Treasure In Clay Jar

It gives me immense joy when I see my two-year-old praying to God with all his innocence. Being born into a believer's family, I have also learned to pray since childhood. Over the years, praying became a habit and then, sadly, a ritual. As I was meditating about prayer, I examined my prayer life. I asked myself, Am I praying just like a newsreader, stating a few pages of prayer matter before the Almighty as if God doesn't know how to read?  Does my prayer have a life, a heart, and a genuine concern in it, or is it just a chanting of numerous words?  Do I really know the preciousness of prayer? Over the years, have I become negligent in my prayer life? Do I underestimate this greatest privilege that heaven has blessed me with? So I tried to understand what prayer really is. Below are a few points about prayer that changed my perspective and helped improve my prayer life. 1. Prayer: a blessing A famous quote by Spurgeon says, Anything is a blessing that makes us pray. Getting a...

Scrolling through the job portals we find many opportunities that match our profile and as we click on it we see the description of the role and the qualifications that the employer is seeking. As you go through those jotted points, you will see if you are qualified for that specific role or not. If you fulfill all those criteria then the next step is to send the job application and so on. Psalms 15 - a psalm of David  is titled in the Amplified version as " Description of the citizen of Zion" or you can say "qualifications needed to be the citizens of Zion".  It was very interesting to see that title and I was curious to see if I fulfilled those criteria. The psalm begins with a question to ponder.  Lord who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? Psalms 15:1 Then the rest of the psalms are the answer to this question. Following are the criteria to be citizen of Zion-  Psalms 15:2-5 While reading these verses one thing that came to my mind - ...

The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third, Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongh with their brothers. Job  2:14-15 The story of Job in the Bible teaches many valuable lessons of life. After the season of suffering, God blessed the later days of Job more than his beginning. God blessed Job with seven sons and three daughters. It is interesting to see that in this account, Job's daughters' names are mentioned. These names have their significance. These names give us hope. These names tell us that there is a morning after every night, a peace after the storm . Let us see the meaning of these names. He called the one Jemima, because her beauty was as the day; the other he called Kezia, because she was precious like cassia and full of fragrance; and the third he called Kerenhappuch, because great was the brightness of the glory of her countenan...

  "Let it go" was the sound I heard in my room where my toddler was singing it aloud. These three words were so catchy that somehow it got stuck in my mind and made me realize that I too need to let go of many things in my life and hold on to God more tightly. These days I am meditating on the book of Job. The Book of Job is a wonderful book which teaches us many things when we go through the various trials of life. I really admire Job, who was able to worship God in the midst of his losses. As I started reading Job, I had to push myself to read the whole chapters as the majority of the book of Job contains harsh judgments from his friends. Eighty percent of the book of Job is all about Job's friends' opinions about him and the way they misjudged him. And the last five chapters are about God and His word. But those five chapters were enough to lift Job up from the ashes of the pit. Job felt miserable as long as he dwelled on the opinions of others, but the moment his ...

A tale of heart   Liz : Why are you so sad today Emma ? Emma : It’s been ten years Liz that my name is in top on the prayer list . God has yet not answered it. I feel my name will be taken out of it very soon,  thinking it is not God’s will . Liz : Oh No Emma! You should not think in that way. Does God work in our schedule? God works in His own schedule which is perfect for us . Do you know after 400 years of silence God sent His angel to Zacharias to bring the glad tidings? His silence didn’t mean He was not at work . Emma : Oh yes Liz . The story of Zacharias and Elizabeth in the Bible always encourages me. I really admire Elizabeth to wait on God for years without being bitter .    Liz : Yes that’s what amazes me too, about Elizabeth. She was righteous and blameless before God irrespective of all the negative circumstances of her life! She teaches me to pray without ceasing, no matter whether it’s been 10,20 or 30 years of waiting on God. Our part is to pray, tru...

  Depression is a battle in the mind. An intense feeling of sadness and hopelessness. A kind of insecurity which creeps into your mind and throws you into a deep dungeon of despondency. You are drowned deeper and deeper into the storming sea , with no hope of rising up, where you hear only the noise of the waves and billows and no hope of seeing the light . Yes, you only hear the noise of negative thoughts .  Can a believer be depressed? In this world whatever is there , it will certainly strike a believer too, but it will not take him, for the Lord lifts him up from the pit of despondency. The king of Israel, David confronts depression in Psalms 42:11- Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Despite the many blessings and victories Spurgeon experienced, he also suffered much throughout his life and ministry. One of the sufferings he experienced was “causeless depre...

The Almighty God created all with His Word Heaven and the earth, beast and bird. He chose to shape man with His hand With the touch of His love, God made him with the sand. God loved and cherished every moment with man Knowing man would fail to follow His plan. Man's disobedience led to his fall  The curse of sin fell upon all. In a moment's time all was ruined  Away from God, man lamented of his doing . God is love and He is just, So the punishment for sin is a must.  For the penalty of sin is death and hell. Who could save men from this cursed spell? God is love and He loved us first He gave His most precious Son to redeem the dust. Jesus knew no sin and lived a perfect human life As a spotless lamb of God He offered Himself to die  He took upon Himself all our sin's punishment  With every drop of His blood, our broken cord was mended. Many are wandering in quest of a true God  With much faith and devotion on their feet, they trod What can please the Almi...

  There are many valuable lessons hidden inside nature. Nature itself glorifies God in so many ways. Often our Lord Jesus  Christ taught His disciples by telling them the parables about nature. I have the pleasure to experience the glimpses of nature in my home through my mother's garden. As I was astonished by the exquisite beauty of the orbifolia calathea also called as "prayer plant ", I decided to purchase it and add it to our indoor plant collection. But as days passed by we saw our lovely plant drying and loosing all it's beauty as it could not find the suitable environment. The day we decided to dump it,  a voice inside me spoke- give it a second chance. So my mother repotted it and we gave it a second chance to grow. Everyday with much anticipation I would look into the pot to find a sign of life in it. A ray of hope filled my heart when I saw new stems popping out of my dried dead plant. But to my dismay the green tender fresh stems which I thought would stay...

"Clear the clutter" is the notification I often get on my phone that suggests I should delete some of the unwanted things in the phone. Just a matter of few clicks and all the clutter will be cleared. How easy is that !! I wish it was that easy to do in life as well.  Today I would like to take you to one such instance in the Bible where a clear the clutter operation was performed. The young energetic king Hezekiah at the age of 25 took the throne and started reigning. But unlike his wicked father king Ahaz who had shut the door of the temple of God and did every kind of evil ; Hezekiah did what was right in the sight of God and followed the path of his forefather David. What a good testimony he was able to keep inspite of his negative circumstances. This world always tells us "Like father, Like son ". But it is not so and king Hezekiah is the proof. You always have the power to choose- " the willful choice ". It amazes me how king Hezekiah was able to ov...

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. II Chronicles 16:9  The above verse is such an encouraging and uplifting bible verse. It uplifts the weak and encourages the disheartened. It gives hope that my God is a God who sees way more than a telescope or any satellite can see. Recently I was reading about a satellite that can capture images beyond the walls. But here is my God whose eyes captures the whole earth, beyond anything and everything. But whom does His eyes see? His eyes are earnestly seeking a loyal heart. That really made me think. It made me think what I am in my Savior’s eyes? When His eyes search for a loyal heart, do I enlist in the search result? To understand what a loyal heart is when we need to read the background of this verse and we come across a not so familiar character - king Asa. It's so amazing that these not so famous characters in the Bible teaches us so many...

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2  Recently I read in an article - The path of sorrow and that path alone, Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown.  How true it is!! Often, we think if we live according to the will of God, we would not face any troubles or trials in life. That I am praying daily and reading Bible so I am immune to the sorrows and difficulties. As soon as we face any trial the very first question which strikes in our mind is " Am I doing anything wrong God? " But our trials are not always the reproof from God. We must understand that the Christian path consists of overflowing water and consuming fire. This water and fire are not something which we can avoid but we must pass through. Through much tribulation we must inherit the kingdom. Have you ever gone through this experience where you...

  “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. I Chronicles 28:9  The great advise given by a father to his son. The great inheritance he left behind for him. The greatest prayer King David prayed for his son Solomon. What a golden piece of advice from a legendary king. As I was reading through this chapter one thing king David taught me is that there may be many things I may desire for my children but the greatest of all is that my children should know the true living God, serve God wholeheartedly and seek Him earnestly. There are many prayers I pray for my children but this prayer should never ever get off my prayer list. This was the key for success in king David's life. Above anything else this is what he desires to pass on to hi...

Many a times I have seen world famous celebrities surrounded by security all around them. Few of the bodyguards will be in front, few in back and few walking along with them so that they can protect the celebrity from any kind of harm.  Have you ever imagined yourself surrounded by God's presence and security? The Bible says- You are all round me, in front of me and behind me. You put your hand on me to keep me safe. What you know about me is so great, I cannot understand it. My thoughts cannot reach as high as that! Psalms 139:5‭-‬6 Our loving Lord goes before us, stays behind us, and walks besides us. The very thought of God surrounding us itself is so blessed and encouraging in this era of uncertainty.  God goes before us There have been many instances in my life where I literally experienced God going before me and settling things for me. Our good Lord goes before us to lead us. He leads us not to leave us. He leads us to level the mountains of our life. The mountains of p...