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.”
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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.”
Are you tired of living? If yes, there are three quick things you can do.
One, call out to God for help. You need not worry how he is going to answer your prayer. Instead what you need to believe is that God is able to help you and willing to help you.
Therefore the first thing to do if you are tired of living is to call out to God for help.
Two, believe in goodness ahead. It is easy to lose hope when you are under pressure constantly. That is quite natural. But when you wait for God to answer your prayer you need to look ahead to see God’s goodness stored for you.
When it comes, people who despised you and mocked you will see that is God who has shown you goodness. You too will know how troubles you faced moulded you to be prepared for the goodness which God had already prepared for you.
Therefore the second thing to do if you are tired of living is to believe in goodness ahead.
Three, do not entertain bitterness in your heart. It is true that words were painful when people stung you bitterly with their accusations and criticism. It is true that you faced pressure beyond your ability to endure. In spite of all this do not hold a grudge against those who hurt you.
That is not easy. Yet if you can try to see the hand of God orchestrating events, managing people, bringing situations to a crisis, and finally bringing you to that point where you are ready to live your true dream; then instead of bitterness your heart will overflow with gratitude to God.
Therefore the third thing to do if you are tired of living is to stop entertaining bitterness in your heart.
To conclude, the three things to do if you are tired of living are:
One, call out to God for help.
Two, expect goodness ahead.
And three, do not entertain bitterness.
My friend, this is not the time to give up or to quit. But it is the time to hope, to believe and to hold on.
So many people dream about the perfect time to begin. It rarely happens. Though there are occasions when timing means everything; most of life is about doing things now. Do not postpone anything that you can do today and now. If you do it becomes a habit that is going to be difficult to break.
So how do you get out of the habit of postponing? Take a look at certain elements you need to keep in mind.
We are told not to worry about tomorrow. It means that we use the present opportunities. The right time to start is now. The secret is to start small. There should be a sense of urgency in getting things done.
Many people never start to do anything thinking of the bigness of the task ahead. It is wise to break the big task into small bits and work on each bit at a time. That makes the big work manageable. So many small acts done consistently over a period of time will yield better results than attempting to do a big thing all at once.
It is observed that when there is a flow of things happening you do your tasks well. But when there is a break a long gap follows. Each time you want to restart what you have been doing you feel a kind of inertia holding you back. And you wait for an appropriate moment to restart.
Instead of waiting for the right time, start immediately. The joy of doing what you have been doing well will return very quickly. You will also start to wonder why you waited so long?
Avoid too much thinking and too much planning. It can take away your initiative. Start to act now. And be prepared to make the needed changes as you go along. Pick up a project or plan you had shelved long ago. If you haven’t played your guitar for a long time now, just pick it up, wipe the dust and start strumming. The tune will follow. The melody will return. The power of acting now will ensure that you will be able to follow through.
So now is the time to take action. Get up and do something. And get rid of your self-defeating habit of postponing.
Worry steals away our valuable time. On the other hand planning helps to utilize time effectively. So many people dream of doing big things in life. This is mostly wishful thinking. Instead those who really want to do something meaningful in life make use of small chunks of time.
For effective utilization of time create good habits. Say No to all distractions. Work against deadlines and work towards your dreams and goals.
The greatest thief of time is procrastination. It is the thought that I will do it later. Sadly, tomorrow also the same pattern is repeated. Therefore keep in mind that time is the stuff life is made of and laziness is the lover that steals it.
Yet another enemy of time is the thought that my life stretches long ahead. But who knows what awaits you at the next turn. Many people marry laziness before they even grow up. Such people who sleep in the embrace of laziness won’t even realize it when the very bed they sleep on is snatched away from beneath them.
A man or woman of action plans and acts as if there is no tomorrow. They always audit how they are making use of available time today. One of the best ways to utilize time is to have a sense of purpose. Those who are sent on a mission never while away their time. They know they are on duty. They are conscious that many others are depending on them to do their assigned task well.
A simple way to manage time is to allot a chunk of time for a particular task you are attempting. That will compel you to plan how to use that time. The threat today to proper time management is our own slavish mentality towards mobile screens. It is a great stealer of time. So be aware and alert that time is the stuff life is made of and laziness in life and addiction to the mobile screen are lovers that steals it.
Once again, let me remind all those who are regretting time lost in the past, hold on to this astounding promise of God: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten!”
“Time is too slow for those who wait,
too swift for those who fear,
too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice,
but for those who love,
time is eternity.” — Henry Van Dyke
This world is a beautiful place. One reason why it is so is because of the lovely gardens in public places as well as our homes. Brindavan Garden in Mysore and Lal Bagh Garden in Bengaluru (Bangalore) are two large and beautiful gardens I have visited.
I too have a garden at my home. It gives me great joy to spend time in my garden. There are several flowering plants in my garden. My favourite flowers are roses, jasmine and orchids. When they bloom it is like a wave of joyous smile spreading around.
One of the beautiful sights in my garden is that of butterflies flying around. Sometimes I try running around with them too. The wet feel of my feet on the green lawn especially when it has just been watered is a thrill beyond words.
I do help my parents maintain my garden. One of the lessons they have taught me is to pick out the weeds and thrown them away. Along with it, they have told me that bad habits in life are like weeds. They should be pulled out by its roots and throw away.
I thank God for my garden. It is where I can enjoy the beauty of flowers; its colours and fragrance. It is the place which makes my home a joy. For here, I spend time with my family. Those are precious moments in life to me.
First of all let me thank all of your for placing your confidence in me and electing me as the Social Service Leader of our school.
I consider this a privilege as well as a great responsibility. At the very outset let me seek your cooperation in dreaming big as well as achieving something noble for the good of the less privileged of the society. I cannot do anything alone, but together we can.
All that we need is a real honest desire to help others. Together with God’s blessings and the help and encouragement of our school management and teachers we can certainly plan and implement a few projects that will help the needy in society.
If I have a message for you this day, it is this that every single rupee counts. The help we give is far more than charity. Know that our efforts are going to help the the downtrodden, the marginalized, the orphans and the poor widows to live with dignity.
Each one of your efforts counts significantly towards the achieving of this goal. A kind attitude, a helping hand, a giving heart, and a we-can-do-it team spirit will go miles to get things done. Let me repeat again, alone I cannot; but together we can. Thank you one and all.
A photograph speaks about passion. Only a person who is interested in others, or in nature, or events, or sports or wildlife tend to take photographs. Others take selfies.
A photograph can rise to the level of art and the classic.
and not to forget NASA’s Pale Blue Dot taken by Voyager from outer space are all examples.
A collection of photographs can communicate a world of emotions and thoughts especially when tribute to a life is made through them. Through these photographs life of the person remembered is made still for those of coming generations to see.
Almost all writers and authors face writer’s block from time to time. Here are a few simple steps to get your ideas flowing:
Start with something you know. It can be as simple as your home, exciting as a game you like or maybe serious like computers.
Just freely write whatever comes to mind. Think about what might interest your readers.
Try to get to the heart of the matter as quickly as possible. Too much introduction will destroy interest.
Catch the attention of the reader at the beginning itself. It can be done using a surprise element, a catchy phrase or even a story in a few sentences.
Most likely, what you write the first time will have ideas all mixed up. That’s quite normal. Leave that matter aside for a few days. Then return to it. You’ll be able to edit it and make it into a very useful article.
Now organize what you have written into paragraphs with suitable headings. Then it will be easy for others to remember what you have written.
The length of what you write can vary. It depends much on the subject matter. Yet it is wise to keep things simple and short.
Like how the clothes you wear can express you in a very unique way; writing is an expression of your inner self. The key is to discipline yourself to write.
Do not wait for inspiration always. Instead simply start writing.
Bad habits give you pleasure. But as with everything there is a price tag. Nothing comes free of cost. Think about how the bad habit will take its toll on your life.
Bad habits have triggers. Certain people or situations compel you to indulge in bad habits. The best thing you can do is to identify the triggers and avoid them.
Bad habits can take hold of you when you are alone and feel lonely. Therefore try to build good friendships or engage in creative hobbies or sports.
Bad habits mostly take hold of you because you have no purpose in life. Do not be idle. Do something positive. Work towards a meaningful goal.
Bad habits can make you feel like a failure. But there is good news for you. If you can rise up one more time and fight one more round, you are no failure.
