A Father's Fierceness

On my top ten favorite movies is "The Patriot" another "Wild At Heart" movie. I wonder why I didn't post this much earlier but I guess everything appears and happens on time in the seasons of your heart. I have spliced two clips here to show and talk about the fierceness of a father.

The movie is set during America's war of independence from the British. Benjamin Martin the hero of the story is a single father of seven children and owns land and property in the Carolinas. Though a former war hero he has taken a stand not to fight the British in spite being pursued by fellow friends and citizens who want to make use of his experience as a general. He maintains that he is a father and does not have the luxury to take part in the fight, but he does make his views clear that he opposes the idea of taxation without representation and voices his opinion that this war would not be fought in some distant battlefield but right in front of their homes.

In the mean time his eldest son Gabriel has rebelled against his father wishes and has signed up as a volunteer solider to fight the British in spite of his father's protests. True to his prophetic words in the legislature the fight does come home, as his wounded son collapses at his door step. In the events that ensue the ruthless British captain recognizes Gabriel as Martin's son and want to kill him, in the chaos one of his sons rushes to protect Gabriel's and dies in stead. The British Captain gives orders to set Martin's home on fire and lead away with Gabriel as a prisoner. Benjamin Martin the warrior father collects himself with the only desire of saving his children and becomes part of a fight he long tried to avoid. The scene below is the rescue of a father in his wholesome fierceness. The youngest of his son's has never seen this part of his father and has trouble accepting him as it emotionally effects to see his father as a violent man.

Benjamin Martin becomes Captain and leads a proxy war against the British and eventually helps them win a decisive battle. The movie is great study on the aspects of Fatherhood and how we as men are created as warriors to defend our families and our nations against any kind of tyranny and oppression. Benjamin Martin's son Gabriel stands for the ideals of freedom with a vision of greater nation where men are born and treated equal; and the picture of a  father who fought alongside his son not only for the protection of his own family but who stood up for those ideals with honor and courage. In the final scenes of the movie just as he promised the father avenges by killing ruthless captain who had murdered his sons without losing sight of the higher and larger cause freedom of all people who were part of that fight, freedom for a great nation.

The first clip in the movie reminds me of a savior who came down, his blood covered face at the cross is a similar analogy but so very real, so very true all because he chose to engage the enemy in battle to defeat him and rescue us. What a picture? The fierceness of the father was to recover all that was lost!

Thoughts for the day, Shalom & Blessings,

Sam Kurien

My Favorite One!

A few days back my family celebrated my birthday, early in the morning that day one of the words that Lord gave me was from Jeremiah 31:20 and its good to record here as reminder of his everlasting goodness to me.

"Oh! Ephraim is my dear, dear son, my child in whom I take pleasure! Every time I mention his name, my heart bursts with longing for him! Everything in me cries out for him. Softly and tenderly I wait for him. (Jer. 31:20 The Message)

He asked me to replace Ephraim’s name with mine. Though overwhelmed with this promise, it has also created a personal struggle, the onus now to believe – Can the King of the Universe really think this way about me…really about me?

Yet the realities and routines of life invade and the lingering thoughts of how do I arouse my heart to completely believe what He has said, How do I stay in that state of no-worry. At the same time I am aware things are moving, He has invited us to be an ally, encouraged us and released the truth that if He indeed takes pleasure in me and hence He has also made way for courage. Now is the time to fight for the hearts of people I love. Well the time is ripe, Aslan is on the move, we must ride hard, ride hard to Minas Tirith and join the great battle in saving Middle Earth, so is our story intertwined with the great adventure of saving the world. And amongst this adventure God whispers love in quietness, in magic and in mystery.

Yeshua’s call for intimacy is clear, a battle and adventure at hand. This is the gospel. Lord arouse faith in my heart to believe I am your favorite one and just like my heart yearns for you your heart yearns for me much more.

This is the Story we are living in. May you and I play the part of being His ally well.

Blessings & Shalom,

Sam Kurien

God Honors His Servant Moses

I have long wanted to post this revelation, but for some it may not be a revelation at all. But its recorded here anyway. In the book of Numbers Yahweh tells the children of Israel that they have grumbled against Him ten times and hence they will not enter the promised land. The grieved heart of God tells the entire generation that came out of Egypt because of this very reason they will die in the desert and the only their children will enter the promised land of rest. In Leviticus we observe when a High priest committed a sin the offering was a bull which in that day's economic terms was expensive. When a common person who was poor sinned the offering was to be a female goat, these laws were instituted to accommodate that God's people were to be holy and separate. I propose this here as a side note because it gives perspective of God's heart and His fairness.

Keep this in mind Moses was the leader who was leading the children of Israel out of bondage. Throughout his career he just committed one mistake and that mistake was striking the rock when God had specifically instructed him not to. The mistake cost Moses entering into the promised land along with the same punishment that the unbelieving generation got. We see in scriptures Moses pleading God to allow him to enter the promised land but the Lord tells him not to push this matter further and that he will only be able to see it from a distance on the hill but will not enter it and that he will die and be gathered unto his fathers.

Moses dies without entering the promised land and more importantly Moses did not know what was God's plan to honor him in spite of a mistake. Fast forward now two thousand years later, God honors his servant to stand in the promised land with His son Yeshua at the mount of transfiguration along with Elijah. Little did Moses knew all along God would know the deep desire of his servant's heart and He would honor and elevate it at an extraordinarily new level. The honor was to stand with the King of the Universe Himself during His ministry on earth.

This has blessed me from time to time because God is not only the redeemer of our hearts but He is also the one who fulfills the desires of our hearts. He knows the times and those who faithfully wait and honor Him will stand honored.

Blessings & Shalom,

Sam Kurien

Grafted Into The Vine

Most of my friends know I am Zionist believing in the physical restoration of the greater state of Israel but my Zionism is deeply rooted in the Jewish-Christian faith of Theocracy where ultimately the jewish state is nothing but the garden (the Kingdom of heaven) where the  King of Kings returns to.  The city of Jerusalem in its midst where the King will take up His throne. I suspect (and this is just my theory) the future greater state of Israel or the garden will have the same dimensions of Eden and this will correspond to the steps that Abraham treaded  - being called out to the promised land to be a different nation - a model nation, and a people group chosen by Yehovah Himself. And this land of promise will include physically all the way from the river Euphrates to the north of river Nile. The dimensions of the heavenly Jerusalem will be the dimensions of the temple Solomon had built where the glory of God had come down. The city will no longer be ransacked or conquered because the King of Kings Himself will live in it and be its eternal defender.
The age old struggle between the sons of Isaac and Ishmael has to end, I believe in the promises of Ezekiel where the final solution of peace in middle east can only come about with the saving and restoration of Israel with the return of the King of Kings. But as we await this return the mandate for each one of us is knowing our place in the vine. The sons of Isaac have to stop with the struggle in their hearts that they are no longer or they don't want to be for a change "the sons of promise". God has chosen Israel as his first born, His jewel and Israel will always be the prince of God, the seed through whom the blessing and deliverance of all nations came.  The sons of Ishmael have to stop asserting their right that they are the chosen one instead of Isaac and know that just like the gentiles they are grafted into the vine because of Yeshua and His deliverance. The church needs to recognize that we are redeemed and grafted because of His blood and we are grafted into the vine because of His grace.
Thinking of  Jerusalem and the return of the King.
The Psalmist rightfully sings in:

Psalm 137:5 "If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill".

Blessings & Shalom,
Sam Kurien

The Road Not Taken?

Isaiah 45:2-3 "I Will Go Before You I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name". (Isa. 45:2-3)

I know I am sojourner, a pilgrim passing through called by a haunting call to make a journey, an adventure and God promises “I will be with your wherever you go”. I know this but somehow my mind and heart is filled with doubts. I know in my mind the promises, I know that he desires to go with me but yet there are questions. These questions are haunting in themselves and the irony is that I am not able to always pin-point or form into a coherent set of ideas or problem statements in order to solve a problem but yet these questions linger. I also know His calling is part of giving up the less-wild lovers that have become a part of our identities and inset in us the seeds of doubts.

Its like God the lover is at every intersection beckoning me to take the road less travelled. There is anxiety, too many unknowns, sometimes very little hope yet one thing remains constant "His promise". The rambling journals of pilgrims that have taken this road ahead give no answers or clues but your own journey is unique, the embrace inevitable. I am reminded of Robert Frost's poem the Road not taken and hopefully the contemplation will help me take the road less travelled.

Thoughts for today,

Sam Kurien