Incredible Resilience

During Monte and my time in Baguio, Philippines back in the time around 2000 and 2001, one time we experienced rain that lasted for ten days. It was amazing. Sad to say, the rain brought about life threatening landslide in the mountainous region. People were made homeless. The natural calamity brought about much hardship especially for the poor people. However, it was commendable that the people had such incredible resilience. They picked up their broken homes and lives and started all over again. They bounced back. They overcame all odds to stand up on their feet again to rebuild a new life.

The Lord builds us up continually. When we fall and fail, He helps us to stand on our feet again. Through our faith and endurance coupled with resilience, we persevere in our walk with the Lord. We grow from strength to strength. Reaching the finishing line is our main goal. With our hearts open and our hands raised, we posture our hearts toward our eternal God and Father. To whom all glory, honour and praise is due.

His Masterpiece

Yesterday, Monte and I were with Radiant Community Church. We are thankful for the Lord’s opening to bring the word to God’s people. Monte preached on The Greatest Story Ever Told. God is writing the greatest story of all time. That is the story of your life and mine. With open hearts and minds, we allow our maker to do everything necessary to fulfill His purposes in and through our lives. We are His workmanship and prized possession and He wants to present us as His masterpiece.

Mickey

Every time I hear the barking sound of my neighbour's dog, Mickey, my brother’s dog, will come to mind. Mickey has grown quite a bit. He is so cuddly and cute. He never fails to put a smile on my face.

A Pillar of Strength

One of my greatest pleasures is reading. Very often, the writers have challenged and inspired me through their writings. Currently, I am poring through Henri Nouwen’s book entitled THE ROAD TO DAYBREAK. I would like to quote a portion of his writing that touched me deeply. It read “This morning, I woke up somewhat depressed. I could not find any reason for it. Life just felt empty, useless, fatiguing. I felt invaded by somber spirits. I realized that this mood was lying to me. Life is not meaningless. God has created life as an expression of love. It helped me to know this, even though I could not feel it. Based on this knowledge, I can again choose joy. This choice means simply to act according to the truth. The depressed mood is still there. I cannot just force it out of my heart. But at least I can unmask it as being untrue and thus prevent it from becoming the ground for my actions.”

At one point or another, we had gone through what Nouwen so candidly expressed. Perhaps some of us are in the midst of depression. The heaviness and bleakness overshadow the bigness of the Lord. We seemed to be blinded and groping in darkness. Our hearts are so cold that we fail to utter our cry to God. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the Lord is unchanging. He alone can rescue and lift us up again. All it takes is for us to acknowledge that we cannot manage on our own. All we need to do is to lay our burdens, our heartaches, our anguish and pain at the feet of Jesus. He promised to carry them for us. He desires to make us whole again. He is a pillar of strength to every weak, weary and heavy-laden child.

A Jewel in the Making

We are jewels in the hand of God. We shine brilliantly because our maker takes great pride in making us what we are today. We are jewels that display His beauty and glory.

The Lord does not focus on our failures. He sees the potential and goodness in us when we were unlovely. He continues to polish, chisel and smoothen our rough edges patiently. Rough stones miraculously turn into precious jewels in the hand of the living God.

We are jewels in the making. He is not quick to chug us aside when we do not meet His standard. On the contrary, He never gives up on us; no matter how challenging it can be. He has purposed in His heart to be with us up to the end of the road. He works in and through us to reveal His glory.

A Prayer of Abandonment

“Father,

I abandon myself into your hands;

do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you;

I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,

And in all your creatures.

I wish no more than this,

O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul;

I offer it to you with all the love

of my heart,

for I love you, Lord,

and so need to give myself,

to surrender myself into your hands,

without reserve

and with boundless confidence.

For you are my Father”

Charles de Foucauld

Charles de Foucauld prayed this powerful prayer. A life of total surrender to a loving God is not a mistake. God is His mercy picked us up from the miry clay and set my feet on safe grounds. All we can do is to abandon ourselves to Him completely. Our fragrance and fruit bear witness to the goodness and faithfulness of our great God. He takes total being and make us into His vessel of honour.

Open Channels

More than anything in this world, we want You to have first place in our lives. We want to hear the voice of Your spirit. We are open channels; receiving from Your throne of grace and allowing Your grace to flow through us to touch the dying world. More than anything this world can offer, we desire to seek You, to seek Your face and Your divine favour. You are irreplaceable, incomparable and unchanging. We entrust each day into Your loving hands to direct and lead us for You are the shepherd of our soul. We give full control to Your lordship.