Yesterday was Faith’s first day at beach and it taught us a lesson or two. She was so scared to step into the water even after seeing smaller babies rolling in the sands/water. Shalom took her to the edge where the waves just kiss the shore and baby cried her heart out, as if she was afraid for her life. I’d to salvage her first beach experience’s trauma by picking her up and calming her and that decent photo is the evidence of that calmness.
There are days when He takes us deeper into the waters and days when we see only one set of footprints 👣 on the sand (when He carries us in His arms). The hands that hung the stars are big yet small enough to carry you too.
We’ve days when we can’t imagine going further or deeper yet God knows when to stop and pick us up. Whether it’s in deeper waters or in His arms may we never forget that it is His presence that matters. He will never forsake us nor leave us.
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Exodus 19:4 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.19.4.NLT
Even to your old age I am He, and even to hair white with age will I carry you. I have made, and I will bear; yes, I will carry and will save you. Isaiah 46:4 AMPC https://bible.com/bible/8/isa.46.4.AMPC
We spend a major lot of our lives wishing we could fix our friends, family, spouses, children, neighbours, bosses, co workers and the list is endless, but fixing people isn’t our job description. If we had our way we’d love to see the people around us molded to our likeness, but we forget that all of us are made in God’s likeness inspite of the idiosyncrasies. It is the Holy Spirit’s to convict and change people and we can’t do His work for Him.
Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” Romans 12:9-10, 17-19 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/rom.12.9-19.MSG
Paul has some hard to digest and harder to practise commands for the church. If we learn to discover the beauty in everyone then maybe we’ll stop yearning to fix everyone.
June 2008 I left home to pursue my undergraduate studies in medicine and now I’m back home, it’s end of July 2022. 14 years away from home, MBBS and MS, wife and a baby. God has blessed and multiplied me.
After completing MS Orthopedics from CMC Ludhiana, I worked in mission hospitals under EHA. I got an opportunity to work in the following hospitals as an Orthopedic surgeon in the last 3 years: 1. Jiwan Jyoti Christian Hospital, Robertsganj, UP 2. Kachhwa Christian Hospital, Mirzapur, UP 3. Herbertpur Christian Hospital, Herbertpur, Uttrakhand. 4. Landour Community Hospital, Mussoorie, Uttrakhand 5. Duncan Hospital, Raxaul, Bihar. I was posted primarily in Robertsganj and worked there the maximum, rest were deputation, ranging from a few days to weeks/months.
Last surgery in Herbertpur Christian Hospital (30.07.2022)
I have seen first hand the legacy of the medical missionaries and contributed my little bit to their huge contribution towards nation building. I’ve learnt not only to bridge broken bones and crooked limbs but also gained a deeper understanding of the word of God. Last 20 months I’ve been away from Shalom and Faith, but God has been with us and we’ve seen the goodness of God.
“You have led me through the fire In the darkest night You are close like no other I’ve known You as a Father I’ve known You as a Friend And I have lived in the goodness of God”. – Goodness of God by Bethel Music
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NLT ( https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.2.9.NLT ). So here I am testifying the goodness of God, He is a Father who never leaves us nor abandons us.
What’s next? We’ll find jobs in Ahmedabad, school for Faith, church community where we’ll thrive and flourish. As someone rightly said, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I know the One who holds tomorrow”. So even with the uncertainties surrounding me I am certain of the goodness of God and His favour which lasts a lifetime.
Shavuot is the second of the three main harvest festivals (Passover and Feast of Tabernacles are the other two), described in Leviticus 23, also called feast of weeks (shavuot is Hebrew for weeks). Pentecost comes from the Greek and means 50, since it is celebrated 50 days from the feast of first fruits (Resurrection Sunday).
Passover symbolises the redemption of Israel and Shavuot the abundant provision of God. It was on this day that Moses recieved the Law at Mount Sinai (according to rabbinical tradition) and it was on this day the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled and the church was born. While the Jews eagerly counted off 7 weeks from Passover and waited for this festival, the disciples were eagerly waiting for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit by Jesus. In Acts Chapter 2 the disciples were surrounded by a sound of a violent wind, the Hebrew word Ruach for the Holy Spirit and the Greek pneuma for the Holy Spirit both mean wind or breath. God breathed into Adam and He came alive and now He was breathing over and baptizing the disciples with the Holy Spirit.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit transformed these unsuspecting, unremarkable and mostly underrated Galilean men and women into the most powerful witnesses and birthed the church. Hence, it became the birthday of the church. What originally was an agricultural harvest celebration became a celebration of the harvest of souls.
Acts 2:5 says there were Jews from every nation gathered in Jerusalem for the feast and 3000 of them responded to the first sermon by Peter and God added to their numbers daily. These thousands of Jews who accepted Yeshua as the Messiah and received the Holy Spirit would then take the gospel back to their homes in their nations. So the great outpouring on the Pentecost not only have birth to the Church but also to evangelism.
It’s been ~ 2000 years since then and the world continues to wage war against the church but Jesus promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The wind and the fire phenomenon which birthed the church is not a one time event (as erroneously taught by many) but it is for each of us who believe in Jesus. Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Acts of the Apostles 2:38-39 NLT
When you stop telling the story of God’s faithfulness you start telling yourself the story of fear.
So every day, check and count the blessings we enjoy because our heavenly Father gives us much more than our daily bread. He meets our every need and we lack no good thing. He is always with us though we cannot see, touch or feel Him.
The majestic mountains, the rich firmament, the scenic sunrise and sunset,the fresh green leaves, the vibrant blossoming tulips, the chirping of the birds, the flitting butterflies, the playful dolphins, the innocent smile of a baby, the mesmerizing antics of a toddlers, the mind boggling queries of a teenager, the fantastic inventions/ discoveries made by enterprising genius through out the centuries are all testimonies of a caring, sovereign God. He is definitely not an old man with a punishing whip in His hands, playing with us like puppets. But He is very much interested in mankind because He made the 1st man in His Image and breathed life into him and made him responsible for this beautiful earth, His Creation. So we are accountable for the protection and development of the planet, earth. We are supposed to nourish and take care of it and the living creatures on it. But greed, hatred, lust for more or what is not ours and desire to control, possess and rule leads to violence, killing and war.
Man, O man, day of accounting and judgement is not far. Our every unwholesome word, unjust action, time or opportunity wasted will be judged. Let us enjoy what belongs to us and strive to maintain harmonious relations and discharge our responsibilities with integrity. Be bridge builders and peacemakers for its more blessed to give than to receive.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. Matthew 5:9 MSG
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9 NLT
GOD BLESS.
PS: Author, Jamie James is a principal in KV SAC Ahmedabad the mother of the legendary Dr Joyance Shalom James.
I am a citizen of my country but I also belong to a Kingdom which crosses international borders and conventional human wisdom and isn’t limited by time. My country is temporal but my Kingdom is eternal. My country changes it’s ruler (leader) but my Kingdom is reigned by an eternal King who’s reign will never end.
We live in a broken world with nations fighting and innocents dying but we look forward to the day when the Kingdom will be established in it’s entirety and there will be no more tears.
We live in a world where the sun sets on many a great dreams but we look forward to the Kingdom come when the glory of the Son (Yeshua) will eclipse the light of the sun.
Nations will rise and fall and subdue one another but this Kingdom will never end.
The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalms 46:6-7, 9-10 NLT
Thy Kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. John 1:14 MSG
The first Christmas God moved into our neighborhood and our world changed for the better. Since then He hasn’t left us alone. We look forward to a future when this will repeat and the world we see about us will be changed forever. John the apostle after seeing a vision about our final destination writes this in the last book of the Bible:- I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.” The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.” Revelation 21:3-5 MSG
The first time He moved in like a helpless baby born in an obscure town of Bethlehem, but we look forward to a time when He moves in with all His glory and splendor in the New Jerusalem. The first Christmas was a reminder that God is with us, the promise of Immanuel. He promised and gave us the Holy spirit (John 14) which is a guarantee of the future to come.
In this world we will have troubles, hearts will ache, bones will break, but because of Immanuel, we have a future when He’ll wipe every year and remove every pain and the glory of the Son will obscure the light of the sun.
“…one must not neglect the body and let it become deformed, this would be against the intention of the Creator; this is the basic principle of orthopaedics […] this book is aimed exclusively at fathers and mothers and all people bringing up children who must try to prevent and correct any deformed part of the child body” – Nicholas Andry (L’Orthopédie 1741)*
“Crooked tree” symbol courtesy Nicholas Andry
The “crooked tree” symbol is attributed to Nicholas Andry. He reasoned that just as a crooked tree is made to grow straight when it’s growth is directed so a crooked bone/deformity can be straightened when it’s growth is directed. What started primarily as a medical speciality to correct childhood deformities has since then progressed to address all musculoskeletal issues from pediatric to geriatric age groups. Since then this crooked tree has become the logo of numerous orthopedic societies and institutions.
“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 22:6 NLT – Solomon Ben David
Here we see an distinctive resemblance in the thought process of both King Solomon and Nicholas Andry. Did Andry take a leaf out of the former’s book and applied it too literally? Both wanted to harness the mallebility of childhood for a better future (sans crookedness).
The verb translated “direct or train” (חנך – chanak) means, first, “to put something into the mouth,” “to give to be tasted,” as nurses give to infants food which they have masticated in order to prepare it for their nurslings; thence it comes to signify “to give elementary instruction,” “to imbue,” “to train.” The Hebrew literally is, Initiate a child in accordance with his way. In the Hebrew Bible this word chanak appears 5 times and rest of the 4 times it’s translated as “dedicate” in English.
A very good example of what happens when the parent takes initiative to train and direct is seen in the following 3 verses depicting the life of Samuel: 1 Samuel 1:28 (Prayer of a mother) “Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.”
1 Samuel 2:26 (Straight growth of the child) “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.”
1 Samuel 12:2,3 (Lifelong benefits of early initiation) “And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.”
“Adeo in teneris consuescere multum est.” So much depends upon the habit in tender years. This hold true both for Orthopedics and for life.
*Andry N (1741) L‘orthopédie ou l’art de prevenir et de corriger dans les enfants les difformités du corps. A Paris, chez la Veuve Alix et chez Lambert et Durand, 1st ed.
What if success was measured not by the harvest but by the seeds sown?
People always remember the medal winners but no one talks about the participants. We just watched the 2020 Olympics from Tokyo, podium finishers were decorated, commemorated, honoured and worshipped but does anyone remember the others who finished the race 4th, 5th and so on, probably facing and fighting insurmountable odds in the process. Medal winners made headlines while the others were frowned over as disappointments.
When a farmer sows seeds, not every seed that is sown comes to fruition. When a farmer scatters his seeds, some of them may not get buried immediately, some will be picked up by the birds others dispersed by the farm animals. There is a possibility that the dispersed seed is buried elsewhere outside the limits of the farm and bears a fruit there. Hence, the success of the farmer can’t be judged only by his farm produce in a limited time period.
Let’s learn from apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, he writes, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 NLT
Against the backdrop of eternity let our lives continually, persistently sow seeds of the gospel, seeds of hope and love in a world starved of love. Our labour may not be rewarded with an instant harvest or even in our lifetime, but one can never estimate the potential of a seed. Let us continue to shine our light and sow seeds of the good news unabashedly in the face of the darkness.
This little light of mine I am gonna let it shine.
70 years after India gained her independence on the same day in 2017, August the 15th, I married Shalom Philip. That was our first inter-dependence day, today it’s been 4 years since the day we said our vows.
Some of my friends joked in lieu with the post-truth culture that I lost my independence on the day that my country gained her’s. But nothing could be farther from the truth, marriage as a covenant under Christ brings together two imperfect and incomplete individuals who find their completeness not in each other but together in Christ.
Growing up multiple times I had heard my mom being addressed as a super-woman cause of the way she juggled but gracefully managed her school work, home responsibilities and the daunting task of bringing up two children. Now, I’ve realised that I’ve married another super-woman, because of the way Shalom manages the home, college work and demands of a toddler at home, all alone since I’m away.
I believe every mother is a super hero but working mothers more so with the added demands and energy drain at work. Bringing up a toddler alone in a city with 2 maids and an alien culture is overwhelming to say the least but God is good and His grace has been enough. The sacrifices you’ve (Shalom) made will never be in vain, in the light of eternity our lives will make a difference, a dent in history that only time will tell.
So, here’s to the memories made and the faithfulness of God and the adventures yet to come.
Who could ever find a wife like this one — she is a woman of strength and mighty valor! She’s full of wealth and wisdom. The price paid for her was greater than many jewels. Proverbs 31:10 TPT
joyancejames 