The Soul Yearns

Sharing my top takeaways from a message I heard recently: 1) Is my love uncontaminated by self interest?: An interesting concept. How many of us love or profess to love someone with no motive other than the well-being of that person. I’d say even at the cost of your own health and sanity. I doubt I’ll be able to do that. I’ve always been a selfish person and I detest that about myself. Knowing that will I still sacrifice my life for love? What kind of love is that? How can I experience that love? 2) A cookie cutter approach to sharing God’s word may not work. Who you share the Word with and what you say is important. You need to customize the message as per the needs or personality of the person in front of you. Don't adopt a standard message and delivery  format   for one and all. Personally, I've never met with much success in convincing anybody about my faith irrespective of the approach I took. So how can I take this lesson to heart and use my skills more effectivel...

In the Bible we often come across the need to cultivate a heart that God finds pleasing.  “The Lord does not look at the things people look at...  the Lord looks at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7) We read that David was a man after Gods own heart. What does it really mean? What kind of heart does God want? What did God see in David? I took a look at various verses in the Bible that refer to matters of the heart?   1) Remains Loyal or Steadfast: The dictionary says someone who is steadfast is loyal,  shows firm determination or resolution, and is not easily shaken. In Psalms 57: 7, the Psalmist says "My heart is steadfast oh god. My heart is steadfast. I’ll sing and make melody." So you need to be steady in your decision to do what's right, what God wants irrespective of how your situation and circumstances change.  1 Kings‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭ESV‬‬ “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true t...

The deepest hunger within me is the need to know my true purpose in life. It keeps gnawing at me. Just any purpose won't do. Short term purposes don't satisfy. Even long terms purposes that seem difficult to achieve doesn't keep you going in the midst of seemingly insurmountable challenges. But those who do are those who are consumed by this passion. And that passion can only be evoked if you have a singular purpose in life. Now let's take thirst. It's said we thirst for knowledge. No matter how much we read or study it's an unending thirst. The deeper questions that we don't have answers to can keep us awake at night, can unsettle us, and keeps us craving for more. I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. - John 6:37 To me this verse indicates that if you can understand the mystery of Jesus then both this hunger and thirst can be fulfilled or rather it will propel you in the right dire...

Just last evening I was talking to some friends about how I never seem to feel any of the emotions they were talking about. Be it for God or for man. Love. Passion. Overflowing joy. What do all these things feel like? What do they even mean? Then this morning, coincidentally, I happened to come across an article on passion and how people sacrificed their lives for the cause of their passion. I can never imagine doing that.  But do I want to feel this love, this passion, this craziness? Yes, very much.  But what is the process?  One thing I have realized is that it is our own experiences that have hardened our hearts, killed our passions, and made us immune to joys. How can I say this with conviction? Well, all I had to do was go back in time and think about my childhood days or even me teenage years.  Those were days when you readily believed anything that people around you told you. Your trusted people around you without a second thoug...

We are all searching for a purpose that can adding meaning to our existence. Whatever purpose we may find here on earth, no matter how lofty, has its limitations. It's not a purpose for which we are ready to give up our life. You might want to put an end to trafficking or build a multi-billion dollar business or discover the next life-saving drug. But giving your life for any of these causes doesn't make sense because with the end of your life your purpose also comes to an end. Our soul searches for something deeper, something more meaningful, something which adds meaning to our existence on earth, something which makes us feel the short-term purpose we have identified here fits into a larger picture or a wider vision and will continue to go on much after we are gone. This is where the God factor comes in. In the biblical book of John 10:10, Jesus said, he came so that we might experience life, and life in all its fullness. I was wondering what this could mean. My unde...

Psalms 139: 23-24 Look deep into my heart, God,  and find out everything  I am thinking.  Don't let me follow evil ways,  but lead me in the way  that time has proven true. Is it ever possible for a man to know himself fully?  I doubt it. We all think we know ourselves the best. But do we really? Many a time when I introspect I am often surprised at my own actions and reactions. Personally, I don't even know how I would react in a particular situation. Yes, I might think that if I am in such and such a situation this is what I would do. But depending on the extremity of the situation I might find myself reacting or behaving in an entirely different manner.  Recently, someone told me, there are four "yous". The first "you" is the you that you know about yourself and others know as well. Then there is the hidden "you" that you know but others don't. Similarly, there is the "you" that others know about you but you yours...

I just read somewhere that as per scientific estimation, there are over a 100 billion galaxies with billions of stars and planets in each. Till date, we have not discovered life on any of these planets. Either our technology hasn't evolved to a stage where we can see other life forms or there aren't any. Now this reminded me of the verse in Genesis 1 where even Earth was in a similar state. Other than that one couple and some animals, this beautiful planet didn't have any beings that the creator could commune with. He asks Adam and Eve to breed and populate the earth. And since then we have been doing that. Now is it possible that he probably wants his creation to populate the other planets as well? As humans, we are already doing our best to understand the environment and topography of other planets. Maybe some day we will advance enough to conquer and tame these planets. Another possibility is that once we die and leave this earthly body behind we are, accordin...

Continuing on the thought expressed in my previous blog, the ability to give or create life and everything else makes God supreme when compared to the Devil who doesn’t have this specific gift. So God created man and everything else. More importantly, God created man in his own image and he planned to have regular fellowship with him. This basically meant that man had almost all the powers including the ability to think and create that God had. Of course, he was not as powerful as God. No way. The rebellion of the angels, who were much more powerful than mankind, had probably served as a lesson for God that his own creation can rebel against him, and so he better ensure they are not powerful enough to cause serious damage. Devil, unfortunately for him, can't give life and so he can't create anything. But he also needs people on his side if he wants to ensure that the power gap between him and God doesn’t increase so much that he is no longer in the reckoning itself....

Many of us may have struggled with this question. Why doesn’t God just finish off the Devil once and for all and be done with it? Wouldn’t that end all of God’s as well as our problems once and for all? However, even after the ultimate defeat at Armageddon, the devil is just bound in chains and finally pushed into the bottomless pit. Doesn’t that raise the possibility of him coming back to haunt us, and God, again? One possibility is that both God and the Devil are two powerful, immortal energies with different, diametrically opposite powers. God has the power to give or create life but cannot take life. The Devil, on the other hand, cannot create life but has the power to give death. Naturally, we call the former a positive power and the latter a negative or evil power. This could also be the reason why it’s said that it’s impossible for God to do anything evil. Now both God and the Devil are in an eternal struggle for supremacy. Since God has the power to create life, h...

Many a times, we become the cause of someone's hurt without even realizing it. The reason is probably simple. We are too wrapped up in our own individual worlds. We tend to look at a situation only from our perspective. We don't pause to consider the other person's situation. We don't take into account the key reason why the other person might be behaving in a certain manner. For all you know, the current reaction you are witnessing is probably a reaction against one of your earlier actions or even the lack of it.  You need not necessarily blame yourself for this. It's human to react quickly to a situation. But if you want to resolve the issue, if you want to make sure the other person also get his/her due, if you want to make sure that your current reaction doesn't lead to permanent damage from which both of you can't extricate yourself, a future that both of you will regret, then you need to learn to pause. You need to learn how to put your own selfish ...

Throughout my life, time and time again, I have developed casual friendship or acquaintanceship  with people at my workplace and even with friends of close friends. I might have even hung around with them on a regular basis. But the moment this 'hanging out together' stops they become a distant memory or not even in that in most cases. Chances are that I am unlikely to even think about them and in most cases, I'm likely to even forget their names. But when it comes to people I considered close, even if I haven't met them in years they will continue to come into my thoughts time and again. In both cases, it is a result of the quality of the relationship I enjoyed with those people. As far as the former category is concerned, the relationship was very superficial. It was for the sake of momentary pleasures. In the case of the latter, it was less about the sensory pleasures and more about the intellectual and emotional connect. The same is the case with our relationsh...

When you think of the relationship of the earth and sun, it gives you a glimpse of the relationship between man and God. The sun is a ball of gas, God is a spirit. But Earth is a solid object and so is Man who is made of the same earth.  The Sun continues to remain at the center of our solar system. Similarly, God continues to be an immutable eternal force at the center of all creation. Now earth revolves around the Sun and remains within reach of its gravitational pull. Similarly, it is up to man to accept God as the center of his life, and stay connected within the gravitational pull of God.  The difference lies in the fact that we have a choice whereas the Earth doesn't. While choice is great, it's this same choice that also becomes dangerous.  Imagine, what could happen if the earth had the choice of telling the Sun you are too hot and so I can't be associated with you! All of life on earth depends on this eternal association. The source of all f...

I was reading about Job. And what struck me was the reason for Job's suffering - a mere one-upmanship kind of argument between God and the devil.  And poor Job who was not at fault at all bore the brunt. Ok, he got twice as much back once God's position was proved right. But is that enough to take away the pain of loss? Maybe it helps ease the pain but it doesn't take away the loss itself.  The suffering of several generations of Israelites in Egypt is another example that comes to mind. In the grand scheme of things, it was probably a necessity. We don't know why it was a necessity. Why did so many thousands have to suffer slavery and perish in an unknown land without ever knowing any peace? Why did so many children have to perish without seeing their first birthdays? The obvious answer is, to fulfill their role in the grand plan, which neither we know nor they knew much about. Again for God, those 400 years may have just been a blip on the screen. But for those w...

Growing up in a Christian household can actually prove detrimental to one’s faith. You are taught to believe in the teachings of the church with your eyes closed and mind shut. And if you ask questions that do not have an obvious answer then you are considered as someone lacking in faith. I think this is the case with most religions. Don’t question what we have been following for eons or you are damned. I am assuming that to be the case for many of us who have grown up in religious households, whichever religion it might have been.  If that's the case why do we expect anyone to accept our belief? The non-believers, as we generally like to call anyone who doesn't belong to our own faith, are doing the same thing we do -- accept what they grew up hearing without questioning its veracity. I for one find this behavior unacceptable. What's wrong with doubting? Au contraire, I find it quite healthy. It gives me a reason to truly believe rather than purporting to be a be...

Have you ever helped someone out who then goes on to take full credit for your work without acknowledging any part of your contribution? How did that make you feel? Why am I bringing this up? Well, this thought struck me a week back when the pastor said while praying instead of supplicating start declaring. This was in line with what I had read in a book some time back. The author felt that the Arab nations have become so powerful because every single day, five times a day, they are declaring the greatness of their God from a zillion homes and mosques. So there is immense power in declaring into the atmosphere. Jesus himself had said, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed then you can move mountains. All you have to do is declare to the mountain, and it would move. But are we mature enough in our faith to be able to make that declaration? What could stop our declaration from having the desired effect? Couple of biblical instances come to mind. Uzziah, a king of...

I was wondering whether there is a prayer process. Like, when do you switch from normal mode to prayer mode? Is it when you utter "O God my father" or "Jesus my savior" or some such thing.  There is no prescription in the Bible. But we are often told that prayer is a conversation with God.  So how do we start that conversation?  Do we speak words that feel holy?  And do we say it out loud or do we mumble quietly under your breath, or do we think it in our head?  Whether we think or speak those words, we assume that as soon as we adopt a prayerful attitude i.e. close our eyes, bow our heads, etc, God will start reading our mind or listening to our words. To me, this means that God has to be continuously listening to our words or reading our mind. And therein lies one key reason for unanswered prayers. Now, during the day, we think so many thoughts or speak to so many different people. How much the words we utter or think is in line with wh...

Can saying these two simple words "Thank You" change our perspective about an incident? It's easy to say 'thank you' to those who help us or give us a gift or compliment us. And for those of us who accept the existence of a supreme being, a God, it's easy to say 'thank you God' when good things happen in our lives. But what about saying 'thank you' when seemingly bad things happen in our lives? Do we still have the courage to say a 'thank you' for the pain? Does it even make sense? I think it does. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (CEB) it says " Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.' The key here is "every situation". The good and the bad situations. Good situation is easy to understand. But "bad"? Well, when we think about saying thank you in what we might otherwise consider a bad situation, it will require us to think deeply about the situatio...

Pray Confess your sins God hears your prayer like a father hears your request Take your problems to God Praise and thank God, he requires it Prayer is the panacea to all your problems And so on... You have tons of articles and videos and books floating around on the importance of prayer, how to pray, when to pray, why it is an absolute necessity to pray, etc. etc.  In the bible, we continuously come across verses asking us to pray or example of saints who prayed. Even Jesus prayed. So since there is so much of emphasis on prayer, I am assuming it must be something important. But why is it so important? How can my mumbling a few words under my breath make a difference? How does it help me connect with God? Or is there a process prayer that I am unaware of? Most books advise us to just have a conversation with God. Even the sample prayer Jesus taught his disciples is simple. So that's probably not the case. But since there is so much of emphasis ...

If within our own tiny little solar system, time can mean different things on different planets; if within our own world called Earth, time can be different depending on your position on the latitude and longitude, then would someone who is supposed to be our creator and also the creator of this whole universe be bound by the confines of time? I doubt it very much. Einstein's theory of relativity and the resultant space-time continuum comes to mind if you want to think of a scientific explanation.  Well, the fact of the matter is that someone who is not bound by the same restraints as we are can have a totally different  perspective of things. Here we could compare it to the ask  of employees   by their corporate leaders to develop a broader perspective and big picture thinking. The latter makes an otherwise mundane job more fulfilling.  For example, a nut on its own may feel its life is meaningless. But when it meets the bolt and realizes that togethe...

Happened to read this message in bible.com earlier this morning: Prayer is not a privilege for the pious, not the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. Prayer is conversation with God while driving to work or awaiting an appointment or before interacting with a client. Prayer can be the internal voice that directs the external action. Bible.com distills all prayers into few  simple, easy-to-remember words: Father, You are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen. As you begin your morning, Father, you are good. As you commute to work or walk the hallways at school, I need help. As you wait in the grocery line, They need help. So let's stop struggling and start conversing.