Skip to main content

The lonely remnant?

I am reminded of how lonely it can be when you choose to do unique and obscure activities. Growing up I was privileged to learn rarely played sports in my country, or at least in my part of town. I learned rugby, cricket and hockey. The prime motivator for this was our PE Master, Mr Nathan. We were a rare breed. There was one year when our class decided to have a rugby match with another class, and we got special permission to play during school time. It was a memorable game as we played on while it rained. It was rugby in the rain! Following Jesus could also make you a rare breed.

Romans 11:3-4
“LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

Paul brings us back to the Old Testament where Elijah is told that he is not alone. God has identified a remnant of Godly men who have not bowed to Baal. Following Jesus can be lonely. But God reminds us that we are surrounded by a remnant who are all saved by the grace of God. Yes, human tendency is to rely on good works, and obedience of the laws of God. However, we can never measure up to this standard using human effort. Not even for the children of Abraham. It is only by God's grace that we can be saved. It is only by joining this obscure group of followers of Jesus that you will be saved. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me."

Father, I am a follower.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

276 Safe - An appropriate headline for a miracle

Are we there yet? I can just hear my children asking, when they were young. When you are on a long journey, or even a short one, children get restless about being confined to a car during a journey.  I do not blame them because they have limited or no historical experience to rely on. Thankfully the mode of transport available to us today is diverse and efficient to get us to a place faster than years ago in the days of animal drawn carriages and wind driven vessels. In Paul's days the best way for him to travel to Rome was on a sailing ship. Acts 27:2 So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. This was no cruise ship. And after boarding this regional vessel, they transferred to a ship going to Italy. But the weather conditions were against them unexpectedly. Seasoned sailors made the wrong call. A teacher of the law and now tentmaker was "giving advise" not to sail...

My Journey of Faith

Sreedhar standing to the left of his grandfather in the center Almost 55 years ago a son was born to a Hindu family.  The parents were 2nd generation Malaysians raised in a rubber estate near a small town called Sungei Petani in Northern Malaya at that time.  This first child was given much love and care by their parents and had the privilege of growing up in 3 different states of Malaysia, most of which was in Petaling Jaya.  He was blessed with his first domestic airplane ride when he was 10 years old, and made his first trip by airplane to Bangkok at the age of 11.  In the mid 1970's the family moved to a large house in a relatively exclusive neighborhood in Petaling Jaya. This was a result of the favor his father, aged about 35 at that time, had in the workplace,. As a result, this son grew up in a mostly multicultural environment with Indian, Chinese and Malay children.  In the process, his perspectives became cosmopolitan and racially neutral.  On...

No fear, a miracle is coming

Are you ready for miracles? Are there things going on in your life that can only be changed or improved by a miracle? We sometimes come to the end of ourselves and do not know where to turn. We become desperate. You don't have to. Believe in the God of the Universe who created the heaven and the earth. We do have someone to turn to in times of need. God is ready to do exceedingly abundantly over all we can ask or imagine. Brother Yun (a Chinese Christian Minister of the Gospel), aka "Heaven Man" , had an extraordinary experience of a prison escape in China ( video interview with Brother Yun ) similar to the one recorded in Acts Chapter 12. Acts 12:5-7 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a l...

All must engage

There are so many conflicts in the world today that it is very difficult to keep up. The other day I shared about the problems in Venezuela. And then there are more bombings aimed at Israel. And yet again, notwithstanding that some of you reading this may feel it unfair, Israel is preserved. Psalm 69:35-36, For God will save Zion And build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it. Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, And those who love His name shall dwell in it. There is a promise, and only God knows how it will be fulfilled. The impossible becomes possible because God is in charge. The trajectory for His Word to go forth to all peoples is set. Much evil is trying to prevent this. But, no weapons formed against us shall succeed. The technologies in place today allows instant reach of billions. The people of God have been prepared for this day, and now must be mobilized to engage in this ministry of reconciliation. There is no time to waste wh...

A promise that demonstrates great interest and care in our well being

We commonly call someone who has helped us significantly with something or a good person, "You are an Angel".  I am reminded of the angels God sends to be around us for our protection and to carry out God's instructions for our well-being. Many of us may wish that our eyes would be opened to see the angels of God around us. Zechariah speaks of seeing angels over Jerusalem. Indeed Jerusalem has a special place in God's heart. Zechariah 2:3-5 And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” Not only does Zechariah speak of angels and God speaking over Jerusalem, he also speaks of a crucial matter that will happen in the future.  It is a promise of...

Heavenly courage and capability

Anybody reading this belongs to the military or was in the military? I commend you if you were. Whatever reason you were part of the military, it takes great courage to perform your role. If you are protecting the sovereignty of a country and you go beyond the call of service, your work is beyond anything money can pay. Such a person that acted in this manner was Abram. Genesis 14:14, Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. Abram had 318 men and he was going after 4 kings who just defeated 5 kings. He was rescuing, among others, his nephew Lot and his family. He is acknowledged and blessed by Melchizedek . Genesis 14:18-20, Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High...