JUDGING THE JUDGE

How funny are we humans that bearing in mind our immortality and being witnesses of our own limited nature, we at times bestow upon ourselves what we have no authority over, pose to take from the giver and give the destroyer yet the giver holds it all. Raising ourselves to the throne of judging over what we don’t control and rule on whom to give and take from yet we have non to give but all received in equal measure.

What audacity that drives us to judge the judge, impersonating ourselves to the mighty throne and even proclaim that we take from the giver that which He is the only possessor and to him who takes from others we proclaim to give in plenty.

Up on the high hill for all to see our triumph and his shame we raise Him bound on a tree. The pain of torn flesh and sourness of vinegar we afflict Him. A crown of thorns the king we crown and proclaim victory over Him.

To Him who gives life and breath we took both and to the murderer we gave a new lease. To Him who absorbs our pain and gives relief we repaid with pain. He who quenches our thirst until our cup rennet over we gave sour vinegar. To Him who clothes our nakedness we exposed, yet He bore all these with humility so that we may have life and have if in full.

What great pain we cause you when we tear thy flesh and shame you by our deeds; the same deeds that you suffered on our behalf for. May you stir in us to use our new lease for thy glory and for the good of humanity.

RITH@.

THE JOY OF CONFESSION

What wisdom is there in labouring to achieve a goal yet when it is presented before your very eyes you turn away wanting yet cannot have? Seated on the pew my mind drifts away to my own world of questions and answers. “Why do I come to church? Why did I wake so early leaving the warm bed to come to church? Am I here on a routine to mark the end of another week or is it because those I love associating with are here? Why, why, why do I come to church?” all these questions bang my mind as I look at the overflown congregation and wonder why they too are here.

Some might be here because they love the routine and have been used to it; I am not a lover of routine thus I must be here for another reason. Some gather because their friends are gathered yet others to praise and worship their maker. Of all these I wonder which brings me. Why do I come sing, praise and worship? It surely is not solely for the sake of praising itself but the joy of being at peace in the Lord.

If that is my sweet and noble reason then I pause the answers and ask myself how foolish I am. Is it not the same Christ that I am seeking that the priest presented before my very eyes and instead of rushing to receive Him that I may be in Him I guiltily look away? What difference is there between me and the hired musicians whose motive is just to entertain the guests if I turn down the invitation to share in the goodness of the Lord?

I however reflect on the state of the vessel of my heart and finds guilt of its contents. I myself carry in me a witness of my own faults which are numerous. It is the weight of these that kept me on the set while others went to be with Him. It sounded prudent to sit down my vessel than add the burden by having Him in a corrupt state. But what prudence is there in a young person; the epitome of God’s good creation, refraining from being at peace with God?

Is it my sin or folly that keeps me in the filth of my own deeds? It’s my not sin but foolishness I see that keeps me from God. My sins He is ready to forgive and make the base of my vessel as white as snow if only I turn and repent. Just a step of faith and acceptance of my faults are enough to compel me to seek the face of the Lord. In seeking His face will I repent and by my confession regain the status as His beloved son. Why then don’t I turn y face to the light of His grace and be at peace?

A troubled man I resolve to leave my folly; I will go to my father and ask for pardon and I am sure he will not deny me to be with Him. After the pardon I now feel lighter and at peace. I am now merry heeding the call to receive Him to be in me for I am in Him. All the folly is gone and as my heart sings praise from the depth of my soul to the highest of mountains, I confess how sweet the source of my delight is. Am glad that in Him my soul has found rest and invites other too to taste His kindness and see that He is good.

RITH@.

RESTLESS HEART

Mighty are thy deeds, great are your works oh Lord who sunrise till sundown labour ceaselessly gathering a people to yourself. You are indeed good Oh Lord and all you have created deserves to give you praise. Man; a little piece of your creation desires to sing you praise from the depth of his heart to the highest of mountains. Bearing in himself his mortality carry in him the witness of his own sins yet you stir in him to take pleasure in praising you since you have for yourself made us and our hearts would remain restless were they not to rest in thee.

Grant me to know and understand, you whose wisdom is immeasurable. Why does man; the epitome of your good creation, turn against the light of your graceful face and try to follow what he thinks as his own? Work of your hands and breath of your breath ought to labour doing that which pleases you. Oh merciful Lord, you are more democratic than the most democratic of our nations. So unrestrictive that you would not though in a position to restrict our will. You continue to call us to yourself but don’t restrict our willing away when we choose.

You are greater than the great and lesser lights; your face illuminates the world and brightens all it falls on. Yet Oh Lord we turn our backs to your light and face away enjoying the beauty of the creation you illuminate forgetting to praise you their source and keeping ourselves from the grace of thy light. What folly is in us that thou witnesses that you resist the proud; we pride ourselves in enjoying what you have rightfully created as thou we owned it and give no regard to you?

You open your palm and all that you have created is fed, in you the troubled get their rest. You never turn back those who come back to you nor hide your face to the prodigals tired of soiling with the pigs. All you ask for is that we seek you and praise your holy name, yet where other than in we are we to seek you? You are already in us for from your breath we breathe and in you we exist. Were it not for you in us, our being would not be sweet source of our delight and life of our life.

Surely man deceives himself in his wisdom; of which your folly is wiser thou you are not foolish, in trying to look for you in external creatures that stem from you not knowing you are in his own being. Grant that I should live in you, who never leave me, so that thy staff will guide me and your ear inclined hear my praise. For you and by you may I not leave the protection of your wings nor roam from the joy of knowing you. May I experience the pleasure of sucking from you the divine infancy food of which my cup overflows than experience the heat of forging my blind path away from your lighted face. May my restless heart find delightful rest in you.

RITH@.