Joseph and Job.
After refusing the continual temptations from his master's wife, he was thrown in jail.
After serving God faithfully, almost everything he possessed was taken away.
Is God cruel? He is if our hope is to avoid suffering.
My desire for a long time was to live a comfortable life, time after time standing at the edge of the diving board, I knew what God expects, to forsake all hope and love for this world and follow him.
Isn't it funny? God doesn't promise comfort, but suffering. "All who desires to live a righteous life will suffer" "They hate you because they first hated me"
Broken families, sickness, strained relationships, accidents, death.
This life is full of tears and sorrow, sometimes becoming a Christian causes more sorrow, and God doesn't take these bad circumstances away.
But there is hope, and comfort. Suffering is like throwing gold into the furnace, what comes out is purer than what went in. It's like a loud reminder of how messed up this world is and how weak and helpless we are in dealing with the waves of history and circumstances. It's a reminder that we are but pilgrims, and life is short.
It is said that the present suffering is light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory that is to come (I have no idea what that's like). Do I really believe that? God help us to rejoice in suffering.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Drawing out people's desires
Have you ever noticed that Jesus asks people a lot of questions? If God is omniscient, why does he ask questions?
It's definitely not to gain information or understanding, because he's omniscient, but it's for the good of the person who's being asked these questions.
We are human beings with blind or hazy spiritual eyes, men's hearts are like deep waters, who can understand it? But a wise man(!) can draw it out.
This is something I've been noticing and learning, especially from the story of the rich young ruler, I noticed God's kindness to self-righteous, blind sinners.
The young man thought 3 things were good, Jesus, himself, and money. Maybe he calls Jesus good to flatter him, or maybe he has heard of his miracles and teachings and are intrigued. He thought himself was good and has obeyed the commandments since he was young. He thought money was good, because he was unwilling to part with it.
But the truth is only God is good. When the young man went to Jesus with flattery, and self righteousness, Jesus did not respond with hatred or contempt, but Mark's gospel tells us that he loved the young man, and finally asked him to give away his wealth to help him see his bondage to the love of money.
Way too many times I'm quick to speak rashly and harshly when sharing the gospel and try to condemn people's sins in a self righteous manner, perhaps that's why I've been afraid to share the gospel. God have mercy.
It's definitely not to gain information or understanding, because he's omniscient, but it's for the good of the person who's being asked these questions.
We are human beings with blind or hazy spiritual eyes, men's hearts are like deep waters, who can understand it? But a wise man(!) can draw it out.
This is something I've been noticing and learning, especially from the story of the rich young ruler, I noticed God's kindness to self-righteous, blind sinners.
The young man thought 3 things were good, Jesus, himself, and money. Maybe he calls Jesus good to flatter him, or maybe he has heard of his miracles and teachings and are intrigued. He thought himself was good and has obeyed the commandments since he was young. He thought money was good, because he was unwilling to part with it.
But the truth is only God is good. When the young man went to Jesus with flattery, and self righteousness, Jesus did not respond with hatred or contempt, but Mark's gospel tells us that he loved the young man, and finally asked him to give away his wealth to help him see his bondage to the love of money.
Way too many times I'm quick to speak rashly and harshly when sharing the gospel and try to condemn people's sins in a self righteous manner, perhaps that's why I've been afraid to share the gospel. God have mercy.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Focus
Recently 1 John 5 and Jesus' words of him rebuilding the temple after 3 days have been very encouraging to me.
People have told me before that the church is not a building but people, I've never truly grasped this until recently, it happened when I was preparing for sunday school, there was this activity with a maze, where you are supposed to find a path to the church.
I tried to find the path to the building, which was super complex. Then I read the words at the bottom, which said that the church is not a building, but people! And voila, I see a group of people in the lower right hand side with a very simple path that led to them!
It was cool because Jesus and the apostles thought this way too, what was precious to them wasn't a physical building, but people redeemed by the blood of Christ.
When Jesus told the Jewish leaders he would destroy the temple and raise it up again, they thought it was a physical temple, but he was refering to his body. When Paul warns against sexual sin, he tells us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and God will take vengeance upon everyone who destroys the temple.
What is amazing is that through faith we are united to Christ's resurrection, so that as he is risen, we have are also risen and have newness of life, and will receive a new body in the age to come.
This leads to 1 John 5, which says that the testimony of God is life in Christ, and that all believers have this testimony in them. That's why the focus of church is not buildings or programs, but the people, our relationship with God and with one another.
With God, our hatred is turned to love, commandments shouldn't be burdensome, but should be a delight to obey. With other believers, bitterness and grudge holding, malicious and suspicious thoughts should be turned into understanding, kindness, and forgiveness. Yet we are still a work in progress, may the Lord help us to grow in grace.
People have told me before that the church is not a building but people, I've never truly grasped this until recently, it happened when I was preparing for sunday school, there was this activity with a maze, where you are supposed to find a path to the church.
I tried to find the path to the building, which was super complex. Then I read the words at the bottom, which said that the church is not a building, but people! And voila, I see a group of people in the lower right hand side with a very simple path that led to them!
It was cool because Jesus and the apostles thought this way too, what was precious to them wasn't a physical building, but people redeemed by the blood of Christ.
When Jesus told the Jewish leaders he would destroy the temple and raise it up again, they thought it was a physical temple, but he was refering to his body. When Paul warns against sexual sin, he tells us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and God will take vengeance upon everyone who destroys the temple.
What is amazing is that through faith we are united to Christ's resurrection, so that as he is risen, we have are also risen and have newness of life, and will receive a new body in the age to come.
This leads to 1 John 5, which says that the testimony of God is life in Christ, and that all believers have this testimony in them. That's why the focus of church is not buildings or programs, but the people, our relationship with God and with one another.
With God, our hatred is turned to love, commandments shouldn't be burdensome, but should be a delight to obey. With other believers, bitterness and grudge holding, malicious and suspicious thoughts should be turned into understanding, kindness, and forgiveness. Yet we are still a work in progress, may the Lord help us to grow in grace.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)