Early morning, my eyes caught a very beautiful sight: Two white pigeons, seated comfortably at the edge of the tallest building in our area, unconcerned about what was going on around them; the heavy traffic on the highway or people going in and out of the crematorium below, the morning news of global warming, war, famine or the rise in the oil price did not interfere with their serene enjoyment of peace.
I remembered a comic I read sometime back: One robin was asking the other: "Why do the humans rush around worried most of the time?" The second robin's answer was, "Perhaps they do not have a heavenly father who feeds and cares for them, like ours!". It is amusing, but we do worry like that! That seems to be the human tendency.
It's no wonder that Jesus, in Mathew 6:25-27, said: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life; what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?". What a timely question for our present day!
According to Jesus, the ones who worry are the pagans, who do not know the true God or those who do not believe in the promise of the the omnipotent God. Jesus added that your heavenly father KNOWS that you have needs. But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [Mat.6:33] What a great promise!
Why don't we give it a try and benefit from it? Once we decide to give all our needs for today and the future into His hands, we will experience him as a promise keeping God.
Showing posts with label Troubles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Troubles. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Are We To Welcome Storms?
"Awake , north wind, and come south wind! Blow on my garden, that it's fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into His garden and taste it's choice fruits."
Song of Solomon 4:16
This is supposed to be what the bride is saying of her beloved. It is a comparison to us the bride [the church] and Jesus Christ.
The interesting thing is, the bride is calling the opposing North and the South wind to blow, so that the flowers and the fruits get crushed and the fragrance will come out to please her lover.
Clashing of winds is not a pleasant experience. Yet only those bring out the fruit and the sweetness of our nature which God expects to see in us.
I was wondering how many of us will welcome such crushing experiences? Whether we invite them or not, they do come. When we face them, do the fruit of the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control come out of us? [Gal. 5:22] Most of the time we wish that we escape misunderstandings, unkindness, abuse, expressions of anger, insults, etc. It is easy to exhibit self pity, hatred, bitterness, complaining and murmuring. Sometimes we even start doubting and questioning God.
God allows us to go through such breaking experiences to make us strong and to develop the natures [fruits], He desires us to possess.
Through these testing times, we learn more than we would in any other situation. These are growing times as we learn the extent of our own commitment, weakness and utter dependence on God.
It is comforting to know that during such times we can call on God for His strength to endure the trials and temptations that we face and ask for the wisdom to learn from it. God is faithful; He will strengthen us to posses all the qualities that are expected of His bride.
May God lead us according to His way and help us to learn from Him.
Song of Solomon 4:16
This is supposed to be what the bride is saying of her beloved. It is a comparison to us the bride [the church] and Jesus Christ.
The interesting thing is, the bride is calling the opposing North and the South wind to blow, so that the flowers and the fruits get crushed and the fragrance will come out to please her lover.
Clashing of winds is not a pleasant experience. Yet only those bring out the fruit and the sweetness of our nature which God expects to see in us.
I was wondering how many of us will welcome such crushing experiences? Whether we invite them or not, they do come. When we face them, do the fruit of the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control come out of us? [Gal. 5:22] Most of the time we wish that we escape misunderstandings, unkindness, abuse, expressions of anger, insults, etc. It is easy to exhibit self pity, hatred, bitterness, complaining and murmuring. Sometimes we even start doubting and questioning God.
God allows us to go through such breaking experiences to make us strong and to develop the natures [fruits], He desires us to possess.
Through these testing times, we learn more than we would in any other situation. These are growing times as we learn the extent of our own commitment, weakness and utter dependence on God.
It is comforting to know that during such times we can call on God for His strength to endure the trials and temptations that we face and ask for the wisdom to learn from it. God is faithful; He will strengthen us to posses all the qualities that are expected of His bride.
May God lead us according to His way and help us to learn from Him.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
When the Journey Becomes Difficult
Life on this earth is a journey. I know my destination. It is to get back to the place I came from. I know I am provided with everything necessary for me to make it joyful, successful, profitable and useful. I do have examples in those who have gone before me, to follow. Yet my journey often becomes the opposite of what it is expected to be. Then I feel like a failure. I know it ought not be so . "Why is it so?", is my question.
As much as the Lord's eyes are upon me to guide me and meet my needs with love, the enemy's eyes are constantly on me to somehow trip me, pull me down, make me fall, deceive, distract and divert my path. The journey becomes combat. The path becomes so dark that only the word of God becomes the torch. Sometimes it becomes so narrow that I feel suffocated, as I squeeze through. No one else could come along with me to comfort or counsel. These are attacks of the enemy to spoil my attitude and later he brings condemnation in my heart to torment me.
Such an attack was on me this morning. Soon the word of God enlightened me and enabled me to defeat the enemy.
This is what I learned: I should know the devices of the enemy [2nd Chrn. 2:11] and be ready to forgive others; I should be confident who is in me and with me; I should have the sword of the spirit ready and know how to use it; [Eph6:12-18] I know God has provided the necessary armor and the weapons to fight the enemy, though shamelessly he comes to attack again and again. If he tried it with Jesus will he leave his followers alone? Jesus defeated him. "He [Jesus] himself suffered when He was tempted, hence He is able to help those who are tempted." [Heb.2:18]
Are there any others who find the journey tough at times? How do you get through?
As much as the Lord's eyes are upon me to guide me and meet my needs with love, the enemy's eyes are constantly on me to somehow trip me, pull me down, make me fall, deceive, distract and divert my path. The journey becomes combat. The path becomes so dark that only the word of God becomes the torch. Sometimes it becomes so narrow that I feel suffocated, as I squeeze through. No one else could come along with me to comfort or counsel. These are attacks of the enemy to spoil my attitude and later he brings condemnation in my heart to torment me.
Such an attack was on me this morning. Soon the word of God enlightened me and enabled me to defeat the enemy.
This is what I learned: I should know the devices of the enemy [2nd Chrn. 2:11] and be ready to forgive others; I should be confident who is in me and with me; I should have the sword of the spirit ready and know how to use it; [Eph6:12-18] I know God has provided the necessary armor and the weapons to fight the enemy, though shamelessly he comes to attack again and again. If he tried it with Jesus will he leave his followers alone? Jesus defeated him. "He [Jesus] himself suffered when He was tempted, hence He is able to help those who are tempted." [Heb.2:18]
Are there any others who find the journey tough at times? How do you get through?
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Pebble on the Beach
"David took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag ... and approached the Philistine. ... The stone sank into his [Goliath's] forehead and he fell down on the ground."
1 Samuel 17:40-48
One day as I was feeling left out, I thought of the pebbles and wrote the following:
Feelings are transitory. The reading of today is so up lifting. God has His own way and time to cheer us up!
The giant Goliath was challenging and intimidating God's people. Even the king was trembling. David saw Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine, one who did not honor or obey the one true living God. David, a young lad, had the confidence that God was on his side as he obeyed Him. 'If God be for you who can be against you? You are more than a conqueror', he said to himself and with the smooth stone he killed the defying giant.
It's true that the world is facing so many giants today. We must be ready and willing to be used to destroy them! One thing to remember: the stone became smooth and ready to be used by being tossed around in the raging sea!
1 Samuel 17:40-48
One day as I was feeling left out, I thought of the pebbles and wrote the following:
No one hates, no loves; some may see it; but seldom notice;
It is just there where it was placed? or dropped?
May be if someone tripped on it, they would become aware of it's presence!
A little girl may pick it up, say it's cute then drop back. Take it home? For what?
Maybe an ecologist may come by someday to take it to experiment on it?
Till then it will just be there, content, happy to be where it is!
Trapped, tossed around, hoping to be of use some day?
This is how my feeling goes today, just a pebble!
Feelings are transitory. The reading of today is so up lifting. God has His own way and time to cheer us up!
The giant Goliath was challenging and intimidating God's people. Even the king was trembling. David saw Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine, one who did not honor or obey the one true living God. David, a young lad, had the confidence that God was on his side as he obeyed Him. 'If God be for you who can be against you? You are more than a conqueror', he said to himself and with the smooth stone he killed the defying giant.
It's true that the world is facing so many giants today. We must be ready and willing to be used to destroy them! One thing to remember: the stone became smooth and ready to be used by being tossed around in the raging sea!
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