“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)

“So wait…we’re not going to Thailand?”

A silence born out of shock filled the room as the sad announcement was being delivered by our speaker in morning devotions. Due to technical problems which arose in the engine room, we will have to arrive in Penang, Malaysia earlier than scheduled after we leave Vishakhapatnam, India. There is a certain part which can only be obtained from Penang and to journey any farther than necessary without it would be hazardous. This meant that we would have to bypass Phuket, that beautiful resort port in southern Thailand. From a safety standpoint the decision was sound and no one questioned that it was right course of action to guarantee the safety of all onboard.

However, this did not change the fact that it was still a disappointment. Many on the Logos Hope were looking forward to sail into Phuket and experience all its wonderful sights and sounds; myself included. Some had planned short vacations with friends. Others were in the process of co-coordinating ministry opportunities amongst the people there. With our visit to Phuket cancelled, those plans were clearly not happening.

When situations like this arise, the question invariably shifts to why. Why did God allow this to happen? For what reason? For what purpose? But if God has taught me anything from my time in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, it is that He always knows what He is doing.

Our stay in Hambantota was extended for three days because of technical issues. Yet within those three days God worked in such a way that still leaves me amazed at His wisdom and goodness. Those three days were perhaps the busiest anyone has seen in a long time. Each day we would get well over 10,000 visitors wanting to know what the ship was about! At one time the crowds grew to be so massive that the ship had to call everyone who was not working to help with crowd control. We would later find out from the Sri Lankan authorities that half of Hambantota district visited the ship! If it was not for the delay, we would not have been able to minister to the 186 Chinese workers who have come from mainland China to help with the development of Hambantota’s new port. Using the time God gave us we were able to host an event for them onboard the ship. Now where there was only one Christian amongst them, there are now ten others who have dedicated themselves to Christ and seek to be transformed by Him!

Had we left Hambantota on schedule, I would never have met Janaka Jayashanka; a young 25 year-old sales representative. While on an outreach day on the ship and asking God to show me who He wanted me to speak to in the seemingly never ending mass of visitors, Janaka caught my attention and we went to a quieter place to talk. After sharing with each other where we are from and talking about all manner of subjects, Janaka told me that he was worried about the future and whether he will be able to support his parents. I directed him to Jeremiah 29:11, a verse which has always stuck with me ever since I saw it painted on the walls of my middle school: “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” As Janaka took my Bible and read the verse over again his eyes were filled with assurance and joy.

“You are saying that God has a plan for me? For me?”

“Yes Janaka!” I said “For you! For you! When we hold His hand, He will always lead us towards that wonderful future He has promised and will work everything together for good. ”

As we looked at the clock it was far past closing time. We had talked for nearly an hour! Janaka left smiling, and he thanked me for giving him a glimpse into what the Bible was about. I pray that God would continue to reveal Himself to Janaka and that he would get a hold of a Sinhalese Bible so that he may read for himself about the love of Christ. I pray that Janaka will come to find rest in the eternal hope which comes from abiding in Christ and that he will know how much God cares for him and his family.

We may have our own schedules, but God has His own. Though we may see unforeseen circumstances as an inconvenience and say that nothing good can come of them, they do not surprise God. He is constantly at work fulfilling His perfect will and all He requires of us is to simply trust Him. Seeing our situations through His eyes places it all into perspective and we will be able to find hope and peace in the fact that God’s perfect plan always triumphs above everything else.

I may not be able to see the tropical paradise that is Phuket. But I move forward into Vishakhapatnam and Penang knowing that God is going to do great things and that by His grace He has allowed me to be both spectator and participant as He accomplishes His work.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” –Acts 17:26 (NIV)

Ethnic violence is still an ever present reality for many in the world. Even after the Holocaust, the civil rights movement in America, and the collapse of apartheid in South Africa, racial hatred continues to persist. The programs of one ethnic group to eliminate another, the bloody reprisals of the oppressed, together they form a cycle of bloodshed and injustice that is both tragic and horrifying. Faced with these issues, where do we begin to respond? We are all taught that racism in all its forms is wrong. But why is it wrong? Is it merely because it is a nasty and ignorant attitude to adopt, or is there a much deeper reason? To answer this question, one needs to look at humanity through the eyes of God.

Each and every one of us born into this world is created in the image of God. As an expression of His creativity, He has made us all unique; having varied physical characteristics and speaking different tongues. But these differences do not nullify the fact that before God we are all equal, both as cherished bearers of His image and as fallen creatures in need of His redemptive power. Like our forefather Adam, we have all chosen to rebel against Him and indulge in our sinful desires. This even includes turning against one another either in thought, word, or action, and in effect spitting upon those whom God has lovingly created. But God does not want us to be bound to our sin. He knows the destruction that it will cause both to ourselves and to the people around us. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ so that all, regardless of who they are, may come to Him and be saved from their sin. If Christ has shown such impartial love, what right do we have to withhold it from others? When we have allowed Christ to enter our lives and seek to conform ourselves to Him, we will see with new eyes. Through Him we will understand that all men are precious in His sight, each of whom God has a specific plan for, and in need of His grace.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“‘If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying “I repent,” you must forgive them.’” –Luke 17:3-4 (NIV)

Forgiveness is not something which comes naturally for us. The resentments and grudges we hold, and our willingness to hold onto new ones, continues to remind us of this fact. When we have been slighted and hurt by someone else, it is easy to allow anger and bitterness to settle in. We might boast about our abilities to forgive, but we will always be reminded that our forgiveness has limits. The moment we declare an action to be unforgivable we have confessed to ourselves that we are unable to show that unconditional love and grace we are so keen to show off. We may be able to forgive the first time, and perhaps even the second. But our patience soon begins to wear thin, and we deem our offenders not worthy of our mercy.

Why choose forgiveness? When we are faced with injustice we want our enemies to feel retribution, not give them clemency. But if we allow our desire for revenge to fester, it will consume us. We will become prisoners of our anger, and we will soon find that in our thoughts, words, and actions, we will have fallen into sin. As children of Christ we forgive because we do not deserve it ourselves. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standards. Yet, in His unfailing love, God sent down His Son, Jesus Christ, so that through Him we may find forgiveness. When we accept this free gift of salvation and allow the Spirit of Christ to cleanse us of our sin, we are able to stand before God not because of anything we have done, but by the grace He has willingly shown us. If He does not withhold forgiveness from us no matter what we do, why should we refrain from doing so as His children? Only through allowing Christ’s Spirit to perfect His love in us will we be able to truly extend the hand of forgiveness; in that finding freedom and life.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” –Luke 18:11-13 (NIV)

In Roman-occupied Judea, tax collectors had a notorious reputation. They were seen as swindlers who would cheat the people into paying large amounts of money that the state did not actually require. These tax collectors would give the mandatory amount demanded by the Roman government, and then pocket the remainder for themselves. Thus, the Pharisee had reason condemn the tax collector of being a sinner. But if the tax collector is guilty of sin, then the Pharisee is just as guilty as him! In boasting in his own righteousness before God and his haughty derision for the tax collector, the Pharisee was blind to the fact that he was sinning right before God Himself! Pride had taken over the Pharisees’ heart and Jesus says that it was the tax collector who, with humility admitted his sin before God and sought forgiveness, left with God’s favour.

No one is perfect; not even ourselves. All men have fallen short of the glory of God. Though in our minds we may think that we are morally superior to those around us, the very fact that we have such thoughts shows how prideful we are. This then leads to the worship of ourselves instead of God; in our arrogance thinking that we can achieve moral and spiritual perfection without the help of God. But the truth is that in the eyes of the One who is the embodiment of holiness and perfection, none of us will be able to stand before Him and claim that they are righteous. However there is hope! God knows that we cannot match His holy standards by our own efforts. For this reason He sent Christ so that through His death and resurrection we may be made spotless and pure as He bestows upon us His righteousness. What right do we have then to claim that we are better than anyone else? All of us need God’s grace everyday; a grace that He is always willing to give. When we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts He will correct our pride so that His love may overflow from within us. With humble hearts we will be able to bear witness to the work of Christ in our lives and draw others into the hope which is available through Him.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” -Micah 7:18 (NIV)

Mercy and forgiveness are just as embedded in the character of God as His righteousness and justice. In His perfect holiness, God has no tolerance for sin. Therefore, He allows the consequences of man’s sinful choices to come to pass. However, He does not do this out of spite, but only so that we may realize the destruction that wickedness causes in our lives. God does not take pleasure in inflicting suffering upon us. On the contrary, it grieves Him whenever He must use the rod of correction. Sin in our lives has separated us from God.  This was not part of His perfect will. Man was meant to live in a fulfilling relationship with God, finding lasting peace, hope, and worth in Him and His eternal love. Throughout Scripture, we see God extending the hand of mercy and forgiveness toward humanity, the greatest example of which was the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we may be reconciled to Him.

What is most beautiful about His gift of salvation to humanity is that we are not deserving of it. Man continues to reject God by his attitudes and lifestyles, thereby rebelling against what He, in His divine wisdom, has ordained for humanity. Yet God does not withhold the gift of Christ because of our rebellion. He seeks to redeem us from the ravages of sin, and knows that we are unable to attain His righteousness on our own strength or wisdom. For this reason, He sent Christ so that, through Him, we are forgiven.  The debt of our sin is paid by His blood. When we personally accept Christ’s redemptive sacrifice and allow Him to work within our hearts, we enter into a restored relationship with Him and partake in the abundant life we have in Him. As children of Christ, we are called to bear witness to the mercy and love He has shown to us by displaying these attributes to all whom God places along our path. Only by submitting ourselves to the will of Christ and permitting Him to take control of our thoughts, words, and actions will we be able to show the unconditional grace and forgiveness of Christ; drawing others to the hope which is available through Him.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“…‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;” –Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

Thinking about the inevitability of winter makes me shiver. I would much rather prefer the heat of summer over its frigid touch. But if there is one thing about winter I look forward to seeing, it is the first snowfall. Every time the season comes around, I stop whatever I am doing to simply gaze out the window and watch as the snowflakes gracefully descend from the sky. Covering the autumn earth with a glistening white blanket, it reminds me of the grace and forgiveness we have through Christ. Though we were dead in our sins, through Christ we are covered by His righteousness. It is His restorative work in our lives which makes us pure as freshly fallen snow.

Sometimes we feel that we are outside of the grace of God. Looking at the depravity of our sin, we say to ourselves that there is no possible cure for us. We find it hard to believe that God can forgive us of our wickedness because we feel that we cannot forgive ourselves. But the truth is that where our forgiveness has limitations, His grace does not. Just as how the falling snow covers all that it touches, the forgiveness and grace we have through Christ is total. His love is greater than our sin and His redemptive sacrifice is not deficient. Christ underwent only one death and one resurrection, so that through Him we are completely cleansed and restored. Will we grab of that which Christ has promised us? When we allow Him to enter in our hearts and take hold of the hope that we have through Him, we are made spotless and pure by His blood shed for us on the cross. In believing that His death and glorious resurrection was meant for us, His Spirit takes up residence within our hearts. Clothed with His righteousness that comes with being made one in Christ, we now embark on an intimate journey with Him that promises life eternal.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” –Proverbs 16:7 (NIV)

It can be exasperating dealing with particularly difficult people. In our eyes, it seems that they are bent on not giving us a moment’s peace; deliberately trying to cause conflict in order to sabotage the already tense relationship we share with them and arouse our ire. The worst thing we could do however is to allow our rage to take reign over our thoughts and actions. Not only will we serve to be contributors to disunity and strife, but it will blemish our witness for Christ. We must always be aware of the fact that in our actions and reactions, we bear witness to Christ living within us. True peace will not flourish if we have permitted sin to taint our anger and indignation.

How then are we to live in peace with those around us? Dwelling in harmony with those whom we consider our enemies seems like an impossibility that will never be realized. But when we listen to Christ’s Spirit living within us, allowing Him to help us live in a manner that is fitting of one who is His child, He will guide our thoughts and actions in such a way as to display His love and righteousness through us. If we try to create peace by attempting to live according to Christ’s example and His teachings through our own efforts and strength, we will fail. His standard on how His children should act in love and forgiveness is too lofty for us to attain because our flawed human nature dictates that if our enemy takes out our eye, we should take out not only his eye but his leg too! Only when we allow Christ to enter into our hearts and break sin’s hold over our lives will we be able to live as children of Christ through His enabling. People may be relentless in their antagonism towards us. But when we choose to remain in Christ, allowing Him to purge us of any malicious attitudes we may have and guide our thoughts, words, and actions, our adversaries will not be able to remain justified in their anger. When they see Christ’s love and grace overflowing from our lives, they will slowly see that no weapon of theirs can overcome the goodness that is Christ our Lord. They will be drawn to the restorative work that He is doing in our lives, and can do for them as well if they choose to seek after Him.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.