inkhorn

**This post first appeared on Indiaanya ** Have you ever been asked this question, “Did you have a love marriage or an arranged marriage?” When I was asked this the first time, it stumped me for a bit because I couldn't classify my marriage under either! When I was twenty-four my parents and I moved to Chennai. This was the first time I had lived in the land of my origins. Having spoken only English and Hindi all my life, hearing Tamil all around me was a bit of a shocker. To add to all the confusion, since I was at the “ideal marriageable age” my parents started getting questioned by relatives and friends, “So when are you getting your daughter married?” or “Twenty-four? That's old. You should do something soon otherwise she won't find anyone,” or “What criteria are you looking for? Nadar?” That was when I realised that being from a particular community and caste meant a lot, even to Christians. The most provoking question, though, had to be, “How much gold are you ...

It seems like I’ve come back full circle to a crucial lesson in my walk with God; a lesson that I thought I’d learned. Surprisingly, I’m finding myriad facets to the single issue; like a kaleidoscope, every time I come back to it, I see a new pattern! Which brings us to my pet peeve – waiting! I’ve said it before – I’m not very good at it! (Which is probably why He takes His time teaching me so many aspects of it! And here I was, misguidedly thinking I’d got the hang of it!) So frankly, waiting gets my goat! Especially, when I have His promises to show me what lies ahead! The intermediate “waiting” period, I find interminably boring! I itch to get things started; just a gentle nudge to get the ball rolling. Not overtly “making things happen”, but rather, a word here, an action there, just to push events along to the inevitable conclusion – His will, not mine! I’d seriously never seen any harm in it! Again, misguided! In the recent mini crisis that landed on my lap, I employed ...

I waited for you beside the waters But you did not come. And as I gazed at my reflection, I saw the quiet surface, Ripple and furl. Sunlight that had danced his way Through the billows, Now hid himself, Shying away from what the waters showed – me! The still waters turned choppy And I, lone and cold, Waited for you But you did not come. I ranted and raved, And ordered Him to tell you to come. I was waiting after all. Was it so unfair what I asked? In the silence, And the cold, With only the North wind for company, I finally knelt, Too spent to weep, And gave Him what I’d been holding Tightly to my heart – you. The wind died and The waters stilled. And I saw my watery visage again. The sunlight deigned to grace me With his presence, This time! It dawned on me I had been placing the wrong order. He was leading me to you Not the other way round! So I have begun to walk. Along the green pastures, And beside the still waters; Sometimes dark valleys...

Isaiah 25:9 “Behold this is our God; We have waited for Him and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Waiting is a part of every Christian’s life. The knowledge that at the end of the wait there is redemption, and hope in that redemption, is what gives us the grace to wait. The verse goes a step further and says that we will rejoice and be glad in the midst of waiting – not just at the end of the wait. Isaiah 30:12 “You despise this word and trust in oppression and perversity and rely on them.” The evidence of problems and hardship seem to be more true and real than the Word. The Word says that God blesses those who trust in Him and wait for Him. But that seems to last forever - the waiting I mean - and nothing seems to happen. On the other hand when things go wrong, those circumstances seem more real than God’s promises. Isaiah 30:15,16 “In returning and rest you shall be saved. In quietness and confidence sh...