WORD 2day: 22nd October, 2014

Lite it up! Live it up!

Eph 3: 2-12; Lk 12:39-48

God has given us a special identity, observes St. Paul... the identity of the people of God, that of the people of light! We are brought to light! It does not stop with that but we are called to take that light to all. We are made stewards of that light and it is both a privilege and a pressing duty that we carry this light far and wide. Carrying this light, or bringing people to the light would take shades of various kinds: the best of those is to let my light shine!

Letting my light shine, is an obligation I have, because no one lights the lamp and puts it under the bushel. A light is rather kept on the lampstand that it may give light to all who enter the home.  Being the light, shining as light or bringing the light to the world would mean, to become aware of the great privilege of being known as ambassadors of the Gospel and of our duty to announce the Gospel. In short, the call we have is to live it up! On a daily basis to understand the dignity of being called God's people and to live up to that dignity.

The message goes well and coincides with the festival of lights celebrated all over India today: to lite it up! to live it up!

Lord, let my little light shine!

WORD 2day: 21st October, 2014

The Fear of Examinations?!?

Eph 2:12-22; Lk 12: 35-38

All of us have had, or have still, a fear of examinations! And the usual remedy proposed by teachers is, learn your subjects on a daily basis, revise your classes everyday and when the exams come you will be better prepared. The point is, examinations are not something for which we need to prepare, they are just an end of a process of learning. At times when we do not have the right study attitudes, the exams become a separate entity and a great hurdle to be crossed and not merely a formality to be undergone. Now, that was not for a Study-skill session...but to bring out the crux of today's message.

The Word reminds us how the Lord has chosen us and given us an identity that is entirely a grace: the identity of being the people of God, of being the offsprings of God, of being God's beloved children. When we are conscious of that identity, on a daily basis and conduct our affairs accordingly, we would not need to prepare, or be afraid of, or fret about what is called the judgment moment! Every choice that we make is a judgement we bring on ourselves... whether it is monitored or not; when I know that I am a child of God, that I am a son or daughter of God and I live, believe and behave worthy of that identity, why should I fear? It is like the Master who was asked as he was having his cup of tea, 'what would you do, if the world ends this moment?' The Master said: "I would continue having my tea."