I always tell people I’m taking it one day at a time. Sure it’s a cliché, but it is the truth.. Whether going through valleys or climbing mountain-tops, all I can do is keep moving forward and live each day to the fullest as a child of God. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t plan for the future and get the wheels in motion to accomplish what is to be done; rather it means as my favourite Bible verse states:
“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?” –Luke 12:25-26
Such simple words and yet I am more guilty than most of not abiding by it. I don’t worry such that I get stomach ulcers but I think & re-think that which has happened, is happening and will (might) happen. Basically I take my eyes off Christ and focus on the world around me or worst still on myself!
One day at a time, I will walk this road I’ve traveled so far
One day at a time, well I know I will carry on
One day at a time, I can see you took my life this far
One day at a time, I will take this faith along
All this hope I breathe is given by the hand that carries me
Until I'm complete and I’ll take all I will
To understand this plan you have for me, for me
I've been shut up, shut down, held out, held down
In ways I never knew I would
I can't feel your fullness in my life
Well I’ve been burned out, broken, torn out, torn down
In ways I never knew I would
I can't feel your fullness in my life
One day at a time, I will take these words you've given me
One day at a time, I will rest in knowing you
One day at a time, I will share this gift you've given me
One day at a time, I will walk these valleys through
All I know is that I see how much my heart
Is longing to be cradled by your side
And I’ll give all I can to one day soon
Be held by your hand, by your hand
In all these things I will press on
I'll be with you I know it won’t be long
--Jeremy Camp ~ One Day at a Time
It won't be long, that is definitely true...What are my 75+ years on earth (if I am lucky!) compared to eternity?
"As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone,and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children...." -Psalm 103:15-17
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Say What?
"When God wants to orchestrate something, He doesn't need logic, physics or mathematical probability to make it happen."
I think my own logic gets in the way so many times because if I can’t work it out in my head than it can’t be or won’t be. What a ridiculous statement! It even sounds funny writing it down. The creator of the universe is bound by my own small mind. Not hardly.
That’s why I think this quote should be taped on my mirror so every morning I can read it before heading out. What a great reminder and incentive to go out in this world with an utter disregard for what “educated’ man thinks should be possible instead focusing on what God can do.
“…but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong” – 1 Corinthians 1:27 (YLT)
“Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense?” 1 Corinthians 1:20 (GWT)
and lastly, the reason why I like The Message so much; it cuts straight to the chase and tells it like it is. I believe that is the way scripture was intended to be. Not an unfathomable book to be deciphered but rather a personal letter from God to us about this life we live now and the life to come.
I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots.
So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb…” The Message
I think my own logic gets in the way so many times because if I can’t work it out in my head than it can’t be or won’t be. What a ridiculous statement! It even sounds funny writing it down. The creator of the universe is bound by my own small mind. Not hardly.
That’s why I think this quote should be taped on my mirror so every morning I can read it before heading out. What a great reminder and incentive to go out in this world with an utter disregard for what “educated’ man thinks should be possible instead focusing on what God can do.
“…but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong” – 1 Corinthians 1:27 (YLT)
“Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense?” 1 Corinthians 1:20 (GWT)
and lastly, the reason why I like The Message so much; it cuts straight to the chase and tells it like it is. I believe that is the way scripture was intended to be. Not an unfathomable book to be deciphered but rather a personal letter from God to us about this life we live now and the life to come.
I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots.
So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb…” The Message
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Die Grammatik
As I am learning German, it brings back memories of learning English grammer way back in elementary school. The infinitive, irregular verbs, conjugate endings, etc…It all seems quite daunting at first, but the thing I realized is that I have no idea about English grammer either! I am just accustomed to using words and phrases enough that I know when something sounds right or wrong. If I were asked to explain the rule behind it, I would be clueless. Hence the more I speak German, the more my brain will get use to its strange guttural sounds & the like. No German I have spoken to even knows all the rules, so there is light at the end of the tunnel!
I’d better get on the ball though, I made a foolhardy promise to preach in German on a Sunday in the New Year! My großes wörterbuch Englisch-Deutsch is going to be well used!
I’d better get on the ball though, I made a foolhardy promise to preach in German on a Sunday in the New Year! My großes wörterbuch Englisch-Deutsch is going to be well used!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
To think about
“The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you.” --Frederick Buechner
“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” --Frederick Buechner
“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love” --Martin Luther King Jr.
“If any man ascribes anything of salvation, even the very least thing, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learned Jesus Christ rightly” --Martin Luther
“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” --Frederick Buechner
“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love” --Martin Luther King Jr.
“If any man ascribes anything of salvation, even the very least thing, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learned Jesus Christ rightly” --Martin Luther
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
God's Handwriting
He writes in characters too grand
For our short sight to understand;
We catch but broken strokes, and try
To fathom all the mystery
Of withered hopes, of death, of life,
The endless war, the useless strife, --
But there, with larger, clearer sight,
We shall see this -- His way was right.
.: John Oxenham
We are never the victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is eliminated. Would God truly abandon us to the whims of this fallen world? If we do not believe this than we are left to believe what Rabbi Kushner concluded in his book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" that God is strong. Or God is good. But God is not both. If God cares, he isn't strong; if he is strong, he doesn't care. He can't be both. We are left to choose between "...a good God who is not totally powerful, or a powerful God who is not really good."
But the Bible tells us a different story:
"I am the one who creates the light and makes the darkness. I am the one who sends good times & bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things." (Isaiah 45:7)
"God...is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings and the master of all masters." (1 Timothy 6:15)
and finally,
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God." (Isaiah 43:2-3)
We will go through the floods and fires but at the end of the day, the Lord is still over all things and completely in control.
I would not dare presume to tell someone who is going through trials that God is in control so it's all good. I have been through enough fires and floods in my life to know that that is not the answer. Personally, those people who told me that, I wanted to punch in the face and never speak another word to me. (Not the most Christ-like response I'll admit)
It is rather my own personal experience that God has provided comfort and peace where none should exist. Hope where none should exist. And when I read these scriptures, I am comforted as they seem to leap off the pages. I still do not know or understand God's ways. But I choose to accept His sovereignty.
For our short sight to understand;
We catch but broken strokes, and try
To fathom all the mystery
Of withered hopes, of death, of life,
The endless war, the useless strife, --
But there, with larger, clearer sight,
We shall see this -- His way was right.
.: John Oxenham
We are never the victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is eliminated. Would God truly abandon us to the whims of this fallen world? If we do not believe this than we are left to believe what Rabbi Kushner concluded in his book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" that God is strong. Or God is good. But God is not both. If God cares, he isn't strong; if he is strong, he doesn't care. He can't be both. We are left to choose between "...a good God who is not totally powerful, or a powerful God who is not really good."
But the Bible tells us a different story:
"I am the one who creates the light and makes the darkness. I am the one who sends good times & bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things." (Isaiah 45:7)
"God...is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings and the master of all masters." (1 Timothy 6:15)
and finally,
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God." (Isaiah 43:2-3)
We will go through the floods and fires but at the end of the day, the Lord is still over all things and completely in control.
I would not dare presume to tell someone who is going through trials that God is in control so it's all good. I have been through enough fires and floods in my life to know that that is not the answer. Personally, those people who told me that, I wanted to punch in the face and never speak another word to me. (Not the most Christ-like response I'll admit)
It is rather my own personal experience that God has provided comfort and peace where none should exist. Hope where none should exist. And when I read these scriptures, I am comforted as they seem to leap off the pages. I still do not know or understand God's ways. But I choose to accept His sovereignty.
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