Sunday, October 30, 2011

30-10-11 (Sunday) “I don’t mind having a bit more…”

… Do you?

To have a bit more money to spend when I go out into the world to work. If I’m given a job with a decent pay, by God’s grace, I wouldn’t complain at all. I’d probably indulge in good stuff every now and then. Get myself high quality gadgets at home. Nothing wrong, right? I’d probably give a portion of my money away to charity and tithe 10% before spending the excess on the said nice stuff. That should be alright.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:19-21

It does sound harmless but I realize the danger this kinda attitude poses. Its like wading in the seawater, you’re just ankle deep in the water. Then you wade a bit further, you’re knee-deep in water. Before you know it, you’ve accidentally walked into a riptide and you’re swept into the water, in over your head.
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I’m not earning my own money but I’ve been buying bits of stuff here and there occassionally. Never really in mass quantities. Now I’m in serious trouble in 4 weeks when I have to pack. :S

“How d heck am I gonna pack all those stuff up?”
“What should I bring back home to Malaysia?”
“How did I end up with so much stuff in my one tiny room??!”

How many of your possessions would you happily throw/give away? What about those things that you don’t even use much but just stays stowed away in the storeroom the past year?

I realize that the more things I have, the more things I have that are chaining me down to this earth.
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“Are my games being properly taken care off?”"
“Is my camera still working properly?”
“Is he reading the book I lent him?”

Come the day I have to die, will I be at peace to leave everything behind? I mean… Its not like I have an option of checking in 25kg of luggage and carrying 10kg hand luggage to my next destination.

I dare not even start reading “Money, Sex and Power” by Richard Foster because I saw the chapter entitled “The Vow of Simplicity” under the index. That IS a calling for every Christian, no? To live simply. No need for fine dining. No need for a mansion. No need for the comfort of a Lexus. Just a Perodua will do. No need for Rolex, Adidas nor Marriott. Just Casio, Asadi and YHA will do. No Max Brenner and Koko Black. Just Milo and Kopi-O will do.

Yes. Thank you for asking me how I’m faring in this area. This is  another major challenge to date and I’m not even at the starting line yet. Just started the 1st lap for warm up. What about you? Dare you take on the challenge? What are you willing to give up first?

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

11-10-11 (Tuesday) “The Other Way Round”

We’re used to the idea of focusing on studies/work and occasionally making time for a meet up/activity with friends when our schedule frees up. In other words, we work and study full time while our part time commitment is to people.

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Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10

I think there is something wrong with the upbringing of how we have things prioritized.

I think people should be the main priority and the other things come in after people. When I’ve got time, I should probably spend some time with people rather than trying to bury myself in a book (Or surf through Facebook, hmmm…?). I’ve realized how often and how natural it is for the thought to come to my mind after spending some time chilling around or hanging out with friends that “Oh my… I’ve wasted so much time doing nothing.”

Is it, really? Isn’t the time invested in chatting with people or just sitting together at a table gonna be the memory that comes up when I’m 45 years old and telling some young guy to live a proper life? Will I not be missing the times I had some laughter with my other pals in the warm, lovely spring sun? Will I not be thinking back on the Skype sessions with my family and smiling? Or will I be reminiscing the times I had spent reading some gossip on some cricket agent asking for millions of pounds or the Ukrainian ex-PM’s incarceration? Will I be so proud of having run 10km one lovely afternoon?

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Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. ~ James 1:27

Friday, October 07, 2011

07-10-11 (Friday) “Its Humbling”

I dare to dream sometimes of how there are so many amazing things lying in the future for me. I dream of graduating and finding a steady, well-paying job with a comfortable house in a comfortable little town/city. I dream of maybe even having a lovely family that is just perfect, that everyone loves and I look forward to seeing them every single day. I dream of jetsetting all over the world, experiencing different lifestyles and cultures, taking many breathtaking photos of the various places and people to document these adventures. I dream of how awesome my life would be…IMG_8983

“… in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…” ~ 1 Peter 4:11

How would all of that be glorifying to God, though? If I live a good life, with not a trouble or a worry to mess my head up… That would only please one person. Me.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ~ 1 Peter 5:6

Its scary to think that in actual fact, it really isn’t important whether or not I have my high distinctions(HDs) or I get a fancy car or I get a cozy house in the safest suburb… Its humbling to know that my life actually isn’t THAT important, if not for the glory of God. It really is a scary thought. And we don’t like to think of it.

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But its true. And that’s what makes it hard to accept for most of us. We don’t wanna think that we’re living for Someone else. We wanna think that we’re living for ourselves.

“Live life to the fullest”

“Doesn’t matter how long you live to enjoy, as long as you enjoy while you live.”

But that’s not what we’re made for! We were made to live for God! I still wonder about that thought every now and then but it becomes very liberating after a while!

Marriage is the best thing that ever/never happened to me. It can work both ways.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

05-10-11 (Wednesday) "Be Careful What You Wish For"

Nobody beats You when it comes to humour, God. Its hard to believe that You bother to inject all these small things to humour me in life. Heheh.

:)

Monday, October 03, 2011

03-10-2011 (Monday) “Should we be so afraid of it?

I just finished reading this a while ago.

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It makes me wonder. From a Christian point-of-view… Should we really be so afraid of being single? Matthew 6:26 gives us confidence that we have God watching over us and caring for us. Do we really need that other person in our lives? Sure, there are practical advantages of having a partner in our walk with Christ but there are clear disadvantages as well.

1. Our partner will support us in our lowest hours – Support can also come in the form of friends and family beyond just that special person. In fact, if that one person is our sole support, its probably a sign of ourselves not having a healthy community life. Let’s not forget the times when that person is the very reason we are in those low hours.

2. Our partner will encourage/complement us in our ministry to God – Two sides to this coin. With the same vision, a couple can be very powerful in a ministry together. However, if the callings are different, then it can be very disastrous. Also, we can become too engrossed in having to make our partner happy that we expend energy and effort that would otherwise be used for God’s glory!

3. Having a partner will bring great joy to our lives – Isn’t the relationship with God even more important? That should be way more fulfilling than any other relationship we can have on this earth.

4. Having a partner completes us – I’m sure you can rebut this yourself. We are completed in Christ. We find our identity in Christ. Not in the other person. I am no less sinful after getting married. I am no less complete when I am yet to be attached.

I’m saying all these while being absolutely clear of my own desires of one day getting married as well(God-willing) but my struggle now is with how obsessed we all are with getting attached. We forget to focus on living for God with the gift (the situation) of being single right now. I’m trying to control the thoughts like “maybe she’s the one” or “we would make a good couple” and replace them with “she’s my sister-in-Christ and I respect her” and “she’s a nice sister-in-Christ to hang out with”. Something like that… Can work on refining that.

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Sometimes I really DON’T know what to say when someone asks, “What’s up?” There really isn’t much happening sometimes… :S