பாதம் ஒன்றே வேண்டும்!

பெற்றோர் மற்றும் பெரியவர்கள் பாதத்தில் விழுவது நம் நாட்டில் பரவலாக காணப்படும் கலாச்சாரங்களில் ஒன்றாகும். காரியம் ஆக வேண்டுமானால் யார் காலிலும் விழத் தயார் என்பது இன்றைய நாட்களில் சகஜமானதும் ஆகும். ஆனால் வேதத்திலே மரியாள் அறிந்து வைத்திருந்த பாதம் அது இயேசுவின் பாதம் ஒன்றே என்றால் அது மிகையாகாது. மூன்று முறை அவள் இயேசுவின் பாதத்தைக் கண்டாள். அம்மூன்று முறையும் அவள் செயல்கள் உணர்த்திய மூன்று உண்மைகளை இக்கட்டுரையில் காண்போம்.

கற்றுக் கொள்ளும் அடையாளமாக இயேசுவின் பாதத்தில் அமர்ந்தாள் (லூக்கா 10:38-42)

இச்சம்பவத்தில் மார்த்தாள், இயேசுவையும் அவருடைய சீடர்களையும் போஷிக்க பற்பல சமையல் வேலைகளைச் செய்து தன்னை வருத்திக் கொண்டிருந்தாள். மற்றும் அனைவருக்கும் எப்படி பரிமாறுவது என்று அநேக காரியங்களைக் குறித்து கவலைப்பட்டும் கலங்கினாள். ஆனால் அவள் சகோதரியான மரியாளோ இயேசுவின் பாதத்தருகே உட்கார்ந்து, அவருடைய போதனையை கேட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்தாள். இவ்விருவர் செயல்களிலும் எது முக்கியம் என்ற பிரச்சனை எழுந்த போது, இயேசு மரியாளின் செயலை, "தேவையானது ஒன்றே, மரியாள் தன்னை விட்டு எடுபடாத நல்ல பங்கைத் தெரிந்துக் கொண்டாள்," என்று மெச்சிக் கொள்ளுகின்றார்.

மரியாள் வாழ்ந்து வந்த காலம், "அடுப்பூதும் பெண்ணுக்கு படிப்பு எதற்கு?" என்னும் கூற்றுப் போல, "இறை வார்த்தையை பெண்களுக்கு கற்றுக் கொடுப்பது அவர்களுக்கு தவறான காரியங்களைப் போதிப்பதற்கு சமம்," என்று யூத ரபியான எலியேசர் எழுதி வைத்திருந்த காலமாகும். இந்நிலையில் குருவின் பாதத்தில் அமர்ந்து கற்றுக் கொள்ளும் ஆண் சீடர்களுக்கு இணையாக மரியாள் இறையியல் கற்றுக் கொண்டதும் இயேசு அவளை மெச்சிக் கொண்டதும் ஆண்களோடு சேர்த்து பெண்களுக்கும்இறைக் கல்வியின் அவசியத்தை உயர்த்திக் காட்டுகின்றது!

விசுவாசத்தின் அடையாளமாக இயேசுவின் பாதத்தில் விழுந்தாள் (யோவான் 11)

இவ்விரு சகோதரிகளின் சகோதரனான லாசரு மரித்து விட்டான். உடனே  மார்த்தாள் இயேசுவைக் காண ஓடுகின்றாள். மரியோளோ வீட்டிலே உட்கார்ந்திருந்தாள். ஆனாலும் மரியாள் இயேசுவின் அழைப்பின் பேரிலே சீக்கிரமாய் எழுந்து அவர் பாதத்தில் விழுகின்றாள். மார்த்தாள் பதறுகின்றாள். "கல்லை எடுத்துப் போடுங்கள்," என்ற இயேசுவிடம், சற்று முன்பு, "ஆண்டவரே, நீர் உலகத்தில் வருகிறவரான தேவக்குமாரனாகிய கிறிஸ்து என்று நான் விசுவாசிக்கிறேன்," என்று விசுவாச அறிக்கையிட்டவளான மார்த்தாள், "நாறுமே, நாலு நாளாயிற்றே" என்று பதறுகின்றாள்.

வாயினால் விசுவாச அறிக்கை செய்த மார்த்தாள் தன்னுடைய பதற்றத்தின் மூலம் அவிசுவாசத்தை வெளிப்பத்தினாள். மரியாளோ "விசுவாசிக்கிறவன் பதறான்," என்னும் வசனத்திற்கு இணங்க பதறவில்லை. "விசுவாசம் கேள்வியினால் வரும். கேள்வி தேவனை அறிகிற அறிவினாலே வரும்" என்னும் வசனத்திற்கு மரியாளின் வாழ்வு சான்றன்றோ? அவள் வசனத்தைக் கேட்டாள். விசுவாசித்தாள். பதறவில்லை. அந்த விசுவாசத்தின் அடையாளமாக இயேசுவின் பாதத்தில் விழுந்தாள். மார்த்தாள் விசுவாசத்தை நாவினால் ஒத்துக் கொண்டாள். பிசாசுகளும் தேவன் உண்டென்று விசுவாசித்து நடுங்குவது உண்மையானால், (யாக்கோபு 2:19) வெறுமனே ஒத்துக் கொள்வது விசுவாசமல்ல, மரியாளைப் போல‌ ஒப்படைப்பதே விசுவாசம். அங்கே அற்புதம் நடைப்பெற்றது. இயேசு லாசருவை உயிரோடே எழுப்பினார்.

அன்பின் அடையாளமாக இயேசுவின் பாதத்தை அபிஷேகித்தாள் (யோவான் 12:1‍-8)

மரித்த லாசருவை அற்புதமாக திரும்பப் பெற்ற இக்குடும்பத்தினர் மீண்டும் இயேசுவிற்கு விருந்துக் கொடுத்தனர். மார்த்தாள் வழக்கம் போல சமைக்கவும்,பரிமாறவும் தொடங்கினாள். "உன் தேவனாகிய கர்த்தரிடத்தில் உன் முழு இருதயத்தோடும், உன் முழு ஆத்துமாவோடும், உன் முழு மனதோடும் அன்பு கூறுவாயாக," என்னும் அறிவைப் பெற்றிருந்த மரியாளோ, விருந்தில் உட்கார்ந்திருந்த‌ இயேசுவின் பாதத்தைப் பார்க்கின்றாள். இயேசுவின் மரணத்தையும் அதன் நோக்கத்தையும் அறிந்து வைத்திருந்த மரியாள், ஒரு கணம், அன்பினால் நெகிழ்ந்து, அவர் பாதத்தை அபிஷேகிக்க விரும்பினாள். யூதப் பெண்கள் பொதுவாக‌ கழுத்தில் கட்டி தொஙக வைத்திருக்கும் அந்த விலையுயர்ந்த தைலத்தை அவர் பாதத்தில் பூசினாள். அதை துடைக்க அவள் துண்டை தேடி ஒட வேண்டுமே! அதனால் அவள் தலை மயிரால் அவர் பாதத்தைத் துடைக்க ஆரம்பித்தாள். பல விதமான ஏளனச் சொற்கள் அவ்வமயம் எழுந்தது. இயேசுவோ மரியாளின் செயலைப் பாராட்டுகின்றார். விசுவாசம், நம்பிக்கை, அன்பு இம்மூனறிலும் அன்பே பெரியது என்பதை அறிந்த மரியாள் அன்பின் அடையாளமாக இயேசுவின் பாதத்தை அபிஷேகித்தாள்.

சரியான இறை அறிவு, செயல் வடிவிலான விசுவாசத்தையும், அன்பையும் மரியாளில் தூண்டியது. நம் வாழ்வில் இறை அறிவை பெற்றுக் கொள்ளும் அடையாளங்கள் என்ன? விசுவாசத்தின் அடையாளங்கள் என்ன? அன்பின் அடையாளங்கள் என்ன என்பதை சிந்தித்து செயல்பட்டால் சிலுவையில் ஆணிகள் கடாவப்பட்ட இயேசுவின் பாதத்தை நாமும் பரலோகத்தில் நம் நிஜக் கண்களால் கண்டு, வீழ்ந்து, முத்தம் செய்யலாமே!

It’s Me!

But As for Me….

It’s me! Who am I? I am not like others. I need not be like others. What do I exist for? What is the purpose of my life?

People of God in the Bible answered to these questions in a firm way saying: “As for me...”

Joshua said: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Josh 24:15)

Joining with Joshua, I would say, “As for me, I am a Yahweh worshiper and I live to serve Him!”

David said: "But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you," (Ps 55:23) 

He also said: But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

Joining with David, I would say, “As for me, I would trust and hope in the Lord!” (Ps 71:14) 

Asaph said: "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds". (Ps 73:28) He also said: "As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob". (Ps 75:9)

Joining with Asaph I would say, “As for me, I would be near to God and praise Him!”

Samuel said: "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right". (1Sam 12:23)

Joining with Samuel I would say, “As for me, I would pray for others!”

Micah said: "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin". (Mic 3:8)

Joining with Micah I would say, “As for me , I would declare about God!”

Micah also said: "But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me". (Mic 7:7)

Joining with Micah I would also say, “As for me, I would watch and wait for hope!”

I have a unique personality.  I have a unique commitment to a unique God! Every pulse of mine has a purpose! I do not know about others. I cannot say for others.  But I can tell about me. The Bible is teaching me on all of these questions. I am learning. I am growing in His grace.

(Note: I made a search for the verses in the New International Version of the Bible. The Bible is wide as an ocean. Let us look for more pearls in it by exploring other versions of the Bible too!)

Our Mission Trip

My husband and I went on a mission trip to Kolkata and the Sunderban islands through Charis Seva Mandal (CSM). We had worked in these places for nearly ten years for another organisation. In the mean time life in the city of Bengaluru has made us more complacent and comfortable. But we have been propelled periodically to go to West Bengal, the place where we fell in love with first. We chose to go by a non-AC train, since summer has not shown up seriously yet. The thrill of travelling in "Duronto" (means non-stop) train was awesome!

Sunderban means beautiful forests and beautiful people. And believe me, there is no 'fat' or 'obese' people in these islands. They generally look healthy. Fish is a favourite food for the people in the islands and they get it fresh always. The beauty and un-polluted air in these islands cannot be explained unless you make a visit to these places. These islands are like three to four hours travel from the city.

Travel in the Sunderban islands is a joy if you enjoy the thrill part of it. If you get a cosy seat to sit in a travel, tell, "It's well with my soul." Otherwise a travel in the bus, boat, rickshaw-van...name it anything, it is all by sitting or standing on a log of wood. The travel time to interior places would take nearly an hour or two. The beautiful islands are geographically alienated from the main land by deep water. The water strip when narrow needs a travel by a flat "boat-like" wooden log. But some islands have greater areas of ocean water surrounding them. Travel to those islands is by "ship-like" vessels.

The geographical isolation and the risky travel restrict facilities to the islands. There is no electricity still in many of these places. Not many NGO's or government agencies compete here for the welfare of the islands.

What we did in this trip and what we want to do in the future?

1. Schools and Hospitals are a big concern in these islands. We visited two schools with nearly similar histories and operation. They exist for nearly two decades serving low-caste children. The veterans who established these schools have invested their earnings and resources into the running of these schools. Now they have run out of resources. Since the children studying in these schools come from poor families, they do not pay any fees. The schools are not able to pay salaries for teachers. They now want to give away their schools, lands and properties to an agency like CSM.
   
2. Leading mission agencies in India have generally failed in their missionary work in the Sunderbans. Some have even planted churches and many remain closed today. Our presence in West Bengal for nearly a decade earlier has taught us to prefer training local Bengalis for church planting and further discipling in these regions than cross-cultural missionaries. We have started with BTCP (Bible Training Centre for Pastors) curriculum for this purpose. One should see the curiosity of these people in learning the Bible in a systematic manner! These lay people will be the unpaid pastors who would plant churches and help in discipling the seekers to Christ.
   
   

I left the islands with the following questions: Can I be a beacon in the process of helping these schools to grow and prevent them from dying? Can I be a beacon to help churches being planted in the Sunderban islands?
You can be a part of CSM too which presently aims at fulfilling two objectives in the Sunderban islands: Save Our Schools from dying (SOS) -Education Program and Save Our Souls (SOS)- Bengali Training Program
To know more about CSM you may contact in the following e-mail id: charissevamandal@gmail.com.

Jesus said:

 

A Bleak Past and A Bright Future

Matthew was inspired by the Holy Spirit to honour five women when he started to write the story of Jesus Christ. Ironically all these women had a dirty or a difficult past. The good news of the genealogy of Jesus is that Jesus was born in a family line which included all these five women  (Matthew 1). A brief glance of the five from the Old Testament would help all today who aspire a bright future wanting to erase a bleak past.

Tamar

Tamar was the widow of the first son of Judah, Er.  Judah's next son Onan cheated Tamar and he also died. The deaths were the judgement of God on these two men. The third son, Shelah did not want to marry Tamar. Judah also became a widower by that time. Tamar though upset somehow wanted to get a child for the family line of Judah to go on. In some tricky incident which followed, Judah unknowingly found himself in an adulterous relationship with Tamar, his own daughter-in-law. But Tamar knew who she was into relationship. In an interesting turn of events, Judah came to know that Tamar got to become pregnant because of him. He also realized that Tamar was more righteous than him because he failed to give his third son to her. The story gives a clear message that one cannot try to achieve a seemingly worthy goal by disobeying God like Tamar. She used unethical short-cuts.  But the story also ends with a good note that Judah never did that mistake once again. Tamar on her part continued to remain a widow (Genesis 38).

A bleak past gets erased when we do not repeat the past mistake again however dirty it may be. Jesus forgave the sins of a woman caught in adultery. He said to her, “Sin no more” (John 8:11). Tamar who did not sin any more got her entry into the historic genealogical list of Jesus.

Rahab

Rahab was a prostitute living in the city of Jericho.   But she was also a wise woman who knew what was happening in the world of her time. Rahab was update with information about the mighty deliverance of the bonded Israelite slaves from the then super power Egypt and the subsequent miracles and victories this wandering group enjoyed from the super powerful Yahweh God all along their journey. She knew kings subdued by the Israelites by names. She could also predict how the rulers of Jericho would melt in fear in front of these feeble yet powerful Israelites. No wonder, Rahab welcomed the Israelite spies with peace (Hebrews 11:31).  The spies told her a way by which she and her family would not perish during the attack. As a woman who already knew the power of the Yahweh God, she obeyed the spies. Faith comes through hearing.  She and her family were the only survivors of the attack in the city of Jericho.  Rahab married Salmon, a Yahweh worshipper in the Israelite community thereafter. (Joshua 2 & 6)

A bleak past gets erased when we obey to the counsel which gives a solution or an “exit” for the trouble we are caught up with. It is then the old dirty episode reverses to a glorious history. Rahab found her place in the genealogy of Jesus. Jesus said that He is the Way who can take us out from perishing. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son Jesus that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Ruth

It is easy for anyone to interpret three widows living under the same roof as a result of evil done in their past. With no men in the family there was utter hopelessness in this household.  Now one of those widows was Ruth who came from a non-Yahweh background. Her difficult choice to stick to her seemingly hopeless old widowed mother-in-law, Naomi and her Yahweh God, unlike the other widow brought all the change! A rich man named Boaz, who was a relative of her deceased husband married Ruth. Hopelessness turned to hope.

A bleak past is erased when a difficult choice is made with regard to a faith commitment with a God who would in turn show new beginnings to overcome a difficult past. Ruth became the great grandmother of King David in whose family line was Jesus born.

Bathsheba

Bathsheba was an innocent victim of the lust of the powerful king David. In this lustful pursuit of the king, she lost her husband and also became a joint sinner in this episode. She also lost the son born out of adultery.  The counsel of God came to David that he was a sinner. A good thing about this king however was that he accepted that he was a sinner (2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12). It may not be wrong on our part to imagine Bathsheba with joint hands with David hearing him cry out the psalm of confession (Psalm 51). Just as she was a joint sinner, no wonder, she jointly made her confession to the Lord.

A sinful past is cleared with a genuine confession to God. Proverbs 28:13says that, people who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

Mary

Mary was about to be divorced from her husband Joseph for he found her to be a unwed mother (Matthew 1:19). Mary had to carry the tag of an unwed mother just because she obeyed the word of God given to her through an angel. As a virgin she became pregnant with Jesus in her womb, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Since she had surrendered herself as a servant to this holy task, she became the honourable mother of Jesus incarnate. Joseph too on his part obeyed the word of God later. He accepted pregnant Mary and took care of her.

Obedience to the word of God gives an immediate relief from a sinful tag. It brings honour and fame and eliminates undesired tags in our lives. God provides the needed help from people close to us to clear us away from the dirt tag.

To ALTER a bleak past, I need to offer myself at the ALTAR of a God who is capable of clearing it. Jesus has the power to forgive a sinner because he has paid the penalty of a sinner by offering himself as a sinless sacrifice on the cross. The power of his resurrection gives people with a dirty past, clearance from that and a hope for this world and the world to come. Who will not want to come out of a dirty and difficult past and look forward to a glorious, guiltless future?

Marriage-Spoilage or Salvage?

The Bible says that the institution of marriage is honourable in all. Marriage has been defined as a covenant of faith, and not a legal contract (Malachi 2:14). It was God who initiated the marriage between Adam and Eve. Jesus performed his first miracle in a wedding house. There is a wedding feast waiting for us in heaven where and when we will dine with our bridegroom Jesus. On the other hand, the first attack came upon the first family to usurp them from their heavenly bliss of marriage. From then on marriage was not always a bed of roses. There are more marriages that get spoilt even today. Can marriages be saved and be a “Heaven on Earth” experience?

Simultaneous Spoilers

Temptation to go wrong has come upon couples from the beginning like in the case of Adam and Eve. The first one and only commandment on obedience was given to Adam. We do not know at what level the communication went wrong between Adam and Eve. It could have been with the source-Adam or the receiver-Eve. Even while Eve was about to disobey, Adam was in her close vicinity only. However be the case, both disobeyed! Both failed to instruct one another! Disaster followed! (Genesis 2 & 3)

Ahab, an Israelite king has been credited with the following comment in history: There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife (1 Kings 21:25). Neither of the two was good enough to instruct the other spouse to stop injustice which  they together caused to an innocent citizen of their kingdom. Both Ahab and Jezebel faced gruesome deaths there after!

Ananias and Sapphira was a couple belonging to the early church. Their bond was so strong that they both said the same lie of keeping a part of the money which otherwise had to be given for the needs of the church.  They both had agreed together to test the Lord on this aspect. This led them to the tragic consequences of a death for both on the same day (Acts 5:1-11).

Saviour Spouses

There were occasions when one of the spouses was wise enough to stop an impending danger. Like in the case of Abigail, whose husband Nabal was surly and mean in his dealings with king David who was a fugitive then.  David became so furious of Nabal to the extent that he said, “Be it ever so severely if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!" But Abigail was an intelligent woman who could discern that her husband’s dealing with David was wrong. She acted smart by providing the mundane needs of the king! She later updated the developments to Nabal when he was in a sober mood. However Nabal died of a heart failure. But Abigail could save the lives of the rest of her male belongings. She was saved from her widowhood too, for David married her! (1 Samuel 25)

In the case of Job, he and his wife suffered one disaster after the other. Losing children and property all together was not an easy situation for this couple to handle! Job had an added agony unlike his wife. He He Hwas inflicted with sore boils from head to toe! Job’s wife lost patience and finally yelled, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job was wise enough in not doing that. After a short period of adversity in their lives, the couple was blessed with prosperity again. What would have happened if Job would have succumbed to the pressures of his wife to curse God and die?

Hosea in the Bible had the most troublesome marriage with his wife Gomer! After knowing about Gomer’s adulterous relationship, Hosea still married her! Hosea found that the third child she bore was not his. Still he provided the needs of Gomer which her lovers also availed! (Hosea 2:8) The climax was: Gomer was sold as a slave by one of her lovers! Hosea still went to the extent of redeeming her by buying her! (Hosea 3:2) The world may term a person like Hosea a “fool,” but in a marriage with God’s help one can be as forgiving and loving like Hosea! If Hosea had not reflected God’s love with his wife Gomer, their marriage would have been ruined! The message of the real story of the book of Hosea in the Bible is that God loves the unfaithful ones like Gomer, provides their needs and redeems them from the bondage of sin! To redeem us, Jesus bought us with a costly price by giving His life on the cross! There is hope for a hopeless marriage because the resurrected Jesus gives hope of every kind to those who believe in Him!

There is always hope for all, even for couples who simultaneously spoil their marriages. At the most there can be “one” saviour among the two who can work through the grace of God to save their marriage. All one has to do for this to happen is to be a child of God to showforth His characters! John 1:12 says “All who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” No wonder, children of the living God imbibe wisdom, love, and forgiveness from their heavenly father to save their marriages! Yes, marriages can be a Heaven on Earth experience! Why Not?

Two Shall be One

“Two shall be One” is what God says about marriage in the Bible. The smallest team, yet the strongest team could be a husband and a wife-team when they are united. Again this team can be united in either constructive or destructive jobs! The Bible tells about different types of husband-wife-teams who were involved in either of these! I would high light on a few constructively united couples.

Tasting God Together

There was Andronicus and Junias who has been certified as an outstanding couple among the missionaries in the early church (Romans 17:6). Historical reconstruction of this couple suggests that they are the same couple as was mentioned by Luke with a different set of names in Luke 8:3. Luke calls them as Joanna and her husband Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household. He mentions them as supporters of the ministry of Jesus out of their means. As was usual with Jews living at that time, Cuza had an alternate Greek name, Andronicus. Joanna had a Latin name, Junias. They had accepted Jesus as their Lord even before Paul, the well-known missionary did. They were relatives of him too. They were in prison with Paul for the cause of Jesus Christ. A couple who have tasted their salvation experience in Jesus would for sure reciprocate their love to God by serving him together!

God wants families to realise the need of His goodness. The Bible tells: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). A jailer in the city of Philippi once asked Paul, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” More than the individual’s joy of salvation, God’s expectation to that jailer was: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31). Blessed are couples who have tasted the joy of the Lord in their lives. They will not mind serving the Lord together after tasting the goodness of Him!

Tied with God Together

Luke 10:1 has a mention of the seventy-two disciples of Jesus sent two by two. The two’s team could have very well included husband-wife-teams such as Clopas and Mary. The Mary about whom we read about in John 19:25 is the wife of Clopas. It is said that Clopas was the brother of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Some biblical scholars believe that this Clopas was the same one mentioned as Cleopas in Luke 24:18. The other unnamed disciple in that passage could be his wife Mary! The resurrected Jesus led Clopas and Mary to a deeper spiritual experience as they were walking on the road to Emmaus.  Jesus went to their house thereafter and had dinner with them!

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says that, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” The analogy of the unity of three cords can be well applied to a husband and wife who have God as the head of the home they make! Couples need to give space to God in their daily schedule! Reading and meditating the Word of God together and praying together and going to church together, obeying the word of God are some means whereby a couple tie themselves to God!  This would help a couple to have deeper spiritual experiences and lead them to grow spiritually! They will serve the Lord united, as His representatives!

Serving God Together

There was another couple named Aquila and Priscilla in the early church who are my all-time favourite! They have been mentioned six times in the Bible with their names glued to each other always!  Aquila’s names precedes thrice (Acts 18:2, 26, 1 Corinthians 16:19) and Priscilla’s thrice! (Acts 18:18, Romans 16:3, 2 Timothy 4:19) They jointly had theological training from Paul while they were doing their tent-making business in a joint venture with him. They were well-versed in interpreting scriptures to the extent that they were able to teach Apollos, a learned man of that time. A Scriptural search about this couple shows that they had shifted their dwelling places frequently. They started their lives in Rome and then moved to Corinth and then to Ephesus and then to Rome and Ephesus again. It looks like this couple did not have a child too.  But this couple used the seemingly adverse situations to the glory of God. They opened their houses as “house churches” in the cities of their dwelling! (1 Corinthians 16:19, Romans 16:4-6). Paul appreciates them as fellow workers in the spread of the good news about Jesus Christ. He says that they had risked their lives for Paul. They served the gentile churches all over in that period (Romans 16:3-4). A couple who have tasted the love of God, tied themselves with Him would represent that God wherever they are, although their lives!

Joshua who served the Lord when he was a young lad could say this at the end of his life. “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."(Joshua 24:15).  It is a joy to serve the Lord all through our life span. There is no retirement for families who are in the service of God! No amount of adversity can stop a family from serving Him! Because the husband and the wife are in flesh and spirit the possession of God! It is God who bonds the Two as One!  (Malachi 2:15) 

What does Frustration Lead Me to?

Frustration is normal in a good human being. But what does frustration lead you to? When can frustration be abnormal?

Frustration should not lead me to long for a death! (1 Kings 19:1-18)

Elijah was a man who powerfully demonstrated the power of Yahweh, the God of the Bible. A man who proved himself to be a “hero” the previous day felt that he was a “zero” the next day. He could not trust that, the same God who empowered him in the previous incidents in his life would protect him from the hands of Jezebel, the wicked queen. Sadly, he prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."

The reason for his frustration was a misconception of a reality! Elijah felt that he was the “only one” available for the job of a prophet! Because he was a true follower of Yahweh until then, God graciously manifested his presence and guided him and dispelled him from his cranky idea! God told him not to wish for a death because he had a long way to go after that encounter! He gave him the providence of food to strengthen his body and a spiritual encounter to strengthen his soul!

How often we pray against the will of God, after tasting the goodness of God in our lives!  Is the frustration in my life due to some misconception thinking that I am the “only” one available for the job! I need the wisdom of God to dispel myself of that. In the plan of God none of us are indispensable! In Elijah’s case there were 7000 other prophets available for his job!  I also should know that I have a long way to go! A prayer to end my life curtails me of the very purpose of my life on earth! In times of frustration, turn to God for He will strengthen you physically and spiritually!

Frustration should not lead me to a harsh talk! (Malachi 3: 13-18)

A remnant of the post-exilic community of Israel after their hardships at Babylon was graciously brought back to their land by the intervention of God. A group of people who had served God and carried out his requirements were hasty enough to see an imminent judgement for the evil doers. Their frustration led to a harsh talk against God! To them God said, “You have said harsh things against me,"  "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' "You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.” 

Another group who equally was affected by the evil doers in the same time, instead of turning hostile, continued to fear God. They found joy in fellowshipping with like-minded people and talked matters that honoured God! The LORD listened and heard their conversation. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning this faithful group! The faithful ones are a group who wait for the justice of God! Those who cannot wait for God to do justice end up in a harsh talk! We have a God who hears us and looks for our faithfulness in waiting for Him to act! In times of frustration, turn to fellowshipping with people who fear God in their lives for an attitudinal change to happen in your life!

Frustration should not rule my life! (Psalm 73)

 Asaph, a Levite and a singer served in Jerusalem for all of David's reign. He gave music to many of the songs that David wrote. He lived through David’s son Solomon’s reign too. After a promising beginning, Solomon turned his back on God and pursued power, wealth, luxury, and human wisdom, as well as worship of other gods. To finance these pursuits the people were oppressed with slavery and taxes. Asaph saw Solomon become a wicked man. It is also believed that Asaph's brother Zechariah was assassinated in the temple by Solomon's agents.  After Solomon's death, Asaph, then a very old man saw David's kingdom torn into two. The northern kingdom rejected the Levites and the temple. Many of Asaph's relatives who served in the temple as musicians perished in a kingdom where there was no reverence for God.

(Read more about Asaph at: http://www.hfbcbiblestudy.org/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=482 )

Who would not be frustrated in a situation where one finds leaders failing from their commitments, ruthless killing of their own blood related brothers and relatives? With pain in his heart Asaph penned the psalm. He progressively pours out verses of frustration of all kinds.  It gets to its peak in the following verses: “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.  All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.” (V.13-14)

Venting out feelings in a poem can only give a partial healing from frustration. As a faithful follower of God, Asaph, however did not conclude his song with a wrong note. He says that he would have betrayed his children if he had propagated this message around. He found that the systems of the world were oppressive “until” he went to the sanctuary of the Lord. He got to understand the eternal destiny of people of different kinds. He got confident of the fact that those who were away from God will perish eternally. But Asaph in spite of the oppressive factors in his life chose to remain close to God for it is He who would guide him with His counsel and take him to eternal glory! In times of frustration, turn to the Bible or go to a church and get to know the Word of God which will help widen your thinking to see things beyond your present level of frustration!

REMAINING IN FRUSTRATION RUINS LIFE! IT IS GOD WHO HEALS US FROM FRUSTRATION RULING OUR LIVES!