Voice for the Voiceless

The saddest story in the Bible to me is one about Tamar, a daughter of David which has been recorded in 2 Samuel chapter13. Tamar became a victim of lust to her own half-brother Amnon. To me, it looks like a film story, because I can never ever imagine such a thing happening in reality to a woman. Amnon cheated and raped his sister in the vilest manner. This poor girl pleaded and protested, but in vain. The cruellest part of the story is the way he treated her after that. He hated her more than the mad love he had for her. He did not hear her final plea, but only pushed her out of the house using his servant. The story to me is an illustration of highest forms of arrogance from a male and vulnerability of a female.

The one thing which I hate to read is the way King David, the children’s father reacted to it. He only gets angry, but did not punish Amnon (v.21).  One translation of the Bible says, he did not punish because he was his first born. In my understanding, David was dysfunctional also because of his own lustful and arrogant act with Bathsheba. That shameful episode had just then been over. The rape incident of Tamar  sparked a series of serious fights within David's family. Absalom, the brother of Tamar murdered Amnon in an act of vengeance. This would not have happened if only David had punished Amnon appropriately.  Absalom then went to the extent of killing his own dad and to capture his kingdom. In that wrong pursuit, he himself was killed by the army of David. David’s sons were priestly leaders earlier (2 Samuel 8:18 NRSV). But after David’s reckless attitude in letting loose the lustful Amnon, his sons turned beastly.

Absalom named his own daughter as Tamar, which was what he could do in honour of his sister whose prospective future was lost (2 Samuel 14:27).  Tamar's sad story is a lesson to parents to be role-models to children. Amnon followed the lustful behavior of his dad. If parents keep failing, they keep losing their children. Priestly children can turn beastly when parents loose respect themselves. It is families that make up our society.

Tamar's is a shameful incident which happened to a woman in a royal cadre. Much more is happening to women of all statuses in life today. When these happen we cannot remain silent. We need to work for justice for such victims to prevent vengeance and further damages that can happen in our society. I want to be a voice to the voiceless. Will you be one too?

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (A mother’s teaching to her son in Proverbs 31:8-9)

Can I Disobey God for a Worthy Goal?

Have you ever faced the risk of disobeying God to achieve a worthy goal? I have gone through such difficult circumstances, but have been saved by the sheer grace of God.

Tamar, a woman in the pages of the book of Genesis in the Bible had some worthy goals (chapter 38). She had married, Er, a son of Judah, one of the sons of Jacob.  The Bible records that the Lord put Er to death because he was wicked. The father, Judah proposed his next son, Onan for furthering the family progeny. But Onan cheated Tamar. He too died as a result of divine justice. Now Judah gets panicked, fearing losing his third son, Shelah. So he gives a false hope to Tamar to wait for some time to get married to his third son. As planned Judah never gave Shelah to Tamar. Judah also becomes a widower by then.

Poor Tamar. The men in her life have all failed her. Being a widow and childless made life miserable for her. She wanted to prolong her family progeny at any cost in the same family she got married to. Now that looks like a worthy goal pertaining to the culture of that time. She also wanted to set right the wrongs the men did to her on her own. She disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah and both slept together. Tamar wanted to teach Judah and the male chauvinistic society, a lesson. So, she took the seal, cord, staff of Judah as a pledge, while she was still in disguise.

When the news came that Tamar was pregnant, Judah was the first one to shout, “Burn her.” What a prejudiced society it was then and even now! Did he not commit adultery? Did not Jesus say in a similar situation, “whoever is sinless let them first stone this sinner woman”? Tamar played comedy here. She brought the pledge items and pointed out, “I became pregnant by the man who is the owner of all these.” The good thing about Judah is that he said, “She is more righteous than I.” They never had any relationship after that. I am not for words, full of praise for Tamar because she schemed and executed an unethical shortcut for a seemingly worthy goal. Later in history we learn about another widow and childless woman named, Ruth who unlike Tamar followed the law and culture of the days ethically and achieved a worthy goal.

Interestingly, Matthew chapter one records Jesus as one born in the genealogy of both Judah and Tamar and Ruth and Boaz. There is good news spelled here. We have a Saviour who whispers to us, “Whatever said and done, all that you have to do is to confess your sins and recognize your unrighteousness and sin no more.” 

"No one who conceals transgressions will prosper, but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." (Prov 28:13 [NRSV])

Finishing Well

In 2006, Floyd Landis performed one of the greatest cycling performances in history. At stage 17 of the Tour de France, Landis smoked his competition as he traversed five mountain passes over the 105 mile course with frightening power. His strength and endurance led him to victory. But after the race, he was disqualified and disgraced for blood doping. Landis finished strong but he didn’t finish well.

Those who did not finish well

In the stories of the Bible I can name a few here who started well, but did not finish well. Saul was God's first choice to be the king of Israel. But he ended his life as a disobedient child of God. Young Solomon built a temple for Yahweh. Old Solomon built temples for other gods and thereafter his kingdom went down the slide. Uzziah started as a powerful and pious ruler of Judah. He died as a leper punished by God for he did things which he should not do (2 Chronicles 26, 27). Judas was one of those twelve disciples whom Jesus loved dearly as friend. But he betrayed Jesus and died in a miserable manner. John 6:66 says about a great number who turned back and did not follow Jesus. Demas proved to be a shallow rooted Christian because he deserted ministry for the sake of the world (2 Timothy 4:10). 

Those who finished well 

In stark comparison of the above mentioned characters were the lives of men and women of God who finished well. There was Samuel whose farewell address in 1 Samuel 12:2-4 is worth reading. People acknowledged Samuel as a man of integrity. There was Simeon, Anna who waited for the Saviour in the Jerusalem temple and finished their races well and rested in peace (Luke 2). Paul’s farewell address in Acts 20:18-21 tells about his life as a man in ministry well-lived. That’s why he could say almost close to his death these words of victory: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

How can I finish well?

Well, all of us have a common goal for our life’s running race. Whether we like it or not we are going to finish it. But death is not the ultimate in the life of a believer. If only the life’s race is finished well, a believer of Jesus gets the reward of living eternally and joyfully in heaven. What is that, that is diverting us from running the race well? If it’s a life of sin we need to look to Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-3 says “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Following Jesus will help us finish well. Finishing well each day helps us finishing our years well. So at the end of every passing day it is good to ask myself, “Have I finished well?” If not I would brood about it and work on it until I finish my days well.

Families and the Cross

Recently I saw a status message in the face book which said, “What would one call a parent who lost a child?” One good thing, our society has done is not to brand them by a name, unlike other tags like widow, orphan etc.  Mary, when she happened to see life ebbing away from her dear son cried miserably. Jesus cared for her crying. It happened with Hagar and her dying son Ishamel. Rizpah in the  Old Testament did not allow the birds of the air touch the dead bodies of her sons, Armoni and Mephibosheth. It is extremely painful for a parent to bear the death of their child.  And if at all anyone can understand the pain of a bereavement of a child, it is Jesus. He understands any other issues families undergo as well and cared for them.

Jesus’ hands and legs were nailed to the cross. He could not embrace Mary. Neither could Mary do that.  It was then, Jesus murmurs these words that show the depth of his responsibility, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And to John, his disciple he said, “Here is your mother.” (John 19:26-27).  The only commandment of the ten that comes with a promise is this: “Honour your father and mother” (Ephesians 6:2). None of us ever can shun from our responsibility towards our parents giving lame excuses. 

A pain that Mary had to undergo ever after Jesus started his ministry after the wilderness experience was to admire her son from a distance.  There are many parents even today who just have to painfully admire their children from a distance.  Education, marriage and careers separate them from their children. In Indian mission field, I have seen missionary parents living in less-privileged, culturally distant places sending their kids to boarding schools like the one in Dohnavur. They find these schools better than a place in Jharkhand in which malaria attacks them on an of average of nearly fifty times in their life time. This is a relative situation Jesus speaks about in Matthew 19:29 which says : "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life”.  Pain in families due to separation for a worthy cause pays dividends.

And why did Jesus call his mother as “woman” and why did he hand over her to “John” instead of his own brothers? The cross is also a place, where we learn about a “family” which has a different definition altogether. Jesus asked, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:48-50). He had called his disciples as brothers elsewhere too (John 20:17). Jesus’ own brothers were not yet believers, according to John 7:5. Neither were they in the vicinity of the cross. So the definition of a family for a believer in Christ is wide and deep.

The new definition of family leads me to the following beliefs which I aspire to practice in life: As a believer, I belong to the family of Jesus, in which I, with my fellow brothers and sisters call him “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15). I would care both for my biological family and for my God-given spiritual families. I believe that adoption of kids is biblical. I also believe that my Christian faith has no allowance for differences based on caste, gender and race. 

I am happy to be a part of the family of God which promotes such values. These values are a natural outcome to people who have their salvation experience in Jesus Christ. I invite you to the cross of Jesus Christ and to taste the love of Jesus who cares for you and your family.

என் ஜெபப் பங்காளர் யார்?

93 வயதான ஒரு அமெரிக்க நண்பரிடம்,எனக்கு மிகவும்பிடித்தது, "உங்களுக்காக நான் தினமும் பல முறை ஜெபிக்கிறேன்," என்பதாகும். வேதக் கட்டளையின்படி நான் ஆண்டவரோடு அடிக்கடி பேச வேண்டும் என்று தெரிந்து வைத்திருந்தாலும், மற்றவர்கள் எனக்காக ஜெபிப்பது எனக்கப் பிரியமான‌ ஒன்றாகும். ஆனால்,யார் எனக்கு சரியான ஜெபப்பங்காளராக இருக்க முடியும் என்பதுகுறித்துநான்செய்த வேத ஆராய்ச்சியில் கற்றுக் கொண்டதை உங்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ள விரும்புகிறேன்,

இயேசுசிறு பிள்ளைகளுக்காக ஜெபித்தது

ஒரு சமயம் ஜனங்கள், இயேசு தங்களுடைய சிறு பிள்ளைகள் மீது கரத்தை வைத்து ஆசீர்வதிது ஜெபிக்க வேண்டும் என்று விரும்பினர். சீடர்கள் அதை தடுத்தனர். இயேசுவோ சிறு பிள்ளைகள் பரலோக ராஜ்ஜியத்தின் பிரஜைகள் என்று சொல்லி அவர்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார் (மத்தேயு 19:13-15). சிறு பிள்ளைகளுக்கான தேவதூதர் எப்பொழுதும் பரலோகத்திலுள்ள பிதாவை தரிசிக்கின்றனர் என்று இயேசுவே கூறியுள்ளார் (மத்தேயு 18:10). சிறு பிள்ளைகளுக்காக அக்கறை கொள்ளுகிறவரும், ஜெபித்து ஆசீர்வதிப்பவரும் யார் என்றும் தெரிந்து கொண்டோம்.

இயேசு பேதுருவுக்காக ஜெபித்தது

இயேசுவுக்கு வயதில் மூத்தவர்களும் பிள்ளைகளே ஆவர். அவர்களுக்காகவும் அவர் ஜெபிக்கிறார். அவர் சிலுவையில் அறையப்படுமுன்னர் உள்ள கடைசி நாட்களில் நடந்த சம்பவம் ஒன்றை லூக்கா 22ம் அதிகாரம் வர்ணிக்கின்றது. இவ்வதிகாரத்தில் சாத்தான் எப்படி வெற்றிகரமாக யூதாஸ் காரியத்துக்குள்ளாக நுழைந்தான் என்று காண்கிறோம். இயேசு, யூதாஸை இழந்த துயரத்தில் இருக்கும் போது தான் இந்த சம்பவம் நடைபெறுகின்றது. தனக்கு அருகிலேயே எப்பொழுதும் இருந்த பேதுருவையும் சாத்தான் சுளகினால் புடைக்க உத்தரவு பெற்றதை அறிந்த இயேசு அவனையும் இழந்து விடக்கூடாது என்ற ஆதங்கத்தில் அவனுடைய விசுவாசம் ஒழிந்து போகாமல் இருக்க ஜெபிப்பதாக அவனிடம் கூறினார். பேதுரு தன்னை சாத்தான் சுளகினால் புடைத்த சம்பவத்தை நினைவில் கொண்டவனாக தன்னுடைய நிருபத்தில் சாத்தான் கெர்ச்சிக்கின்ற சிங்கம் போல எவனை விழுங்கலாம் என்று சுற்றித் திரிவதாக கூறுகின்றான் (1 பேதுரு 5:8).

இயேசு ஒவ்வொருவரையும் நேசிக்கின்றார். அவர்களுக்காக ஜெபிக்கின்றார் என்று நாம் அறிய வேண்டும். ஆனாலும் தனக்குள்ள பொறுப்பிலிருந்து யூதாஸ் தவறி விட்டான். பேதுருவோ சாத்தான் அவனை புடைத்ததால் இயேசுவை மூன்று முறை மறுதலித்தாலும் உடனே தான் செய்த தவறுக்காக கதறி அழுதான்.

இயேசு சீடர்களுக்காக ஜெபித்தது

யோவான் 17ம் அதிகாரத்தில் இயேசு அன்று முதல் இன்று வரையிலான தன்னுடைய சீடர்களுக்காக செய்த நீண்ட ஜெபம் ஒன்றை காண்கின்றோம். 14ம் அதிகாரத்திலிருந்தே சீடர்களிடம் தன்னுடைய பிரிவைக் குறித்து சொன்னதால் கலங்கி போயிருந்த அவர்களுக்கு அந்த ஜெபம் இதமானதாக இருந்திருக்க வேண்டும். அதில் அவர் முக்கியமாக ஜெபிப்பது அவர்தம் சீடருக்கு பொல்லாத சாத்தானிடமிருந்து பாதுகாப்பு, அவர்களுடைய பரிசுத்த வாழ்வு, மற்றும் ஒற்றுமையான வாழ்க்கையாகும்.

இயேசு எனக்காக ஜெபிக்கிறார்

 எலியாவைப் போன்ற நீதிமான்களின் ஜெபத்தை ஆண்டவர் கேட்கின்றார் (யாக்கோபு 5:16). நோய்களிலிருந்து குணம் பெற, நம்மால் ஜெபிக்க முடியாத நேரங்களில், நாம் சபையில் உள்ள மூப்பரை அழைத்து ஜெபிக்க யாக்கோபு ஆலோசனைத் தருகின்றார். இரண்டு, மூன்று பேர் சேர்ந்து ஜெபிக்கும் போது அது வல்லமையான ஜெபம் என்றும் வேதம் கூறுகின்றது.

ஆனால், இப்பூமியிலுள்ள நீதிமான்கள் யாரைக் காட்டிலும் இயேசு வே பரிசுத்தமும் நீதியுமுள்ள ஆசாரியர். அவரே நமக்காக எப்பொழுதும் பரலோகத்தில் வேண்டுதல் செய்கிறவர்(எபிரேயர் 7:25, ரோமர் 8:34). எல்லாவற்றிற்கும் மேலான உண்மை என்னவென்றால், நாம் வேண்டிக் கொள்வது இன்னதென்று அறியாத வேளைகளில் ஆவியானவர் நமக்காக வாக்குக்கு அடங்காத பெருமூச்சுகளோடு வேண்டுதல் செய்கிறார் என்பதாகும் (ரோமர் 8:26-27). இந்த ஜெப விண்ணப்பங்கள் நாம் பாவம் செய்யாமல் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக என்று யோவான் கூறுகின்றார் (1 யோவான் 2:1).

நாம் எப்பொழுதும் ஜெபிப்பவர்களாக, பொறுப்பான பிள்ளைகளாக வாழ வேண்டும். நாம் மகிழிந்து களிகூற வேண்டிய விஷயம் என்னவென்றால், நாம் இயேசுவின் விலை மதிப்பில்லாத இரத்தத்தால் மூடப்பட்டவர்கள் என்பதாகும். கல்வாரியில் நம்முடைய பாவங்களுக்காக அவர் சிந்தின இரத்தமே இயேசுவை யாரைக் காட்டிலும் எட்டாத‌ உயரத்தில் வைத்துள்ளது. பரிசுத்த மான‌ இந்த ஆசாரியரை என் ஜெப பங்காளராக வைத்திருப்பது சரி தானே!