James 3,4

Typed this passage as a warning to myself in light of a recent disappointment. Cannot help but be humbled once again on the wisdom of God revealed in His Word. Read with me, even if you might be familiar with the passage already- it might just speak to you again today.

“… We all stumble in many ways… Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear fig? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
… Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight…”

Dear Lord, my heart is often prone to wander from you. So when i face man, i carry my throne into our interactions. My selfish heart that desires to assert itself, instead of You- who love and bless. Forgive me Lord each time i fail and kill Your beloved with my self-centeredness, spewing out unkind, brutal words with my violent tongue- murdering the other soul. Help me Holy Spirit to be a peacemaker- and reveal to man to glory of God even in my weakness. I ask this in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ for His sake. Amen

The parable of the prodigal son

The parable of the prodigal son arose a couple of times during this season of Lent. There are many ways of looking at this parable, and the angle changes with our relationship with our Father as we grow. Some attribute this to the beauty of narratives- allowing the reader to read his/her experiences into the story. True to some extent, but yet this speaks to me even more of the wisdom of Jesus and displays so clearly the “life” of the Living Word.

A first encounter with the parable, it is not difficult to identify with the prodigal son- who asked for his inheritance even before his father is dead, went off to squander off the money, found life in his dire straits worse off than his father’s servants and went back home to beg his father to take him in as a worker.
~ As a sinner who has been found by God, I am the prodigal son who does not deserve the grace and love of my Father. The loving Father keeps no record of wrong: my “wishing that He was dead”- so I can live life my way; my self gratification in the pleasures of the flesh.
And He receives me so freely, taking me in not as a worker but as his son- giving me the status without my having to work for it, and returning to me the son-ship I spurned. Taking me in my broken-ness and shame, more than willing to make me His again.
The cross was for the prodigal me.

And having been “in the House” for some time, one started identifying with the older son- who refused to go in for the celebrations when his younger brother returned, and when invited by his father to share his joy, accused his father for forgetting him and not giving him his dues.
~ As the sinner who put on the robe of “self-righteousness” and wore so comfortably the acts of good deeds, I am the elder son who knows not the heart of my Father. I have traded relationship for religion, faith for deeds, grace for wage, love for respect, son-ship for slavery, my Father for but a master.
The loving Father beckons time and over again, “All I have is yours, come in”. Taking me in despite my wrongs and misconceptions, despite my pettiness and jealousy, despite my selfishness and rebellion, more than willing to right the relationship with me again.
The cross was for the older son-me.

And any study of the parable would not be complete without the contemplation of the father.
The father who gave the son who cursed him to die his inheritance, without a word of reprimand. The father who watched his son step out of the door of the house into the outside world, silently praying he would not wander too far before turning back. The father who gave his son free will to choose his course, enduring heartache and pain. The father who stood by the door each day, watching for his son to return. The father who received without question the son who came home. The father who celebrated, even though the son returned because of self-interest.
The father who saw his son’s heart growing distant as he tried to earn his gifts. The father who was never knew nor understood by his son who was at his side. The father who risked rejection to make peace.
The father who desired so so much to be in a relationship with his sons- even if it meant a dear cost.

I am the younger son and the older son. But yet to all wretchedness, the Father’s response is the same. He demonstrates His love. He desires reconciliation. He wants us back home. So much so, God became a man and died on the cross the death that was mine. So much so, the Father would give His only son to punish Him for the sins of His enemy- me. So much so Jesus conquered death to free me forever from the bondage of death.

Freely He gave the gift of life. Freely He paid the price. And so freely, He desires us to believe- and whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Will you come home today?

Because of you

A friend shared this song with me on his blog long time ago. finally got down to finding the clip and watching the MTV. painfully poignant. but i like the message of hope in midst the mess of her past- that the her past wont dictate her actions for the future family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqj-n0IG1Ik

I will not make the same mistakes that you did

I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery

I will not break the way you did
You fell so hard I've learned the hard way, to never let it get that far

Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you I learned to play on the safe side So I don't get hurt
Because of you I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake, a smile, a laugh Every day of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you I learned to play on the safe side So I don't get hurt
Because of you I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you I am afraid

I watched you die I heard you cry Every night in your sleep
I was so young You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else You just saw your pain
And now I cry In the middle of the night For the same damn thing

Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you I learned to play on the safe side So I don't get hurt
Because of you I tried my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you I am afraid
Because of you
Because of you

Dining woes

Although the table conversation at dinner was every bit engaging and the company was delightful, but it was what was going on at the next table that added the extra spark to the evening.

I do not think that the man and woman on the next table are an item- and very likely it was the man who asked the woman out. She was all made-up, donning an all black ensemble- spaghetti strap top and linen trousers. He was in his dark navy working shirt and grey pants.

So they placed the order for their food. She ordered spaghetti and prawns tossed with garlic-olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes, and he ordered a sirloin steak with broiled vegetables and mashed potatoes. Shortly after, a nice char-grilled steak was served before him, and the waiter served her with a plate of nicely mixed tomato pasta, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

The pasta was clearly too red for aglio-olio’s own good, even if the chef was generous with his serving of sun-dried tomatoes. After a few mouthfuls, she realized that this was not her order. She called for the waiter and told them that they got her order wrong. They had to send the pasta back to the kitchen and have it redone.

So there she was waiting for the pasta while he was happily putting nicely cut bite-sized beef cubes into his mouth, making short comments about his food every now and then, totally oblivious to his hungry partner. She called the waiter over and asked for her chocolate shake.

He must have realized she was hungry, so he offered her a cube of steak on his fork. She shook her head on his first attempt, so he put the reject into his mouth. Undiscouraged, he tried again- and she shook her head again. Third try, “you really should try this, it’s not bad”. Her chocolate shake came and she started sipping on it. So Mr Clueless eagerly finished his dinner, cleaned his mouth with the napkin and shone her a stunning smile of satisfaction. “The steak was really not bad”. A few minutes later, the waiter brought the spaghetti for the lady, and cleared the man’s plate away.

***

Could the man not have waited for the lady’s dinner to be served before he continued with his dinner? How could any gentleman let a hungry lady watch him eat?

Mr Nice may not want to trouble the cook to heat up his food again, or he must be really hungry. But could he not have slowed down, take longer pauses and finish his dinner with or after his fair lady? How fun is it for a dinner for two when one eats after another? Gee.

Could he not have cleared his plate later? He has successfully made her look like a glutton when she is the only chomping on her noodles while his dining space on the table is bare. :(

***

Making too much a fuss out of a restaurant's mistake? Perhaps. Reading too much into a simple dinner went wrong? Maybe.

But just wondering.... Men- what would you have done in his shoes? Ladies- what would you have liked in her shoes?

Way back into love

Watched Music & Lyrics last night, my first movie in the theatres in at least 7 months!!!

i take it as a celebration for you, laughed really loudly- haven done that in a while now, i laughed for you- because that's how you make me laugh :) happy birthday!

wanna share the song in the movie with you, really catchy music and really nice lyrics :p

http://gootube.net/way-back-into-love.php

I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need em again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere

I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not just somebody just to get me throught the night
I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end

There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end

Christian nations?

Read somewhere in the papers last week about the Buddhists in Thailand giving pressure to the new government to make Buddhism the state religion. I thought it always has been and will be, so I didn’t quite get what the fuss was about. Maybe there was still no constitution set in place in light of the political un-stability. Anyhow, that is not the main point. That article made me wonder if Christians would ever make such news.

I have no desire for attention simply for the sake of doing so, nor am I hoping that we someday would. After all, Paul teaches us to pray for all those in authorities so that we can lead quiet and peaceful lives. (1 Timothy 2:1,2) And most importantly, the kingdom of God is universal and advancing truly and surely- whether or not the world recognizes it.

But when I think about the Buddhists and Muslims who would fight to their death to make sure their religion are not side-lined, and how quiet Christians have been comparatively.
The governments of these states not budging even in light of economic pressures, but powerhouse countries with significant Christian heritage and presence like the US and UK not daring to make Christianity a state religion for fear of sensitivities associated?
Perhaps it has to do with the principles on which the countries are founded, perhaps the truth of the narrow way and those who inherit the kingdom are “few” is more real than it can be, perhaps….
But it makes me wonder if we Christians dare to make a difference in this world at all, not to mention the terrible testimonies we sinners are….

And as I am typing this right now, He is rebuking me of how flawed my thinking is. Indeed, Jesus did not come with a political agenda to be a political leader. He came to usher in the kingdom of God- that is in invisible. He needed no platform to show who He is, He needed no external powers to empower Him, He need not make a statement. Why should I desire for that?

As much as I am aching so much for the world to see the beauty of a nation living under God today, they one day will, wont they? Praise God for the “low visibility” of “Christian nations” today, because this tells me our church leaders know and are focusing on what is more important. (This is not to say that the Church is not doing its role to tell the world of what the Creator’s heart is)

But let us endeavor more to be like the servant king who came in humility- to serve and not be on a power-grabbing agenda. To proclaim His Word and bring light into this world. To have the world know us not by any external power or adornments, but simply by the lives we live for Him. To His glory forever, Amen!

When he was here...