Friday, April 22, 2011

All for Love!!


All for love, He created us in His image and likeness
All for love, He carved our names on the palm of His right hand
All for love, He knit our body parts together in our mother’s womb
All for love, He called us even before we were born
All for love, He gave us the freedom to choose
All for love, He let us do what we want
All for love, He wept seeing us go away
All for love, He tried to bring us back to Him, tried over and over again
All for love, the farther we went, the closer He came
All for love, He said, “Even if your mother forgets you, I shall not forget you.”
All for love, He said, “The mountains may depart and the Hills be removed but my love shall not depart from you.”
All for love, He came to find us, who were lost
All for love, He became man
All for love, He was born in a dirty, cold manger amongst the least important
All for love, the creator lived with the created, the poor and unwanted
All for love, He who makes all the laws of the universe, grew up obeying humans
All for love, He fasted for forty days and nights
All for love, He preached repentance, forgiveness and love
All for love, He chose twelve ordinary men to be his disciples
All for love, He walked with sinners, ate with outcasts, touched the untouchables
All for love, He cured the sick, the dumb, the lame, the blind
All for love, He raised the dead
All for love, He wept for our sins and our unfaithfulness
All for love, He gave us His Body and Blood
All for love, He who is Almighty, washed the dirty feet of his disciples
All for love, He prayed for all of us
All for love, He sweat blood
All for love, He was betrayed by His closest friends
All for love, He took the insults, the allegations, the humiliation without saying a word
All for love, He was chained and put through the shame of public trial
All for love, He was chastised and whipped so that we could be healed
All for love, He was mocked and hurt, He was spat at and punched
All for love, He carried the heavy cross on His shoulders
All for love, He was stripped, lashed, pierced, crucified amongst sinners
All for love, He hung on the cross, abandoned by everyone
All for love, He prayed for the forgiveness for each one of us
All for love, He who had no sins took the sin of the whole world upon Himself
All for love, He bled every drop of blood, He died the most painful death
All for love, He lay in somebody else’s tomb



All for love, death couldn’t stop Him, the tomb couldn’t hold Him
All for love, He rose from the dead the third day
All for love, He rose in all His glory and majesty
All for love, He met His disciples, gave them courage and faith which they had lost
All for love, He gave them hope, which was shattered
All for love, He gave them peace, which the world couldn’t give
All for love, He gave them joy which they couldn’t contain
All for love, He gave them a new life
All for love, He promised “I will be with you till the end of the ages.”
All for love, for you and me.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend. And you are my friends.” – Jesus (John 15:13)

God Bless!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Cup Came Home


2nd April, 2011 – A day which will indelibly be written in the memories of every Indian of this generation, a day when the long wait of 28yrs was finally over, a day when India became world Champions again, a day when the Cup came home!

It’s one of those days when each one of us will remember exactly where we were and what we did for the rest of our lives. As for me, like most Indians, I too was watching the final match with my friends and like most Indians, once India lifted the trophy it was time to hit the road. I was stunned to see traffic jam at 12:30 in the night in Hyderabad. There was celebration all around. People in cars, bikes, cycles, on foot all celebrating and cheering India’s victory. Nobody seemed strangers anymore. Anybody and everybody was congratulating each other, giving high fives and hugging people whom they have never ever met in their lives before. All cares and concerns of the daily lives thrown out of the window!!

Among all this I just noticed one incident. Two guys riding bikes and celebrating happened to hit each other. There was slight damage to the bikes, but to my surprise they just shook hands, congratulated each other for India’s victory, smiled and left. I was shocked!! Had it been any other day it would have surely led to a blame game, an argument and may be a scuffle. But not that day. Everyone was so overwhelmed by the celebration, happiness and joy that they forgot and forgave all mistakes and wrongdoings.

It just reminded me about the parable that Jesus narrated about a son who fought with his father, rebelled against him, took his share of the money and left his family to follow his own ways, spent his father’s money in reckless living and after that had no choice but to work in a pig sty. He was starving, so much so that he was willing to eat what the pigs ate, but no one gave him even that. Then he realized his mistake and decided to go back home. On his way back, when his father saw him coming, he wasn’t angry or disgusted, he didn’t ask for any explanation, he didn’t  say ‘It your fault’ or ‘I told you this would happen’ or ‘I have nothing to do with you now’, he didn’t argue or reprimand. In fact he didn’t even let his son speak. He just ran to him, threw his hands round his stinking, dirty, unkempt, wretched son and kissed him. He was so filled with joy to see his son come back that he forgave all his mistakes and wrongdoing. He ordered a feast to celebrate the day his son came home! (Luke15:11-27)



Thats how God, our Father is! His joy of seeing us come back to Him wipes away all our sins and wrongdoings.  He doesn’t ask us for explanations, doesn’t blame us for anything, doesn’t hold any grudge against us. He just throws his hands around us, hugs us and forgives us. And along with Him the Heavens rejoice over a repentant sinner. (Luke 15:7)

Lets try to put aside whatever takes us away from our Father and come back to Him to experience His forgiveness, His mercy, His love  and the Joy of going back Home!

Lets forgive others, the way our heavenly Father forgives us! Let the joy of forgiving others be more than the gravity of their mistake, be more than our pride.

God Bless!