It's amazing how things work out.
Towards the end of a very torrid last year, I was on a high. Finally, I got my resume done and looked forward to entering the workforce again in 2009. In one week, I managed to complete the Stanchart half marathon, attended a seminar by my boxing coach (which was really good) and capped it off by attending YLDP..honestly, one of the few christian camps I had really enjoyed for many, many years. During the camp, I got to counsel a few people, made some friends and even when I came back - intervened to help a friend in serious trouble. I was on a high, both physically, mentally and spiritually
Then I broke my foot
After that, family problems came popping out like termites
Which was followed by even more issues that threatened to overwhelm me
"The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it"- 1 Corinthians 10:26 -
Every new year, we make resolutions for the coming year. Some of us are glad to see the end of the last one and vow that this one will be better. Why? Because we resolved it to be so. That's the power of positive thinking! It's taking charge, being in control, claiming that I am the master of my own universe.
It's also very wrong
Sometime this year, and I guarantee this, someone will find out they have cancer just before Christmas, and a pale shadow will descend on the family during their dinner on the eve. A child will eagerly await her daddy, only to find out that he died in a car accident on the way home. A wife who is expecting her first child goes into shock when she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her
It's amazing, when you seriously think about it, how little control we exert over life. And yet, we are fed through a steay stream of Oprah and positive affirmation preaching from the pulpit that we are the captains of our ship. But the irony is that we did not make the ship, we did not make the waters and we certaintly do not control the tides or the waves. And you can be the best nautical captain ever to helm a ship but if a 100ft wave hits, you and your plonky vessel - are both going down, my friend
But oddly, this should not make you negative, or totally cynical.
My favourite faith verse of all time in Daniel 3:16-18. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are about to be thrown into the furnace. A pretty hot situation to say the least. And the chances of a reprieve or appeal look slim when the judge is also the king who is chucking you in.
Let's stop for a moment. When Christians think about facing trials like these, or things like cancer, or equally as tragic; many say : " My faith in Christ will carry me through!" very confidently. I don't think so. I just don't buy it. When the rubber really, really hits the road; most christians will falter. I have counselled enough to see that while their are no atheists in a foxhole, they are very few real christians out of one either. The bullets and impending doom will reveal the extent of real gold in your pile, don't worry about that
So, when the trio say " If we are thrown in the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King.." (v.17). But the kicker is verse 18: "Even if he DOES NOT, we will not serve your gods.."
Even if he does not.
Even if you are in agony and your numerous prayers bring no relief. Even if you pray for the conversion of a loved one and he or she goes to their deathbed unrepentant. Even if you lose everything, and your friends mock your faith. Your parents plead with you to go back to the altar deities, or to at least listen to Dr Phil.
"..we will not serve your gods."
Because we have been there, and seen too much since. Or experienced so much of the real God that we cannot serve or turn back to false idols any more. It may be true that while the world has collapsed and we may be in a corner picking our scabs like Job; we cannot turn back because once the scales have fallen off, we can't put them back over our eyes and pretend that we are blind. That's just goofy
A reformed resolution is one where God is placed where he is. All the earth is his, and it revolves around him; not you. Reformed resolutions seek to proclaim the name and fame of Jesus even if your world is crumbling around you and your own resolutions, hopes and dreams fall into dust. That is the reformed faith at work.
This year, the church will ask you what do you want out of 2009. I want you to ask God: What, O Lord, do you want in 2009? The answers may be just the resolutions that you are seeking in the first place
Happy New Year and Grace to you
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6 comments:
How you want me to comment big guy? Haha
Ok the part about "I have faith in God to pull me through". Well, again (dunno whose blog I mentioned this), I don't think we should be over relying on God. Everything on earth is there for purpose, from our family doctor to the taxi driver on the streets. God placed them there I would say. So it's like, God already placed all those stuff there and we don't use it.
At times I too get my head spinning from thinking about these. Like trying to convince people that it's better to go to a doctor than rely on faith healing. I mean... hey... God planned for that dude to take medicine...
Jason, I don't think even your most ferevent name-it-and-claim it person will pray for a chariot of fire to take him from KL to PJ when there are taxis available; but after being ke-tuked by the cabbie; I'll bet he wished there was just such a thing!
I guess most people treat faith as an addition to 'real' cures (i.e: it can't hurt mah...) so we pray. But we take the panadol as well
I believe that all good things, and medicine is a very, very good thing, comes from God. (Go back to my passage from Corinthians). So it's not just foolish not to avail yourselves of them; it's turning your back on God
One day, I would like to know how many people are delivered from blindness due to some healing from the miracle pastors and compare this to the number who are healed by eye operations around the world. There is no contest, nor should there be.
Wrap that one around your head, Amy! :-)
One question: Who are we? We are just normal human being tempted from time to time. Yes, We might have heard a lot of motivation talks and etc. But it is not a long term CURE or Healing for us to walk with GOD all the time. We doubt, we worried, we scare, we fear and so many weaknesses.
People talk about dream, how they want to be, yet GOD is not in their sight.
Some time, we may ask Why GOD take away our close ones. Perhaps we have long been blinded that we will LOSE them one day. Is jus a matter how they(and us) are going to die and how early or late it will happen.
Can we escape? No, We just ought to take it. I have attended so many funerals that it is numb to me. Yes, i feared that my parents will leave me sooner than I expected. BUt on other hand, I also imagine how it would be in order to prepare my self.
God is there to support us, not to say he will GRANT everything. He have his plan.
Jarod, those are really excellent points. I especially liked the comment:"Perhaps we have been blinded that we will lose them one day"Exactly. How many times have we celebrated CNY and at the reunion dinner, toast to long life, prosperity, etc etc. Yet, each CNY means that you are a year older and one more step closer to the grave
It's a denial of an inevitability and we cloak the reality in cloth of denial.
As Christians, we are supposed to point this out but modern christianity is as big a culprit in perpetuating the no-pain myth
Yes, Jarrod, got to agree as well that funerals are a numbing experience. And a sobering one. I honestly think that before people get married, they should attend at least one funeral for a reality check on their $30,000 wedding ring..
30K for a ring? i wont give a thought! :D
Well, Chinese, those traditional minded would not ask u to go for Funeral... bad omen etc...
so, what is the solution?
The chinese are one of the most death fearful cultures in the world. Witness the rituals that surround the whole mourning process, it centers around hell avoidance and spirit placating
Which is why when some non-christians attend christian funerals; they comment on the almost joyous nature when we celebrate someone going to be with God
However, this has changed into another variation where death is too sanitised. We try to deny the real sadness that goes along with it. Mourning has a place. Reflection comes from it. When we take this out, we don't behave normslly and go back into a form of denial
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