Looks like I’ll just pick the latest ones for sharing …. it’s good to slow down again after an intense period of change.
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I remember an old song we heard with a chorus, "If God closes a door, he opens a window." 🙂 This phrase has stuck in my mind since. So often, we get stuck and don’t know what to do, or how to proceed if what we thought was an "opening" is closed. And yet, these are character building times because our preferences goes through a needed refining process. As we go through this purification process we see clearer the real open doors before us, and we step forward in faith … always a little shaky but forward nonetheless.
Other times, even when we are not asking for it… open doors are right before our eyes. And we stand in awe of the providence of God, and our confidence in him grows. I really felt that this week as I sat around with some people I would have never imagine I would have cake and coffee with years ago. But now is a reality, I never craved or asked for it. But this door had been wide opened for me which is inline with how God has been shaping me these years … I’ve taken some small steps again … with much thanksgiving and reverence. Holy Ground is not limited to space, but it’s wherever God’s presence is leading me … 🙂
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I think many of us want to experience peace and joy in this lifetime. What strikes me here is the inclusion of "righteousness" (or "right-ness", another translation is "justice") in the equation … because without righteousness, the peace and joy we experience is hollow at worst and short term at best. The recent events and reactions surrounding the socio-political shift in our nation has created an environment where a lot of our prejudices, ignorance, and immaturity can easily surface. The bad part about this, is that it can easily be abused to generate conflict, the good news is we can now address these weakness (and even sins) clearly because it’s no longer hidden. The area we can start is our "thinking" and "talking".
Paul is right when he says,"Our right thinking and talking will produce in us right walking before God and our sisters and brothers." The new life in Christ … opens up a softened heart for the sensitive treatment of the Spirit and the Word. Like the song we sing based on Psalm 51 so clearly helps us to pray, "Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me".
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Apologies for not being up-to-date on the devotionals. After the Elections, it’s been a pretty crammed week with meetings and emergencies 🙂 But I do find the daily emphasis for each devotional timely for us. While it’s tempting to just focus on the transition of power and realignment of power due to the political shakeup in our nation thus far. I’m reminded of the urgent "rebuilding" which is needed immediately … especially on the ground with fellow citizens and friends. We as Christians can be those who are catalysts in this regard. Starting with every smile, and every initiative in conversation, and every act of kindness … let’s do it 🙂
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I’m still overwhelmed by Elections 2008 in Malaysia 🙂 and encouraged by the courage the Malaysians managed to generate to make a tough choice. While some have criticized Christians for being emotional, or the voters as emotional … there are the people who use the emotion of "fear" to keep people in their status quo. But often for longer term change, we need to endure some shorter term uncertainty … and that’s ok. Because what comes after will truly bless others beyond our imagination. The time for Jesus in the Garden of Gethsamane was hard, and his death on the cross is no joking matter … but it gave life to all even until today. This is the one whom we worship and follow.
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"The fear of man" – especially those who use threats to push us into a corner for their own gain, paralyzes us. The "fear of God" – the kind which is birthed out of our love for God, and what is right and just empowers us to do what is right, right the wrongs, and as a result be a blessing to those we encounter …
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These harmonics vibrated from March 5 – 15, 2008