“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” –Mark 6:34 (NIV)

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is people-watching. Whether it is while taking the public transit in the city, waiting at the airport for a flight, or walking the streets of a foreign country, I am always drawn to the faces of those who I pass by. I often wonder where they are going, where they have been, and what they must be experiencing now. It is this curiosity which draws me to people and I find it both a joy and an honour when people extend the hand of friendship and we exchange our stories with each other. Yet more and more I am coming to see people as souls in need of being in relationship with God their Creator, and that has added a whole new sense of urgency to tell others of the hope which is available through Christ.

Every day we encounter many faces. Some of them we do not know and only see for a brief second before they go their separate ways. Others we know quite well. They are our family, our friends, and our colleagues. Yet are they just faces to us? Are they but mere bodies which we are forced by circumstances to interact with? It is easy to think of people in generalization, where we can nicely fit them into our pre-conceived notions. But when we see people through the eyes of God, we see them as individuals uniquely and wonderfully made with souls that are made to be in relationship with Him. This calls us to a radical love that transcends all boundaries, yet this is a love which we can never work out in ourselves because of our sinful nature. It is only when we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts and have allowed Him to free us of our sinful nature that we are able through His Spirit to see people as how He sees them, as His precious creations in need of His restorative work. With His love overflowing from within us, His Spirit will compel us to show His compassion towards others and tell them of the eternal joy of knowing Christ as Lord and Saviour.

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.

“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them” Genesis 3:21 (ESV)

Adam and Eve could not have had it better. They lived in a perfect world created by the all-powerful hands of God where He lovingly provided for their every need. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God as a result of their deliberate choice to eat of the tree which God explicitly forbade them to eat from, the closeness they once shared with God was broken. Since God is holy He cannot tolerate even the slightest act of sin and as such He expelled Adam and Eve from the garden. Yet what is beautiful of this otherwise tragic episode in human history is how God shows His unfailing love. Despite Adam and Eve’s rejection of Him, God provides them with clothing to endure the harsh realities of their new lives in a fallen world. The animal skins foreshadow what Christ has done and will do for us by Him becoming the sacrificial Lamb for us so that through His death on the Cross we are forgiven and our relationship with God restored.

The love of God is unchangeable and inherent in His very nature. He has never been the God who oscillates between the angry God of the Old Testament and the loving God of the New Testament. Through a careful reading of Scripture His unconditional love and desire to restore His precious creations to Himself is made evident from the very beginning right through to the end. The difference between human love and God’s love is that our love is limited and can be overpowered by sin, while God’s love remains constant regardless of what we may do. He knows that no human being on this Earth can achieve His standards of righteousness and thus He will never withdraw His love and grace for us. Will we choose to accept his love so that we will no longer have to be slaves to sin and its consequences? When we allow Christ to enter our lives we will be able to experience His love as He breaks us free from our sinful nature and faithfully provides for us according to His perfect will. He will perfect His love in our hearts so that it will overflow and bring hope and life to those around us.

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.

“I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.” –Psalm 40:10 (NIV)

Does a volcano ever hold back when it erupts? We would be hard-pressed to convince ourselves that it does. I have seen footage of major volcanic eruptions and I do not believe it to be a stretch to say that volcanoes are not of the self-conscious sort. On the contrary, a volcano is not afraid to allow the magma it has stored beneath its rocky surface to be expelled into the sky and into the surrounding area. It does not say to itself that perhaps it should hold back a little and practice some self-control. Rather, it allows its lava to overflow from within and to freely pour itself over the landscape. Granted a volcanic eruption is devastating and never pleasant. But there is much to learn from its boldness.

We as humans are so unlike volcanoes. Too often we keep things to ourselves and shy away from expressing what God has done and is doing in our lives. Perhaps we fear of becoming an eyesore to others if we show His love and tell of his righteousness, and thus we resign ourselves to going with the crowd; making sure that no one knows of the work which Christ is doing within us. But when we do this, we deprive ourselves of the chance to grow in our faith and see God at work in the lives of others. When we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts and seek to abide with Him, He will cause His love and righteousness to overflow from within us. As Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7 “…God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love…”  His Spirit will embolden us to show His love to others, tell them of His righteousness with our lives, and speak of His faithfulness to us. Unlike a volcano, the overflow that will come from within us when we allow Christ’s Spirit to carry out His work will not destroy. Instead, it will only bring healing and life to all as He is made manifest in our words and actions.

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.

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” –Matthew 24:12 (NIV)

Frostbite is not a pleasant thing to have. It occurs when one has had prolonged exposure to subzero temperatures without adequate protection. As a result of this exposure to the cold, the blood vessels in the body begin to constrict; preventing the heart from pumping blood to the exposed areas. If not treated in time the affected areas can develop gangrene or even fall off as the skin tissue deteriorates. Frostbite has claimed the fingers, toes, and even limbs of soldiers fighting in freezing temperatures, scientists working in the frigid polar regions of the globe, and ordinary people who simply did not prepare for the cold. That is why we dress warmly before going out into winter’s chill; so that we are protected from the consequences of frostbite.

Sin is like frostbite to our souls. It slowly creeps into our being and in the process causes love to be cut off from our lives. While it may seem tantalizing at first, Satan uses sin to deceive us into thinking that bringing glory and pleasure to ourselves is the highest good. However, while we are being deceived, our wickedness will enslave us to destructive habits which will only bring pain and misery to ourselves and to others. Just as how frostbite causes limbs to fall off, sin will make sure that love is absent from our hearts as it directs us to the worship of ourselves. But as we see ourselves crumbling piece by piece through sin’s vicious work, we wonder if there is any way we can regain what was lost. Yet the great assurance is that there is healing and restoration through Christ. When we have allowed Him to enter our hearts and carry out His redemptive work in our lives, He will purge evil from our lives and clothe us in His righteousness. Through His death His blood has washed of our sin and through His resurrection we are given a new nature marked by His love. By being clothed with His Spirit and keeping in step with Him, sin will not gain a foothold and will thereby allow His love to shine brightly for all to see.

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.

“So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.” 2 Corinthians 12:15a (NIV)

Most people would have looked at Paul’s dedication to the Corinthian church and thought he had lost his mind. Corinth was a city mired in sexual perversions of all stripes and it earned a reputation amongst Christians and non-Christians alike as a place where deviancy thrived. Sadly, even the church of Corinth found itself entangled in the sinful and destructive pleasures of their city. Yet Paul wrote to them saying that he was willing to spend everything on them, both his resources and himself if need be. We might ask why did Paul waste his time and what little wealth he had on these depraved people. But Paul was driven by the love of God which seeks to bring restoration and life through Christ to even the vilest of sinners no matter the cost.

All of us have people in our lives we would prefer to ignore. They are like the Corinthians to us; unlovable in their unwholesome attitudes and degenerate lifestyles. Contempt, perhaps even hatred, fills our hearts whenever they come to our minds and we do not want to have anything to do with them. But if such attitudes are entrenched in our hearts, the love of God is absent from us and we are not contributing to the solution. Being resentful and scornful towards them will not help them along the path to healing. Only the love of Christ can bring hope and renewal to the lives of others. When we have allowed Christ’s Spirit to enter our hearts and transform us by His love, we will want to invest everything we have into those we have deemed unlovable. While we were covered by sin and therefore repulsive in the eyes of a holy God, in His love He reached down to us so that by His blood we are washed clean of our sins and have new life through His resurrection. Compelled by the same love through Christ’s enabling, we will sacrifice all that we have for others knowing that our Saviour did the same for us.

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.

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” -2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

When London was being bombarded by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, the city’s inhabitants would use the famous London Underground as a massive air raid shelter. As the sirens would ring throughout the city informing them that the planes of the Luftwaffe were near, the people of London would rush to the nearest subway stations for protection. There are pictures of entire families sleeping on the platforms as they waited for the bombs to stop. These underground sanctuaries kept them safe from the bombs pounding their city and they were able to rest knowing that as long as they took refuge in these subterranean shelters, they would not fear being killed. Outside the shelter death was waiting for them, but inside there was life.

Where do we turn to find protection and strength from temptation? Often to all the wrong places. If we do not willingly go forth into it, we try to seek refuge and strength in shelters that will not stand firm against the relentless assault of sin. It could be philosophies that claim to a strong moral foundation that will protect us from destroying ourselves in wickedness. Perhaps we think our own willpower will give us the strength to fight temptation and protect us from becoming ensnared. However, when temptation strikes, these shelters crumble like a building before a falling bomb. Where then can we turn to for sanctuary? It can only be found in Christ who has conquered sin and death. Through His blood the penalty for our sin is paid in full and by His resurrection we find shelter and hope in the promise of a life that is secure. When we have allowed Him to enter our hearts, He will empower us by His Spirit to fight against temptation. As we walk closely with Him, rooting ourselves in His Word and allowing Christ to train us in His righteousness, we will be safe from sin and its consequences. Should we choose to remain outside Him, we will be led along the path to a death far worse than the physical. But when we choose to remain in Him, we will find life everlasting and a peace that will never be taken away.

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.

‘“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’” –Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

Life as a student comes with its joys as well as its challenges. Perhaps one challenge which seems to be universal for students everywhere is working on essays and assignments late into the night. I remember times when I had to stay up all night in order to finish a paper due that morning. There were moments where I would wish that I could go to sleep, or at least shut my eyes. However, I knew that the moment I rested my head, I would fall deep into slumber and would not be able to finish my work. I had to pray to God for strength during those times. I knew that if I relied on my own willpower I would easily succumb to the temptation to fall asleep. But once I prayed to God to give me strength knowing that I could not carry on my own, He would always sharpen my mind and senses; giving me energy to finish my work in time and succeed by His grace.

In the same manner, how often have we wanted to let our guard down and allow temptation to lead us astray? Often times the allure of temptation is great and though we want to resist, part of us wants to indulge in sinful behaviour. Paul himself admits this struggle in Romans 7:15 when he writes that, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” We compromise with ourselves saying that a one-time tryst with sin will not harm us and that we can pull ourselves out whenever we choose to. But the reality is that once we give even the slightest allowance to sin in our lives, we have already gone too far. Sin has that nasty effect of sucking us into a downward spiral and taking us further down the path than we would be willing to go.

But where can we get the strength to fight against temptation? No matter how hard we try out of our own efforts, we always end up doing things that we do not want to do. The problem lies in the fact that we are inherently sinful and thus it is no wonder we are so vulnerable to sin because it is embedded in our nature. It is only when we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts that His blood cleanses us of our sin and we become clothed with His righteousness. Abiding in Him and keeping in step with His Spirit, He will give us the strength to walk the other way when temptation strikes and according to 1 Corinthians 10:13, “…He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” God will keep us vigilant and alert so that He may fulfil His perfect will for our lives and that we may dwell in the freedom which comes from knowing 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.