Isaac and Ishmael

Just some thoughts that came to me... That can be applied for that which God has promised us.
- Isaac was the son of the spirit whereas Ishmael was the son of the flesh.
- Isaac was born out of a union ordained by God. Ishmael was a (wo)man ordained union between the consecrated and the gentile.
- Isaac was the son of the promise whereas Ishmael was never part of the plan.
- Isaac was part of a future that only God could see and Ishmael was an effort to try to make that something more 'tangible'.
- Isaac was the fruit of patience and waiting upon the Lord. Ishmael was the result of trying to 'speed things up'.
- Isaac was conceived in the perfect will of God whereas Ishmael was birthed out of human understanding.
- Isaac was to be the father of the greatest blessings and Ishmael rose to become his greatest obstacle.
- Isaac was humanly impossible, completely supernatural. Ishmael was humanly possible, completely natural.
- Isaac was the result of one man's belief in his God. Ishmael was the one time compromise on that belief.
- Isaac was the effect of the covenant between man and God whereas Ishmael was the union of man with his flesh.
- Isaac was the prince of royalty. Ishmael was the proof of the oneness with a slave.
- Isaac was to be a blessing to the nations. Ishmael was the selfish ambition for a personal dream.
- Isaac brought only laughter. Ishmael brought rebellion and strife.
- Isaac was a sign of change towards a higher identity. Ishmael was part of a lower past.
- Isaac came at the very time God promised. Ishmael was 'timed'. 
- For Isaac to receive his inheritance, Ishmael had to be sent away.
- Isaac stood for everything good and perfect. Ishmael was always a part of a problem/ struggle.
- Isaac fell in love with the things of God. Ishmael was controlled by the flesh.
Finally Isaac was the forefather of the Son of God. Ishmael was the father of earthly kings.

For all I have lost

The Lord gave, and the Lord taketh away
Blessed be the name of the Lord.....
.... job 1:21

This was my reading for today. The Matthew Henry commentary says that this verse, according to the original, can also read, "...the Lord gave. Bless his name. The Lord taketh away. Bless his name..." Something about that really strikes me. In other words,
1).....bless the Lord when he gives, bless the Lord when he takes away.
OR
2).... bless the Lord for what he gives, bless the Lord for what he takes away.
Ok the first one I get. Yet will I praise him. We praise him in the storm. No matter what we still bless him
But the second one... hmmm.... the Lord takes away. And then our response is not confined to despair and questioning. To grudgingly bring ourselves to 'thank the Lord'. But to actually give a positive response. To actually be happy about it. Not in spite of it. Or through it. Or in it. But FOR it. You see, because if we are thankful for the what he has taken away, it ceases to be something removed, something lost. There is no longer a storm.
Then I look at the next chapter...
... shall we receive good from the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil...
I think of the things I have lost. Those that I held dear. Those that I loved. Can I actually thank God for losing them?
Is it possible that I am so wrapped up in my God that the giving and the taking away no longer matters.
That I can receive loss with the same mind that I do gain.
That I am so focused on the giver of it all that I lose sight of what happens around me.
The giving. And the taking away. All as one.
I still bless his name.
Not for all that I have gained.
But for all that I have lost.

Birthday

Did I mention I'm a sucker for birthdays...???
Yup... totally!
Always have, always will...
I'm one of those people who plan for birthdays a year in advance... decide on the gift, the celebration... so you can imagine the pressure on my friends when my birthday comes around!! :-P
Anyways... this birthday was special. Went on a well-deserved 7 days break. A break from all things personal and accademic. (N-E-E-T!! :-( )
The first three days was spent with family in vellore and included all things 'home' like food, sleep, more food... and birthday pampering like cake, gifts, new haircut, more food... :-)
The next four days was in the Intouch Fellowship camp, Bangalore. The most refreshing and jejuvenating experience. Worship, word, the holy spirit and lots and lots of fun and friends.
So, all in all, it was exactly what I needed and I'm now all set for the year ahead. Bring it on!