Tag: salvation

Number Of The Day: 100 (Dedicated To Thanksgiving Day)

As you’ve probably noticed, I briefly discontinued my Bible Story series.

My initial plan was to celebrate my 100th post on this blog a little bit more subtily. However, this was not meant to be.

You see, just a couple of hours ago, I used to be part of a select group of special humans who thought that Thanksgiving Day was the Fourth of July!

(Disappointing! Yeah, I know 🙁 )

Well, as soon as I settled that ‘minor’ issue of dates, a significant verse popped into my head:

The Message Bible translation of Psalm 100:4a which reads,

“Enter with the password: Thank You”

One shouldn’t wait till Valentine’s day before love is shown to everyone around him. Only hypocrites do that. Love is to be shown everyday.

One shouldn’t wait till Christmas or Easter, before Christ’s redemptive work for mankind is remembered. Only the heathen do that.
We should walk in the awareness of Christ salvation of our souls everyday.

In the same vein, we shouldn’t wait till Thanksgiving Day, before we appreciate God for all He has wrought in our lives.
As the Message Bible rightly points out, thanking God on a continual basis is the only way to get even more goodies from His inexhaustible blessings!

Thank Him.
Bless His Name.
Give Him praise.
And worship Him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Aftermath

A sickness to my marrows, a sorrow to my soul,
Initially sweetness in my mouth, now bitterness in my bellies.
It’s a struggle and I’m not alone in it, but
the company I keep, I’m better off without.
‘I must get out of this rigmarole’, I cry, challenging myself with my self-induced pep talk

I try climbing out, ever slowly, never surely, clinging desperately
to the slippery borders of the Valley of Despair I find myself in.
By sheer exertion and willpower, I fool myself into believing
that I’m making net progress, no matter how little, but
I soon lose my footing, for the umpteenth time and I come
crashing down, hitting rock bottom, again.

Suddenly, it dawns on me, the sun’s countenance smiles on me.
With a flash of discretion, I discover that it is not in me to deliver myself.

I’m now tired- with the situation, and with myself
I’m tired, bleeding all over, but even in my full strength,
on a good day, I’d still be found wanting

I am down to my knees in my ultimately lowest point, and
I shout- Your Name

There is silence.
I consider throwing in the towel,
thinking, at least, it was worth the try, then
Thunders come crashing like cymbals hit by a drummer in a frenzy,
Lightnings come striking in a beautiful wonder,
The earth is quaking and out of the skies, The Ladder descends to me.

The choice is mine: with my last ounce of strength, I touch
the first rung of The Ladder.
Nothing happens.
Then I blink and everything happens
I see myself translate from Darkness into unfathomable Light,
I wallowed in self-pity in the company of strugglers,
Now, I’m in a wide, spacious open place, where
the grasses are carefully manicured, the evergreen trees evenly spaced,
A picturesque backdrop of mountain and hills mingling with
the graceful showering of dew, Gentle rivers meander through
their course like a ballet dancer, before cascading down the
magnificient waterfalls.
With hot tears streaming down my face, I mutter, ‘I’m free!’