100 Percent
- April 25, 2006 - posted by chicago wedding photographer nate mathai

categories: Personal
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interested in booking? Head over to the the contact page or shoot me an email to info@natemathai.com

I’ve always been pretty cynical when I hear about celebrities and such donating to charities. I mean, it’s awesome that they give so much, and it truly does make a difference. But I always question their heart and motive behind the giving. Sometimes I feel its a publicity thing, where its simply to get their name out there. Other times, I feel like its to shine some good light on them, because of what they are doing. I question whether they do it for the sake of giving or for themselves to be glorified.
Jesus sat at the temple and watched people giving their offerings. The rich men gave so much money. The sound of all the coins hitting the offertory box would have been music to any treasurer’s ears. Everybody knew that they were giving, and that they were giving alot. And then came this poor widow, who quietly approached the offertory plate. She reached into purse, and pulled out 2 coins worth less than a penny, and dropped it in. The hollow sound of that might have made many people laugh. After the never-ending jingling of the coins the rich men gave, this widow had a quiet offering.
But Jesus said that this woman was blessed. He looked at her heart, and saw that she gave everything she had. The rich gave alot out of their wealth, but didn’t give everything. They kept what they wanted for themselves. They gave just enough to get people to think they were doing something great. But this widow, who could have easily kept her two coins to save up for her family without anyone giving a care, gave it to the Lord. God wasn’t looking at the dollar amount given, but the percentage of their lives that they were giving. And only the widow gave 100%.
Sometimes I feel like the widow, only with 2 small coins, that is worth nothing compared to those who have gone before me. I feel like what I have to offer won’t make any noise in the grand scheme of things. I also see all the things that I need personally, and feel like once I’m able to be sufficient for myself, then I can give for others. And other times, I’m get very proud with the talents and gifts that God has given me, and I come off as the rich men. I start to go all out, giving so much in comparison to others, where everybody notices. But I still keep just enough to keep me satisfied.
I need to find that middle ground. The understanding that I really have nothing. The understanding that with my nothing, God can do great things and make a lot of noise. The realization that God knows how much I have, how much I can give, and how much I actually do give. He’s asking for 100% of me. Who am I to sell him short? Take my two coins, Lord. You are my treasure.

Passion Week: (Easter) Sunday
- April 16, 2006 - posted by chicago wedding photographer nate mathai

categories: Personal
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Plain and simple. If I could give a logical explanation as to why Jesus chose the cross, I would lessen the power of His grace. If I had a reason as to why we deserved to be saved, then salvation could be attained through more than just faith. What we did deserve was to have our flesh torn and our blood spilled. But Jesus, knowing that that wouldn’t unite us all, chose to face that pain Himself.
The amount of sin in our lives outweigh the amount of good we do. If you break one commandment, you’ve broken them all. And the only justice to that is death. Jesus recognized that, and loved us so much that He paid the price. But the story does not end on the cross. Even the cross wouldn’t have as much power if He didn’t rise on the third day. Our hope does not lie in the grave, but on the One who who rose out from the grave, overcoming every pressure and obstacle, and ascended to the throne of heaven. He overcame Hell so we wouldn’t have to.
Jesus is coming again. But for now we live in the present day Friday/Saturday. We live in a world torturing Jesus, disrespecting and falling away from Him. We live in a time of pure evil. But our hope is in the Sunday to come. There will be a time when He comes again, and gathers all the faithful who truly believed in Him. Then He will take them up with Him to paradise.
God created the world in 7 days, and has been preparing Heaven for us for over 2000 years. You think this world is beautiful? We’re living in a garbage can compared to what we’ll see up there. I long to spend eternity with Christ. He is my hope and my salvation, the only reason that I press on everyday. Simply accept and believe…He’s waiting to call you home.

“It’s Friday. Friday. And my Jesus, my Jesus is dead on a tree. But that’s Friday. MmmHmm. But Sunday’s a comin’. Friday? Friday, Mary’s crying her eyes out. Disciples are running in every direction, like sheep with a shepherd. But that’s Friday. Uh-huh, do you hear me? That’s just Friday! Sunday’s a comin’. Friday? Friday, those looking at the world saying, ‘things have been so things shall be, you can’t change nothing in this world! You can’t change nothing in this world, what you trying to do?!’ But they don’t know, uh-uh, they don’t know! It’s only Friday! You see, you see, Sunday’s a comin’! Friday? Oh Friday, them forces had oppressed the poor, keep people down! Them forces have destroyed lives and forces that are in control and think they’re gonna rule, but they don’t know, uh-uh, they don’t know. That it’s only Friday! Friday, oh my people, don’t you know? Sunday’s a comin’! Darkness is gonna rule, sadness is gonna be everywhere, but they don’t know it’s only Friday, they don’t know. Sunday’s a comin’. (pause) FRIIIIDDDDAAAAYYYY!!!!!!”
(and the church yelled back)
“SUNDAY’S A COMIN’!!!!!”

Passion Week: (Good) Friday
- April 14, 2006 - posted by chicago wedding photographer nate mathai

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Luke 23:32-34, 39-43
“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divded up his clothes by casting lots…
…One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’
But the other criminal rebuked him, ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’
Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’”

Good Friday consists of Jesus’ trial, his flogging, his mocking, the walk to Golgotha, and his crucifixion. We see Pilate urging the people not to crucify Jesus because there is no charge against him, and we see Peter denying Christ 3 times. Soldiers beat him and mock him, and Simon is forced to help Jesus carry the cross because, physically, Jesus is so weak and bruised.
As Jesus is being crucified, they put him in the center of two men who ‘deserve’ to die, two men that are getting just punishment. The soldiers continue to mock him, and continue to shout insults and divide his clothing. Yet, even through all of this, Jesus still has a heart of love. As he is being crucified, he cries out on behalf of these lost people, telling God that they don’t know what they are doing. He claims ignorance on our part so that we could be saved.
Jesus is one of the greatest lawyers ever. We are all on trial before God, and we don’t have any excuse. We are guilty of every charge that is brought against us. God is actually watching us as we commit each one of these sins. And then God calls us and asks us what do we plea, and before we have a chance to respond, Jesus stands up and screams, “IGNORANCE! These people don’t understand the truth. They have been blinded and taught lies, so they don’t realize the magnitude of their actions. Forgive them.” Now, I’ve watched my share of Law&Order, and I’ve seen many people use the insanity plea in order to help out their client. And many times, it worked. But ignorance was never a good excuse. And I’m sure God looked at Jesus and said, “I’m sorry. They deserve to be punished for their actions, and they deserve death.” And any other lawyer would be like, “That sucks. Well, I did what I could, I fought my hardest. I pulled out everything I knew to try to help you, but it just didn’t work.” But Jesus went a different route. He said, “You love these people too much to let them simply die with no hope. I will take the punishment so that they can live. Let my blood be spilled so that everyone who believes can be forgiven. After this, ignorance will no longer be the plea.” And so Jesus went up on that cross on our behalf.
Sometimes, I feel the only people experiencing great emotional distress during the judgment time was the Judge and our Lawyer. Here we are declared guilty, and given the punishment of eternal death. Then out of nowhere, the Lawyer, the Judge’s one and only Son, shouts out that He will take the punishment for us. And we have that initial sense of relief, and then turn away and forget it all. And here we have our Lawyer being beaten and mocked, going down the road we should have traveled, and we don’t see it. And the Judge is watching His Son go through all this pain and torture for us, because they love us. He looks at Christ in His pain and suffering, and then looks at us, and we have our backs turned, living our lives. What disrespect we show both Jesus Christ and God. Yet, even with this, when God looks at us He thinks, “I love them so much, that this is worth it.”
The last verses show one of the criminals realizing his sin and recognizing Christ, and desiring to be with Jesus. and Jesus told him “…today you will be with me in paradise.” I’ve been a skeptic when it comes to people receiving Christ on their deathbeds. Obviously, I personally won’t know until my time comes whether these people truly accepted Jesus. But it makes complete sense as to why they would. With your last breaths, you realize that everything you’ve been living for is coming to an end. You see that whatever you put value to, you aren’t going to have any more. For people being executed, the only hope you have no would be to put your hope in God. Why wouldn’t you accept Christ? And we see that God accepts these “last minute” acceptances. Over and over we read that God doesn’t want anyone to perish, and He chases them to the very end. Nobody who still has breath in them is hopeless.
Jesus went up on that cross for sinners: for liars, for thieves, for prostitutes, for pimps, for drunks, for cheaters, for murderers…for every person who broke even the “smallest” rule in the eyes of man, according to the Bible. At our first moment of being sinful, because of the sin of Adam and Eve, there was nothing we could do to stand before God. Our blood was not pure enough to be in His presence. So Christ chose to take His blood, the purest ever, to wash over us and cleanse us. It only took one drop and He covered humanity; past, present, and future. Yet he overflowed on us so that there would be no question in our minds. The blood has been spilled, forgiveness is flowing. The only question is, will you accept it? Be God’s. Get Saved.

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