Saturday, March 12, 2011

Sunday Blessings - Keep your Flashlight Ready


The  above  photos  were  taken  by  Ashish and  Megan  in Tura  ,  North East  India. This  is  a jungle  tree  house used as an observation  post  and  living  quarters. This  one  is  a  tourist  holiday  lodge. The  inside  looks  so  comfy  and  adventurous.  You  can  see  Megan  and  Namrita  enjoying  the  interior with  the  children exploring.

Now  to  a  more  sombre  subject  which  is  disturbing  us  this  weekend.
As  waves   the  Japan disaster   news hits  our  television screens we  grieve   for the  nation  of  Japan  and  watch  helplessly  as  survivors  struggle  to  extricate  themselves  from the  debris  and  desolation around  them.

Japan  is  the   3rd  largest  economic power (BBC) and  one of the  most  technologically  advanced  country  of  the  world. It  has  suffered  such  massive  loss   and  damage.  And  now  the  explosion  in  the nuclear  reactor. Tonight  BBC  is  reporting  1700  dead. What  would  have  happened if this  calamity  had  taken  place in an  underdeveloped   and  backward   country? Strange  question  you may   say ,  but  I  can 't  help  thinking about  it. Nature treats  everyone  the  same. And  the    damage  uncontrolled, Haiti  is  an example.

Last  night  while  the  news  channels  were  beaming  the  horrifying   news  and  visuals a BBC  reporter  solemnly  announced  that  it  was 9pm in Japan and  people were   out  on  the  streets fearing  aftershocks. My  dear  mother in  her  simple   way  heaved  a  great  sigh  of  relief  and  said she  was  glad the  people  of  Japan have  torches (flashlights). And  friends  in  the  middle  of  all  that  disaster  I  couldn 't  help  but  laugh. Mother lays  great  store by  torches  and  flashlights  in the  dark -  its  a  Mom thing.

But  its  good  advice -  to  keep  your  torch ready, by  your  side.
 And hold  it  up  high.
Your  torch  of  faith
and  trust  in God.
Let  it  shine  all  around  you.
Let  people  see  your light.
Keep  your lamps   trimmed  and  well  oiled like  the wise  ladies in the  PRARABLE  OF  jESUS

Matthew 25:1-13 (New International Version, ©2011)


The Parable of the Ten Virgins

1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

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