Conforming to the image of Christ is counter-cultural. It requires intentionality and hard work.
When we just become Christians, we tend to focus on the external evidence of faith such as attending services, fellowship and getting involved in Christian services. Activities are important avenues for growth but deficient by itself to ground us in our faith.
In Christianity, the ‘being’ should precede and decide the ‘doing’. This is because spirituality is an inside-out experience. However, focusing on the ‘being’ does not exclude the ‘doing’.
For example, we connect with others because we are beings of love. Love finds expressions in relationships, and we join church gatherings because we seek to build loving interdependent bonds with God’s family. Thus, being a loving person dictates our doing a fellowship function.
The dilemma comes when my doing and being does not match up. What if I am not a loving person? Do I just not do anything loving so as not to be hypocritical? That is where the ‘doing’ comes along as a discipline. The ‘doing’ of loving activities presents us with opportunities to develop love as our character trait. It gives us the outward stimuli to work on something we want internalized in us.
As we mature spiritually, we will see a gradual integration of our ‘being’ and ‘doing’. We are no longer threatened by the doing nor intimidated by our lack of being.
Spiritual transformation and growth is a lifelong process but “the one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (I Thess 5:24)
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
More than One Lifespan
We are too short-sighted. Our lives are not limited to one short life-span.
True that life has demands. Our parents demand that we have certain things at a certain time. Our society says if we don’t achieve certain marks at a certain time, we are not as good as others. Our eyes rove at our peers’ advances in life and we feel dejected that we are as accomplished as they are.
We pray for lots of things, ask for lots of stuff and fret over lots of non-essentials. A good job, a good name, a good spouse – legitimate wants and needs but life is more than this.
Jesus asks, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mark 8:36,37)
We pray, we work and we live – but all for God. Nothing in this world ultimately is as important as seeking God. Nothing in this world satisfies as God does. Nothing in this world ultimately lasts beyond one lifespan. We are made for eternity. We are meant to end this earthly life but our journey with God carries on to the age beyond.
Let us cast our vision to the reality and promise of the Eternal One.
Begin with the end in mind. Live with eternity in your heart. Then I guarantee everything will fall into place. Test God on His promise, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt 6:33)
True that life has demands. Our parents demand that we have certain things at a certain time. Our society says if we don’t achieve certain marks at a certain time, we are not as good as others. Our eyes rove at our peers’ advances in life and we feel dejected that we are as accomplished as they are.
We pray for lots of things, ask for lots of stuff and fret over lots of non-essentials. A good job, a good name, a good spouse – legitimate wants and needs but life is more than this.
Jesus asks, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mark 8:36,37)
We pray, we work and we live – but all for God. Nothing in this world ultimately is as important as seeking God. Nothing in this world satisfies as God does. Nothing in this world ultimately lasts beyond one lifespan. We are made for eternity. We are meant to end this earthly life but our journey with God carries on to the age beyond.
Let us cast our vision to the reality and promise of the Eternal One.
Begin with the end in mind. Live with eternity in your heart. Then I guarantee everything will fall into place. Test God on His promise, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt 6:33)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Blessings in disguise
Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18
2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
In this world there will be troubles. If you care, you might be heartbroken. If you love, you might be hurt. If you hope, you might be disappointed. Not that everything is negative; but that you open yourself to the possibility of pain as well as love when you choose to live the way God asks you to – the way of love.
Paul was a super-apostle who chose God’s way. He chose obedience and sacrifice for God’s kingdom by serving God’s cause. However, his life was full of hardships and pains. But he said it was worth it. Through physically taxing, emotionally draining and mentally anguishing, it was spiritually rewarding. All the seen troubles served as ‘rumors’ of the world in which he was living and aiming for – eternal glory. Through all these heart-wrenching events, the longing in him for that ‘rumored’ eternal world where his Lord reigns supreme. It pulled him along and gave him hope.
The following song ‘Blessings’ by Laura Story expresses it nicely.
2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
In this world there will be troubles. If you care, you might be heartbroken. If you love, you might be hurt. If you hope, you might be disappointed. Not that everything is negative; but that you open yourself to the possibility of pain as well as love when you choose to live the way God asks you to – the way of love.
Paul was a super-apostle who chose God’s way. He chose obedience and sacrifice for God’s kingdom by serving God’s cause. However, his life was full of hardships and pains. But he said it was worth it. Through physically taxing, emotionally draining and mentally anguishing, it was spiritually rewarding. All the seen troubles served as ‘rumors’ of the world in which he was living and aiming for – eternal glory. Through all these heart-wrenching events, the longing in him for that ‘rumored’ eternal world where his Lord reigns supreme. It pulled him along and gave him hope.
The following song ‘Blessings’ by Laura Story expresses it nicely.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Blessed to be a Blessing
It is a Christian tradition to always dismiss a gathering by pronouncing God’s blessing on the people. This act is called the Benediction.
There are many blessings in the Bible but one of my favourites happened to be the handed down from the Franciscan Order founded by Francis of Assisi. I have often reflected upon it and used it in private prayer.
May the benediction be the prayer and purpose in our lives.
Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done,
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen.
There are many blessings in the Bible but one of my favourites happened to be the handed down from the Franciscan Order founded by Francis of Assisi. I have often reflected upon it and used it in private prayer.
May the benediction be the prayer and purpose in our lives.
Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done,
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Mosquitoes, God and Obedience
Read I Sam 15:1-26
I Sam 15:22
But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of ram.
Obedience to God must be in everything. It will be hypocritical to say Jesus is Lord if we pick and choose what and when to obey Him. Obedience in convenience is not obedience all at.
That is what Saul found out.
Last week, I was tormented by the presence of a mosquito in my room. It drove me up the walls and kept me scratching and whining. In times like those, I had dialogues with God. Ranging from “God help me kill the stupid mosquito” to “why God did you make the mosquito at all and since we are on the topic, why the cockroach and those hideous wasps too?”
Then our conversation turned to Noah – “why didn’t Noah kill these damned mosquitoes on the ark?”
“Obedience” – came the answer. When it comes to obedience, it must be in BIG and small things, in ALL THINGs. I have been thinking about it since.
Having Jesus as Lord means obeying Him even when it is inconvenient and annoying. We do it because He is Lord and we are not. Good enough answer for me.
P/S: So Noah and his family in the ark – were they tormented by mosquitoes? I bet they must have temptations to kill them (I did some research on mosquitoes and found out that they live an average lifespan of 3 to 100 days... and that they sucked blood of animals and not just humans. Turns out I don’t know that much about mosquitoes at all…)
I Sam 15:22
But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of ram.
Obedience to God must be in everything. It will be hypocritical to say Jesus is Lord if we pick and choose what and when to obey Him. Obedience in convenience is not obedience all at.
That is what Saul found out.
Last week, I was tormented by the presence of a mosquito in my room. It drove me up the walls and kept me scratching and whining. In times like those, I had dialogues with God. Ranging from “God help me kill the stupid mosquito” to “why God did you make the mosquito at all and since we are on the topic, why the cockroach and those hideous wasps too?”
Then our conversation turned to Noah – “why didn’t Noah kill these damned mosquitoes on the ark?”
“Obedience” – came the answer. When it comes to obedience, it must be in BIG and small things, in ALL THINGs. I have been thinking about it since.
Having Jesus as Lord means obeying Him even when it is inconvenient and annoying. We do it because He is Lord and we are not. Good enough answer for me.
P/S: So Noah and his family in the ark – were they tormented by mosquitoes? I bet they must have temptations to kill them (I did some research on mosquitoes and found out that they live an average lifespan of 3 to 100 days... and that they sucked blood of animals and not just humans. Turns out I don’t know that much about mosquitoes at all…)
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