Noah's ark

(Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/)

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

I came across this quote on somebody's Facebook page. For those who don't know that the building of the ark by "amateurs" is in reference to Noah's story in the Bible. The ark saved him and his family by the great flood brought on the earth by God. The above quote seems to give the impression that one day Noah decided to start a new hobby out of his own will and ending up successfully bringing it to fruition based on his efforts alone. To be honest I was saddened and upset to see this picture painted as it is far from the real one. 

If you were to read Chapters 6-9 from the book of Genesis in the Old Testament (click this link) then you would realise that Noah's story is one of strong faith in the Lord. The way it goes is that the earth had been brutally corrupted by the evildoings of men. The Lord was sorry and upset at His creation and decided to destroy it. However, He was very pleased with Noah's devotion. It was when Noah was 500 years old that God first spoke to him, asking him to build an ark as He was going to bring a great flood over the earth. 

Noah did not once doubt what he had heard and immediately set out to do as per God's will. However, it was not after the passing of one year or two years but a good 100 years the Lord actually opened the floodgates. Imagine the kind of opposition and difficulties that Noah and his family would have faced in this long period. People must have scoffed at them, perhaps called them names. Others would have surely questioned their belief and tried to tempt them to lead them astray. 

Though the Lord had given Noah the specifications for building the ark, the task itself would not have been easy for the sheer size of it. What can be said about the filling of the ark by each type of animal and bird! Clearly for that to happen the animals and birds would have had to come from different parts of the world. There is not a chance that Noah and his family could have managed this feat just by themselves.

The flood when it came lasted for forty days but the water stayed high for five months. It was in the tenth month that the mountain tops could be seen. For the earth to become dry another two months were needed. So when Noah and his family stepped out of the ark a full one year had passed. Those 365 days must have tested their patience and faith as well. But they survived it all not because they simply braved it on their own, but because God was by their side.

Another important point to take note of is that though God was angry at mankind He took 100 years to take the final action. One might wonder why He put Noah through that long ordeal. I feel that it was so because He really wanted to save as many as possible. He gave this time for men and women to give up their wrongful ways and turn back to Him. But sadly that did not happen and only a small group of eight remained standing in the end. Now that same time has been given to us. So what are you going to do with it? How are you going to respond to His call?

Forgive and forget

(Image source: http://stickyjesus.com/)

For most part I find hearing and reading Aamir Khan's interviews a treat. In my opinion he comes across as someone whose actions are grounded in thought and do not have a hidden agenda. Many celebrities, mostly from the Hindi film world, have on the Koffee with Karan show said a lot of scandalous things on the pretext of jest. So I wondered how Aamir Khan would fare in comparison.

After watching today's episode if there was one thing that I took away from it, it was a statement the actor made very early on. He said that he is learning to be more forgiving. I was once again bowled over as in today's tit-for-tat world how many of us give any importance to the need to forgive.

For long if I got off on the wrong foot with somebody my immediate reaction was to close my heart to them. I have at times deliberately kept a distance from certain people based on past experiences, unwilling to give them a second chance. In my anger I have turned off the line of communication with a few. But in the last year or so I have come to realize that this is not how it should be.

One of the first prayers that I was asked to learn as a kid was what is called the Lord's prayer in the Bible. Among many things it asks God to,

"Forgive us our as sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

We must realise that however good we might think ourselves to be, we are nowhere spotless and clean. What right then we have to condemn somebody else? If God can forgive so many of our daily wrongdoings then should we not extend the same magnanimity to others? The above short and simple verse tells us that to receive God's grace we must ourselves be full of mercy and kindness.

It is of course possible that even after forgiving a person once, he/she might be responsible for causing you hurt again. Jesus Christ said not seven times, but seventy times seven we should forgive a brother who has grieved us. This is the kind of loving heart we must all have.

Finally I believe that forgiveness is incomplete if you do not let it go. Bringing up past mistakes in your mind only sprouts doubt against the person in question and you are likely to look at his/her actions and words with suspicion. So take out that notebook of records you are keeping and tear it apart and believe me you will feel much lighter, happier and peaceful than when you held all those grudges.