation, you might number your answers wrongly after having written all answers correctly. And that is disastrous!
Even more worse is you forgetting the answer you knew best. All this can happen as a direct result of losing sleep. By the way, start your exam by writing the answer you know rather than waste time thinking on the question to which the answer doesn’t come easily to mind.
The fifth thought is about efficient time management. Why is this important? Due to procrastination and postponing, many students find exams staring at them at the end of term or semester or year without them being prepared for it. Learn to plan your time using a time table. Stick to it in spite of unexpected interruptions. And when you start writing your exam first have a quick glance at the entire question paper whenever that is possible. That will give you a fair idea how to utilize given time wisely. And leave five minutes at the end of writing your exam to cross check whether you have written all the answers.
Sixthly, one of the best ways to learn is to teach. Try to teach your friends the subject most difficult for you to learn. You’ll find it surprising how fast you learn and retain what you’ve picked up. Now with online options it is easy for you to interact with friends in a combined study context; isn’t it? When you teach, you master your subject much faster than when you just try to study it for yourself.
Finally, in spite of all that you do well, it is quite possible to lose marks. Take it as part of the game. Do not allow negative thoughts to dominate your mind. If you had done your best be happy. You will have your reward.
A day will soon come when Jesus will call the dead to life. And those who hear his voice will come back to life. Yes, life will come forth from ashes and people will awake and rise from the dust.
What is the meaning of this? And how does it apply to you?
One, God’s ultimate plan for you is life, not death. That means death is not The End but a new beginning with God whom you’ll see face to face. Therefore those who trust in Jesus and die are in their sleep and will rise one day. The time between death and new life will seem to them like the twinkling of an eye.
Yes, life will come forth from ashes and people will awake and rise from the dust.
Two, God does not forsake any who trust in him. When he says, no one will snatch you out of my hand1, it means that no evil force or death can wrest you away from his love and out of his mighty hand. There is an eternal security you can find in God alone. Yes, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” 2
Yes, life will come forth from ashes and people will awake and rise from the dust.
Three, God will wipe away your tears. It is true that there is brokenness of all sorts in your life. It is true that you despair at times. It is true that you feel forsaken by God in certain moments. But hold on to life and believe that his life is at work in your life—it is life that death has no hold on and which it cannot touch. One day, God will reward you for being true and faithful to him in the midst of your tough times.
Yes, life will come forth from ashes and people will awake and rise from the dust.
Therefore my friend, look beyond your present difficulties and troubles. “Your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”3 There is glory beyond the grave. Be courageous in your tough times and hold on to God for the Spirit of God shall give you strength. Oh, what a joyous day it’ll be when you meet God face to face and be with him for ever and ever!
But then when Jesus is willing to step into the empty boat; will the nets return void? And when he says, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch,” you can raise a lot of objections; for you Simon Peter are an experienced fisherman in the sea of Galilee; aren’t you? And he is just a carpenter from the obscure town of Nazareth. Or isn’t he?
Is it positive thinking that what creates miracles? Or is it obedience to the voice of him who commands the winds and the waves?
But the greater miracle was not the miraculous catch of fishes.Instead it was Peter’s confession, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.”
Isn’t that amazing?
Instead of striking a deep-sea fishing deal with a man who knew the seas better than he, Peter falls at Jesus’ knees. Worship is recognizing the worthiness of him who commands the winds and the waves. And in that process knowing my own unworthiness before his holiness.
The Master’s voice comes across to you today. “My child, have you been toiling hard? And are your boats empty? Do you really know what you need? Is it that you need a boat full of fish? I can give that to you. But is that what you really need? Or is it Me?”
And who is he?
He who angels worship;
before him demons trembled; in him sinners found a friend; the outcasts found mercy;
those who strayed met with compassion;
the sick found healing;
to the guilty, forgiveness was gifted;
he taught with authority;
the wild waves and stormy winds obeyed instantly and calmed;
death bowed down low and licked the ground at his feet; as he triumphed over the grave
by his blood shed on the cross;
he opened heaven for all
who is willing to trust, obey, and follow him.
So, here is he standing across the sea watching you dock an empty boat and washing the nets which did not bring a catch saying, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
—
Post inspired by Luke 5:4 A Haiku Poem:
The empty boat docks.
Cast nets to blue deep says he.
Do that; fishes catch!
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
കർത്താവായ യേശു ക്രിസ്തുവിൻ്റെ ധന്യ നാമത്തിൽ ഏവർക്കും സ്നേഹവന്ദനം.
വളരെ വർഷങ്ങൾക്കു മുൻപ് വില്യം കൗപ്പർ (William Cowper) എന്ന കവി ഇംഗ്ലണ്ടിൽ ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നു. ഒരിക്കൽ അദ്ദേഹം നിരാശനായി തീർന്നു. ജീവിതം അവസാനിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു. അതിനായി ഒരു ടാക്സി വിളിച്ചു അദ്ദേഹം ലണ്ടനിലെ തേംസ് (Thames) നദിക്കു മുകളിലുള്ള പാലത്തിലേക്ക് കൊണ്ടുപോകുവാൻ ഡ്രൈവറോട് ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു.
യാത്ര തുടങ്ങി കുറച്ചു നേരത്തിനുള്ളിൽ തന്നെ അവിടെ കടുത്ത മൂടൽമഞ്ഞുണ്ടായി. ടാക്സി ഡ്രൈവർക്കു മുന്നോട്ടു വണ്ടി ഓടിക്കുവാൻ കഴിയാതെയായി. ഒരു മണിക്കൂറായിട്ടും മൂടൽമഞ്ഞു മാറിയില്ല. അപ്പോൾ വില്യം കൗപ്പർ ഡ്രൈവറോട്, “എന്നെ തിരികെ വീട്ടിൽ കൊണ്ടാക്കാമോ?” എന്നു ചോദിച്ചു. “തീർച്ചയായും,” എന്നു പറഞ് ഡ്രൈവർ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ തിരികെ വീട്ടിലെത്തിച്ചു.
വണ്ടിക്കൂലി നൽകിയപ്പോൾ ടാക്സി ഡ്രൈവർ അത് നിരസിച്ചു. ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച സ്ഥലത്തു എനിക്കു താങ്കളെ എത്തിക്കുവാൻ കഴിയാത്തതു കൊണ്ട് എനിക്കു ടാക്സി കൂലി വേണ്ട എന്നാണു ഡ്രൈവർ പറഞ്ഞത്.
നദിയിൽ ചാടി മരിക്കണം എന്നാഗ്രഹിച്ച വില്യം കൗപർ സുരക്ഷിതനായി തിരികെ വീട്ടിൽ എത്തി. ആ അനുഭവം അദ്ദേഹത്തിൽ ഇടയനായ ദൈവത്തിൻ്റെ കരുതലിനെ കുറിച്ച് ഒരു വലിയ ധൈര്യപ്പെടുത്തൽ ഉണ്ടാക്കി. ആ സമയത്തു അദ്ദേഹം എഴുതിയ പ്രശസ്തമായ ഗാനമാണ്,
God moves in mysterious ways
His wonders to perform.
അതെ യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയനാണ്. അവൻ അത്ഭുതകരമായ രീതിയിൽ എനിക്കായി കരുതുന്നു. അവൻ എന്നെ അറിയുന്നു, എന്നെ സ്നേഹിക്കുന്നു, എന്നെ പുലർത്തുന്നു.
സങ്കീർത്തനങ്ങളുടെ സങ്കീർത്തനം എന്നറിയപ്പെടുന്ന സങ്കീർത്തനം ഇരുപത്തിമൂന്നിൽ പറയുന്ന സത്യങ്ങളാണ് ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളെ ഓർമപ്പെടുത്തിയത്.
യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയനാണ് എന്നു പറയുമ്പോൾ അവൻ എന്നെ നന്നായി അറിയുന്നു എന്ന സത്യം ഞാൻ മനസിലാക്കുന്നു. എൻ്റെ തലയെ എണ്ണ കൊണ്ട് അഭിക്ഷേകം ചെയ്യുന്ന ഇടയൻ എൻ്റെ തലയിലെ മുടി പോലും എല്ലാം എണ്ണിയിരിക്കുന്നു.
എൻ്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലെ എല്ലാ ആവശ്യങ്ങളെയും അറിയുന്ന ദൈവം മുട്ടുണ്ടാകാതെ പച്ചയായ പുല്പുറങ്ങളിലേക്കു എന്നെ നടത്തുന്നു. സ്വസ്ഥതയുള്ള വെള്ളത്തിനരികെ എന്നെ നടത്തുകയും എൻ്റെ പ്രാണനെ തണുപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.
ഈ ഇടയൻ എപ്പോഴും എൻ്റെ കൂടെ ഇരിക്കുന്ന ദൈവമാണ്. എന്നെ പേർ ചൊല്ലി വിളിക്കുന്ന ഇടയനാണ് അവൻ. ഈ ഇടയൻ്റെ സ്നേഹം ഏറ്റവും പ്രകാശം പരത്തിയത് കാൽവരി ക്രൂശിലാണ്:
അവിടെ യേശു കർത്താവ് എൻ്റെ പാപങ്ങൾക്കു വേണ്ടി രക്തം ചിന്തി മരിച്ചു. ആ നല്ലിടയൻ എനിക്കു വേണ്ടി തൻ്റെ ജീവനെ തന്നു. ആ സ്നേഹത്തെ ഏവരെയും ഓർമ്മിപ്പിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് ഞാൻ എൻ്റെ വാക്കുകൾ നിറുത്തുന്നു. ആമേൻ.
കർത്താവായ യേശു ക്രിസ്തുവിൻ്റെ ധന്യ നാമത്തിൽ ഏവർക്കും സ്നേഹവന്ദനം.
എല്ലാ കാലത്തും വിശ്വാസികളുടെ ഏറ്റവും പ്രീയപ്പെട്ട സങ്കീർത്തനമാണ് ഇരുപത്തിമൂന്നാം സങ്കീർത്തനo. ദാവീദ് തൻ്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലെ അനുഭവങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ എഴുതുകയാണ്. യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയനാണ് എന്ന ശക്തമായ വിശ്വാസ പ്രഖ്യാപനത്തോടെയാണ് ഈ സങ്കീർത്തനം ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത്.
ഒന്നാമതായി ഇവിടെ കാണുന്നത് നമ്മുക്ക് ദൈവവുമായിട്ടുള്ള വ്യക്തിപരമായ ബന്ധമാണ്.
യഹോവ ഇടയനാകുന്നു എന്നല്ല ഇവിടെ പറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നത്. യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയൻ എന്നാണ്. എന്താണിതിൻ്റെ അർത്ഥം? എന്താണിതിൻ്റെ അർത്ഥം? ഇടയനായ യഹോവയ്ക്കു അനേകം ആടുകൾ ഉണ്ട്. എങ്കിലും അവൻ എന്നെ വ്യക്തിപരമായി അറിയുന്നു, പേർചൊല്ലി വിളിക്കുന്നു, എന്നെ സ്നേഹിക്കുന്നു. എത്ര വലിയോരു വിശ്വാസ അനുഭവമാണ് ദാവീദ് വിവരിക്കുന്നത് എന്ന് നോക്കുക.
അതുകൊണ്ട് ജീവിതത്തിൻ്റെ ഏതു സാഹചര്യത്തിലും എനിക്കും നിങ്ങൾക്കും ധൈര്യമായി പറയുവാൻ സാധിക്കട്ടെ, “യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയാനാകുന്നു.”
രണ്ടാമതായി യഹോവ എനിക്കായി കരുതുന്നു. അതുകൊണ്ട് എനിക്ക് മുട്ടുണ്ടാകയില്ല.
ജീവിതത്തിൽ പ്രയാസങ്ങൾ വരാത്തവരായി ആരും ഉണ്ടാകാത്തില്ല. എങ്കിലും യഹോവയിൽ ആശ്രയിക്കുന്നവൻ്റെ ആവശ്യങ്ങൾ നടത്തികൊടുക്കുവാൻ യഹോവ മതിയായവനാണ്. അവൻ തൻ്റെ ജനങ്ങളുടെ ആവശ്യങ്ങൾ മുന്നമേ അറിയുകയും അവർക്കായി കരുതുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.
അതുകൊണ്ട് അനുഗ്രഹങ്ങൾ തേടി ആരും ഓടേണ്ട. പകരം യഹോവയെ അന്വേഷിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അവനെ സ്നേഹിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ആവശ്യങ്ങൾ അവൻ നിറവേറ്റി തരും.
മൂന്നാമതായി യഹോവ എപ്പോഴും എൻ്റെ കൂടെ ഇരിക്കുന്നു.
മനുഷ്യൻ്റെ സഹായം ലഭിക്കാത്ത സാഹചര്യങ്ങൾ ജീവിതത്തിൽ വരാം. എന്നാൽ അത്തരം കൂരിരുൾ താഴ്വരയിൽ കൂടി നടക്കുന്ന അനുഭവങ്ങളിലും യഹോവ എന്നോടു കൂടെയുണ്ട്.
ഒരിക്കൽ plane–ൽ ഒരു ബാലൻ യാത്ര ചെയ്യുകയായിരുന്നു. പെട്ടെന്നാണ് പ്രതികൂലമായ കാലാവസ്ഥയിൽ പെട്ടത്. യാത്രക്കാരെല്ലാം ഭയപ്പെട്ടു. ചിലർ നിലവിളിച്ചു. എന്നാൽ ഈ ബാലൻ മാത്രം ശാന്തമായി കാണപ്പെട്ടു.
അപ്പോൾ അവനോട് ഒരു യാത്രക്കാരൻ ചോദിച്ചു, “മകനേ, നിനക്കു പേടിയില്ലേ?” അവൻ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു: “എനിക്ക് പേടി ഒട്ടുമില്ല. എൻ്റെ പപ്പാ ആണ് ഈ വിമാനം പരത്തുന്നത്. ഈ ധൈര്യമാണ് യഹോവ എന്നോടു കൂടെ ഉണ്ട് എന്ന ബോധ്യം നമുക്ക് നൽകുന്നത്.
എന്നെ കേൾക്കുന്ന ഏവരുമെ, യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയനാകുന്നു എന്ന വിശ്വാസ പ്രഖ്യാപനത്തിനു പുതിയ മാനവും അർത്ഥവും നൽകിയത് യേശുവാണ്.
ഞാൻ നല്ല ഇടയൻ എന്ന് അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു. ആ നല്ലിടയൻ എനിക്കും നിങ്ങൾക്കും വേണ്ടി കാൽവരി ക്രൂശിൽ രക്തം ചിന്തി മരിച്ചു.
നമുക്ക് വേണ്ടി ജീവൻ നൽകിയ ആടുകളുടെ ഈ വലിയ ഇടയനെ പൂർണ്ണഹൃദയത്തോടെ സ്നേഹിക്കുവാൻ നമുക്കേവർക്കും സാധിക്കട്ടെ. ആമേൻ.
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. There stands before men and women no greater truth and hope than his life triumphing over death. And the good news is that he walks along with you on lonely sunset roads.
The men were sad, their faces downcast. They were moving away from Jerusalem the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion. In their minds, Jesus was dead and gone. Their hopes about him had been dashed.
They had heard the joyous news that angels had broken to some women who had gone and seen the empty tomb that morning: “He is not here; he has risen.”
Yet these men did not believe even though they were amazed at the news.
But then in the walk towards their village as they listened to him open their minds to understand the truth written in the Scriptures that he had to suffer and then enter glory; their hearts burned within them!
By then the sun was setting. And Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us.”
If “abide with me” is your prayer this moment, Jesus will come in to your home however humble it is and to your heart however sad and broken it is.
And there will be a moment of recognition as it happened with those two men when they understood who their companion was when he took bread, gave thanks to God, and broke it for them.
Jesus immediately disappeared from their sight. But the men now had news to carry. They hurried back to Jerusalem at once with the news, “It is true. The Lord has risen.”
At the end of every lonely walk and darkness sunset brings; there comes in Jesus the Risen Lord to walk along with you. Let hope rise again in your hearts because this my friend is the great assurance that you have: The Risen Lord is with you!
You might be the fastest sprinter in the world. Yet you won’t think of or ever imagine to run a 100 metres sprint at the Olympics or World Athletic championship finals with bricks on your head; will you?
But the sad thing is that in real life you are probably attempting to run life’s race and rush ahead with many bricks on your head. And what are these bricks? They are dead weights that slow down your progress.
And what are these dead weights?
The first one is definitely the baggage of your past. Your past might be full of mistakes you made and plenty of regrets you have. But they are to be left behind. Let the lessons you learned from them remain. Let those teach you humility. But never entertain the past and its baggage with the same dignity given to a foreign head of state paying an official visit to the country. So, leave your past behind.
The third dead weight you carry is, worries of this life. Each day the news is getting bad and worse. There is not one day without some kind of negativity being heard. In spite of all the entertainment going on, bad news still makes its rounds. And you are worried. Especially about what the future is going to be. The only antidote to worry is trust in God.
Now what can you do about these three: baggage from your past, negative habits from your present and worries about your future?
So many runners in the Olympics in its earliest form ran to win a wreath or a laurel that faded away. But God rewards for an eternity with a crown that does not perish, spoil or fade away. So be careful how you run life’s race. Run so as to win the prize. There is going to be rewards and joy at the end of the race if you do away with the bricks you are carrying today.
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
