Dear.....
Republican
Boehner just announced his resignation as the Speaker of the United
States House of Representatives. That was announced after his morning
prayers with our Lord. Did God speak to him? The man teared a day
earlier in Capitol Hill as he stood next to the Pope who spoke to the
people.
For
many of us, Christians included, we find it hard to fathom when a
believer proclaimed that God has spoken to them. Like Thomas, who
doubted the resurrection of Christ, will we only believe when God stands
right in front of us, grab us by the hands, and bellow into our
disbelieving ears?
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live
Exodus 33:20
God
does allow us to "see" Him in other ways. Be it in His Words in the
Bible, a prescience of events that point us towards His omnipresence, a
word from people that speaks to our heart, a vision often in our times
of slumber though not always exclusively, through worship and prayers or
in His work or a conviction of our heart by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Like
the baby John in Elizabeth's womb, who literally jumped for joy when
Mary, the unwed mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, came to seek respite
with her cousin Elizabeth, I often experience that uplifting of my
spirit when God "speaks" to me. A joy, a balm to my distressed soul or
often, an encapsulating loving reassurance that "propels" my very being
into that indescribable joy and peace, independent of my circumstances.
Go
thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart;
for God hath already accepted thy works. Let thy garments be always
white; and let not thy head lack oil. Live joyfully with the wife whom
thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee
under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in
life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun. Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
My
ego was recently dented, and I find it neigh impossible to rise from my
sunken spirit, until God lifted me up with these words. For much as it
should not be, I often am very cognizant of what others think of me.
Pride is a familiar enemy for me, but instead of admonishing the
downtrodden me like the friends of Job( and interestingly Job is my
current Bible reading). Our dear Heavenly Father simply lifted me up
with these words "for God hath already accepted thy works."
And
God is a wonderful Father. He will not just address our immediate
needs, but will point us to the way forward for issues that have
cluttered our following of His vision for us.
Are
these thoughts a figment of my imagination? It is not, for God is
always faithful and I have experienced His love many times.
And as a human father, have we not seek to love our children with our all, imperfect as we are?
Is God speaking to you now? Are you paying attention?
God blesses
Eng Hieang
And
this brevity of life reminds me of the closing words of Ecclesiastes
9:10. Once we are taken home, everything that seems so important in our
breathing moments are irrelevant.
Much as I started this sharing about pride, I believe God has a message for all.
That
is, what matters most in our finite life is not what the world values,
but rather enjoy the day that God has given us and honor Him in all that
we do, by letting go and letting Him.
1Therefore,
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your
true and proper worship. 2Do
not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2
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