He that
dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of
the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1
I
have just returned from Tokyo none the worse except for a very bad cough. Never
had it so bad in my life. But it is nothing compared to what could have been. For
in the week leading up to my trip, there were three consecutive magnitude 5.2
earthquakes in the Kanto region where Tokyo is located. And a fourth one shook
Tokyo albeit for a few brief vigorous seconds. I was there yet I slept through
what would have been my very first earthquake experience, and it was a very
restful sleep, just like a baby in a rocking crib. One of my fellow travelers
was all changed and ready to run should things worsened, and I was none the
wiser.
Should I not
have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000
persons who do not know the difference
between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
Jonah 4:11
With
a population of 13 plus million people, Tokyo metropolis is a lot bigger than
Nineveh. Back in World War 2, her leaders did come close to the cruelty of
Nineveh, but today, what is more compelling is that many Japanese do not know
Christ. And time is short as the predicted mega earthquake is long overdue.
This
morning, in church, I felt our Lord impressed upon me to resume my writing,
something I am disinclined to do these past couple of months.
And may the
thoughts that now follow be truly as led by His Spirit.
1.
Magnitude
A word used to describe the intensity of earthquakes. But
better used to describe the breath and depth of God’s Sovereignty. Understand
and acknowledge our awesome God and everything else including troubling
circumstances will not just pale in comparison, but gives us the fortitude to move forward His way,
every new day that He grants us.
2.
Fortitude
“mental and
emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation
courageously.”
What makes
it possible for the faithful to be able to not just withstand whatever is
thrown at them, but to be able to press forward?
It comes
from an inner strength not from self, but from a total reliance on the
indwelling Spirit of God. But this privilege while available to all who believe
in our Lord Jesus Christ can only be availed by those who have put their hearts
and all to seeking, knowing and being willing to obey the Lord our God.
An attitude of always being in the
presence of God.
3. Attitude
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were
men who were well versed in the letters of the law. But altitude was their
focus, and attitude was their problem.
Always self seeking, they mouth not
what their hearts truly believed and they look not to God but to the pedestal
of pride and power.
Love, humility,and self sacrifice.
Are these attributes truly the cornerstone of our every thought and action? I
often struggle to avoid doing otherwise, and God understands, and He forgives
and empowers me the cognizance to not deviate. Are you willing to let Him do
the same for you?
And are you still looking for some latitude from our Lord, to allow you to
continue in your wayward ways?
4.
Latitude
Latitude is used
together with longitude to specify the precise location of features on the
surface of the Earth.
That’s is what I learned in my
Geography lesson, which has long been consigned to distant memory.
My recent association with the term
“Latitude” is that of the name of a nice new condominium called “The Latitude.”
What has it got to do with our
spiritual life?
Truth is, without proper
coordinates, many Christians have lost their bearings, and find no joy nor
peace nor passion for their faith. For God is a distant stranger.
How does one get properly moored
back and anchor oneself upon God our Rock?
- soaking in
His Word
-
time in His presence in prayers.
-
A thankful and worshipful heart
-
Experiencing God by loving others
And less about the platitudes of morality from me that
could make dry one’s budding flame of desire to know our Lord.
5.
Solitude,
and not platitude
Most of us find it a put off when good
intentioned Christians drone away at us on the moral high ground. Even Church
itself can be a challenge as many find it difficult to comprehend nor connect with
the sermons.
The world as we know it seeks to
distract and appeal to our desire for instant gratification.
How can we move from our carnal natural
man to the spirit man that God desires in us?
Time with God. Time
in His presence to allow His Spirit to sanctify, minister, emboldened and
empower us to be the child He wants us to be.
Solitude is not about
being alone, mired in our own convoluted thoughts. But rather a time set aside
to be with our omnipresent God.
God loves a willing
giver, not just of the material blessings that He has granted us, but of our
time that He has given us.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
31 July 2016
