Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
How interesting a proverb, yet how it strikes deeply the chords of our hearts as we desire for a friend who not only provides companionship, but loves so much that he/she would be there with us in times of our adversities.
As I reflect at this truth, I'm inspired by the nobility of friendship that is born out of Love.
Love which is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Above all, the bible says Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13)
The bible records one of the most admirable friendships between Jonathan and David who loved each other selflessly (as much as they loved themselves) in 1 Samuel 20. They were confidantes, overseer of each other and great buddies in one spirit.
1 Samuel 20 records:
"And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself." (1 Samuel 18:3) "And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself."(1 Samuel 20:17 )
Jonathan loved David so much that he sheltered his friend against the threat of angering his despotic, crazed father who wanted to killed David. During this tough time of persecution by King Saul, Jonathan protected David from his father envious range to kill David. So sincere and selfless was this friendship that Jonathan did not even consider the option of establishing his own kingship by getting rid of David.
Lest we point out that the noble friendship of David and Jonathan was a 1 off extinct example. Similarly, the New testiment records the loyal friendship and supportive companionship Paul had with Barnabas. The early church also narrates accounts of Godly sincerity and ability of the church of Macedonia that "out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity." (2 Corinthians 8:1-4)
Today's modern life has robbed us of experiencing such intense friendship, where we can say to a friend "I was born for your adversity". Truely, the perverseness of our times results in people mockingly throw accusations of "unnatural love", "how gay", "how gross".... Yet, I know, hidden under this grotesque lie of the world and the facade we build up, each of us long to have a true friend, like a Jonathan to David, that would love at all times, and to be there as a brother when we encounter the adversities of life.
I do believe that through the love of Jesus Christ, the church of God is to be established differently from the world. If the Church of God today arises in Godly brotherhood love, I believe the suffering, poor in spirit, hurting, emotionally starved and spiritually blinded of the world would be drawn to the Love of God shown through us.
It's not just about fun, laughter, toils and tears. But through God's love, we may desire to build each other up, to show genuine concern, passionately oversee our friend's wellbeing and be a living, loving shadow that would love through and through.
In these self-centred days that we dwell in, I challenge you to self-reflect, arise to offer yourself to be such a friend as mentioned in Proverbs 17. It's not about I, Me or Myself and who is the one God will send to be my true friend, but who would you selflessly be a friend and brother to.
May the Lord direct you to someone whom you would grow to be a true friend, that you will pledge to love at all times and be a brother in times of their adversity.
Blessings,
M.
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends"(John 15:13 )
30 June 2006
26 June 2006
Holy
Leviticus 10:3
"By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored"
Leviticus 10 records an account of Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu who took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized (profane) fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. The amplified bible decribes the fire offered as "strange and unholy" fire. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines profane as "to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt"
This happened after Aaron and his sons fulfilled a 7 days period of ordination as Priests of God. During which they were not to go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting of the tabernacle. (see Leviticus 8:33 for more) . On the 8th day, Aaron commences his Priestly roles by offering sacrifices to God. Leviticus 9:23-24 records that after the offering was done, "the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces."
Sadly, after this awesome sign from God, the incident of Nadab and Abihu occurs.
As we read on in Leviticus 10:6, Moses instructs Aaron and his surviving sons that they are not to grieve or mourn the two deaths or they too would surely die and God will also become wrathful against all the congregation.
What might have resulted in the two sons of Aaron to foolishly behave and result in their deaths? Why was the Lord so angered that Aaron was not allowed to mourn the death of his two sons?
Having been ordained and seeing how God had shown His presence through their father's offering ritual, they too tried their hands at serving God by foolishly mimicking what they knew and saw. Without reverence and with arrogance, Nadab and Abihu forgot that God was a Holy God. Perhaps they came seeking to show off their new found ordination as Priests who are able to usher-in God's presence. What we do know is they came into the presence of God, unclean, sinful, disrepectful, and decrated His Holy name.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Holy as "exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness". This is the key reason why Nadab and Abihu were struck dead by God, because they came forgetting that God was an Exalted Holy God. He was worthy of complete exalting and devotion, and would not tolerate disrespect and irreverence.
I believe that Aaron's family was not allowed to grieve the deaths of Nadab and Abihu was because as priests they were to be distinctly set apart from profanities and uncleanliness. Above all, God was a Holy Almighty God and Nadab and Abihu had gravely transpassed God and His Holiness was not to be decrated. His Holiness requires our complete respect and devotion. Therefore, before the Holiness of God, there was no room for excuses, compromises or irreverence. That was why God instructed the Priests to make atonements for their own sins before they came to His altar to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Today, because of the grace of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can approach God's Holy of Holies freely in worship and prayer. But I realise that we innocently or ignorantly forget God's Holy nature and take forgranted that His grace will cover us. How often it is that we interprete the incident of Jesus death and the torn temple's curtain in Luke 23:45 and say that it represents a period of grace for all of us to enter the Holy of Holies. Yes, we can now approach God the Father's throne room now, without the need of a proxy via a high priests. However, that passage does not mean that God's Holy nature has been exchanged/covered by grace.
Yesterday, today and forever, God is unchanging. Just as He instructed Aaron in Leviticus 16, "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover." Likewise, today we too must respectfully approach God's Holiness.
As we serve in our ministries, step into church to worship, intercede in prayers, live our lives before God and Man, we need to recognise the need to come in reverence of His Holiness and give Him the honour due His name. Even though we do not have to follow tedious atonement rituals to enter God's Holy presence, we must not deceive ourselves that the grace of God will cover our iniquities and life and we enter blatantly. God is a Holy God, before His Holy presence, He will not tolerate nonchalance, unrepentant, irreverence, or sin.
May you and I alertly live Holy lives before God and man.
Blessings
M.
"You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own." (Leviticus 20:26)
"By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored"
Leviticus 10 records an account of Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu who took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized (profane) fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. The amplified bible decribes the fire offered as "strange and unholy" fire. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines profane as "to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt"
This happened after Aaron and his sons fulfilled a 7 days period of ordination as Priests of God. During which they were not to go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting of the tabernacle. (see Leviticus 8:33 for more) . On the 8th day, Aaron commences his Priestly roles by offering sacrifices to God. Leviticus 9:23-24 records that after the offering was done, "the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces."
Sadly, after this awesome sign from God, the incident of Nadab and Abihu occurs.
As we read on in Leviticus 10:6, Moses instructs Aaron and his surviving sons that they are not to grieve or mourn the two deaths or they too would surely die and God will also become wrathful against all the congregation.
What might have resulted in the two sons of Aaron to foolishly behave and result in their deaths? Why was the Lord so angered that Aaron was not allowed to mourn the death of his two sons?
Having been ordained and seeing how God had shown His presence through their father's offering ritual, they too tried their hands at serving God by foolishly mimicking what they knew and saw. Without reverence and with arrogance, Nadab and Abihu forgot that God was a Holy God. Perhaps they came seeking to show off their new found ordination as Priests who are able to usher-in God's presence. What we do know is they came into the presence of God, unclean, sinful, disrepectful, and decrated His Holy name.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Holy as "exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness". This is the key reason why Nadab and Abihu were struck dead by God, because they came forgetting that God was an Exalted Holy God. He was worthy of complete exalting and devotion, and would not tolerate disrespect and irreverence.
I believe that Aaron's family was not allowed to grieve the deaths of Nadab and Abihu was because as priests they were to be distinctly set apart from profanities and uncleanliness. Above all, God was a Holy Almighty God and Nadab and Abihu had gravely transpassed God and His Holiness was not to be decrated. His Holiness requires our complete respect and devotion. Therefore, before the Holiness of God, there was no room for excuses, compromises or irreverence. That was why God instructed the Priests to make atonements for their own sins before they came to His altar to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Today, because of the grace of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can approach God's Holy of Holies freely in worship and prayer. But I realise that we innocently or ignorantly forget God's Holy nature and take forgranted that His grace will cover us. How often it is that we interprete the incident of Jesus death and the torn temple's curtain in Luke 23:45 and say that it represents a period of grace for all of us to enter the Holy of Holies. Yes, we can now approach God the Father's throne room now, without the need of a proxy via a high priests. However, that passage does not mean that God's Holy nature has been exchanged/covered by grace.
Yesterday, today and forever, God is unchanging. Just as He instructed Aaron in Leviticus 16, "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover." Likewise, today we too must respectfully approach God's Holiness.
As we serve in our ministries, step into church to worship, intercede in prayers, live our lives before God and Man, we need to recognise the need to come in reverence of His Holiness and give Him the honour due His name. Even though we do not have to follow tedious atonement rituals to enter God's Holy presence, we must not deceive ourselves that the grace of God will cover our iniquities and life and we enter blatantly. God is a Holy God, before His Holy presence, He will not tolerate nonchalance, unrepentant, irreverence, or sin.
May you and I alertly live Holy lives before God and man.
Blessings
M.
"You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own." (Leviticus 20:26)
22 June 2006
Awesome
Exodus 20:18-21
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
I hate it whenever there are major lightning/thunder storms in the middle of the night when I sleep. In the darkness, a sudden bright flash that wakes me out of my deep sleep followed by a scary explosion of thunderous sound. The English description "clasp of thunder" doesn't even come close to describe the scarily loud and sharp sounds of thunder which strike fear deep into the marrows of my bones.
This morning, I was awaken by such a loud, screeching explosion that jolted me up. Everytime something like this happens, I curl up in fear and try my very best to rest with something covering my eyes and ears. Somehow, it doesn't calm the trembling heart of mine, as I unconvincingly coax myself back to sleep and pray for God's mercy and protection.
Bizarre as it seems, everytime I encounter a fierce lightning/thunderstorm, my mind immediately races towards a potential Rapture or the fear of being struck dead by a random blot of lightning. It always being about a deep rooted fear that my sins and sinful human heart would be judged or I would be left behind should it be the rapture.
I guess it doesn't help that during such moments the verse in 1 Corinthians 15:52 races through my mind and I tell myself, the trumpet of Heaven is likely to be as awesomely loud as this thunderously loud thunder. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Last night, as I curled in my fearful foetal postion, I recalled praying in faith and fear over my life and circumstances. As fearful as I was, I was also struck in awe of the power God as reflected in nature. Crazily, I even searched deep to 'ensure' that should I be struck dead by a lightning bolt that might race into my window, I would indeed end up in heaven and not hell for all eternity. Before I fell back into deep sleep, I remembered the situation in the above verses in Exodus 20:18-21.
I can fully empathise with the people of Israel as they saw the awesome power of God through thunder, lightning, heavenly trumpet noises and a rumbling mountain. For a grown adult who only lives through the rare thunder and lightning storm and is already so terrified, I cannot imagine how much more incredibly scary it would be to have all the above phenomena together.
The only word I know to describe something like this is AWESOME. I recall in 1998 when I stayed in the town Murren of the Swiss Alps and as I gazed at the majesty of the Swiss mountains and the amazing scenery, I was so floored by the majestic beauty that I muttered "Awesome". David echoes in Psalms 19 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Before the largeness of creation, I saw the majesty and Awesome-ness of the creator God and felt so dwarfed and insignificant.
But before the raw power of nature in last nights thunder and lightning, I too felt floored by the tremendous awesomeness of the creator God who set in place the mighty thunder and lightning. After last night's encounter, I can now fully understand why the people of Israel were so terrified for their lives when they saw the awesome God represented through nature's display of raw power as God descended the mountain. Especially in light of their sinful complaints of boring manna and lack of water despite experiencing the awesome miracle of God parting the Red Sea and liberating them. In times when we face such astounding might, the revelation of how frail and insignificant we are, how sinful we are, and all we fear is for our lives in light of God's awesome might.
Proverbs states that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom", and how we see the truth in Moses' statement of assurance to the people "Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not". Last night, as I curled in fear and with little faith I realised that before the awesome power of God demonstrated by Nature, I didn't dare move much of a muscle, much more commit sin.
I awoke today greatful for the revelation of God as the awesome God. I realised how base my life was and how feeble were my praises and worship declaring Him as the awesome, majestic God. I believe Moses was equally floored by what he saw then, but the only key difference between him and the people was the truth that his conscience and life was clean/transparent to God and he knew God intimately. Instead of cowering in fear like the people, Moses braved the awesome display of nature's power and drew into the thick darkness, attracted and in faith of the Awesome God he worshipped and communed with.
Today, when I parellel to modern thunderstorm days and I recall how everyone would scurry for shelter and in fright, I'm impressed by the faith and knowledge that Moses possessed as he bravely drew near into God's awesome presence.
May the awesome power of God stop you in your tracks and challenge you to reverse what you have humanly lived. That you too may live in fear of God's awesome power and sin not.
Blessings
M.
"For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome"(Deuteronomy 10:17)
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
I hate it whenever there are major lightning/thunder storms in the middle of the night when I sleep. In the darkness, a sudden bright flash that wakes me out of my deep sleep followed by a scary explosion of thunderous sound. The English description "clasp of thunder" doesn't even come close to describe the scarily loud and sharp sounds of thunder which strike fear deep into the marrows of my bones.
This morning, I was awaken by such a loud, screeching explosion that jolted me up. Everytime something like this happens, I curl up in fear and try my very best to rest with something covering my eyes and ears. Somehow, it doesn't calm the trembling heart of mine, as I unconvincingly coax myself back to sleep and pray for God's mercy and protection.
Bizarre as it seems, everytime I encounter a fierce lightning/thunderstorm, my mind immediately races towards a potential Rapture or the fear of being struck dead by a random blot of lightning. It always being about a deep rooted fear that my sins and sinful human heart would be judged or I would be left behind should it be the rapture.
I guess it doesn't help that during such moments the verse in 1 Corinthians 15:52 races through my mind and I tell myself, the trumpet of Heaven is likely to be as awesomely loud as this thunderously loud thunder. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Last night, as I curled in my fearful foetal postion, I recalled praying in faith and fear over my life and circumstances. As fearful as I was, I was also struck in awe of the power God as reflected in nature. Crazily, I even searched deep to 'ensure' that should I be struck dead by a lightning bolt that might race into my window, I would indeed end up in heaven and not hell for all eternity. Before I fell back into deep sleep, I remembered the situation in the above verses in Exodus 20:18-21.
I can fully empathise with the people of Israel as they saw the awesome power of God through thunder, lightning, heavenly trumpet noises and a rumbling mountain. For a grown adult who only lives through the rare thunder and lightning storm and is already so terrified, I cannot imagine how much more incredibly scary it would be to have all the above phenomena together.
The only word I know to describe something like this is AWESOME. I recall in 1998 when I stayed in the town Murren of the Swiss Alps and as I gazed at the majesty of the Swiss mountains and the amazing scenery, I was so floored by the majestic beauty that I muttered "Awesome". David echoes in Psalms 19 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Before the largeness of creation, I saw the majesty and Awesome-ness of the creator God and felt so dwarfed and insignificant.
But before the raw power of nature in last nights thunder and lightning, I too felt floored by the tremendous awesomeness of the creator God who set in place the mighty thunder and lightning. After last night's encounter, I can now fully understand why the people of Israel were so terrified for their lives when they saw the awesome God represented through nature's display of raw power as God descended the mountain. Especially in light of their sinful complaints of boring manna and lack of water despite experiencing the awesome miracle of God parting the Red Sea and liberating them. In times when we face such astounding might, the revelation of how frail and insignificant we are, how sinful we are, and all we fear is for our lives in light of God's awesome might.
Proverbs states that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom", and how we see the truth in Moses' statement of assurance to the people "Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not". Last night, as I curled in fear and with little faith I realised that before the awesome power of God demonstrated by Nature, I didn't dare move much of a muscle, much more commit sin.
I awoke today greatful for the revelation of God as the awesome God. I realised how base my life was and how feeble were my praises and worship declaring Him as the awesome, majestic God. I believe Moses was equally floored by what he saw then, but the only key difference between him and the people was the truth that his conscience and life was clean/transparent to God and he knew God intimately. Instead of cowering in fear like the people, Moses braved the awesome display of nature's power and drew into the thick darkness, attracted and in faith of the Awesome God he worshipped and communed with.
Today, when I parellel to modern thunderstorm days and I recall how everyone would scurry for shelter and in fright, I'm impressed by the faith and knowledge that Moses possessed as he bravely drew near into God's awesome presence.
May the awesome power of God stop you in your tracks and challenge you to reverse what you have humanly lived. That you too may live in fear of God's awesome power and sin not.
Blessings
M.
"For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome"(Deuteronomy 10:17)
09 June 2006
Attitude Check
Malachi 1:6-14
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'
7 "You place defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty. 9 "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?"-says the LORD Almighty.
10 "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' 13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty."When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. 14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations."
The key highlight of these verses specifically point out the Greatness of God and how we need to constantly keep that in view. The people of Israel sinned by treating their offering to God with wanton disregard and offering blemished sacrifices. So great is such an attitude of disrespect that God proclaims a curse upon anyone who cheats God by offering anything unworthy or robbing Him of His duely deserve tithes and offerings. (see Malachi 3:8-10)
Similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 22:21 "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's", we need to fully understand that before a Almighty and Holy God, we need to be constantly mindful that God expects the best, He will not stand for anything second best or compromising.
In this word of warning to the Priests, God addresses the poor and lackadaisical attitude of the Priests. It's amazing that we see how the Priests themselves now look at their jobs contemptuously as burdensome chores, they also acknowledge the ugliness of the offering that they offer to God. Despite this, they still do not chide the people but go through the motions coldly while forgetting their calling to the Almighty, Holy God.
The first offering recorded in Genesis 4:3-5 records how Cain & Abel brought to God burnt offerings as worship and thanksgiving. Though Genesis does not record any account of God's instructions to Adam and his household, it is likely that Cain & Abel followed in the footsteps of their parents who had earlier walked and communed with God.
In the days of Moses, God specifically instructed the Jews of how and types of offerings which He required. Leviticus states that for any offerings, the people of God were to present to the priests lifestock without defect for sacrifice unto God (see Leviticus 1:4 and 3:1).
Sadly, over the years from Leviticus to Malachi, we see a great deterioration of the standards of the Priests of God. God did not changed his stand over the many years, the people's heart had grown cold, hardened and complacent. Even the priests were just going through the motions and serving God with profane attitudes.
Today in our generation, "slacking-off" is a common colloquial term used to describe destressing, lazing around or in hokkien speak -"nua-ing". So much so, that in teen's talk it has developed into a fun word with positive connotation. Beware of the spirit of sloth and laziness! If we think the warnings and account recorded in Malachi are not relevant to us, or if we say to ourselves, only the leaders of the church are the "Priests of God", it is time to awaken and repent.
Peter reminds the church of the new testiment times "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9). Similarly, that call of holiness is also expected of us.
Today, we don't have priests, we don't offering animals as sacrifices, what relevance is this all to us? All these sound logical, but we must alertly discern that the devil is always out to repackage the holy word of God and deceive us by appealing to our human intellect and compromising spirit. This results in us complacently coming to the house of God without reverence, dropping our offerings without much thoughts, hoping to encounter God with worship songs that would touch out emotions.
But it is time that we stop and ponder. Is it always the standard $2 note that we give for offering without any thoughts? Are the tithes that we give only offered out of extras that we get, like only during Chinese New Year red packets. How about birthday money? cash awards given by the school? temp job salary? monthly allowances? Are we cheating God of his offerings like what He declares in Malachi 3:8-10?
Do we make every point to come to God's house everyweekend, or do we place our family, personal appointments, school activities, CCA's, tuition/remedial programmes, Project work and anything that would prevent us from coming to the house of God?
Even when we come to church, do we make an attempt to reach the house of God on time? When we serve, do we serve with honour and reverence or just go through the motion, come dressed in casual flipflops, or come late?
In all the above issues, I'm sure we always have something logical, something reasonable to refute and give gracious excuses for. It may sound reasonable, but before the Almighty God, no compromise is acceptable. The standards of God are absolute and perfect. That's why even in the impoverished days of Malachi, God declares to his people that He will not be gracious, because if all these compromised excuses and attitudes that the people offer are not to be tolerated by a governor/king, what more the Almighty God of heaven and earth!
Till today, the Lord declares to us "I the LORD do not change".(Malachi 3:1) His requirements of excellence is still the same and He will not accept any compromises, our laziness, slack attitude or reasonable excuses. The bible says that God is a Holy God and his name is to be feared among the nations. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes and convict us to recognise His Glory and Awesomeness and compel us to give God the Glory due to His name.
blessings
M.
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? " (Matthew 16:24-26)
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'
7 "You place defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty. 9 "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?"-says the LORD Almighty.
10 "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' 13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty."When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. 14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations."
The key highlight of these verses specifically point out the Greatness of God and how we need to constantly keep that in view. The people of Israel sinned by treating their offering to God with wanton disregard and offering blemished sacrifices. So great is such an attitude of disrespect that God proclaims a curse upon anyone who cheats God by offering anything unworthy or robbing Him of His duely deserve tithes and offerings. (see Malachi 3:8-10)
Similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 22:21 "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's", we need to fully understand that before a Almighty and Holy God, we need to be constantly mindful that God expects the best, He will not stand for anything second best or compromising.
In this word of warning to the Priests, God addresses the poor and lackadaisical attitude of the Priests. It's amazing that we see how the Priests themselves now look at their jobs contemptuously as burdensome chores, they also acknowledge the ugliness of the offering that they offer to God. Despite this, they still do not chide the people but go through the motions coldly while forgetting their calling to the Almighty, Holy God.
The first offering recorded in Genesis 4:3-5 records how Cain & Abel brought to God burnt offerings as worship and thanksgiving. Though Genesis does not record any account of God's instructions to Adam and his household, it is likely that Cain & Abel followed in the footsteps of their parents who had earlier walked and communed with God.
In the days of Moses, God specifically instructed the Jews of how and types of offerings which He required. Leviticus states that for any offerings, the people of God were to present to the priests lifestock without defect for sacrifice unto God (see Leviticus 1:4 and 3:1).
Sadly, over the years from Leviticus to Malachi, we see a great deterioration of the standards of the Priests of God. God did not changed his stand over the many years, the people's heart had grown cold, hardened and complacent. Even the priests were just going through the motions and serving God with profane attitudes.
Today in our generation, "slacking-off" is a common colloquial term used to describe destressing, lazing around or in hokkien speak -"nua-ing". So much so, that in teen's talk it has developed into a fun word with positive connotation. Beware of the spirit of sloth and laziness! If we think the warnings and account recorded in Malachi are not relevant to us, or if we say to ourselves, only the leaders of the church are the "Priests of God", it is time to awaken and repent.
Peter reminds the church of the new testiment times "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9). Similarly, that call of holiness is also expected of us.
Today, we don't have priests, we don't offering animals as sacrifices, what relevance is this all to us? All these sound logical, but we must alertly discern that the devil is always out to repackage the holy word of God and deceive us by appealing to our human intellect and compromising spirit. This results in us complacently coming to the house of God without reverence, dropping our offerings without much thoughts, hoping to encounter God with worship songs that would touch out emotions.
But it is time that we stop and ponder. Is it always the standard $2 note that we give for offering without any thoughts? Are the tithes that we give only offered out of extras that we get, like only during Chinese New Year red packets. How about birthday money? cash awards given by the school? temp job salary? monthly allowances? Are we cheating God of his offerings like what He declares in Malachi 3:8-10?
Do we make every point to come to God's house everyweekend, or do we place our family, personal appointments, school activities, CCA's, tuition/remedial programmes, Project work and anything that would prevent us from coming to the house of God?
Even when we come to church, do we make an attempt to reach the house of God on time? When we serve, do we serve with honour and reverence or just go through the motion, come dressed in casual flipflops, or come late?
In all the above issues, I'm sure we always have something logical, something reasonable to refute and give gracious excuses for. It may sound reasonable, but before the Almighty God, no compromise is acceptable. The standards of God are absolute and perfect. That's why even in the impoverished days of Malachi, God declares to his people that He will not be gracious, because if all these compromised excuses and attitudes that the people offer are not to be tolerated by a governor/king, what more the Almighty God of heaven and earth!
Till today, the Lord declares to us "I the LORD do not change".(Malachi 3:1) His requirements of excellence is still the same and He will not accept any compromises, our laziness, slack attitude or reasonable excuses. The bible says that God is a Holy God and his name is to be feared among the nations. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes and convict us to recognise His Glory and Awesomeness and compel us to give God the Glory due to His name.
blessings
M.
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? " (Matthew 16:24-26)
06 June 2006
The Man of God From Judah
1 Kings 13:1-24
1 By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2 He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD : "O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.' " 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out."
4 When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. 5 Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.
6 Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
7 The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift."
8 But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.' 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12 Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13 So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "I am," he replied.
15 So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat."
16 The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.' "
18 The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD : 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.' "
23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was thrown down on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it.
This is a really interesting story about a unnamed man of God. The bible records that he was annointed and moved mightly as he was commanded by the word of God. With boldness, he proclaimed the word of God against the king at Bethel (house of God). Ordinarily, no one in his right mind would go and offend the king, but this man of God proclaimed what God instructed him and for that the king ordered his arrest. Immediately, God's judgement falls swiftly on the king and the king immediately recognised that he was indeed God's annointed servant and starts pleading for mercy.
At this juncture of the passage, I'm blessed that the story testifies that the God protects his chosen messengers/servant and at His will, no one would be capable of coming against his annointed.
This man of God showed high standards and intense focus in his life. Despite being offered the king's royal food and a gift, he turned it all down because he focused on the specific instructions to live his life. Admirably, he firmly pushed aside all offer, told the king not even an offer of half of the king's wealth would tempt him, and left Bethel.
Sadly, this man who started so well in Bethel, failed to end it on the same high note. The bible records that before he could go back to his destination, an old prophet came to him and seduced him with a lie, because he wanted to meet and know more about him. Without further ado, he proceeded to the old prophet's house and ate and drank with him. Thus, disobeying the orders of God required for his life.
The price for not keeping the commands of God was death and God sent a lion to kill him as he left the old prophet's house.
As I read this story, a few questions pop up. Why had God not punished the old prophet for his heineous lie instead? Why did the man of God so foolishly follow the old prophet? Why was the judgement of God so severe?
Yet, as I contemplate these questions, I recognise the following Godly requirements that echo throughout the bible: "Be alert", "Uncompromising standards", "God is a Serious God".
a. Alert - the bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion ready to devour. Sure the man was annointed, especially since he went to the "house of God" and prophesied in great annointing against the king. How awesome it must have been to everyone to see God's power and might in his life. How even more awesome he must have felt to be the vessel around which everything happened. However, when all this signs and wonders have faded away and he leaves the annointed place, he fails to stay alert.
Resting, under an oak tree from his personal walk back to his destination, he neglected to discern and check if the old prophet did speak the instructions of God. Sadly, for letting his guard down, and giving the old prophet the benefit of the doubt of being a man of God, he failed to live out God's required standards of his life. For that slip in alertness, he incurred God's judgement.
b. Uncompromising Standards - Since the time of Cain & Abel in Genesis 4, God has always shown Himself to be one of exacting, uncompromising standards. Leviticus 19:2 instructs us "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy."
For this man of God, the standards required to live by were strict and specific. I believe that should he have continued to perservere and stay focused on his calling and God's orders in his life, he would have become a mighty man of God. Perhaps doing greater exploits for God that would exceed what he had earlier done in the first nine verses of this passage.
Similar to Samson's strict Nazirite standards (Judges 13:4-5), we see how God required such special individuals to be set-apart and distinct from all others. This meant that until God instructed otherwise, the man of God was to stay firm to the instructions commanding his calling in life. When God instructs us, we need to know that His standards expected of us are uncompromising, in spite of what others around us say or pressure us.
c. God is a serious God - I truely believe that the old prophet had sinned greatly against God by misleading the man of God to his death, and will be judged by God accordingly. However, unlike mankind, God does not look at this entire issue and emotionally make a call to pardon the man of God for his disobedience because of the sinful lie of the old prophet.
God takes everything seriously, especially when He gives specific instructions on us who have a purpose and destiny to fulfil. When He instructed Noah to enter the ark in Genesis 7 and sent the floodwaters, it must have been difficult not to feel anguish for the deaths of the rest of His creation. I am not God, but I do believe that because He is true to his word and hates sin, everything that God commands is serious to God as we see in Isaiah 55:11 - "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Today as you meditate upon this story of the Man of God from Judah, may you inscribe deep in your heart to not let your guard down. Be alert and live excellently for God.
blessings
M.
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" - Esther 4:14
1 By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2 He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD : "O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.' " 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out."
4 When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. 5 Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.
6 Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
7 The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift."
8 But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.' 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12 Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13 So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "I am," he replied.
15 So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat."
16 The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.' "
18 The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD : 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.' "
23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was thrown down on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it.
This is a really interesting story about a unnamed man of God. The bible records that he was annointed and moved mightly as he was commanded by the word of God. With boldness, he proclaimed the word of God against the king at Bethel (house of God). Ordinarily, no one in his right mind would go and offend the king, but this man of God proclaimed what God instructed him and for that the king ordered his arrest. Immediately, God's judgement falls swiftly on the king and the king immediately recognised that he was indeed God's annointed servant and starts pleading for mercy.
At this juncture of the passage, I'm blessed that the story testifies that the God protects his chosen messengers/servant and at His will, no one would be capable of coming against his annointed.
This man of God showed high standards and intense focus in his life. Despite being offered the king's royal food and a gift, he turned it all down because he focused on the specific instructions to live his life. Admirably, he firmly pushed aside all offer, told the king not even an offer of half of the king's wealth would tempt him, and left Bethel.
Sadly, this man who started so well in Bethel, failed to end it on the same high note. The bible records that before he could go back to his destination, an old prophet came to him and seduced him with a lie, because he wanted to meet and know more about him. Without further ado, he proceeded to the old prophet's house and ate and drank with him. Thus, disobeying the orders of God required for his life.
The price for not keeping the commands of God was death and God sent a lion to kill him as he left the old prophet's house.
As I read this story, a few questions pop up. Why had God not punished the old prophet for his heineous lie instead? Why did the man of God so foolishly follow the old prophet? Why was the judgement of God so severe?
Yet, as I contemplate these questions, I recognise the following Godly requirements that echo throughout the bible: "Be alert", "Uncompromising standards", "God is a Serious God".
a. Alert - the bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion ready to devour. Sure the man was annointed, especially since he went to the "house of God" and prophesied in great annointing against the king. How awesome it must have been to everyone to see God's power and might in his life. How even more awesome he must have felt to be the vessel around which everything happened. However, when all this signs and wonders have faded away and he leaves the annointed place, he fails to stay alert.
Resting, under an oak tree from his personal walk back to his destination, he neglected to discern and check if the old prophet did speak the instructions of God. Sadly, for letting his guard down, and giving the old prophet the benefit of the doubt of being a man of God, he failed to live out God's required standards of his life. For that slip in alertness, he incurred God's judgement.
b. Uncompromising Standards - Since the time of Cain & Abel in Genesis 4, God has always shown Himself to be one of exacting, uncompromising standards. Leviticus 19:2 instructs us "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy."
For this man of God, the standards required to live by were strict and specific. I believe that should he have continued to perservere and stay focused on his calling and God's orders in his life, he would have become a mighty man of God. Perhaps doing greater exploits for God that would exceed what he had earlier done in the first nine verses of this passage.
Similar to Samson's strict Nazirite standards (Judges 13:4-5), we see how God required such special individuals to be set-apart and distinct from all others. This meant that until God instructed otherwise, the man of God was to stay firm to the instructions commanding his calling in life. When God instructs us, we need to know that His standards expected of us are uncompromising, in spite of what others around us say or pressure us.
c. God is a serious God - I truely believe that the old prophet had sinned greatly against God by misleading the man of God to his death, and will be judged by God accordingly. However, unlike mankind, God does not look at this entire issue and emotionally make a call to pardon the man of God for his disobedience because of the sinful lie of the old prophet.
God takes everything seriously, especially when He gives specific instructions on us who have a purpose and destiny to fulfil. When He instructed Noah to enter the ark in Genesis 7 and sent the floodwaters, it must have been difficult not to feel anguish for the deaths of the rest of His creation. I am not God, but I do believe that because He is true to his word and hates sin, everything that God commands is serious to God as we see in Isaiah 55:11 - "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Today as you meditate upon this story of the Man of God from Judah, may you inscribe deep in your heart to not let your guard down. Be alert and live excellently for God.
blessings
M.
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" - Esther 4:14
05 June 2006
Invitation to Buy stuff without Money
Invitation to the Thirsty (Isaiah 55:1-3a)
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty,come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.
Yesterday, Nicholas was sharing his devotion on Isaiah 55:6-7, and today as I glanced at it briefly, the first few verses of Isaiah 55 caught my eye.
"Buy wine and milk without money and without costs?"
This free proclamation to buy without money is terribly bizarre in contrast with the world. How do you ever buy something without the need for sacrifice or money?
Nothing in life is free!, or so we are informed. Especially in the season of the Great Singapore Sale. Everything is going at a price discount, cheap cheap cheap is the key chant for every shopperholic or Singaporean. If it's free, its gotta be a scam of some sort. We are a skeptical generation.
truly God knows his creation and what makes us tick. Noticed how the word of God addresses the fact that God provides the wine and milk without us needing to fork out $$ and without any costs (i.e - payment, expenditure, effort, or loss) . Often we berate ourselves for all that we do and fail to recognise that for all the pitiful, unworthy state of our being, God never casts us aside and only avail himself when we are in a "better", more worthy states. Instead He does the opposite! He avails and invites the poor and impoverished.
The chapter starts with an invitation to the people in states of desperation and neediness. "COME!"No different from what Jesus told in his parable of great banquet in Luke 14:21-23. The poor in spirit, desperate, needy, scorned, and lowest in statures are all openly welcome to partake of Christ's provision of "food" for our soul.
I can't help but note that plea for all who to take note of the availability of the richest food that will delight the soul. "Listen, Listen" says the word of God. "Come....Come.....give ear and come..." Reminds me of all my school teachers who were trying to get us to pay attention to the most important things which we needed to know in class. Despite the fact that we couldn't be bothered, they kept repeating the need to "listen" for our benefit, because they knew it would truly benefit us. Likewise, the word of God as Isaiah tries to grab our short attention span and entice us to take note of the compelling reasons why we need to stop and listen.
"Why spend money on what is not bread?" - similar to what Jesus told the Samaritan woman, in John 4:13 - "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."
"Why labor on what does not satisfy?" - echoed in Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal"
Yes, why do we work and strive so hard on what is temporal? Why do we often rob ourselves of good food and abundance provided by God, especially since it's rich, good food, free and without costs? Often, we do nothing but beat ourselves silly with guilt and feelings of unrighteousness and then decide that we are not worthy to do anything like pray, worship, read the bible or even seek Godly counsel with others. Instead, we get into an "I" centered model and think God wouldn't want anything to do with us, and therefore, we should just live life as we like. Sadly, we fail to listen to the enemy's shouts of cheers and rejoicing everytime we fail prey into this great big deceptive lie that poisons us.
Truly the things of God is far wiser and astounding to the values and methods of man. In spite of all that we struggle and strife with our life's and situation and drive ourselves on to greater material glory and higher sense of achievement, something inside of us cries out for something more substantial to fill a void of our soul.
Today, the word of God says "hear me, that your soul may live". May you choose to Come, Listen and Hear what the word of God has for your life. Because I know as you read the word of God, the innermost recess of your soul and sanctum of your mind will be replaced with the living Word of God and it will breathe life into you.
Blessings.
M.
"Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD" Deuteronomy 8:3 /Matt 4:4
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty,come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.
Yesterday, Nicholas was sharing his devotion on Isaiah 55:6-7, and today as I glanced at it briefly, the first few verses of Isaiah 55 caught my eye.
"Buy wine and milk without money and without costs?"
This free proclamation to buy without money is terribly bizarre in contrast with the world. How do you ever buy something without the need for sacrifice or money?
Nothing in life is free!, or so we are informed. Especially in the season of the Great Singapore Sale. Everything is going at a price discount, cheap cheap cheap is the key chant for every shopperholic or Singaporean. If it's free, its gotta be a scam of some sort. We are a skeptical generation.
truly God knows his creation and what makes us tick. Noticed how the word of God addresses the fact that God provides the wine and milk without us needing to fork out $$ and without any costs (i.e - payment, expenditure, effort, or loss) . Often we berate ourselves for all that we do and fail to recognise that for all the pitiful, unworthy state of our being, God never casts us aside and only avail himself when we are in a "better", more worthy states. Instead He does the opposite! He avails and invites the poor and impoverished.
The chapter starts with an invitation to the people in states of desperation and neediness. "COME!"No different from what Jesus told in his parable of great banquet in Luke 14:21-23. The poor in spirit, desperate, needy, scorned, and lowest in statures are all openly welcome to partake of Christ's provision of "food" for our soul.
I can't help but note that plea for all who to take note of the availability of the richest food that will delight the soul. "Listen, Listen" says the word of God. "Come....Come.....give ear and come..." Reminds me of all my school teachers who were trying to get us to pay attention to the most important things which we needed to know in class. Despite the fact that we couldn't be bothered, they kept repeating the need to "listen" for our benefit, because they knew it would truly benefit us. Likewise, the word of God as Isaiah tries to grab our short attention span and entice us to take note of the compelling reasons why we need to stop and listen.
"Why spend money on what is not bread?" - similar to what Jesus told the Samaritan woman, in John 4:13 - "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."
"Why labor on what does not satisfy?" - echoed in Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal"
Yes, why do we work and strive so hard on what is temporal? Why do we often rob ourselves of good food and abundance provided by God, especially since it's rich, good food, free and without costs? Often, we do nothing but beat ourselves silly with guilt and feelings of unrighteousness and then decide that we are not worthy to do anything like pray, worship, read the bible or even seek Godly counsel with others. Instead, we get into an "I" centered model and think God wouldn't want anything to do with us, and therefore, we should just live life as we like. Sadly, we fail to listen to the enemy's shouts of cheers and rejoicing everytime we fail prey into this great big deceptive lie that poisons us.
Truly the things of God is far wiser and astounding to the values and methods of man. In spite of all that we struggle and strife with our life's and situation and drive ourselves on to greater material glory and higher sense of achievement, something inside of us cries out for something more substantial to fill a void of our soul.
Today, the word of God says "hear me, that your soul may live". May you choose to Come, Listen and Hear what the word of God has for your life. Because I know as you read the word of God, the innermost recess of your soul and sanctum of your mind will be replaced with the living Word of God and it will breathe life into you.
Blessings.
M.
"Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD" Deuteronomy 8:3 /Matt 4:4