Last Sunday, the weather outside was chilled & breezy… It was drizzling the whole day on Saturday… this made us to wake up late… It was so nice rolling over to bed… then it came to my mind that I have to wake up and its too late … & if we reach late to church, we will be missing the praise and worship service…& also it will be difficult to make a place to sit, from where you can have the view of the pulpit and also the choir… but yeah we reached on time and we also got a good place to sit. As the weather was soo good outside, I think many ppl could not make it to church… I was just hoping to hear the word of the Lord which will make me feel that peace from within…as we reached, I took my sweater and wore it, to avoid myself from shivering… As the announcements started…the pastor Andrew said…”Let us pray for the weather…” I thought what is there to pray for?? Its so good outside and Iam perfectly enjoying it… then he continued saying “…as people are suffering… though for some of you it might be beautifull…” aaah! I felt he pointed out to me!! Then I realized that this was a cyclone effect…in down south there in chennai there has been continuous rains and people are struggling there to live…that was a thought provoking and I sincerely prayed for them… & as soon as I completed my prayer I forgot all about the weather…
Then as the speaker started the sermon… he has put forward a question to all of us… “do you remember the most recent precious gift that you received…?” When you love someone… you give them a gift... he says that the love maybe associated with selfishness because sometimes people do things for others & there is a hidden necessity which makes them happy…So maybe they are doing it because they are selfish… make sure to differentiate this… is the love selfless or selfish??? … Someone asked him… “then what about the love that a mother gives to a small baby?” he says there are many ways to answer this question… the answer he choose was… “That’s because the baby is HER baby.. Would the love be same if it was someone else’s baby?” We always feel secured because there are people around us who love us… but the reason for peoples love for us is God… he takes care of us through other people and when you are left alone, God will find ways to love us and keep us safe… Then he illustrated with an example… there was a lady whose husband was dead… and she sings this beautiful song in his funeral…which goes like this…
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!”
To make the love perfect, we need to learn to forgive… “he who forgives more, Loves more!”
Other point he has put forward is... “Can we change God’s mind by praying?” this was a tricky question… one needs to have wisdom to answer this because if the answer to this is Yes…then its like we are ruling the world…and if the answer is No…then its like why to pray?... but the answer is Yes, God will change his mind, when it is good for us… He took the example of Judas, who handed Christ to pilot for 30Pcs of Silver… Judas got what he wanted but in matter of hours he wants it no more…30pcs of silver did not deliver what it promised him to deliver…Judas gave back the money saying he doesn’t need it anymore…His dreams were fulfilled but it was a tragedy for him…so always remember that “Your Father in heaven knows what you need… before you ask Him.”
One more point he conveyed was being at giving end…apart from being at the receiving end…
He recited this poem written by William McChesney - Martyred missionary to the Congo… Its so beautiful to hear him say this… it touched me… I came home & search this online and read it again…so putting it here…
My Choice..
I want my breakfast served at eight
With ham and eggs upon the plate
A well-broiled steak I'll eat at one
And dine again when day is done.
I want an ultramodern home
And in each room a telephone;
Soft carpets, too, upon the floors
And pretty drapes to grace the doors.
A cozy place of lovely things,
Like easy chairs with inner springs,
And then, I'll get a nice T.V.
- Of course, I'm careful what I see.
I want my wardrobe, too, to be
Of neatest, finest quality,
With latest style in suit and vest
Why should not Christians have the best?
But then the Master I can hear
In no uncertain voice, so clear:
"I bid you come and follow Me,
The lowly Man of Galilee."
"Birds of the air have made their nest
And foxes in their holes find rest,
But I can offer you no bed;
No places have I to lay my head."
In shame I hung my head and cried,
How could I spurn the Crucified?
Could I forget the way He went,
The sleepless nights in prayer He spent?
For forty days without a bite,
Alone He fasted day and night;
Despised, rejected - on He went,
and did not stop till veil He rent!
A man of sorrows and of grief
No earthly friend to bring relief;
"Smitten of God," the prophet said
Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.
If He be God, and died for me,
No sacrifice too great can be
For me; a mortal man, to make;
I'll do it all for Jesus' sake.
Yes, I will tread the path He trod,
No other way will please my God,
So, henceforth, this my choice shall be,
My choice for all eternity.
And then the sermon ended with the beautiful thought in mind….
Think about the lovely gift you received…
Think about the lovely thoughtful gift you gave others…
This has put me also into thinking…
Lord, give us a great full heart!
To love selflessly…
To be at Giving end…
To pray…!
With ham and eggs upon the plate
A well-broiled steak I'll eat at one
And dine again when day is done.
I want an ultramodern home
And in each room a telephone;
Soft carpets, too, upon the floors
And pretty drapes to grace the doors.
A cozy place of lovely things,
Like easy chairs with inner springs,
And then, I'll get a nice T.V.
- Of course, I'm careful what I see.
I want my wardrobe, too, to be
Of neatest, finest quality,
With latest style in suit and vest
Why should not Christians have the best?
But then the Master I can hear
In no uncertain voice, so clear:
"I bid you come and follow Me,
The lowly Man of Galilee."
"Birds of the air have made their nest
And foxes in their holes find rest,
But I can offer you no bed;
No places have I to lay my head."
In shame I hung my head and cried,
How could I spurn the Crucified?
Could I forget the way He went,
The sleepless nights in prayer He spent?
For forty days without a bite,
Alone He fasted day and night;
Despised, rejected - on He went,
and did not stop till veil He rent!
A man of sorrows and of grief
No earthly friend to bring relief;
"Smitten of God," the prophet said
Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.
If He be God, and died for me,
No sacrifice too great can be
For me; a mortal man, to make;
I'll do it all for Jesus' sake.
Yes, I will tread the path He trod,
No other way will please my God,
So, henceforth, this my choice shall be,
My choice for all eternity.
And then the sermon ended with the beautiful thought in mind….
Think about the lovely gift you received…
Think about the lovely thoughtful gift you gave others…
This has put me also into thinking…
Lord, give us a great full heart!
To love selflessly…
To be at Giving end…
To pray…!
