Today's devotion titled, "It's the 'WOW!', not the HOW" (Walker, 2009, p.16). Like the title suggests, the lesson today focuses on changing our perspective of what the Lord has done for us. Through this lesson, Walker (2009) challenges us to say "WOW!" for everything that the Lord had done instead of "HOW?".
While I am not opposing the idea to find the learn about bible and to dig deeper and deeper to get a little closer to the truth one step at the time, I think it is also very important to just stop for a moment and realize that His work is amazing. Maybe, we do spend too much time on figuring what God means when He gave us the account of creation that we often forget to stop and simply say "Wow! He created the heaven and the earth".
It's kind of ironic that we as Christians often boast about our God and how amazing He is, but very rarely show the world how amazed we are of Him through our lives. Instead, we come to others with our own defense mechanism and try really hard to convince others through our words. I guess, it is time for me to start saying, "WOW!" through my lives. After all, He is amazing God.
While typing this reflection, I am suddenly reminded of one of Chris Tomlin's song, titled "INDESCRIBABLE". I believe it reflects today's reflection perfectly. Here it is:
From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Reflection 3: Enabled by God
Today devotion is about how as Christians, when we walk in His way, are empowered to do great things. It sounds simple... incredibly simple... yet I have failed to display this in my life many many times. I think it's not really because I feel inadequate or uncertain about what I do, but it's more about being comfortable in doing nothing.
This reminds me of a writing by Nelson Mandela:
"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate,
our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?'
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God;
your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone,
and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Connecting this with my previous reflection: "Can or Can't I?", I believe that great works start with a complete understanding of "I alone can't" which is followed with a journey to figure out that "with God I can".
For me, Moses is the best example for this. Being a prince, he had an attitude of "I can". However, having his life on the line, he ran away and started to realize that he can't really do anything. After years of being a servant and learning about humility, God came to him and called him out. His answer? "Thanks, but no thanks. Simply put-I can't, Lord". God's response? "Oh yes, you can! because I, the Lord, say so". From that moment forward, God used him incredibly to deliver the greatest miracles in the history of Israelite.
One question I often wonder: did Moses still struggle everyday about what God would do? We know from the bible that Israelite did, but how about Moses? There is no record about it. No fear of failure? No second doubt or second guessing God's calling?
One thing for sure, while I've learned about the end of Moses' journey, my journey has just started.
This reminds me of a writing by Nelson Mandela:
"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate,
our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?'
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God;
your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone,
and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Connecting this with my previous reflection: "Can or Can't I?", I believe that great works start with a complete understanding of "I alone can't" which is followed with a journey to figure out that "with God I can".
For me, Moses is the best example for this. Being a prince, he had an attitude of "I can". However, having his life on the line, he ran away and started to realize that he can't really do anything. After years of being a servant and learning about humility, God came to him and called him out. His answer? "Thanks, but no thanks. Simply put-I can't, Lord". God's response? "Oh yes, you can! because I, the Lord, say so". From that moment forward, God used him incredibly to deliver the greatest miracles in the history of Israelite.
One question I often wonder: did Moses still struggle everyday about what God would do? We know from the bible that Israelite did, but how about Moses? There is no record about it. No fear of failure? No second doubt or second guessing God's calling?
One thing for sure, while I've learned about the end of Moses' journey, my journey has just started.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Reflection 2: Can I or Can't I?
Today devotion talks about our competence as Christians and how we need to first say, "I can't" to fully realize that only God can. Jon Walker argues that, "If we rush past 'I can't', we will never fully embrace the notion that only God can" (Walker, 2009, p.14).
I find today's devotion to be quite puzzling. In the beginning, Walker talks about how we can do nothing apart from God. But then, he continues with talking about living life led by rules vs by Holy Spirit. while I can understand both of his arguments, I find it really hard to fully understand the connection between those two. So, for now my lesson is simply that dependency on God is my only option.
It's funny to think that while we can say with our mouth that we can't do anything without Him, our actions can show a whole different message. Without realizing it, we tend to fall into what Gerald May would call "spiritual narcissism" - a condition in which we think we know what is the best for us spiritually. The question is, isn't it the reason of Jesus came to the earth is to show us who God is - because humans are so limited in knowledge and simply clueless about everything, especially God.
So, when the question is asked,"Can I or Can't I?". I believe the only answer is "I can through Him" - Philippians 4:13. Now, how can I translate that into my daily life? That, I believe, is the challenge for today.
"The gentlest form of spiritual narcissism is the idea that one can accomplish one's own spiritual growth... The belief that 'I can do it' is intimately associated with the assumption that 'it is my idea, my desire, to do it.' spiritual narcissism works to deny the realization that our spirituality comes from God" - Gerald May
I find today's devotion to be quite puzzling. In the beginning, Walker talks about how we can do nothing apart from God. But then, he continues with talking about living life led by rules vs by Holy Spirit. while I can understand both of his arguments, I find it really hard to fully understand the connection between those two. So, for now my lesson is simply that dependency on God is my only option.
It's funny to think that while we can say with our mouth that we can't do anything without Him, our actions can show a whole different message. Without realizing it, we tend to fall into what Gerald May would call "spiritual narcissism" - a condition in which we think we know what is the best for us spiritually. The question is, isn't it the reason of Jesus came to the earth is to show us who God is - because humans are so limited in knowledge and simply clueless about everything, especially God.
So, when the question is asked,"Can I or Can't I?". I believe the only answer is "I can through Him" - Philippians 4:13. Now, how can I translate that into my daily life? That, I believe, is the challenge for today.
"The gentlest form of spiritual narcissism is the idea that one can accomplish one's own spiritual growth... The belief that 'I can do it' is intimately associated with the assumption that 'it is my idea, my desire, to do it.' spiritual narcissism works to deny the realization that our spirituality comes from God" - Gerald May
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Reflection 1: Living a Holy Life
Today is the first day of my journey of "Growing With Purpose" (book written by Jon Walker). He says that to live a holy life is a reasonable request because God is the one who initiates our cleansing and "it is God, not [our] efforts, who makes [us] holy" (Walker, 2009, p.13).
This makes me wonder, what is holy anyway? Is it a state? Is it a goal? or is it the journey?
I came across Addison Road's song today, titled "What Do I Know of Holy?".
The words goes like this:
I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?
(CHORUS)
What do I know of You who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood, but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?
I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees
God is Holy - I know that with my mind.
But, do I know that with my heart? Do I really say that with my heart?
Do I really proclaim that holiness in my life? Do I have a desire to be like Him?
After all, Christians are followers of Christ - with a goal to be like Him.
How far behind am I on this journey?
Today is the first day of my journey. With little time aside everyday, I am determined to stop living a comfortable life and start moving forward to grow with purpose.
It's not my goal to answer questions. It is my desire to take a step out of my comfort zone and explore my weaknesses one by one. For me, the journey starts with realization that I have no clue at all about the holiness of God. I know it in my mind and I can argue about it, but I have no clue of how deep it really mean. Do you?
This makes me wonder, what is holy anyway? Is it a state? Is it a goal? or is it the journey?
I came across Addison Road's song today, titled "What Do I Know of Holy?".
The words goes like this:
I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?
(CHORUS)
What do I know of You who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood, but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?
I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees
God is Holy - I know that with my mind.
But, do I know that with my heart? Do I really say that with my heart?
Do I really proclaim that holiness in my life? Do I have a desire to be like Him?
After all, Christians are followers of Christ - with a goal to be like Him.
How far behind am I on this journey?
Today is the first day of my journey. With little time aside everyday, I am determined to stop living a comfortable life and start moving forward to grow with purpose.
It's not my goal to answer questions. It is my desire to take a step out of my comfort zone and explore my weaknesses one by one. For me, the journey starts with realization that I have no clue at all about the holiness of God. I know it in my mind and I can argue about it, but I have no clue of how deep it really mean. Do you?
Monday, November 16, 2009
GROWING WITH PURPOSE
I just bought a devotional book by Jon Walker. It's amazing that it took me so long to realize that I'm a kind of person who needs an extra long time to think through a topic. Well, at least, it makes me realize that we often don't know as much about ourselves as we might proclaim.
Anyway, truth to be told, my devotion time has been lacking lately and the direction has been all over the place. So, today it finally hit me that I need help to guide me through my devotion time. Not random online devotion, but more like devotional book with a clear theme. So, I decided to buy a book titled, "Growing With Purpose" by Jon Walker.
Why did I decide on this one? Well, I realized that every stop signs in our lives are put there for a purpose. We can chose to go through it without learning anything from it, or we can take a moment to grow from it. That's why I think this devotion theme will fit better for my focus ----- at least for now. So, if you are with me, let's grow with purpose ^_^.
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