There was a time in my life when I never had understood the importance of the word ‘Fellowship’. ‘Individualism’ was all I thought to be the most important thing. Maybe I went to the extent of equating it to ‘holiness’. Yet in this process – my external life looked pretty good and impressive. It was a praise worthy life. Many appreciated me for that..Yet my ‘self-life’ = ‘home life + thought life’ was totally contrasting to my external life.
My attitudes were wrong & motives weren’t right. I would speak rude words at home and it wouldn’t convict me. Moreover my soul would justify it as taking a stand for holiness.
THE LIGHT IN ME WAS darkness then !!!!!
Yet God in His abundant mercy looked upon a wretched sinner like me and has been till date exposing areas in my life that are far away from being Christ like. Truly said by Bro. Vettriselvan ( in a message spoken in CFC Bangalore – 12th July ) God is merciful, He doesn’t want to humiliate us and so He just exposes the icebergs of sins in our lives. Where would I stand if all my sins were exposed today …!!!
Lord, I need to fall down and hide my face in the dust.
Yes ..fellowship..truly is beautiful.
I happened to meet a couple of lovely brothers and sisters last week. Some are called to His full time ministry and some to do it along with their secular jobs. Earlier, I had the misconception that people who worked and served keeping their secular jobs were people who lacked faith and as they couldn’t trust God for their needs to be met, they worked.
Even many today, believe in this concept. God again mercifully rendered His light in this area. Today, I greatly honour them – as they honour the name of God. I need not judge anyone here, yet truly this calling of serving the Lord full time and looking upon Him 100% for their needs is only for a few..yes only for a few.
Yes, where was I… I met many young brothers and sisters zealously explaining their ministry in different fields in which God has called them during this expo.
– among the visually impaired, among the transgender, among women, through literature, among the hospital patients, through art etc etc…. and each in their unique style and pattern God had provided them.
We should never despise the work of anyone. It is nice to appreciate them. The recitation of the book of James was one of the way to encourage the youth and children of different churches to memorize the Bible verses. It was there I met my 7 month old pregnant friend who was lead by God to take this as a challenge to recite the verse during the expo. I also happened to meet people of different faith who came and inquired about each stall and the Bible expo. Yes, as I had earlier mentioned it is nice to meet people who are different from us, live a different lifestyle yet linked by the same chord – the blood vessel of Jesus Christ.
The best part was to hear a ‘ Praise the Lord’ even from a food stall employee. On the last day of the event – the man came to my counter and asked if I could give him an approximate number of the crowd who would come that day. He told me that he had asked the staff yet no one would tell him about the number. It was obvious as no one could predict. He looked helpless as if people didn’t turn up it would all go for a waste. I don’t know why yet without a second thought, there was a prompting in my spirit and I told him – not to prepare many Biryani parcels – mutton or chicken and to concentrate on the ‘snacks’.
” Atha thaan sales aaghum Anna !!! ( only that would be sold easily ” He went happily.
At about 6pm ..I went to have my evening tea and sweet bonda. He was there smiling from afar. He came near and said….’Glory to God…Praise the Lord’ sister…snacks thaan saales agathe ( snacks are being sold well).
We smiled and thanked God. I said…Kartarake stothiram (Praise be to God) !!!
Beautiful ..!! It might seem a small thing to some, yet I could see how glad he was ….!!! It’s the same with me….when God my Father, very subtly does marvelous things for me. It makes me wink towards heaven..!!
So nice, made new friends some younger sisters who aptly text me now and then and send me messages in the morning like
(Happy morning da….elunthu kudi..oru coffee pombala pulla ivloonaeramaa thuungurathu…;) ) translation will not be provided for this 😉 just because i didn’t reply to her message at 6 am in the morning.
Also not to forget ..let me write this last one..I might go on and on as usual ..
I did receive a great word of appreciation 🙂 I was told by one brother in Tamil.” Sister, if we continue to work with you for another week, we would all learn good English by then..” we laughed. ( He was actually pulling my legs 😉
I shared this with my Uncle that night….”Uncle!!!” ..I said…..that Brother told me this ..”that if we continue to work with you another week , we would all speak English by then”
Uncle smiled .. I paused and continued.
“Uncle !! I actually communicated with each one of them in Tamil all the while ;)”
anddddddddddddddddddd ———- Uncle bursted out in laughter.
{ want to have a first hand experience …?? Come and try it out 😉 }