Do You Know What the Church is Meant to Be?

There is only one thing that Jesus said He will build in Matt 16 and that is the church.

Apostle Paul declares the church to be His bride and the purpose of it in the Book of Ephesians.

The apostle in letter to the church at Colossae points out that Christ is head of his body the church. So, you have another term associated with and related to the church.

God’s intent is that through the church His manifold wisdom would be made known to all.

Today, the term church is mostly used in connection with a building and a place. It is more often a tourist point than what it is meant to be.

It is time to take stock of, analyze and recover our identity.

To understand how the church can be an influence, read CHURCH A LANDMARK PRESENCE.

May we recover our identity and our security in know who we are and woekmtowards what we ought to be!

The Beauty Of A Second Chance

Life is full of second chances, when things come around a second time, giving an opportunity to change, rectify, reconcile and restore.

Nature itself is full of them, since day gives way to night and night to day. Each year and each season comes around, refreshing the earth and setting things in order.

Every year, month and day is a time to make good what we didn’t do earlier or were not given a chance to do so.

Every birthday, wedding anniversary, and death day is a time to celebrate, remember and be thankful for people, circumstances and opportunities. Work anniversaries and special dates help us mark time and look back, often with a sigh of relief that we have come thus far.

Sadly, many are not quick to grasp second chances and thus lose out on time to make good the lost.

It is important to not miss on second chances but be alert to them.

Second Chances provide new beginnings and give rest to the past, enabling closure of gone by events,

To know how to identify second chances, read my article: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spicedmulling/2022/11/second-chances-dont-miss-them/

AUTUMN NOTE: DON’T FORGET TO SWEEP YOUR YARD!

After the glory of summer, Autumn brings with it the beauty of fall when leaves change color, a last hurrah of vividness before the monochromeness of winter.

This vision soon gives way to the bane of the season – falling leaves, a characteristic that gives its unique name. Allowed to rot away on paths, patios and decked areas, leaf matter can become unsightly – and potentially a slippery hazard.

Having to sweep the yard is often a tedious but necessary task for gardeners and home owners.

Read more at https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spicedmulling/2022/11/fall-chore-keep-your-yard-clean/

Note: Been waiting to write this for a long time. So, do click the link and read fully!

Pic courtesy Tenor

MY PATHEOS COLUMN

Patheos.com is the premier online destination to engage in the global dialogue about religion and spirituality, and to explore and experience the world’s beliefs.

Patheos is the website of choice for the millions of people looking for credible and balanced information about religion.

Patheos brings together faith communities, academics, and the broader public into a single environment, and is the place where many people turn on a regular basis for insight, inspiration, and stimulating discussion.

I have begun a column in Patheos and my first article is about a common feature in Autumn – leaf fall!

My article is available at https://www.patheos.com/blogs/spicedmulling/2022/11/autumn-mode-leaf-fall/

Let’s celebrate one of nature’s regular features!

*Pic courtesy https://www.dreamstime.com/forest-autumn-falling-leaves-path-background-octomber-image100723850

TRAVEL LORE

Open fields flash by, green and brown,
Soft streams go trickling by, small and big.
Dusty roads leading to homes, distant and near,
Blue skies canopy with clouds, white and grey!

Wayside stations flash by in haste with yellow boards,
Farmers and workers go about their daily chores,
Highways whisk by with green and white signboards,
Cocooned in cool comfort, I watch, as grime seeps from my soul!

Bubbled in my seat, I traverse from one place to another,
Paused in my busy routine, I take time to lay hold.
Free from my gadgets, I watch the window scenes
I tryst with rest as I take in the vast gleam!

Between burdens, I rejoice in small things,
His gift I feel, for it restores my strength.
Communing with Him through His nature artwork,
I bow my head in worship, taking heart to face another day!

*Written on my travel back by train from visiting my mother in a city down south!

He, I, & OUR STORY

I thought marriage was autocracy,
He taught me it was democracy.
He gave me space and privacy,
While I maintained grace and mercy,
Together we worked to make it as it should be – a theocracy!


I thought it was manly to be demanding and aggressive,
He showed me it is to be accepting and non-competitve.
I was ready to buckle under and be beneath him,
He lifted me to stride beside and go beyond him.
Together we tread a new path – a totally different tack!


I thought devotion ought to be articulated and vocal,
He demonstrated it to be more life and living.
I tend to be stiff and shaky, covering my pain with a smiling face,
He is secure and stable, moving at his own sweet pace,
Together we carved a monument – a testimony to His saving grace!


Individually we walk, each in our call
Together we chalk, a family to His haul.
Different from each other, incompatible to the core,
United to be one, we were tempted often to walk out the door,
Together we have struggled and stuck, until we no longer want to be alone!


Marriages are made in heaven but lived on earth,
Therefore, not to be undertaken lightly or ill-advisedly.
Marriage is a way of life instituted by God, honored in His word,
So, embark on it, seriously and prayerfully, taking care as you pledge your word.
Marriages need not become a hell, if both work together with quiet will!


Marriage is not for the weak or for the meek,
It takes strength and stamina to run that race.
Marriage is not a sprint but a marathon to be run,
Don’t even think of it unless you grasp atleast the essence of it!

*Pic courtesy Google images

LITTLE THINGS – A POEM

Little feet constantly tagging after me,
Little hands earnestly reaching out to me,
Little eyes intently watching me,
Little ears attentively hearing me!

A bundle of joy is a blessing in disguise,
Given for some days and years for us to care,
Make it not a sorrow to tear or a curse to bear,
Help it to bloom well with proper nature to share!

Little hands must work at a good skill
Little mouth must praise Him with a thrill
Little heart must enshrine Him with full will
Little mind must seek Him for ever to be still!

Invest your time fully in raising your little one
Distracted be not in earning a name or fickle fame
Regret it you will if you run after other things
Be a true steward of the treasure bestowed on you

By Sabina Tagore Immanuel
*Pic courtesy: dreamstime.com

SUITED TO THE OCCASION

In every part of the world, in every culture, being dressed to suit the occasion is an accepted custom, an in-built trait and a common etiquette of even the most primitive tribes.

How we would dress to attend a wedding is different from dressing for a funeral. What we would wear for a party is not the same as what we would clothe ourselves for shopping or sightseeing. Hiking and trekking require special parnephelia that is not the same as when we swim or run or jog. Working at home means we must dress to enable chores such as cooking or washing or cleaning, while working from home, a recent development due to covid, needs other suitable attire. Business meetings and office space require appropriate appearance and outfits, not to mention sleep time which needs right clothes that would promote rest and repose.

Dress sense and fashion consciousness does not relate only to haute coutre designs but also to insight and acumen needed to know and note the occasion for which the apparel is being worn!

No one goes to visit the poor or does slum cleaning or other community work in their best clothes since it would hurt the cause and wound  the sensibilities of those we seek to serve. It is not good breeding to go to honor the dead in flashy clothes or gaudy show , but one must wear what fits the somber mood of the occasion and the sentiments of those around. We don’t go before a dignitary dressed in a way that would show disrespect to their persona nor attend a personal award function in rags. Again, no one dresses in wool in summer or thin cottons in winter, for that is foolishness to say the least!

Each and every season, occasion and focus demands suitable garments and appropriate or fitting apparel. So, fashion is stated as prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time, custom, usage, or style as well as a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. Being fashion conscious implies being able to match your tastes and interests to your personality and the occasion you dress for or being groomed for.

It is interesting to note that the Bible does talk about how one ought to dress and the manner to be suited for different occasions.

In the Old Testament, God instructed the people of Israel on different dress styles for the various people, according to gender, office, the task and the occasion.

The High Priest and other priests had definite robes and special garments made for use in ministering to God: “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.” (Exo 28:1‭-‬2 NIV). They could not wear that would make them sweat as its smell was reminiscient of curse and therefore, repugnant to the Lord (Eze 44:18).

God also gave specific dress codes for men and women, as well as instructions on not to mix linen and wool, etc (Deut 22). He showed them what to wear to signify various expressions of solemnity such as repentance, sorrow and mourning (sackcloth and ashes). Teachers and other instructors of the law had a distinctive garment that made them conspicuous as to their vocation. Thus, God did indeed prescribe a particular fashion code for His people so as to distinguish them and set them apart as His particular followers from those around. I believe that His demands were also given keeping in mind for them to be in tune with the weather and their environment to preserve their health!

When you read the New Testament, the focus is more on the inward orientation and the clothing of the soul that is required as the followers of Christ. It was not enough to dress up the outward, but the inner being had to line up to the truth of what is being exhibited on the outer. Jesus very specifically condemned the Pharisees and Sadduccees, naming them white-washed sepulchers, for projecting a false picture of piety and sanctity, when in reality their inward was rotten.

The leaders and apostles of the early church, steadily and constantly taught the disciples of Christ the importance of being clothed with the right attitudes and intentions (Col 3:1-15). They also instructed on the right demeanor for each occasion and event. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep, says the Holy Book in Rom 12:15. In Jas 5:13-14 it says: Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master.

Being well-dressed or clothed tastefully is not about just buying the best available or the costliest you can afford or the brand on display. It is about being a wholistic human being, in and out, the outer coinciding with the inner. The way to dress to impress is to clothe the outer to adorn and exemplify the inner orientation. Good nature enhances and amplifies the outward adornment causing an aroma of innate fashion to be felt and smelt!

*Pic courtesy https://images.app.goo.gl/E7ZdrDymmGR7SZUr8  unsplash.com and Shutterstock

This is part 4 of a series of articles relating to fashion sense and dress code. You can read part 3 using this link https://sabinatagoreimmanuel.com/2022/09/07/fashion-sense-and-sensibility/