|
| Dear God, When I am furthest from You, You are closest to me. Thank You. | | |
| Psalm 139 is one of my beloved passages in the Book of Psalm. Quite naturally. Written by King David, it is among the most frequently studied and discussed scriptures in Psalm by theological scholars, and meanwhile, a favourite piece of poetry for recitation and chanting among common Christians. Being a statement of confirmation and reassurance, it declares God's all-knowing and ever-loving sovereignty over the poet. "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" a question with an answer clearly known. A rhetorical question mixed with gratitude and fear, though. How we long for the omnipresence of God but get frightened at the thought of it. It is also a statement of wonder. The writer not only marvels at the idea of being made but also being seen long before his body was formed. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." How else can we better describe the process of being made besides using the words fearfully and wonderfully? The fact that we could come into being (just consider all the biological and chemical reactions involved!) should always amaze us and fill us with awe. God's power to create simply exceeds the reach of human's imagination. Except to admit that His works are so wonderful, how can anyone know anything done by Him full well? "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." There is a short hymn I love very much which is based on the last few lines of Psalm 139. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Every time I sing this song, I am moved by the melody and the lyrics since it shows me what a genuine prayer sounds like ?simple yet sincere. However, I always feel a tinge of contradiction when I read these lines. I am sure the poet, if he had reread the lines, would have sensed the contradiction in-between the words as well. If God really knows our heart and mind thoroughly, in which case he really does, how can He not find any offensive way in us? None of us is a perfect being, and there must always be inappropriate ideas in us, whether we are aware of them or not.That being said, is it not unnecessary to ask God to see if there is any offensive way in us? But we are just ordinary people, being contradictory is just part of our nature, and we are even more so when we try to pour out our heart. So was the poet. Yes, Lord, I am naked before you, you know my every cell. Check me. Check me inside out. But spare the effort, Lord, because you know me and you know my worst. Checking is necessary only when one is unsure of the object. But there is no need for you to check as you are omniscient.You already know the ugliness in my depth, which at any moment is looming and waiting for the chance to devour me. Despite my plight and weaknesses, this is my genuine prayer. My pathetic prayer. My simple plea. Despite the incorrigible darkness in me, lead me in the way everlasting, Lord. From confirmation to contradiction, with gratitude and fear, Psalm 139 is an excellent display of a truly human prayer which is destined to be passed from generation to generation, to touch hearts and to move souls to grateful tears. | | |
| Psalm 1:1-6 Isn't it something for God to remind me of such an important scripture at the very first day of the New Year? As said, "1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." As a part of our tradition, we wish one another a good new year on the first days of every January (whether we mean it or not) - with prosperity, good health, happy families, job promotions, sweet romance, you name it. Without a doubt, nobody would deny their craving for such elements in their lives; but can we say that we are truly blessed by possessing only these qualities? What about our spiritual health, which should be an indispensable part of our earthly life if we desire to lead a truly GOD-BLESSED life? Therefore, my good Lord, at the beginning of 2007, I pray to you that your words may stick on my mind and that I may meditate on your words day and night; at times when I go astray, that your words may emerge from the darkest corner of my mind and be the beacon of my way again; at times when I get rebellious and wild and angry, that your words may become a slap on my face and a pat on my shoulder and my solace and my hope again; at times when I feel rejected and dejected and alone and aimless, that your words may help me taste the sweetness of life again and may fuel me so that I may have the strength to walk on. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. | | |
| Matthew 1:18-25 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Consider the stress Joseph and Mary had to bear at the moment when they knew they were going to have a baby conceived by the Holy Spirit; consider how people might despise them and that people might even spit and stone at them because of the baby, whom they claimed to be the son of God when they got it unmarried; consider the shame and anxiety involved. We don't know much about Joseph though, but from this incident, we are able to picture him as a man of great faith. I believe it wouldn't have been easy for any man to be so obedient to God's will in that situation that one had to overlook the disgrace it might bring and risk such a decision. Thank God for bringing us Jesus on earth despite all possible hindrance. Jesus' life was never a carefree one, and I thank God precisely because of that. | | |
| John: 10:22-30 24The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. Forgive me, Lord, for having little faith in You sometimes and for doubting Your provisions like some non-believers do in times of difficulties. You did tell me everything there is to know about You when everything is so clearly written in the Bible. Things are plain enough for me to know that You are the Lord. I am amazed every time I look around at the world You created (I still remember the fish I saw on Christmas day - their shapes, the colours and the patterns on their awesome bodies spell out Your name). All creatures proclaim Your power and glory. Lord, help me so that I don't behave like those men questioned and challenged You; help me sp that I won't be blinded by the passing images and be deafened by the senseless noise of this world. Help me to be sensitive to what You say to me. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My heart is glad because You know me and You have given me eternal life. My heart is glad because I know, in whatever circumstances, that I am guaranteed a place in Your herd of sheep and no one can snatch me out of Your hand. | | |
|