1 Sam 10:6 The spirit of the Lord will control you, and you will be transformed into a different person. When this happens to you do whatever your circumstances require, because God is with you.

Transformational leadership. Quite a buzzword of today. A magic mantra, cloaked in mystery, a holy grail of success. We focus on transformation, straining to achieve the metamorphosis by strenuous effort. However, transformation is mirrored by the magic of a chrysalis transforming the lowly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. One does not see the chrysalis sweat. It just happens. Our focus on the end distorts our passage through the present, sabotaging both present and future. The control of the spirit is ignored. We expect great results without great discipline or obedience. We fly in the face of Gods laws and expect His miracles. Faithful obedience to His spirit is actually quite easy. It is a summation of daily decisions made in the Spirits favor. Quietly. And when that happens, there is a chrysalis moment. Transformation happens. And our response to the circumstances is also quite natural. A natural consequence of rightly placed allegiance. Manifestation of a metamorphosis. Fly, butterfly, God is with you.

Christ in you, the hope of glory Col 1:27

What is our hope? We hope for varied and diverse things. Mostly things. Things which in the eternal scheme will decay into inconsequence. Our hope is often invested in misplaced affections. Affections that consume our time and energy be it our jobs, houses, or our bank balances. In very succint words, we are constrained to rearrange our hopes. Christ in us. The hope of glory. Succint summation of all aspirations. Our sufficiency for all improbables and uncertainties. Fleshed in hope, bound for glory. How fleshed out really is this hope in us? He is our wealth, the mystery that transforms desperate darkness into the certain light of a glorious day.

1 Samuel 8:3 "...His sons did not walk in his ways- they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes and perverted justice." Reading from 1 Samuel 8:3, how Samuels son did not walk in his ways… I pray for Nathaniel that he will indeed always walk in the ways of the Lord. This is my inheritance, that I will lay up for him, that I will bring him up in the ways of the Lord. The inheritance does not just happen but is carefully prepared for the son or daughter. It is not the residue of life, but the repository of a lifetime, handed over with care. May this be the inheritance I hand over, a life surrendered to Him.

PSALM 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

The words dwell and abide in the English are synonymous, but when the root words are examined, they are found to be different. Dwell is "yashab" which means sit, or stay, or have one's abode. Abide is "loon", which means tarry the night, or pass the night. Our temporary placements come from the perceptions of our permanent dwelling. Therefore, David is able to say, Lord.. is my refuge and fortress, ... in whom I trust. Trust comes from our appreciation of our permanent residence, an unwavering conviction of our belonging to and being possessed. All the other machinations of war that oppress are not fought individually, but viewed from this safe haven of permanence. We tend to get caught up fighting wars and machinations of oppression, abandoning our post of refuge. Because we have made the Lord, our refuge, says verse 9, ... no harm will come to you. All of us face battles of various kinds. Let us fight them aware of our position and permanence.

The character changes

The character of this blogpost is undergoing a change. From being a post that focussed on manalihospital, it is now moving to a personal blog of Dr. Philip Alexander. This change is because now manalihospital.com has a new look and the provision for an internal blog on the website, which will be updated and kept current. This site will now only express the individual thoughts and ponderings of Dr. Philip. I hope you will continue to subscribe to this and stay connected. I hope to continue to blog with more regularity and provide thoughts and insights from the goings on at the hospital, from a personal perspective. Please visit our website www.manalihospital.com and subscribe to the newsletter and blogposts there to stay current with doings and goings on at the hospital. Thank you for all your support to us. Dr. Philip Alexander

Merry Christmas to all

Christmas is the time when God communicated with man on man’s terms. He came as a baby. Our new baby underscores this lesson as we interact with him daily. God did not Twitter at us, nor did he post a Facebook post. He came to be with us. Emmanuel. Only those whose hearts were open to the baby saw Him for who He was. The rest of Bethlehem slept through the first Christmas. For as many as received Him, the Bible says, received what He came to give.

Wishing you all a blessed christmas, full of all that he came to us for.

Thoughts from Oswald Chambers

Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God is not after perfecting me to be a specimen in His showroom. He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He likes.

The abandonment of intent releases us from the captivity of productivity. Our lives are often measured by productivity. A lack of productivity is looked down upon. God is not really after productivity. That is a by product of character. He is after our character. Hence the forge, the fire, and the rod and staff. May His blows land well.