The benefit of God's covering

This is the prayer of St francis of Assisi (1181-1226) which I chanced upon yesterday as I was looking for quotable quotes to refresh my email signature at work.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

It's often quoted in the catholic church and not that I'm advocating chanting prayers, but it really ministered to me as I reviewed the words.

Background: I had this major drama-mama situation in Korea which needed me to get an answer, but the people involved had some feuds with each other and refusing to agree on a project, but also not doing it blatantly which made things even more frustrating. Didn't help that I had a 12 noon dateline to provide an answer and everyone was just not co-operating. To add to it, I had a 12:30pm lunch appointment and my 1-1 session to get the command decision from my boss was snatched by another colleague.

I was crossed and yet trying to be zen at the same time, but the only result I achieved as the clock ticked was tension. There was when I chanced on the prayer and muttered that in the midst of this messy corporate politics, I am really to be a state of peace because only God is my deliverer.

As I reflected on this, something in me affirmed the fact that everything will work out well at my terms and just a few minutes after 12 noon, I received the answer which I needed and wanted. I can't help me sigh in relief.

Somehow, in all my past experiences, I have always enjoyed the benefit of God helping me solve all my major work issues especially when they were akin to a huge wave threatening to crash over me as I stare helplessly at it. May the covering of God be on you as you stand in recognition of your life as a child of God.

M.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Happiness

Ecclesiastes 2:26
To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

This just struck me as I sit here in my room, lazily on a hot saturday afternoon listening to online christian radio. I'm happy the way i am. The pursuit of wanting to go down to orchard road to look around and possibly buy some stuff just fades away into a lazy feeling imbued with contentment.

This feeling of being happy or rather, this state of being happy is really a blessing. Sure there are lots of things to achieve, nicer stuff to get and experiences to encounter. But that is just a pursuit which is a means to get to a satisfied state of mind. Sometimes, it's really akin to chasing the wind, coz we'll never be satisfied.

Interestingly enough, the bible verse states that God gives "wisdom, knowledge and happiness". I just noted that it's not health or money! But I guess we don't need either if we are happy at any stage of our life.

May I be happy all the days of life.

M.

Impossible is nothing, not with me though.

Luke 18:27
Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

I'm sorry to say this, but I recently recognise that I find it to be extremely difficult to pray for situations which seem impossible and hopeless to me. So the verse above seems very difficult to comprehend and grasp. While I recognise it and the fact that it is truth, there isn't a deep personal belief which my inner man testifies of.

Some 1-2 weeks ago, I got the email blitz that my former pastor was supposedly with cancer and prayer request for God to do the impossible and heal miraculously. Then, another email came stating that the cancer was a stage 4 (the most fatal stage) and we were told to rebuke it and claim for complete healing. Somehow, I just can't make myself claim that the impossible can be turned around.

In my mind and heart, there is a sense of skepticism as well as resignation that such killer diseases are inevitably going to lead to death. Moreover, it's so widespread nowadays that I'm just being realistic and pragmatic that we should just do what is enough to prepare for the inevitable, rather than pray our hearts out.

Honestly, it does scare me that I'm feeling so resigned, and a seemingly lack of faith. As I walked to work, I muttered to God, please don't place me in such a situation because of my lack of faith or passion to pray for the impossible to happen. I don't want to be honest with myself/you and then be placed in the darkest situation so that you can prove to me that you can do the impossible. Simply because I know that if I'm stricken with a terminal disease, I'm unlikely to cry for healing because I'm too fatalistic and practical. In fact, I'm likely to ask people to pray that it be fast and painless, rather than pray pray pray, fast fast fast..... Too much effort for something which i deem inevitable. However, if this happens to those close to me, now that is a different story, butthe last thing I need is to have God use someone that I care about prove a point to me that he can do the impossible.

As I look back, I have seen a close friend pass on despite her faith and the multiple powerful ministry by others to her. I've also witness in church camp, how many zealous prayers were made, just to have the inevitable happen. In rangers, I've seen the passing of a US leader inspite of much prayers being rallied for. In all these, I've not seen the mega miracle that made me believe that prayers in such impossible cases can result in God turning the situation around, not that I'm really eager to see God prove himself because in his sovereignty, he doesn't need to prove himself to me.

But, before my heart turns cold, hardened by skepticism and my mind conditioned by pragmatic logic, I ask that God, you make your sovereignty seen in the impossible case before me in the life of my former pastor. Not to prove to me, but just because there are those who can testify of your goodness and through it, your name will be glorified.

M.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:26)

The source and purpose of success

1 Kings 16:1-4
Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha: "I lifted you up from the dust and made you leader of my people Israel, but you walked in the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to provoke me to anger by their sins. So I am about to consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country."

The story of Baasha is common of the kings of Israel. They ascended to the throne, but never stayed there to do enough good. Once there, we read about how they forgot about God and sinned. They failed at their life's purpose of being successful.

As we live in this competitive country, we all strive to succeed. Albeit, to be top at school, obtain a scholarship, the best job with the highest possible salary, a pay raise, a big house....the list goes on. We won't be raised as kings to oversee God's country, but we will receive money or resources or lives to command. The strive to succeed will be a part of our life's journey and when we do reach there, we may be tempted to forget who helped us do so. Success often sabotages the memories of the past.

The question, however, is after we receive a measure of success. Do we know the purpose of our life and why we are striving to succeed? Or do we end up like Baasha and forget to live a grounded life.

It's not about achieving our own goals and glory. Success is awarded to us for God's glory sake. Yours and my success is not about what we do. It's all about God and how He graciously made us successful, and that no man may boast of his own efforts.

If we can't handle the responsibilities which comes with success, I pray that we'll always remain humbled and simple. Why does God help us succeed? So we can make him known, or as the song goes, for us to "shout His fame".

M.

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalms 103:2)