Yoked to Jesus

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“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” †  Mathew 11: 28-30  What is the labour and burden that Jesus is asking me to deal with? Perhaps I have to let go of the compulsive burden (or is it a sort of entitlement?) that my spouse and children should choose a spiritual path that I know to be right. Jesus accompanied Judas Iscariot to the very end but never deprived him of his freedom to choose his own destiny. Jesus on the other hand, uninterrupted by Judas's choice to reject him, continues to accomplish his mission. He does become a victim of Judas's betrayal but he seldom takes on the victim's identity. In divine wisdom, Jesus chooses to die in our place (and that of Judas) in a redeeming act of love. Rather than being compelled to fix those whom God has entrusted to my headship by m

Money doubling machine

Looking at the abundance in my life  (not in terms of financial surplus) people assume that I have lot of money. Some tend to misunderstand when I tell them that I don’t have money to spare, more so when they approach me for a share of the tithe or to borrow some in dire need.

To those who listen, I tell them; God has been providing for me because I’m mindful, in little ways, of His Kingdom and His righteousness. House, car, office, and children’s schooling, all these came, noticeably in the absence of sufficient bank balance to look forward to.

At the same time, I know I should be mindful of the kingdom not in order that I may have my material needs met. But because I seek something much above what material things can offer (true joy and self actualization in my Creator) these needs of mine become God's business to look after. 

How wretched I’m if I give tithe in order to feel justified or to receive the double and triple portions God promised to those who give. Tithing would then be like a gambling machine, which is sure to double our money. Notice here how the focus could shift from the Giver to the machine. In another words from God to money.

Let my criterion to be generous be "joy in the Lord" and when to give has nothing to do with the flow of funds. When we give much we get much more not because "the act of giving" has the money doubling capacity instead there is a Giver who loves us so dearly. 

Comments

  1. Your posts are beginning to be my sole conscience-keeper. ;-) You're doing a good job of probing. I know you are speaking aloud here. But keep talking..you just maybe helping a lot of souls like me. Like the psalmist says, Inspect my thoughts O Lord, and lead me in the ancient paths, the ways that are crooked.

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  2. Very good insight.
    How true it is, some times we forget :)
    Joy is giving is the bottom line rather than giving and grumbling :)

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  3. Chakopi, ente pranamam, you truly are blessed.

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Yoked to Jesus

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