Author: Swetha Mendon

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Articles

Longing for forever!

Being in the lockdown, I have come to appreciate the stillness, something I am not used to. Life gets so busy and it’s like a monotonous routine. I almost felt like a hamster on a wheel.

This period of rest has enabled me to slow down and appreciate the things I wouldn’t notice because of busyness such as the birds outside my window, the sounds of them chirping every morning.

Moreover, me wondering and reflecting as I used to when I was a child, I was so easily amazed at what I was learning. Growing up I somehow lost that and I feel like God is bringing me back to that place where I can be in awe of Him.

In one of my conversations with my dear friend I mentioned- ” Do you ever wonder why we say best friends Forever or I love you Forever?

You know it’s not strange that we long for Forever cause it is God who created us with that longing. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 it’s written: God has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

So our longing is legit but somehow we try to fill this longing with earthly things and people who are temporary and can never satisfy this longing for eternity. For only the eternal One can satisfy this longing for eternity planted by Him in our Hearts.

You may wonder how’s this ever possible as we see that we don’t live forever. To address that Bible says For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23.

All have sinned so all die but God made a solution through His son Jesus Christ that whoever believes in Him shall live everlasting life, even though they may die the Spirit will live an eternal life with Christ. So God alone thru Christ can fulfill this longing in our hearts.

I hope that we may take time to reflect and wonder about our purpose and meaning in life. May we be open to see that eternal life is available only thru Jesus Christ as He paid the price for all our sins thru His death on the cross and resurrection.

May we not look to earthly things to satisfy the longing of eternity which can only be satisfied in Christ. May our gaze be fixed on Him and may our heart be anchored in Him to love Him and treasure Him for all of eternity.

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Articles

When you are forgiven much

We all like looking good. No one ever posts an ugly picture of themselves. We always dress pretty to look our best in the world. And I am guilty of all of these things. I have heard people say as long as you’re not harming someone or if you do good things you’re a good person.

But I believe that this is far from the truth. We are deeper than the things we see. Our motivations, intentions and thoughts are visible to a God who is Holy and Righteous. If I was to be extremely honest I am nowhere close to being good before a Holy God.

Being a Christian, makes me see the beauty of God in Christ who selflessly sacrificed His only Son as a payment for our sins. At the same time, there is a growing awareness of the selfishness of my heart, the constant need to control and have things my way.

And the depth of wretchedness and sin rooted in my heart and the facade placed to cover these things with seemingly good acts.

I am glad that God is a loving Father who loves us so deeply that He doesn’t want us to remain in the darkness. He shines His light through scriptures and the Holy Spirit in these dark and ugly places of our heart to save us. It’s like the moment we realise that we are sick we can go to the doctor for help.

The same way the moment we realise our hearts are sick we can run to God to redeem it. I have realised even in life a child looks up to his parent for help. I am glad I can look up to a Heavenly Father to rescue me when my heart is in a mess.

There’s a beautiful story from the Bible I want to share to paint a picture before you –

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.

Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, cancelling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said.

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.

You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only a little love.”

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

There was a time I didn’t know Christ and I was my own Savior until I hit rock bottom I didn’t realise I needed God to save me. The moment I realised God loves me and has paid the penalty for my sins through Christ. It was a life-changing experience for me.

I was lifted out of the darkness and brought into the light. I was dead inside and this good news brought life and hope in my soul. It’s the greatest news ever and one I need to remember every day cause I need a Savior to rescue me from sin every day.

Just like the woman above to understand that our sins which are many are forgiven much by a Holy God through Christ. This kind of unconditional love and acceptance of Christ alone can transform our sinful hearts to love and worship Him with undivided devotion and be like Him through His Holy Spirit.

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Daily Devotional

Christ is All you Need!

As some of you know I was made redundant and have been unemployed since July, I am writing this post to encourage you and especially myself while we are in this journey of transition together.

I am thankful to God for His presence each day. His grace and fellowship every hour. There are times I would feel lost but the Holy Spirit through His word would remind me that He is my Provider and Sustainer and it’s not a man or a company- these are means and not an end.

Truly thankful for such a wonderful God who understands the depths of my thoughts, fears and worries and addresses them gently as a Father and secures my weak heart.

He truly withheld no good thing from me. The reality is there are expenses each month. I am thankful for friends who have been there for me in this phase of my life and extended help and support in every way God enabled them to.

Some ordered groceries, some helped financially without me reaching out to them, some sent job references, some checked on my emotional health, some prayed and some even cried with me. It’s overwhelming how God moves people with compassion to understand the needs.

So if you’re reading this I want to encourage you. As my friend Kimaya encouraged me. She was watching a movie- Noah and God told one of Noah’s son in the movie- You have EVERYTHING you need in this time.

Yes and this is true. I am thankful first and foremost because the presence and love of a Holy God is my portion. 36 years of my life He has sustained me and never failed once. Even in hardships and pain He never left.

Secondly in this time, I experience His love and goodness through the friends and family.

I want to remind you and encourage you with the truth that you have everything you need- God and His people around you.

He is using the stillness, the hardship, the brokenness, every single detail of your life to behold His goodness and to mould our hearts to the likeness of Christ to respond with compassion to suffering.

So I pray with Thanksgiving for all of us –
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your steady love and faithfulness through every trial and temptation.

Thank you that You never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you for sustaining us and carrying us through every hardship. Thank you for your presence Holy Spirit. You’re sufficient at all times.

Thank you for your people who comfort when in distress. I know God You’re a provider and withhold no good thing You gave Jesus Christ the best gift ever, so I know You will take care of every need beyond what we can ask or think for Your Glory!

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Articles

Delight in You

Be my highest desire Lord
May I delight in You alone
The Eternal one

My soul tends to cling to the earth that is fleeting
Open my eyes to see Your Beauty
Help me understand Your Love and Sacrifice
That I longed for all along

This soul can only be satisfied in You
My Creator God
Not in the world that leaves me wanting more
So let me treasure You only

The length and breadth and depth of Your love
Displayed on the cross of Calvary
Where You gave Your all
In love for me
Came back to life and promised eternity

So may my roots grow deep in You
By loving You with all of me
I know You’re worthy of my adoration and worship
Faithful One who will never leave

If I hope in a man they will pass
If I hope in my works it won’t last
If I hope in things it will soon perish

All my earthly gains are a loss
Compared to the surpassing worth of knowing You
Yes You are my greatest gain
So May I be found in You

Make my heart a fertile ground to yield to You
May I be like a tree planted by Your living waters
Full of life and bearing fruit in You
May Your law be my light that guides my wandering soul to You
May your law show your love for me

And bind my Heart to Yours
Keeping it wouldn’t be a burden when I know it’s your loving protection
And when storms come crashing in
May I stand rooted and grounded in You

My Lord,
My Rock &
My Redeemer!

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Articles

Heaven on Earth

My most favourite prayer of all is the Lord’s prayer. I learnt it when I was studying in a convent school. It has always remained with me. I would pray this frequently without fully understanding the meaning.

Despite the darkness, I’m reminded of the words of Jesus when
asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display,

Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].

So now when I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I ask God by faith to fill me with His Holy Spirit. Jesus gladly embraced the cross which was the will of the Father to bring many sons and daughters into reconciliation. This was possible through His willful submission.

And there on the cross in agony, Jesus said Father forgive them, a response of love from a Holy God towards sinful people. And before breathing his last breath, He said it is finished, marking the end of sin’s tyranny over our lives. We see God triumph despite the gruesome death of an innocent lamb by defeating death and raising Christ.

Now through faith in His death and resurrection, we can die to our self and live for Him, gladly embracing His will in all things. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can put to death the deeds of our sinful nature. He now gives us new desires to accomplish His purpose.

He enables us to be a living sacrifice, where our bodies become His Holy habitation. We become His instruments of righteousness as He transforms us daily through our abiding and submission.

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Praise be to God who gave His son to die for us to make us like Him.

This transformation is possible when we submit to the authority of the scriptures by meditating on it. And by constant communion with God, who helps us in our weakness furthermore by trusting Him that He is Faithful to conform us to the image of Christ.

Pray, therefore, like this:

Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors. And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Reference from the Holy Bible Amplified version Matthew 6:9-13)

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Why God? Why Me?

In one of the episodes of a series called Young Sheldon, the mother of a young boy named Sheldon struggles with her faith when she hears of a friend who lost her 16-year-old daughter.

What I found interesting is that Sheldon who is 10 years old, loves science and calls himself an atheist comforts her. Paraphrasing Sheldon, he said that if the gravitational force was more or less than what it is then the earth would not exist.

The precision of the gravitational force shows that there is a Creator.

My finite mind can’t wrap my head around God’s infinite purposes. But listening to his logic made me look at my own life.

Throughout my life, I have asked God the question I believe you all can relate to- Why God? Why me?

I asked Him why am I in this situation when my parents were getting divorced.

Why don’t I have a normal life?

While growing up my failures left me feeling very hopeless and I asked why am I like this?

But looking back if these things didn’t happen, if I was in a perfect family would I then know God?

And if I didn’t make any mistakes would I need Jesus?

I realise that these trials have led me to Christ and also relate to the pain and suffering of another person. I have known God deeply in my suffering and therefore I can comfort others with the comfort I have received through Christ.

I know He has grieved when I have grieved. And I am forever grateful for this intimate fellowship with God Himself.

I understand God is Holy and He hates sin but I am glad He loves sinners. Jesus said that He leaves the 99 to find the one who was lost. I was lost and I am glad that despite my sins God Himself pursued me.

He came in flesh to relate to everything- trials, weakness and suffering, yet without sin. It was His compassion and steady love through the cross and resurrection that saves.

He is, therefore, our Perfect Priest who makes intercession on our behalf for grace and mercy. Therefore being our strength in times of affliction.

I don’t want to minimise the pain of a broken relationship, adversity, loss or injustice. What I want to do is magnify the truth that despite a dark and a broken world God is Sovereign.

And that’s a reason to rejoice because He makes ALL things (every detail of your life) work together for good and His Glory.

Moreover what I have learnt through these dark times is that my greatest gain is the presence of Christ Himself, His fellowship, His peace, His Strength and grace through the Holy Spirit.

The good news doesn’t just stop at salvation and reconciliation to God. But it goes beyond and is ongoing through His sanctifying work in us through these trials to make us more like Jesus.

Jesus said in this life you will have trials but be of good cheer for I have overcome them. And through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony we can be confident to overcome these light and momentary afflictions cause He is with us and in us and He is greater.

Therefore through the perils of life, I pray you will see that God is Sovereign. He is in control despite sin and brokenness. He will make all things work together for the good of those who love Him And are called according to His purpose.

Most importantly we can delight in the undeserved privilege of His sweet fellowship through His Holy Spirit, so may we treasure Him above all with all our being.

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How do I Battle Depression?

To give you a background about me, I come from a broken family and my parents were separated when I was young.

I have always longed for love and that led me to some poor choices in relationships while I was growing up. So I have gone through rejection, abandonment, betrayal which led to despair, depression and a whole lot of negative emotions.

And I can honestly say that I fight these emotions every day as I have a tendency to look back at the past or get anxious about the future.

The hope in my story is Christ. I am glad that these broken paths have led me to Him. All that my heart longed for is met in Him.

My soul rejoices to know that God so loved us that He sent His only son Jesus to suffer and die on the cross and rise again on the third day so that through Him we can have eternal life.

And because He came in flesh, He alone understands the depth of my pain and suffering giving me a sure hope that I too will rise again from these momentary afflictions. (For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16)

I have found my best friend in Christ, so I can be honest in expressing my emotions and I know He is with me in my trials and sufferings. His Grace gives me the strength to face the darkness of depression and overcome it.

When I feel lonely God reminds me He will never leave me nor forsake me- Hebrews 13:5.

And when I feel burdened by my past I hold on to this –

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.- Philippians 3:13-14 God helps me with this verse to not dwell on the past and to move forward.

And when I get anxious thinking about the future Holy spirit reminds me -Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Moreover, when I feel rejected by people I am reminded I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14 this helps me understand my identity in Christ and not in rejection or approval from man.

The scriptures are life-giving and true, meditating on it helps me anchor my hope not in the fleeting things of this world but in an eternal and an unchanging God who loves and cares deeply and One who is alive and present.

Christ gives me the strength and courage to rise up each day and face the giants within and in this world.

Along with the scriptures, I am also thankful to be a part of a Church community. They encourage me in my walk to learn to grow in love with Christ and His body.

Each time I feel overwhelmed, I am reminded of Peter who walked on water while looking at Jesus but the moment He shifted His gaze He started drowning.

I can identify with him when I focus on my emotions and circumstances I feel like I am drowning. But when I surrender my pain and situation to Christ I feel steady and calm.

Finally, I hope and pray that as you meditate on the Scriptures may your eyes be fixed on Him, so that you may overcome every darkness and rejoice in the life-giving love of Christ each day.

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Poem: Mercy Triumphs!

Am I a modern day Pharisee- a white washed tomb, consumed by knowledge that I have forgotten to love?
Or am I Hosea’s wife, caressing an adultress world satisfying lust and greed?
There’s a deep thirst that’s unquenchable
Even the best things in the world seems to miss.
Ah! All is vanity under the sun.

Passing by wounded lives, unmoved,
Whatever happened to the child who would break at the sight of hate.
Why am I changing to look like the world compromised and cold?

A deep cry, a raging storm with a beautiful mask
How I wish one can look deep within
You promised you can
My heart longs for You my Saviour
Rescue me before my heart grows cold

You said even in my abundant sin your grace would abound
You promised to rescue me even if I make my bed in hell. And Yes You did, You found me.
Even though I run far away from You. You relentlessly pursue me
My wounded heart screams vengeance
But then Your sweet Spirit reminds me You were pierced for me
Broken and rejected for me
There on the cross, you bled for my transgression
Making a plea of forgiveness for my offenders
Gently whispering –“You’ll rise my love. Just follow me and see mercy triumph.”

Visit her blog: Beauty for Ashes

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Poem: Raised From The Dead!!!

Dressed pretty with bandages that wrap my wounds and dead and broken dreams,
People dread to unwrap these bandages fearing the mess and the unpleasant stench,
They mourn the death and convinced its all over,
Where no one else can see or can reach.
Deep cried unto deep,
A cry for life.

Jesus you visit me while everyone else said its too late,
You call me by my name,
Your words breathe life into this dead being,
You unwrapped the messy and stinking wounds that none want to catch a glimpse of,
You are the balm that healed my brokenness,
You alone loved me and cared to rescue me from my grave clothes,
Your love covered the multitude of death, sin and brokenness
You clothe me with a garment of praise
Your love is true life!

 

Visit her blog: Beauty for Ashes