The Tree of Life!A tree has always been a symbol of life.It has become more so after Jesus died on a wooden cross. Peter, the foremost disciple of Jesus, comments: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.”The precious blood that flowed from his body brings forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and unending life to those who believe in him. The wounds of his body bring us healing.On the cross he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.He became a curse for us to save us from all evil.For it was God’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer that we might have life, and have it to the full.A look of faith at the One lifted up on the tree of the cross is enough to make one pass from death to life. For there is life-giving power in the blood of the Son of God shed on the cross. It is a fountain of cleansing opened to remove all man’s sin and impurity.

Why Don’t You Fail?If you have not failed, that means probably you succeeded in everything you did or you did not attempt to do anything at all.The chances are that you never tried. Now why is that so? Most likely you were afraid to try because you feared to make mistakes. But then you already made the big mistake of not attempting.What is the fear that keeps you from not trying. Isn’t it the fear of failure? Yes, it is!What happens when you fail? The best thing that happens is that it shows you the stuff you are made of. Failures inspire you to do better next time, helps you learn from your mistakes and makes you desperate about winning. Failures can unmask your pretensions and show you your true character.

Failures also teach you humility. It teaches you that success is a process and not a destination. So there is no reality in classifying certain experiences of life as failures. What you probably call “failure” has done more to mould you into a person with strength of character than anything you achieved and termed as “success.”So if you ask me, I prefer you to go and risk failure in something that you know to be good. The world may laugh at you. Let it do so.But you go multiply your attempts. And when the nets come in empty after a long night’s hard work I hope and pray you will hear the voice of God saying, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch!”*

Run! Life Is a Race!If life is a race, you have to run. Staying still is not progress. It does not matter if others get distracted and do not focus on the race. You need to keep on running forward.If life is a race, the destination is ahead. You cannot run if you keep looking back. An occasional backward glance can help you know how much distance you covered. But look ahead and run. Forget the Past

If life is a race, you have to run with patience as well as perseverance. Train yourself early to endure hardships. Then you can discipline yourself to run the long distance of life.If life is a race, you should know the goal towards which you run. Otherwise it is a meaningless run. Run so as to win the prize.If life is a race, at some point joy comes from helping others to run and succeed in life as well. Even though you run to win, many of your friends need your encouragement.If life is a race, and you did not know it, there is still time even though time is short. The one who starts late still has a chance to be rewarded. So it doesn’t matter you were slow to start. Success comes even to those who start late.If life is a race, make sure that you finish. Do not yield to despair or be discouraged. Be strong. Know that God will act for those who trust in him. He will bring to completion what he has begun to do in your life. There is glory awaiting you beyond the finishing tape!