Sunday, January 08, 2012

08-01-12 (Sunday) “The ‘N’ Word”

It has been brought to a whole new level in this day and age.

We blog, penning down our thoughts and daily activities.
We record videos of our performance, a walk down the street with live commentary, sitting in front of the computer with live commentary, our singing, our pets, our backyard.
We can make reviews about the restaurant down the road, the eastern coast of the United States, the newest Nook tablet.
We make sure others know our English is better by correcting every grammatical mistake we see online.
We update our status, let the whole world know what we’re doing, how we’re feeling.
We post comments equating up to essays within a week.
We post photos of where we went last Saturday, thinking others will find it interesting.
We check-in to every single place we went.
We tweet.

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I think it has even become a common answer to say, “Why do I have to care what they think? As long as I’m right with God, then its fine.” When we consider some of the things we do in front of others. I mean, it does sound natural. It doesn’t sound exactly wrong, does it? My actions shouldn’t bother others. And if it does… Then they should stop being busybodies.

But the fact is that its involuntary, most of the time. I don’t wanna hear what others say about my friend but they’re talking right next to me. I don’t wanna be distracted by how you both behave as a couple but you’re sitting right in front of me. I don’t wanna be bothered by what you do on your phone/tablet but you keep tapping away on it the whole time. The very same goes to myself as well in what I wear and do. I have to be conscious of what might be drawing attention away from God and to me, ESPECIALLY when I’m serving.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
~ Phil 2:3,4

Its a constant struggle for me to put this into practice. How do I even begin to consider others better than myself when everything that the Internet lets me do is telling me that “Its all about you. Everyone cares about what you do. Everyone wants to know.”? I’m sure people in the past had different struggles with this but I think with our generation, everyone CAN make themselves a star, or at least… Make themselves FEEL like they’re a star… Such a dangerous snare to fall into. And such difficulty to get out of it.

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Thankfully, the Bible doesn’t just leave us at that.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.
~ Hebrews 4:15

Its always a lot easier to catch something when we have a role model to look up to, to imitate. And that model is none other than Jesus Christ himself.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!
~ Phil 2:6-8

I think I’m pretty good with my achievements and talents, garnered and groomed over my short life. But to be GOD?!?!? And to not even consider it?!? Try THAT!

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Are your actions edifying others? Or are they just to bring attention and glory to yourself?

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

3-1-12 (Tuesday) “This is for God”

Praise the LORD, O my soul,
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendour and majesty.

God, I can’t even begin to articulate Your greatness, Your splendour in all the earth, Your majesty that makes all things bow down before You in worship.

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He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.

We try to make new things every day, every way to make life easy for ourselves but You are the one who made everything in the first place.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains,

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We take years and years and to build up a dam to control a little bit of water and yet

at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.

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He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate –
bringing forth food from the earth:

You are the one who breathes life into everything around. Everything that chirps, barks, moos, rustles, crawls, swims, shuffles… EVERYTHING! There is no end to Your creativity!

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The moon mark off the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
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The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
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You provide for the beasts of the earth. What more us? I am eternally grateful in having You that provides for all my needs, I need not fear. I need not worry. I need not be anxious. Because You are faithful. Your love endures forever. My joy and my satisfaction is in You. You are the ultimate satisfaction. Not other people. Not material goods. Not achievements. You.

How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
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Billions upon billions of creatures. Each different from any other. How mindblowing is that?!

I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

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Because You deserve it. And even more than I can offer. What is my praise worth? It came from You to begin with. I only return to You what is rightfully Yours. Its not much but its what I can offer. God, You be glorified.

=)