Category: Old Testament

Uphill, Downhill

~ Sowmya Gali ~ 1 Comment

Many people will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths…”  Isaiah 2: 3

During one of my recent hikes, I was climbing up a steep hill. It is one of the most arduous hikes I’ve undertaken as the ascent is steadily steep for more than 300 feet. The gentle Holy Spirit prompted me to look at my posture as I was climbing up the hill. I was hunched forward with my knees slightly bent and my head bent low. Even though, I tried to look up and walk, I couldn’t do it for long. The only time I looked up was to assess the distance to reach the top of that hill. And so I forged ahead until I reached the top of the hill.

I was reminded of the story of Abraham when he took his son Isaac to sacrifice on Mount Moriah. As he ascended that mountain, he must’ve been walking in the same posture as I did; unaware of what lay ahead on top of the hill. A God who granted him a son in old age has now commanded him to sacrifice that very son on the top of the mountain. A perplexing situation but Abraham never questioned God instead obeyed Him. Somewhere along that ascension, Abraham must’ve realized that a God, who could provide him with a son in his old age, is well able to provide either with a sacrifice or another son to replace Isaac. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have assured his son Isaac when the boy questioned about the lamb.

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Genesis 22: 8

As we go through life, many a times we are climbing uphill, oblivious of what lay ahead. If we are not ascending to the mountain of the Lord, then we will miss out the promises and blessings that await us there. We are so accustomed to mediocrity that we dread to let ourselves step out in faith into oblivion. We contend ourselves with what we have. We assure ourselves that that is our lot and shouldn’t dream bigger. How disappointed must God be when He looks at us! Promise of a better life filled with abounding spiritual blessings, health and prosperity, and much more await us on top of that mountain that we are so reluctant to ascend. All God wants us is obey His call and start ascending, hunched forward, head bowed and on bended knees.

When Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac on top of Mount Moriah, the angel of the Lord stopped him. God provided a ram. Father and son sacrificed the ram as a burnt offering instead. This experience led Abraham to believe and proclaim with confidence, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Genesis 22: 14. The question that begs to be asked is, “what is stopping us to make that ascension?”

When I reached that hill top, I was left breathless of the beauty and magnificence that lay around and below me. From that pinnacle, I could see the beauty of God’s creation in all directions without any obstructions resulting in a changed perspective. From up there, all my problems seem so distant and small as I gazed at the beauty around me. I could see the easing of the traffic jams on the freeways ahead. I could see every bend in the road that I frequently travel. Everything from up there seemed plausible. Even on the distant horizon where the ocean meets the sky, I couldn’t discern the dividing line.

Now I could see what God wants me to see: HIM. Realized that God is bigger than anything we can see. From His perspective, all worries are trivial. Every obstacle can be conquered. We can turn fearlessly at life’s every blind corner. With that newly gained confidence in the Lord who provides, I started descending that hill. Once again, the gentle Holy Spirit reminded me of my posture. Now my shoulders are back, my legs straightened and I was leaning back to balance. My gait is confident as I have trodden that path already, fully aware of every bend, turn or obstacle that lay on the path.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8: 18

Forge ahead, my dear brothers and sisters, for the Lord who provides will meet you on top of the mountain. Let us learn His ways so we can walk in His paths. Abraham descended Mount Moriah joyful and confident in the Lord who provides.

Reason For Lent

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

Hebrews 6: 7-9

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

Another season of Lent has begun. Traditionally, people and churches observe Lent by fasting, preparing themselves to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ during the forty days. Over centuries, new traditions have been added and some old ones have been forgotten. Whatever the case may be, Lent is supposed to be a season of a spiritual cleansing and renewal. Remembering the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the cross for our redemption and reconciliation to our Heavenly Father, should be on the top of the things we must consider while observing Lent.

Over the years, people have instead swerved to the physical aspect of Lent. By giving up a physical desire like giving up sugar, coffee, meat or something else, or placing an old habit on hold for those forty days is not what the writer of Hebrews is writing about. If we claim ourselves to be believers of Jesus Christ, then we must move away from physical aspects of Lent and move towards the spiritual aspects. By giving up certain foods or pausing on old habits is only taking care of the flesh/physical aspects of ourselves. What is giving up sugar or meat do to our souls? Yes, it may improve our health but not have an impact on the heart.

Why do we then invest in this physical body which is going to perish anyway? Why not we invest in the spiritual body which is going to last forever? The author of Hebrews reiterates that we, who are the true children of God should be like rain- soaked soil which brings forth vegetation: a vegetation that will be useful for others. A soil that is tilled for the benefit of others, yielding much fruit and being a blessing to others. That is being a blessed person. Do our souls long for being useful instruments in God’s hands?

What then should we do to accomplish that blessedness? Giving up physical desires may be of little or no help but our focus should be more on how our hearts’ conditions are. Do we desire what God desires? Are we seeing where God is working and following in His footsteps? Are we maturing in our walk with God? Or are we still going back to the old habits after the forty days are over? What earthly desire did we give up to gain a spiritual desire? What godly characteristic did we develop after forty days of fasting and praying? Did we revert back to our old self and succumb to the old fleshly desires because the season of Lent is finished?

By returning to our old self, our lives are analogous to a soil which brings forth thorns and thistles. Useless and void of anything good. As soon as the Lent season ends, if there is no spiritual maturity, if we give up on fasting and praying, or if we give up a spiritual habit we picked up during Lent, then there was no reason to observe Lent in the first place. We are worthless and end up being burned. We are not useful to God and His Kingdom. We are not blessed but accursed.

Hebrews 6: 11-12

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Therefore, we must take that step towards spiritual maturity with every season of Lent that passes by. Being diligent means we are working towards that spiritual maturity like an athlete training to improve his performance. If we are sluggish, then there is no progress. We will be at the same place where we were before we started off. With each passing Lent season, we will never progress towards that maturity, thereby, missing out on the promises which God promised to those who through faith and patience persevered.

Hebrews 6: 1-3

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement. And this we will do, if God permits.

Beloved, now that our foundation is secure, let us move away from the rudimentary teachings to mature aspects of faith. Let us move from milk to solid food. Time is short. Christ’s return is imminent. What then should our focus be? Who then should our focus be? With each passing Lent season, we should be climbing up onto the next rung in the spiritual ladder. Let us take a step forward instead of two steps backward. Let us focus not on the physical but spiritual, because only spirit endures. Our physical bodies are temporary but our souls are eternal.

As Paul declared in 2 Timothy 4: 7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith… , will we also declare with such confidence at the end of our lives? Let us be the rain-soaked soil bringing forth good fruit and in abundance. Let us be diligent in pursuing God. Let us be hungry for God’s truth. Let us always be progressing in faith and not regressing. May this Lent season be a time to take those first steps of progression in faith. With each passing Lent season, may we find ourselves spiritually mature and slowly showing the likeness of Christ. May God be with you as you progress!