Preaching to myself

I looked at the older post I wrote, I was like - did I wrote that stuff? I really admire this author, hahaha~ 

Well, it's soul searching time again. Again, I stand at the crossroad, looking at all the options I have, wondering where is each of these roads is going to lead me to? Where am I going to end up in? Thankfully, ultimately I will end up in heaven - the final destiny will not be changed, it is certain. Sometimes I wonder, why am I being anxious about the short temporal life I have on this earth? Chillax, just cheer up. Well, I don't quite agree with the YOLO philosophy - it's just kind of irresponsible. You only live once? Yes and no. Every actions you do will take its consequences - yes we only live once, whether it leads to death, or eternity.

Does anybody think that sometimes we do forget how to live as HUMAN? We get so ingrained in our daily lives and routines, and we became dull and boring, just like everyone else, if not robots. No doubt the world has fallen into sin, as humans are, yet we should never give up the conquest of searching the meaning of our lives. 

We are created for a reason, we are created with LOVE. God defines love, he IS love. The trinitarian God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit is a relationship itself. One cannot love without interacting with another person. God is three persons, therefore God himself is sufficient to love, yet he extends that love to his creation. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on earth." - Genesis 1:27~28 We are created to have a relationship with God and his creations - that relationship is beautiful and enjoyable, and meant for eternal.

Yet we turned away from him, we were deceived and we deceived ourselves, instead of enjoying the great relationship with our Creator, we foolishly rebelled against Him. We tainted ourselves, and ought to face the judgment and consequences of our actions. Yet there God is still gracious in the midst of judgment - he said to the serpent: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."- Genesis 3:15 Later we learn that  this offspring (or seed in some translation) ultimately points to Jesus - the one to crushed Satan and gain victory over his death and resurrection.

"God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts our fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us."- 1 John 4:16~19

I find comfort knowing that in times of uncertainty, God still loves me, because not matter what happen, even if I made the wrong decision, my life has been redeemed through the blood of Jesus, I belong to Christ, and nothing is going to change the reality of that my identity is in Christ. Why fear? Because I forgot that He loves me and He will keep me till the end. Therefore choices is there for me to make - "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery". Live as a child of freedom, only to remember Christ, who endured the pain and suffering, and being obedient to his Father, even death on the cross. Live a life worthy of Christ, for I bear his name as CHRISTIAN - my life is no longer mine, but Christ's. May I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is my spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of my mind, that by testing I may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1~2)

I will pray, and seek his guidance and answer. I will trust in the Lord my saviour who loves me with the perfect love. May my heart dwell in peace by reminding myself these truths constantly. As a loving Father, and with full sovereignty, he will act, he will act, when I put my trust in him. :-)  

Now but not yet

Christ has not just overcome death, for me, he has overcome 'life'. Within this age of 'now but not yet', death seems to be daunting, yet 'life' (I mean this life, before the consummation) seems to be frustrating. The stench on decay haunts us day after day, reminding us how dreadful life can be, if there is no hope, if there is no Christ. Since the day we exist, the ultimate judgment awaits us. As sinners we are born powerless, we stand on no ground against a Holy God. Yet, in His mercy, he has chosen us, and lovingly pursue us, like a heavenly hound, there is no way we can run away from His will. I see this capture a good thing, a lovely thing. Not a restriction from freedom, but in contrast, a mean to set me free. Just as a fish swimming in a polluted sea, there is no way that the fish can get out of the water, unless the external power removes the fish out of the water and relocate it to the clean water. We foolish humans having this illusion of freedom, freedom from God's rules and disciplines, yet we never realise that we ourselves are trapped in the sea corrupted by sin.   

When is God the fisher of men will fish me out of this gloom? Though not to the point of dark misery and despair, my conscience is not clear to selfishly indulge in my little own comforts and luxuries. When can my heart be completely satisfied and thus rest in peace? Might that be the day when Christ returns? The tension comes from tension created within, torn between the ideal world and reality. 

"Dwell in me", says the Christ. Never be tempted to walk alone, for you are never alone. You fool, aren't you know that this battle is not yours, but mine? Then why are you exasperated? Because you took pride in yourself, you fought with your own strength, whether for good or selfish reasons, you fought alone, for your own glory. You will never succeed in the battle which never meant for you to fight, for you are too weak and powerless. Abide in me, my child. I am your sword, your shield, your armour. Rest in me, have peace knowing that you belong to me, and I have accepted you, through the blood I shed for you, on that old rugged cross. As the lover, the husband, the head, the Lord, I have every reason to protect you, to guide you, to lead you, to complete the good works I have started in you, till that very end (which is infinity). Have faith in me, just as how you trust your parents, trust me also, even more than your parents, that I love you, and have the ability to accomplish my good will. 

Be part of my kingdom, work for me. I am your Lord, your God. See what I have been doing in the world, I have not 'rest' since the very day I started. I am the beginning and the end. Be part of my work, of gathering my people, calling them to serve and glorify my name. You will see, you will find satisfaction, one day, when that day comes, you will say, "Hallelujah praise the Lord! Your name is worthy, your name is worthy of our worship, your glory fills the earth, sins were no more, pains were no more, tears were no more, only joy, only fulfillment that you can sense beyond your sight, hearing, taste, touch and feel.