Christians Who Will Complain About Anything
Yesterday, a YouTuber I followed published the 14th Virtual Choir song that he organized. It is “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” but based on an Irish melody than the usual ROCKINGHAM.
Everyone….well, almost everyone in his group of supporters were excited and thankful to God for what he did with the arrangement. But then, there was this person who posted a feedback….
Although this is one of my favourite hymns, and I’d been looking forward to the project, the totally unfamiliar time to which it is sung was quite unsettling. I still love you, David, but please don’t ruin another great hymn like this.
This person recognize the name of the hymn. Which is good, but he only recognize one melody to be the only one to the level of sacredness. When he didn’t recognize the melody he, basically, was crying “sacrilege!”
He was telling David, “HOW DARE YOU!”
Here are the problems I have with this brother or sister:
They have made something “sacred” when they are not.
Just because it is something they have not heard of, they assume it can only be wrong and have ruined “it”.
They feel entitled that essentially gave the guy and ultimatum: “I don’t like it and you are wrong for offending me. Don’t you dare do that again!” That definitely was a bad judgement.
This was the most serious case of a “Music style division in the church” I’ve ever come across. The usual kinds are ones that are “just” a choice between hymns and contemporary songs. This is the differences between the “correct” hymn tune.
Some may ask, did the Bible say anything about worship style? No, not really. But does that mean it is okay to be judgemental against another just because it’s not the style you prefer?
I mean, at least this person didn’t call the arranger something along the lines of “traitor” or “blasphemer” but just “you’ve ruined everything!”
The Bible, however, has made it very clear against creating division, judging others (specifically, based on their own understanding, refuse to listen to those whom they judge, and to hand out judgement as a conclusion of above), and lack humiliation.
This person thought David “ruined” their favourite hymn because they have never heard of this arrangement before. They assumed it means David butchered that him until it can no longer be recognized.
May this person be able to listen to God’s voice of correction and not have a stubborn heart.
God is in Charge of My Future Because He is Already There
“A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by.” Psalm 90:4
I started my Master’s study in 2009. I have been going at it since then while working a part-time job and other volunteer responsibilities. Additionally, I am not the “academic type,” and with those mixed, even with the two years of break and another year affected by the pandemic, 13 years was still a long time to finish a degree.
That has affected me in the past, not helping me deal with my depression tendency. The above verse was one of the verses that helped to relieve that stress, though. It took Moses 40 years to be ready to lead God’s people and another 40 to get to the Promised Land, what is 13 years?
If I failed to grow spiritually and only academically, that would be 13 years wasted. But I am glad that I grew not only academically but also spiritually. Am I done growing? Not a chance. If God’s people tell you, “I am fully grown,” they lie to themselves. and everyone else. I am just waiting for the next training ground.
“I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea.” Isaiah 43:16
I know who is holding tomorrow, and I am glad that is not me.
Let Go and Let God….You Sure?
“Go … to the land I will show you …. So Abram went.” - Genesis 12:1, 4
Okay, don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that we don’t let go of things or other matters in life. We need to stop asking God to drive from the passenger seat while we are in the driver’s seat; however, that is not the point. We often hear people say, “let go and let God,” when they just give up and do nothing and then call their action an expression of “I trust God.”
Abram did not just sit around where he was comfortable or familiar. “Going” is not as simple as “going” of today. Back then, your neighbour and your neighbourhood is your protection. Going into the unknown is, at best, an adventure and, at worst, a suicide. What he went with was the trust that His God telling Him to go meant God was going to be ahead of him already. It might have been unknown to him, but he also knew it was not unknown to God.
“Let God” is slightly more than “Jesus takes the wheel.” It is to go follow God’s lead into the unknown. We need to let go of the controlling part. Don’t know what to do? Don’t know what’s going to happen? Don’t know if you will be doing the right thing? Good. It’s a problem if you think or insist we know exactly what to do, what will happen or what is in store for you.
“For in Him you have been enriched in every way — with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge.”
Often, God already hinted to us which direction we should go. No, usually is not whatever we want or just the thing that makes us happy or what we want. It is what God wants for our lives, just like He did with Abram. We need to remember that not only will He not throw us to the wolves, but He also gives us everything we need to know how to get there.
Trust Him, let’s GO!
No Matter How Good We Think Our Plan is, His Will Always Be Better
When Our Daily Bread entry for today mentioned the Marshmallow Experiment, the first thought is usually, “I’m better than that. Of course, I can wait to get the double portion!” But the reality is that it seldom happens. Many will not be able to help but get at it one way or another. Yes, I do mean “many” and not “some.
Very few will outright just “eat the damn thing.” Some will try to “trick the system” by touching it, grabbing it, holding it, and licking it. Some may push it a little further by nibbling at it or “skillfully” plugging out “tiny” bits and pieces of the marshmallow and hoping they are a good lawyer when it comes time to be evaluated.
Only a few will survive, not giving in to all temptations or excuses.
“His Divine Power has given us everything we need for a godly life.”
My wife’s Grandmother passed away of CoViD in the beginning of the year. When my in-laws had a chance to return to Hong Kong to take care of everything, he thought selling Grandmother’s place would be straightforward. Not a chance. Because Grandma has been living in a Seniors’ home, the apartment was left unoccupied. Some despicable person discovered the place was empty and decided to break in, renovate it, and start living there.
When I heard about it, I was very upset. Grandma’s home, a place that should have been considered sacred, was defiled. All her stuff was gone, and now my Father-in-Law has something to worry about even after he returned to Canada. How can people be so rude!?
After a few letters from the lawyer and months of delays, one day, when the lawyer sent an investigator to verify what was going on, the occupants were gone but leaving behind a lot of stuff. A new padlock was put on with the area of the door plastered with warnings from the lawyer.
I thought, great, now the next set of headaches begin: selling the place.
Here is where God did the “Watch Me.”
The day we discovered the place was “ready” for us, the Government’s Urban Redevelopment Authority announced that the area the apartment is in would be under the Acquisition Scheme. What it means is that the Government will buy it from my Father-in-Law, and he does not need to worry about figuring out how much is a fair price to sell, finding an agent he can trust, or any of the sort.
All my worries for my Father-in-Law were, literally, for nothing.
“When I called, You answered me; You greatly emboldened me.”
It is Not Us. Not About or By Us.
“He (the Son) is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” - Colossians 1:17 (NIV)
I am on the path to transition out of my current Church. Where am I going? I have absolutely no idea. I know it is time to go, but it is not going to be easy. In the last two years, my church has gone through revolutionary-level changes in many ways. Some of those ways I was 100% behind such change.
I had labour and pained over those changes. The main project out of those was to reimagine the Media Booth that formerly known as the “Sound Booth.” For over a year, that was my house, and then things changed as we reopen. I planned the changes to be “easy” to operate. In an ideal Sunday it would be able to have professional level execution of the in-house media reproduction and live stream with four people. It can easily be manageable with two.
But now, as I am “on my way out,” have I done enough to plan? Have I trained them enough? Will they know what to do if something change or goes wrong? The actual question I was asking was: “do I trust God?”
No, I don’t expect God to solve technical issues. I should expect God to take care of everything. This is God’s House. He will NOT let it fail, so HE will help His people get through whatever. That person is, in so many ways, does not have to be me. I was part of the planning process, and regardless of whether I planned it “perfectly,” He is the One who will make sure it is executed perfectly. If God can take care of sparrows, He can take care of any Technical Problems.
It is by God’s Grace, Mercy, and Power, that things still happens.
God is Already in the Future
“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:8a (NIV)
It’s no secret that I have finished my Master of Divinity. My current church, which I love, is a little too far for me to travel to, and I would need to look for placement closer to home. I really don’t know what God has in store for me and where I should be going. The future is currently full of unknowns.
If it were fully up to me, I would try to find a multicultural church to lead. It is a harder task than I thought. Many of the “multicultural” churches I have come across are mostly “bi-cultural” with leadership mostly “non-colour.” God has been spoiling me with my current church.
In comparison, what I have is, in my view, “First World Problem.” Just over a week ago, we were informed that the church our Senior Pastor came from was hosting upward of 30 refugees from Africa. That is no easy task. There are much needs for these brothers and sisters.
Within the week, I managed to have four families cooking turkeys, donations are piling in. I am so proud of our members. It is not easy to pull this together in such short notice. “Help them . . . so they can continue to live among you.” (Leviticus 25:35)
I don’t know what is in store for these brothers and sisters any more than mine, but I know God is faithful and is already ahead of us and has a mission for each one of us. May we learn to be in tune with God to fall into that perfect plan He has for us.
God is Faithful
“No, I (Jesus) will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you.” - John 14:18 (NLT)
What does it mean when we say, “God is Faithful.” It means God is predictable in a very good way. You know He is not going to behave randomly, as He cannot change who He is. He is our God, and He will always keep His promises.
When He has promised He will always be there for us, we can be sure that He will be there for us when we need Him. Not in the way we want Him to be, but in what we need Him to be.
IMHO, the one person that understood God’s faithfulness the best was Job. He had everything going for Him, and the Devil conspired against him while God allowed it to happen. What he needed was some assurance from God that God is still faithful because he was.
What did he get? Three idiots as friends trying to give him “spiritual advice.”
When the nightmare began for him, his first response was, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” I mean, what was he thinking? He was fully entitled to be upset and even whine to God about what just happened to him. Nope, he praised God.
Am I suggesting we should just put up the face and praise God when things fall apart for/before us? Far from it. When we feel like we are in the valley where light seems to be hiding from us, we need to recognize the fact that we have no power nor the ability to change anything.
No, I am not asking people to jump in and scream, “Thank you, Jesus!” Yes, that would be one of the ways we can praise God, but not the only way. Proclaiming that God is Faithful and God is Sovereign are also ways to praise Him.
It is a recognition that God is our God, and it is not about us. If we lose our ways, He will come for us. If we lose what we think defines us, He will come and help us remember who we are: children of God.
What does that mean? It means our identity is not with what we have or the wealth of our name. It means our identity is not how many initials we have on our business cards. It means our worth is not about the “legend” we leave behind. Our identity is what kind of relationship we have with God.
No matter how lost we feel, He will come for us. We can trust Him.
Modern Pharisees Have a Name, But…
Why was Jesus so upset with the Pharisees? There was another book those rabbis went with, and it is called the Talmud. It is a very complicated system of teachings that has the same standing as the Scripture, even though there are times when it contradicts the Word of God. It was formed from the “wisdom” of generations of rabbis.
Jesus called them “hypocrites.” because they held onto the power of interpretation of the Scripture, and they became the “measuring stick” if people were “following the Law” while their “interpretation” remained “fluid” when it came to their own “obedient.”
I have been encountering a particular group of Christians. They have a few “good” teachers for which their words carry the weight of the pope of the Protestant Church. Those teachers are the only ones who preach “the Full Gospel” while everyone else is “false teachers who do not honour the “Full” Gospel.
Based on their theology, the Gospel has many expectations and required beliefs. Unless people adhere to their teachings that are nothing short of “legalistic,” they are not real Christians and will go to hell. The more passionate ones will chase after teachers who do not meet their standards to cancel them. Yes, the Cancel Culture did not start in American Politics but in the Protestant Churches.
Yes, they have a name: Fundamentalists. They often are very proud of their status and are very judgemental against others. Just like the Pharisees. Anyone who knows me and my past will know how passionate I am to be against them because of what they have done to people, Christians, seekers, or non-believers.
“God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
It has been a difficult fight with the temptation to get upset at these Modern Pharisees and, essentially, yell at them in an attempt to correct their ways. I actually hoped to turn them around so that there would be one less person working against the Work God has been doing.
““If it is my will that he remains until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!””
It is not my job to “correct” them or “turn them around.” I am not that wise, not that smart, and definitely, not that skillful. My focus is on God, not on being with men, especially ones that will never listen. My focus will, and should always be, on my journey.
If I am to be able to lead my people and my sheep my only focus should be making “My whole being belongs to You.” Psalm 63:1. The only way I can get there is to live out “love the Lord my God with all my mind, strength, and being”. In what I do I need to “love my neighbour as myself.”
As for me, just follow Him.
Be Graceful, Like God is to Me
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2
During my last seminary course, the Professor asked us to pick an image out of a collection of photos to represent us. I picked one that has a girl looking into a room through a tiny window of a closed door.
When I shared, I talked about how my experience of being excluded in the pass just because I'm not in line with them. I hate it when the same mentality keep people outside of the Church because there is a standard that was not met and that standard felt so human.
I think this is why I passionately detest the Fundamentalists. I have no patient with them when they take Scriptures out of context because that would fit their theology instead of the other way around. I get upset when they go around telling people “unless you interpret the Bible my way you do not know the Bible.” Then to Pastors and Preachers, “if you don't preach the Bible like our great leaders, you don't preach the ‘full Gospel’ and you are leading people in worshipping a false god.”
Yesterday, I was writing something up and while I was telling myself, don't get upset, I did. By the Grace of God He made me lost what I wrote.
I know I could tell myself, Jesus seemed to have no patient with Pharisees, why should I? But this morning, He is telling me, “I did.”
He didn't randomly get upset at every Pharisees. Yes, Jesus did get upset with them, but in most interaction His first approach was always a teaching one, even when they used their Talmud to let the male adulterer go and tried to get Jesus to give the go-ahead to kill the female.
God has been gracious to me too many times in so many ways. Even when these Fundamentalists are doing the exact opposite of what God wants His people to do, and acting EXACTLY like the Pharisees, I need to be patient with them in correcting their ways, and if they insist of being stubborn and think their way is better, they don't determine things for God and what they say will never represent God. Meaning, just because they say I follow a false god and how I am not reading the Bible “correctly”, I only have to treat them as they treat prophetess of God.
And the end of the day, it is their loss and the only feeling I should have is sadness. The same sadness Jesus felt when that rich young ruler walked away.
May the Good Lord have mercy on me too give me the strength.
What Do You Got?
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last — dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them.
The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, “Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, and I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.”
The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, “Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.” The master said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”
Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, “Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. So I was afraid to lose what you gave me, and I went and hid it in the ground. See, you have what is your own.”
But the master replied, “You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.” Then he ordered, “Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. For to everyone who has and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely, more will be given; and he will be richly supplied so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God, even what he does have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:14-30 (Taken from Amplified Version, The Message, and the New Living Translations)
Many pastors have focused on “money management” with this passage. I think it has nothing to do with money…at least not how people think. First of all, it is about the Kingdom of God. Then, in my humble opinion, it has more to do with what God has given us. Yes, money could be part of it, but it is more than that. It has to do with everything that God has given us: our personality, skills, opportunities, etc. for spreading His Kingdom.
There is not one Christian whom I have met whom God has not gifted them, at least something. The question is “what are you doing about it?” and not “how much do you get?” It is about our attitude. Are we treating what God gave us as 5, 2, or 1 bag of silver? A person can feel like they are only given 1, but it only matters if they work it like they were given 5.
How would that work? Say you are poor, so you have no money to give, but you give your time to care for others in whatever way and go that extra mile to help others in your workplace. When you live your life like that, you are already living like the one who was given 5 or 2. However, if you are given 5 (like you are making good money and have multiple talents/abilities) but live like you are only given 1? Be prepared to be thrown into the darkness.
When you count every penny of your giving, spend more time with your own recreation than things for God, or no one can tell you are a Christian in your neighbourhood or school/workplace, you are burying what you have been given. You should not be expecting any reward from God.
So, what do you got?
The Not So Wise Wisemen
Today is Ephiphany, and, therefore, it is very appropriate to talk about the not-so-wise wisemen. Why did I say that? Well, in Matthew 2:1-12 recorded the wisemen figured out the meaning of the unique light source from reading the Scripture. They figured everything out, but still think such an extraordinary event will take place in an ordinary place like the Palace. When they got to Israel, they stopped following the light and went right for the Palace.
Why is that a problem? Well, Jerusalem is about 10 km North-North-East of Bethlehem, which means the wisemen completely missed the fact that the light is far behind Jerusalem. They stopped looking at the light and went on autopilot heading to the Palace. They did not bother to ask people along the way if the King had a baby. Can you imagine the conversation when they got to Harod? “Hey King Harod, where is your baby?” That awkwardness would have been nothing short of comedic.
They basically told a King that his replacement is born without his knowledge or “permission”. Not so wise.
I’m sure there have been plenty of people who have said, “I would not have made that mistake!” But I have a hunch that it is unlikely to be the case. One set of words could easily be used to explain it: “Good Intention”. “Good Intention” is often the excuse people use to explain away the bad outcome of a decision or action.
“Good Intention” is very problematic because whatever the “Good Intention” was, it is very likely that, on its own, something that is good. It is something that you cannot fault someone for manifesting. It becomes problematic when the “Good Intention” holds zero attendance to circumstances and results and those who are involved. People might be unintentionally hurt. In this case, thousands of babies died.
“Good Intention” is no excuse for us to do harm to others. We may not cause people to die, but people may still get hurt because of it. Then, we become some not-so-wise people. Think about others first.
What If We Cannot Agree with Our Political Leaders?
Since we are not living in a world where countries are run by theocracy, we have to live with being ruled by people whom we may or may not agree with, in parts or in full. It is important that we do not act like the secular people because God expects so much more from us.
I am going to take US Politics as an example, but it truly can be transposed into any political system. So, the Americans have gone through four years of the “Trump is not my President” trend and now they are with a President who claims there have been more people fully vaccinated in the US than there are people in the US. Trump was a President who started with a lower approval rating than he was elected, and Biden who started as the President who received the highest number of votes in the history of the country to the steepest drop in approval, which is steeper than Nixon’s. How should our behaviour be? This is, of course, from an outsider's perspective.
Since I do side with Trump in most things, I did not have a problem with him for the four years he was the President. Then, there was Biden. He keeps saying and doing things that just make no sense. The way I look at it, he is just an older version of Justin Trudeau, so, it is easy for me to put myself into thinking about “what would I do”.
Biden and Trudeau both push policies and narratives that I do not agree with politically and religiously. Yet, I will not actively oppose their policy just because I disagree. Neither will I curse them for pushing an agenda that is against God. No. If Apostle Paul, in the middle of being jailed and possibly executed did not curse Ceasar, nor pray against Ceasar, who are we to do differently?
As a matter of fact, from today’s passage, Paul was not the first who push for the “agenda” of praying for those who are the political leaders. Today’s passage is from Psalm 72. King David wrote to remind people to pray for the king to do the right thing and be blessed. We should do the same, even if we think our political leaders are doing evil things (or we think they are doing “evil things” just because we don’t agree with what they are doing).
When You are Falsely Accused
These days, anything can become the thing that divides. It is true outside the church and inside the church. Modern example? A mask, a set of drums, lighting of the sanctuary, volume of worship, or even a clock. Yes, a clock.
I recently posted about a family visiting my church carrying a bag with a swear word in Chinese. I made a comment about them being a certain kind of immigrant. Apparently, that has triggered the Christians on the opposite political spectrum and they deployed the Cancelled Culture machine. Two days in a row, they have two different people sending an exact letter to the rest of the church staff.
In it, they used the words “hate speech” and “discrimination against immigrants from Hong Kong”. A few factors sure made these complaint email funny.
My church serves Chinese who are 99% to be from China.
I am an immigrant from Hong Kong.
These people are famous for sparing no hateful words in discriminating against people from China.
I am thankful that my fellow staff has been fully supportive of my position. Better, yet, today’s reading is taken from 2 Chronicles 6:22-42. It is about Solomon praying to God as the First Temple was finished and Solomon prayed to God that it will be what makes a difference in the lives of the Israelites. Solomon saw it as the symbol of justice to right the injustice they have experienced since they arrived in Canaan.
Special attention is paid to verses 22-23:
When anyone wrongs their neighbour and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.
These people do not have to answer to me, nor my fellow staff, nor even my church for what they have done, but the day will come when they have to answer for their act of not letting their “yes” be “yes”, and “no”, “no”. Answering God is going to be a little more challenging than to me.
Just add God
Today’s reading came from John 1:1-18, and the key is from verses 16-18:
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
This was the cry of John the Baptist. It was said before Jesus began His ministry on earth. That was the reason Jesus came on the earth. “Just add God” is more than a cliche, but a reality. We do not know God short of knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is only part of it, as Jesus is also where we can find grace and truth.
If you are going through a very smooth path in life at the moment, you need to add God, because it is by His Grace that you are where you are. If you are going through a rough patch, you need to add God or there is no chance you will get out of it in one piece. You want to have a future that has hope, you need to add God.
You can do “it”, whatever “it” is, by yourself, you can try, but it’s not going to be easy, and also frustrating.
Just Add Cats…
Funny title, eh? I bet people who know me didn’t even know I like cats that much. I do like cats, but not that much. So what gives?
Ever since I have to learn everything there is to know to live stream, I came across a YouTuber and have been part of his community to the point I am a moderator for his live streams. A few days ago, he asked his community to subscribe to his wife’s YouTube channel to get her to over 1,000 subscribers so that she will have access to more tools. So, I did.
She is some character. Not in a bad way. She is a very colourful person and has a very exciting perspective on life. Now, if you think that means she is not a smart one, then you cannot be more wrong. She was actually was invited to deliver a mini-TED Talk, and for good reason.
Before I came across that mini-TED Talk video, I joined her live stream on the day that her husband asked us to subscribe to her channel. During that video, she talked about finance that makes a whole lot of sense for pretty much everyone. With that live stream in mind, her mini-TED Talk makes a whole lot of sense for how she is the way she is.
In that mini-TED Talk, that was her title: Just Add Cat. What she meant is that in life there are things that may be too difficult, challenging, or hard to understand. Because Cat is her thing, she just adds cats to whatever that may be. What is a cat to her is what she can add to make things more interesting. Since you can’t change that part of your life, attempts to change the part itself are going to be met with disappointment. So, instead of changing the part, might as well add filters to help adapt to the situation, circumstances, or whatever parts there are.
Today’s Scripture Reading is from Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. It talks about a time for everything. What do you do when it is time for something that you do not like to face? Too difficult to face? Or, you think it is wrong for you to face it? Just add a cat or two. What is your cat? I can’t tell you. You will have to figure that out yourself.
What makes something a “cat”? A Cat to that girl was something that provides her with comforts at times, and inspiration in others.
Cats work for her, but only for her or selected people, and it is plausibly necessary for her to add lots of cats to get through certain things because cats have their limit and their effect can and will pass.
To me, “just add cat” has only worked when that “cat” is God. Why would I not just say “just add God”? Say it again and see how cliche it sounds. It also doesn’t work for most people when you throw cliche at whatever circumstances they have to face. It is just too abstract. It will only work when that “cat” fits the following from the passage from verses 9-15:
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil – this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure for ever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.
What is your “cat”?
How am I to be…..
I was going to write about politics You know, with all the craziness happening in the States and how people are polarizing and dividing people into red or blue. I could write about the problem of identity politics, or how the reds or blues are right/wrong…..and by the look of things, that would give me things to write for the next decade.
So, no, I’m going to write about something else…. but it is related.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.
Friedrich Nietzsche
No matter how honourable we think we are, if we are not careful, we can easily become the monster we try to overcome. It doesn’t even matter if we are dealing with politics or theology. No matter how right we think we are, when we step outside of how we are to behave, we become no difference with whom we are trying to judge. At that point, whether they are right or wrong is inconsequential.
Tribute to My Late Grandmother
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.Proverbs 31:10-30
English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Mother's Day is only a week away. Tomorrow I will be sharing at the monthly worship service at Sunrise Living Unionville. I was going back and forth and not sure what I should share, and recently I got to tell someone about my maternal grandmother, I just feel like retelling that story.
She may not have been a very "educated" woman, but she is smart enough to direct an army. There was a time when they lived in a company resident. Back then, women do not usually go to work, as their job was to look after the children.
We all know what happens when you have a small space with tens of families and the women are around all day sharing all common space and washroom: gossips, especially the mean ones. She had every right to exercise her power as my grandfather was, technically the boss of all the husbands.
She did not do that. Some of the gossips, she just ate it all up without even skipping a beat. For the few years they lived there, my grandfather had no idea that was happening. I was told she not only took those gossips with a stride, she made these people like her.
Fast forwarding a "few" years, and they settled in Brampton. My grandmother's English skill was still next to non-existent, but she managed to get herself to China Town Toronto for her weekly "English Class". There was little learning there, but she and her classmates went there for a social life.
She almost always visit 3-Level after class before she headed home. She loved shopping there. I still have not been there, but it is not the same place anymore. With her non-existent English skill, she managed to buy interesting stuff from there cheaper than the sticker price.
We still couldn't figure out how she did it.
Fast forward yet a "few" more years, and as her internal organs were shutting down after one too many strokes, the staff at the hospice comments on this old lady who can no longer speak nor able to move were: she is one brave, strong woman.
God has used her tremendously. Though she has had no formal education to speak of, she was wiser than many who managed to get a university degree back in the day. Her insight in wise living, drive to do the impossible, and strength to overcome her physical obstacles (with every stroke she had, she lost more and more of her mobility), teaches more about "how to live" than any professor can teach you.
Together with my grandfather, God not only shown them, but also all who knows them, that God is not only in charge, He doesn't only use those who are successful or powerful or smart beyond those around them. Just like how God has chosen those who represented him in the Bible, our idea of who should be chosen are often unlikely to be God's choice.
Their lives, especially my grandmother proves that. Our action and deeds speak louder than any credential we can pull out of our pockets.
She is to be praised for her fear of God was real. I pray that all the mothers will find the strength to have enough faith to trust God and follow the Spirit of God in all that she does.
Hope is Coming
The crowd of people stood, watching.
Authorities (mocking Jesus): So He was supposed to rescue others, was He? He was supposed to be God’s Anointed, the Liberating King? Let’s see Him start by liberating Himself!
The soldiers joined in the mockery. First, they pretended to offer Him a soothing drink—but it was sour wine.
Soldiers: Hey, if You’re the King of the Jews, why don’t Youfree Yourself!
Even the inscription they placed over Him was intended to mock Him—“This is the King of the Jews!” [This was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.]
One of the criminals joined in the cruel talk.
Cynical Criminal: You’re supposed to be the Anointed One, right? Well—do it! Rescue Yourself and us!
But the other criminal told him to be quiet.
Believing Criminal: Don’t you have any fear of God at all? You’re getting the same death sentence He is! We’re getting what we deserve since we’ve committed crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong at all! (turning to Jesus) Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.
Jesus: I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.
Luke 23:35-43 The Voice (VOICE) Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Yesterday was Good Friday. It was a day designated to remember that one dark day some 2,000 years ago during a Passover where The Son of God roam the earth with a purpose that was thousands of years in the making.
These authorities see themselves as the crusaders of God. Yet, they are so inlined with God that they missed the very person from God they have been waiting for, went to war with that person at all cost, conspired with their enemy to kill the person. Why? "God will never send us a person that does not meet the standard we have set to deem that person to be righteous.
Here we are, reading about two people who have committed crimes that earn them the privilege of being nailed to two pieces of wood butt naked for the world to see. They were nailed to the two sides of a Man named Jesus, who, unlike them, has been found to be innocent by, not one, but two government officials.
One of them decided to mock Jesus just like almost everyone around them are doing. The other, was, albeit a little late, resent what he has done, rebuked the idiotic fellow criminal, and pleaded mercy from the only person that matters.
Here, God is letting us know, it is not that we have to live a righteous life for x amount of time before we are "good enough". It is not that we have to follow a set of rules or law to be "good enough". It is our relationship with God that makes that determination. It does not matter who you are, unless you come to term with your sins, repent, and desire to have a relationship with God, nothing you do matters.
You are not perfect? Perfect. Recognizing the fact that you are not perfect and He is AND wants to be with God is what it takes to become one of the righteous of God. What about you?
Serving...who?
And they brought [the colt] to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as He rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As He was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, and it's remembering Jesus' march into Jerusalem for the last time. Before I continue, please first watch this video:
In Luke's account of Jesus' journey, it was not the whole city lining up the road leading into Jerusalem shouting "Hosanna!", but mostly just His disciples. Maybe the amazing fact that they walked away with a colt by simply dropping Jesus' name, in a sense.
These people who have been following Jesus for various length of time, suddenly just burst out with declarations that are reserved for a king. It was an action that is as bold as the Declaration of Independent the American founding fathers made. It was the same as a declaration of war to the Roman Empire.
In the past, Jesus would have told them to keep quiet, but not this time. When the Pharisees, who wanted no trouble with the Romans, told Jesus to shut them up, Jesus didn't.
Here is the thing. While these disciples were not wrong with their statements, every words they uttered were true and Jesus was worthy of every letter, they have absolutely no idea they were talking about.
If we keep reading, we will find these same disciples stunt as Jesus clearing out the mess out of the Temple, need to be reminded of the emptiness of the teachings of the teachers of the law, asking the wrong questions, one of them decided to betray Jesus, fought over who is the greatest amongst them, failed in their promise to be with Jesus even to jail but disappeared the moment Jesus was arrested, and so on and so forth.
They completely missed Jesus point of "follow me" is not so that they can tell people "Jesus was my Rabbi" to awe people. Or even "I'm with King Jesus" like they were crying as Jesus head down toward Mount Olive.
"Follow Him" is to lose their identity in Jesus. "Follow Him" is to be His representative on earth. Not as some superior being lording over the ignorant, but as a Servant of God serving those who are lost. If those who are lost have never or can never see God through us, are we actually with Him? Who are we serving? Us? or God?
Who Am I?
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Today, I joined a tour that took us out to the San Andreas Fault Line. Not the beginning of it, but 20 miles northwest of it. The tour guide, as we were approaching it, taught us how to look for it: in the middle of this wilderness, where the ground suddenly pops up and have thrieving vegetation.
There we found this talcum-powder-like dirt, which is formed by the friction between two tectonic plates, which will eventually will explode with end-time scale quake is also life giving.
This fine dirt allows vegetation to grow by easily taking root and find the water and it allows water to stay underground and not evaporated because water cannot pass through this fine dirt.
Psalm 139 reminds us that there is no place we can hide from God, and nothing that happened in our lives can escape His eyes. That does not prevent us from being accepted by Him.
If God can allow a place that is storing up so much destructive power to have such life-giving characteristic, so will He with us; however, it is not by what we do. It is by what He does with our lives, if we allows Him by aligning our lives with His.
He knows exactly what He is working with before we are born. Nothing we do, good or bad, surprise Him. Yet, He has chosen to do everything He can to save us and give us a new identity.
So, who are you? I mean, are you defined by what you can, and have, and will do? Or, are you willing to let your life defined by Him? I am not asking because I already "got it." I am asking because it is a journey I am on, and I know the struggle is real. Think about it.