“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.

“So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” -Romans 12:5 (NIV)

Our bodies are like finely tuned machines, with each part dependant on one another. Though they are diverse in appearance and function, they work together in order to carry out the many tasks the body requires. If even one part of the body was rendered unusable, the entire body would be affected. For example, the brain can send signals to the legs to move and run, but if the legs are paralyzed or some other part of the body is preventing the legs to move, then the body will not go anywhere. Or suppose if the eyes see trouble brewing yet the mouth refuses to speak. How then will our voice be able to call out for help in that critical moment? That is why we seek treatment from doctors when something is wrong with our bodies, so that all its members will be able to work together in an effective manner.

Whether we like it or not we are all connected together in the same way as one body. Thus our attitudes and actions affect those around us. If we think that our anger and pride only affects the person that these are directed to, we are sadly mistaken for everyone will suffer in some form or another. Our selfishness and hatred can do devastating damage in our lives and just as how a spider’s web can fall apart if one thread is cut, so too will our relationships crumble. At the root of the problem is our innate sinful nature. This is what propels us to give into harmful attitudes that will only cause us to become mired in unnecessary conflict and misery. It is only when we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts that He will break the hold sin has over us so that He can begin His restorative work in our lives. When we abide in His Spirit and allow His love to shine from within us, there is no room for sin to taint our relationships with others. We will move forward together in unity as Christ propels us to love so that He may impart life to the people around 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.

“Make room in your hearts for us.” -2 Corinthians 7:2 (ESV)

My desk is the epitome of clutter. If it is messy on normal days, it looks three times as worse on days when I have to write papers and exams. With open books scattered everywhere and pages of articles jutting out from every possible nook and corner, it is as if a tornado tore right through my desk and left devastation in its wake. Sometimes I do not realize it myself, and it is only when I come to find a place to set my plate and eat before I work again that I realize how messy my desk really is. As I sift through the sea of books and papers to make room, I find other things which I do not need and set them aside so that I may focus on what is really important; eating in order to gain the nourishment and strength to press on and do well.

We live in an age where busyness is almost a virtue. While we must all strive for diligence in whatever we do, too often we become engrossed in our work and make ourselves busy for the sake of being busy. When we do this however, our minds become terribly cluttered and stress begins to take sway; tainting our interactions with others. It can come to a point where we become so absorbed with ourselves and what we need to get done that we lose sight of God and the people around us. Relationships are strained not only by the harmful things we say, but also when we are not with the people we love both in presence and in our hearts. To have our priorities skewed by a false diligence is to deprive ourselves of joy and to submit ourselves to a slavery that will only serve to destroy us piece by piece. It is only when we have made room in our hearts for Christ and have made keeping in step with Him our top priority that we will find a lasting peace and joy which will never be taken away. As we allow Him to order our lives, He will expose what does not need to be there in our hearts and attitudes so that room will be made for His love. When this happens we will make room for others so that through His love Christ may reveal Himself and restore those who are broken and in need of His restorative 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.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” –Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

One can often learn a lot about a person by the clothes he wears. Clothes can send a message about a person’s background, attitude, and personality even before the wearer utters a word himself. We can discern a person’s profession by the uniform he wears and their ethnicity on occasions where they would wear their native dress. Even more important is how a person wears his clothes. If an office worker shows up to his workplace wearing a neatly kept suit, it reveals his discipline, and commitment to represent his company well. Conversely, if a person should come to work wearing a suit, but one that is unkempt, it reflects his blasé and careless attitude towards his job. Whether we like it or not, people are always watching us and how we present ourselves before others is a choice we all have to make.

The love and righteousness of Christ are like clothes which we wear. They are beautifully designed, immaculately clean, and are gifts which Christ is more than willing to offer. Yet in our fallible human wisdom we choose not to wear them. Like little children who are excited about recieving new clothes, yet are unable to let go of a cherished shirt or dress that is worn and torn, we are comfortable wearing our clothes of sin and in fact prefer it. However, we do not realize how worn they are and how we are cheating ourselves out of something that is better than what we have. Once we have realized the filthiness of the clothes of sin which we are wearing, we try to wash the grime and mend the holes they have by ourselves. But we soon realize that we can do nothing to repair these clothes for our sinful nature is something that needs to be done away with entirely. Only Christ can give us new clothes of His love and righteousness and we receive them when we have allowed His Spirit to reside in our hearts. These clothes however come with a choice. Will we choose to return to our old clothes and shame ourselves by allowing sin to be displayed in our lives? Or will we choose today to allow Christ to help us put on His garments of love so that Christ may restore our lives as He draws others to Himself?

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.

“Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.” -1 Thessalonians 4:9 (NIV)

Learning a new language can be notoriously difficult. There are two languages in which I am actively working towards achieving fluency, Hindi and Japanese. But as with any other foreign language, both these languages present challenges that must be overcome. One must get used to different sounds, learn a whole new set of vocabulary and idioms, and be able to correctly apply grammatical rules that can be vastly different from those of one’s native tongue. Yet those who have achieved fluency in another language testify to their discipline and humility as students. It takes that constant commitment to learn from textbooks, teachers, and native speakers in order to come to a point where one will be able to think, speak, and write in the language of their study.

Loving others is like a foreign language to our fallen nature. Since all of us have been corrupted by sin, it is hard for us to be fluent in love. Despite our best efforts to speak and show love to others, invariably we fall back on the language of our sinful nature which is pride and selfishness. Love is not something that comes to us naturally because sin has hindered our capacity to love with no conditions or limitations. Only Christ, who is love and perfect in His love, can teach us how to love each other as He has loved us. When we allow His Spirit to reside within us, He will train us in His love so that we may be able to speak life into others. But this can only happen when we have submitted ourselves wholly to His Spirit and with humility make that choice to surrender our attitudes to Him so that He may carry out His work in our lives. As we continue to keep in step with His Spirit and allow Him to teach us how to love, we will lose our fluency in sin and become conversant in His love and righteousness so that others will be drawn to 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.

“For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” –Philemon 1:7 (ESV)

Coconut water is very refreshing. It is sold in many tropical countries and is often drunk straight from the coconut itself. When I was travelling in India we once had to climb up a hill to visit a new school that was being built. Even though it was late December it was still quite hot and I could feel the sweat sticking to my back as we climbed. At the summit of the hill there was a family selling coconut water and we bought some to satisfy our thirst. As I felt the coconut water poured down my throat I felt rejuvenated and my exhaustion disappeared. Standing there drinking coconut water after a day of travelling made the lush surroundings of the summit, with the setting sun spreading its colors against the sky, look all the more beautiful.

Philemon was like coconut water for not only Paul, but for all he came into contact with. It seemed that many would agree with Paul’s description of Philemon and considering how Paul was relentlessly persecuted, it is not surprising that he would write that Philemon’s love was a joy and comfort to him. What about us? Would we be able to claim that our love and the attitudes which flow from within us are refreshing for others? The truth of the world is that it is weary. It groans under the weight of sin and injustice. It mourns over the consequences of wrong choices. Are our attitudes doing anything towards the healing and restoration of the world? Or are they only exacerbating the problem? If sin has control over our hearts, then we are unable to be refreshing and act in perfect love no matter our most earnest of efforts. It is only when we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts that He will make His love shine forth from within us. As His Spirit continues to work out His love in our lives, He will make us refreshing to others so that they may come and drink of the living water which Christ offers; finding an eternal hope and joy which will never be taken away.

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.

“without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,” -2 Timothy 3:3 (NIV)

It has been argued that revolutionaries are amongst the most loving people in the world. In some cases there does appear to be a hint of truth in that statement. So great is their love for their nation and countrymen that they will risk all that they have in the service of creating a better society for all to live in. However, because a revolutionary’s love is but mere human love, it can easily be hijacked by sin. In their zeal, a revolutionary is quick to find enemies and persecute them with ruthless brutality. Their love does not extend to those they have deemed deserving to be punished for their crimes, whether real or imagined. Thus in the past century so many innocent lives have been snuffed out by these revolutionaries who claim to love by taking justice to a revolting extreme in the name of weeding out so-called “villains”.

Justice is something that is desirable and good. God Himself is a God of justice and desires that His righteousness be upheld. Yet too often we get carried away by the cause of justice and allow ourselves to fall into sin. How often do we look down upon those guilty of heinous crimes with anger or scorn? How often do we relish the thought of them receiving the harshest of sentences? It seems that we quickly forget Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:22 that, “anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” All of us are deserving of punishment under God’s holy standards. None of us, despite all our efforts to live moral lives can ever match God’s standards and vindicate ourselves before Him. Yet because God is a God of love He wants to redeem us so that we may not face eternal judgement, and instead partake in the joy and hope which comes from being in a relationship with Him. Through Christ’s death the penalty for our sins has been paid in full and by His resurrection we are made new in His sight. What right then do we have to withhold love and forgiveness from others when Christ Himself has forgiven us? When we have allowed His Spirit to take control of our attitudes, His love will overflow from within us, bringing healing and hope to those who desperately need it.

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.