Tonight I took the step of Faith. I know maybe it's not the wisest choice but I have experienced the good out of it, and I will commit myself to it. To finish this is not about pride, not just about head knowledge. I will finish it because I want to know You better. Since things have unfolded this way, I am sure You have something planned for me. So I dedicate this season to You, to Your plans for me.
If I don't know you more, I can't love you more.
If I love you more, I want to know you more.
On another note, I am feeling so much of God's goodness and providence for 2013. I am still wondering the verse of the year for me. To live worthy of the Lord. I suppose the season of testing will come eventually. Meantime, enjoy and soak in His goodness, and keep close to Him.
Amen.
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Maybe you are right after all.
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Oh Dear Hannah
“Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” - 1 Samuel 1.
1. I wouldn't justify myself getting a second wife because the first could not bear children as the Lord had closed her womb. Then again, it was all part of God's sovereign plan. Her imperfection does not justify my right to give less than 100% of myself.
2. Elkanah obviously still loved Hannah despite her imperfection as the Lord had closed her womb. He gave her double portion. Loving her in her imperfection.
3. Hannah's refusal to stop weeping and not partake food and expressing a downcast self has only frustrated Elkanah. It begets the question if Elkanah even took notice of the real source of Hannah's sorrow and attempt to be there for her. Hannah eventually did obey Elkanah and ate, but she sought the Lord thereafter in her distress. Sometimes, the issue can only be resolved by God Himself. I have to avail myself and understand her in her plight/situation.
Samuel defined - Because I have asked him of the Lord.
1 Sam 1:28 - Parents are only stewards of God's people/children. Hannah kept her part of the bargain and after weaning Samuel, she left him in the house of the Lord to serve.
1. I wouldn't justify myself getting a second wife because the first could not bear children as the Lord had closed her womb. Then again, it was all part of God's sovereign plan. Her imperfection does not justify my right to give less than 100% of myself.
2. Elkanah obviously still loved Hannah despite her imperfection as the Lord had closed her womb. He gave her double portion. Loving her in her imperfection.
3. Hannah's refusal to stop weeping and not partake food and expressing a downcast self has only frustrated Elkanah. It begets the question if Elkanah even took notice of the real source of Hannah's sorrow and attempt to be there for her. Hannah eventually did obey Elkanah and ate, but she sought the Lord thereafter in her distress. Sometimes, the issue can only be resolved by God Himself. I have to avail myself and understand her in her plight/situation.
Samuel defined - Because I have asked him of the Lord.
1 Sam 1:28 - Parents are only stewards of God's people/children. Hannah kept her part of the bargain and after weaning Samuel, she left him in the house of the Lord to serve.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Owning a Collection of driving books doesn't make one a driver
-Insert here since Grace requested for this:
Questions are powerful tools. They can ignite hope and lead to new insights. They can also destroy hope and keep us stuck in bad assumptions. The key is to be intentional and choose our questions well.
Examples of bad questions:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It can be a paradox sometimes.
But I see what You did there.
Because Life is far more than accumulating head knowledge;
Because Life is far more than having fellowship in the finest clothing;
Because Life is far more greater beyond ourselves;
Because Life is simply complex yet complexly simple.
God must know I need that wake up call, that nudge to realize that what we preach or say is REAL.
As I dwelt on the verse Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the Law of Christ. ~ Galatians 6:2, I am convinced that God does not want me to simply absorb these words for sake of preaching it.
I thought it is easy but the truth is that, application is way much tougher than we perceive it to be.
We try to negotiate with ourselves that God will show grace lah...It's okay...
I beg to differ.
His revelation:
And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. ~ Luke 2:51
Jesus was missing for 3 days. Mum and Dad found him and gave him a dressing down. The very boy who was thought to have been the ideal kid caught them off guard. 3 days. Perhaps we are like Jesus' parents many times. We try to pin the blame on others (and this began from Genesis during Adam and Eve's time). Key reminder here is Mary treasured all these things in her heart, something the Lord is reminding me this season. TREASURE THESE THINGS.
And it just didn't stop there for me this season. All the undeserving blessing. The unexpected allowance. The unmerited favor. The unprecedented portion. The unimaginable exchange rate.
And Life seemed to tumble in to a mix of emotions...
First this, then that.
And tonight, learning that a NS friend has passed on in his sleep isn't helping much.
How frail Life can be. As I read through his FB timeline how people are commenting and giving their condolences and last words, I stopped at a post before his death.
This just reinforced all the more what I ought to do. Die trying Marcus. Die trying.
Because it's going to hurt even more knowing you let the opportunity slip by.
Questions are powerful tools. They can ignite hope and lead to new insights. They can also destroy hope and keep us stuck in bad assumptions. The key is to be intentional and choose our questions well.
Examples of bad questions:
- Why does this always happen to me?
- What did I do to deserve this?
- What’s wrong with me?
- Become conscious of the questions you are asking yourself.
- Evaluate these questions: are these good questions?
- Be intentional and choose the better question.
- Write down the answers your brain serves up.
- Take action on these insights.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It can be a paradox sometimes.
But I see what You did there.
Because Life is far more than accumulating head knowledge;
Because Life is far more than having fellowship in the finest clothing;
Because Life is far more greater beyond ourselves;
Because Life is simply complex yet complexly simple.
God must know I need that wake up call, that nudge to realize that what we preach or say is REAL.
As I dwelt on the verse Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the Law of Christ. ~ Galatians 6:2, I am convinced that God does not want me to simply absorb these words for sake of preaching it.
Live it.
I thought it is easy but the truth is that, application is way much tougher than we perceive it to be.
We try to negotiate with ourselves that God will show grace lah...It's okay...
I beg to differ.
His revelation:
My Grace is not for you to use as an excuse for your laziness or lack of discipline. My Grace is for those who give nothing less than what they have to offer yet falling short.
Salvation is free, but it doesn't come cheap.
And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. ~ Luke 2:51
Jesus was missing for 3 days. Mum and Dad found him and gave him a dressing down. The very boy who was thought to have been the ideal kid caught them off guard. 3 days. Perhaps we are like Jesus' parents many times. We try to pin the blame on others (and this began from Genesis during Adam and Eve's time). Key reminder here is Mary treasured all these things in her heart, something the Lord is reminding me this season. TREASURE THESE THINGS.
And it just didn't stop there for me this season. All the undeserving blessing. The unexpected allowance. The unmerited favor. The unprecedented portion. The unimaginable exchange rate.
The 1 lesson for me to learn to see His DEEDS in my NEEDS.
And Life seemed to tumble in to a mix of emotions...
First this, then that.
And tonight, learning that a NS friend has passed on in his sleep isn't helping much.
How frail Life can be. As I read through his FB timeline how people are commenting and giving their condolences and last words, I stopped at a post before his death.
How often we take one another for granted?
This just reinforced all the more what I ought to do. Die trying Marcus. Die trying.
Because it's going to hurt even more knowing you let the opportunity slip by.
So much to learn, so little time to comprehend.
Abba, I need Your wisdom; to lean on Your understanding.
Jesus, be the Centre of my Life. Hold me and never let me go.
Abba, I need Your wisdom; to lean on Your understanding.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
From the beginning of creation
22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 "From everlasting I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
24 "When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
25 "Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was brought forth;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
27 "When He established the heavens, I was there,
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became fixed,
29 When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
Proverbs 8
Before His works of old.
23 "From everlasting I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
24 "When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
25 "Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was brought forth;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
27 "When He established the heavens, I was there,
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became fixed,
29 When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
Proverbs 8
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