Naked I Came
Page 33
Tsunami
A tsunami has the potential of causing havoc to places far off from its source of origin, with its ripple effects carrying the devastation to unsuspecting destinations. It was reported that the tsunami of 2004 that originated in the west coast of Sumatra killed several people in Africa, as far as 8000 kilometers from its epicenter. The earthquake that started the tsunami in December of 2004 had the longest duration of faulting ever observed; it caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimeter and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska.
Sin, just like a tsunami, creates ripple effects that send tremors in the lives of the near and dear ones, and has the potential to cause damage to unrelated people as well. Devastating effects of sin can be felt much later in future.
Today Justin, as a father, could feel the pain of the parents whose children conduct their lives, doing things without parental approval. Many a times, Justin even wondered what mayhem Pearl’s parents would have undergone when he married her in the seventies against their wishes. What turmoil Sushmita’s mother must have undergone, when on her short visit to the city of Delhi, she observed the flirtatious relationship between Sushmita and Justin. At one time during her short stay, she even confronted both of them and warned against the ill effects their relationship would bear. While boarding a train to Bangalore, she pleaded to Justin, ‘Pastor, what you are doing is not right and beware that something similar may befall you’. Today, the ‘tsunami of sin’ had struck Justin with all its severity. Today Justin felt how one feels when one is not able to enjoy the togetherness with children, as they have strayed from the path that neither coincides with the thinking of their parents nor aligns with the common precepts of society at large.
At his age, this was the biggest punishment meted out by life to Justin. He really loved God but who would believe him? His biggest passion was to preach the Word of God but who would share the pulpit with him? When he arrived at New York to start the work in conjunction with the parent church of Oklahoma, there were many small churches led by different Indian and Pakistani pastors but people used to flock to his church to hear him. Justin had such an anointing to expound the Word that not many could match but today, they all had their churches and the faithful congregants, whereas Justin longed to even strike a biblical conversation with someone. Those who knew him still called him ‘pastor’, a prefix that now made him feel uneasy.
A sinful man does not die once; death haunts him repeatedly.
Death in every phase of life becomes his closest ally.
The easiest thing would be to die a physical death once and for all, but that does not happen to a sinful soul.
Every day, the agony of Justin’s soul increased to intolerable levels. Every moment of his life, he writhed with the torment of all that was lost. None of the joys if there were any could take away the thoughts of his sufferings. However, in spite of all this, he had a strong personality and none could ever fathom the pain and agony he underwent each day. Such grief would have forced any mortal to contemplate the extreme step of taking one’s own life but he never entertained such thoughts. His clients always complemented him for the comfortable journey they experienced in his car.
Whenever he made long distance calls to his sons, he talked with them in a very cheerful manner, enquiring about their well-being and important things concerning their lives. He would advise them on matters that they would talk about, he would bless them, pray with them, always try to take care of their financial needs as and when required. Neither his sons nor he would broach the subject of separation for they had done their reality check and learned to live with it.
The scripture says,
‘For these things I weep; my eye, my eye overflows with water; because the comforter, who should restore my life, is far from me. My children are desolate because the enemy prevailed.’ (Lamentations 1: 16)
Undergoing all these sufferings, Justin occasionally became fearfully concerned about his sons. Justin feared that if his children would have to bear the burden of his sins or that the genes that destroyed his life would create the same havoc in their lives. Fear for one’s own children is scarier than fear itself. Such thoughts repeatedly brought him to his knees and made him repent.