Word pictures from a morning road trip...
...traveling to
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, November 15, 2008
This post from Of First Importance blog is among the most heartening human words I've read:
“The stone will be rolled away for each of us”
“He came back.
After that brutal Friday, and that long, quiet Saturday, he came back.
And that one intake of breath in the tomb changes everything. It changes the very reason I drew breath today and the way I move about in this world because I believe he’s coming back again. The world has gone on for more than two millennia since Jesus’ feet tread the earth he made. What would they have said back then if someone had told them that some two thousand years later we’d still be waiting? They would’ve thought back to that long Saturday and said, ‘Two thousand years will seem like a breath to you when you finally lay your crown at his feet. We don’t even remember what we were doing on that Saturday, but let me tell you about Sunday morning. Now that was something.’
These many years of waiting will only be a sentence in the story. This long day will come to an end, and I believe it will end in glory, when we will shine like suns and stride the green hills with those we love and the One who loves. We will look with our new eyes and speak with our new tongues and turn to each other and say, ‘Do you remember the waiting? The long years, the bitter pain, the gnawing doubt, the relentless ache?’ And like Mary at the tomb, we will say: ‘I remember only the light, and the voice calling my name, and the overwhelming joy that the waiting was finally over.’
The stone will be rolled away for each of us. May we wait with faithful hearts.”
—Andrew Peterson, CD liner notes for Resurrection Letters Volume II (Centricity Music: 2008)
“The stone will be rolled away for each of us”
“He came back.
After that brutal Friday, and that long, quiet Saturday, he came back.
And that one intake of breath in the tomb changes everything. It changes the very reason I drew breath today and the way I move about in this world because I believe he’s coming back again. The world has gone on for more than two millennia since Jesus’ feet tread the earth he made. What would they have said back then if someone had told them that some two thousand years later we’d still be waiting? They would’ve thought back to that long Saturday and said, ‘Two thousand years will seem like a breath to you when you finally lay your crown at his feet. We don’t even remember what we were doing on that Saturday, but let me tell you about Sunday morning. Now that was something.’
These many years of waiting will only be a sentence in the story. This long day will come to an end, and I believe it will end in glory, when we will shine like suns and stride the green hills with those we love and the One who loves. We will look with our new eyes and speak with our new tongues and turn to each other and say, ‘Do you remember the waiting? The long years, the bitter pain, the gnawing doubt, the relentless ache?’ And like Mary at the tomb, we will say: ‘I remember only the light, and the voice calling my name, and the overwhelming joy that the waiting was finally over.’
The stone will be rolled away for each of us. May we wait with faithful hearts.”
—Andrew Peterson, CD liner notes for Resurrection Letters Volume II (Centricity Music: 2008)
Monday, October 27, 2008
"Gratitude Becomes Us"
I appreciated this statement from Charles Spurgeon's sermon entitled "Unconditional Surrender". It's what I needed to hear when I was a younger teenager who was rather ungrateful for the way God made me, the things I had and the family I was born into. (And what I need to hear now too!):
"Have you accepted your position in the scale of worldly wealth? Are you satisfied to be sickly, obscure or of small ability? Are God's appointments your contentments? Too many professors [professing believers] are quarreling with God that they are not other than they are. This is evil, and shows that pride is still in their hearts, for were they conscious of their own deserts they would know that anything short of hell is more than we deserve, and as long as we are not in the pit of torment gratitude becomes us."If only I always realized how unworthy I am - I should never complain. To think of what manner of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God! He has given us so much! And the things we don't understand, the things that are hard, He has designed with love far greater than we can imagine. Ingratitude from the redeemed is unfitting. Gratitude becomes us.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God"
- James 4:7 ESV
Saturday, September 6, 2008
"Having given them grace, I will give them a crown."
After "consuming" quite a number of Charles Spurgeon's sermons, I finally decided to read his biography, and found this quote simply encouraging,
"I think how surprised some of God's people will be" he exclaims, "when they get to heaven. They will see the Master and He will give them a crown.
'Lord, what is this crown for?'
'That is because thou didst give a cup of cold water to one of my disciples.'
'What, a crown for a cup of cold water?'
'Yes,' says the Master, 'that is how I pay my servants. First I give them grace to give the cup of water, and then, having given them grace, I will give them a crown.''"
- from Charles Spurgeon - London's Most Popular Preacher by W.Y. Fullerton
Saturday, August 16, 2008
my friend Wei...
an interesting email I received from my Chinese friend who is trying to learn English. I thought it had a jumbled, poetic beauty
an interesting email I received from my Chinese friend who is trying to learn English. I thought it had a jumbled, poetic beauty
Learn SwimmingI heard the person say a word:Speak mother tongue like nature of breathe, Speak English like labor-consuming of swimming."I living a small town of P.A America. So I swimming in English of foreign language sea now. One year,I like floating and sinking in the sea. A float and a Sink.I speak English with from different country and the American. I want to except tempo breathe out, I also want speak with the help of gestures.I sometime like breast stroke, Sometime like butterfly stroke ect...Do you say I like learn swimming?
Wei also taught me a Chinese phrase while we were working one day....
"gauw nnei yah!-hei-ii choh-gung yongk-yii"
We work together, it's easy! :-)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Cor. 10:31
If everything is to be done for God’s glory, shopping must also be done to that end. But there often comes a mental or spiritual disconnect when I walk into a store and I shop for reasons other than this one noble, righteous purpose.
How do I shop for God's glory?
Here's what I came up with - for myself and for all who might read it and perhaps be helped:
1) Sometimes I shop for the sake of my appearance before others. My underlying ambition is the praise and approval of man. Is this an ‘in’ thing to have? Will others think I have good taste? Will I impress, or will I be thought ‘un-cool’ for possessing this item? These are not the questions of a faith-filled heart, but of a worldly heart. As Jesus said, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44)
2) Sometimes I shop because I actually think that the stuff I’m buying will make me happy. That’s idolatry and idolatry is a sin. It shows disbelief of the word of God: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.” (Isaiah 55:2) Those who thirst for joy and satisfaction are to go to Christ who said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
3) Sometimes I shop with an eye to saving. How can I get the most for my money? This can be a good motive, and again it could be a bad one. Money is rarely an end in itself, so I must ask: “Why do I want to save money?” Is it to buy more things to make me happy, or more things to make me cool? (see 1. and 2.) Or is it for a better reason? (which I shall explore shortly.)
The question remains then, “How do I shop for the glory of God?” As wrong motives have different aspects, so also does the God-ward motive:
1) Shopping for the glory of God means that I shop to make Him look good. That is, I will buy things that will best help me, or others I buy for, to live to God’s glory. This might mean that I won’t buy the hottest stuff - and then again it might mean that I do - that’s not the issue. The issue is not my coolness, but what will bring God most glory.
It will mean that I won’t buy that very chic, but very skimpy outfit, because no matter how fashionable it might make me, that outfit will not equip me to live for God’s glory. It might mean buying less of the cool junk food that everyone else is eating so I can get food that will give me strength to serve God.
It will mean that I buy more of what is useful than what is showy.
It will mean many other things which I’ll discover as I apply this mentality to every aspect of my shopping.
2) Shopping for the glory of God means that I won’t want all the stuff that the people of the world run after, because I am satisfied in God. It means I won’t believe the advertisements and displays that promise me happiness in the possession of their product, because I know that “the world and its desires pass away”.
It will sometimes mean that I buy less, because my desire is not to have things tomake me happy, but to be satisfied in God who meets all my needs. It will mean telling myself that I don’t “have to have” that adorable pair of shoes that I don’t need and had no intention of buying until I saw them and coveted them. It will mean buying with calm judiciousness and not whimsical lust.
3) Shopping for the glory of God does mean shopping with an eye to saving money. But not saving so I can have more cash to make me feel secure, and buy more stuff to make me happy. The question on my mind will be: “How can I save money on buying less of what I want, but don’t need, so that I can buy what I do need to live for God’s glory?” (see pt. 1.) And as a member of Christ’s kingdom, I should even more be asking: “How much can I save that I may have more to give to the needy and to God’s people and the advancement of God’s kingdom?”
If everything is to be done for God’s glory, shopping must also be done to that end. But there often comes a mental or spiritual disconnect when I walk into a store and I shop for reasons other than this one noble, righteous purpose.
How do I shop for God's glory?
Here's what I came up with - for myself and for all who might read it and perhaps be helped:
1) Sometimes I shop for the sake of my appearance before others. My underlying ambition is the praise and approval of man. Is this an ‘in’ thing to have? Will others think I have good taste? Will I impress, or will I be thought ‘un-cool’ for possessing this item? These are not the questions of a faith-filled heart, but of a worldly heart. As Jesus said, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44)
2) Sometimes I shop because I actually think that the stuff I’m buying will make me happy. That’s idolatry and idolatry is a sin. It shows disbelief of the word of God: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.” (Isaiah 55:2) Those who thirst for joy and satisfaction are to go to Christ who said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
3) Sometimes I shop with an eye to saving. How can I get the most for my money? This can be a good motive, and again it could be a bad one. Money is rarely an end in itself, so I must ask: “Why do I want to save money?” Is it to buy more things to make me happy, or more things to make me cool? (see 1. and 2.) Or is it for a better reason? (which I shall explore shortly.)
The question remains then, “How do I shop for the glory of God?” As wrong motives have different aspects, so also does the God-ward motive:
1) Shopping for the glory of God means that I shop to make Him look good. That is, I will buy things that will best help me, or others I buy for, to live to God’s glory. This might mean that I won’t buy the hottest stuff - and then again it might mean that I do - that’s not the issue. The issue is not my coolness, but what will bring God most glory.
It will mean that I won’t buy that very chic, but very skimpy outfit, because no matter how fashionable it might make me, that outfit will not equip me to live for God’s glory. It might mean buying less of the cool junk food that everyone else is eating so I can get food that will give me strength to serve God.
It will mean that I buy more of what is useful than what is showy.
It will mean many other things which I’ll discover as I apply this mentality to every aspect of my shopping.
2) Shopping for the glory of God means that I won’t want all the stuff that the people of the world run after, because I am satisfied in God. It means I won’t believe the advertisements and displays that promise me happiness in the possession of their product, because I know that “the world and its desires pass away”.
It will sometimes mean that I buy less, because my desire is not to have things tomake me happy, but to be satisfied in God who meets all my needs. It will mean telling myself that I don’t “have to have” that adorable pair of shoes that I don’t need and had no intention of buying until I saw them and coveted them. It will mean buying with calm judiciousness and not whimsical lust.
3) Shopping for the glory of God does mean shopping with an eye to saving money. But not saving so I can have more cash to make me feel secure, and buy more stuff to make me happy. The question on my mind will be: “How can I save money on buying less of what I want, but don’t need, so that I can buy what I do need to live for God’s glory?” (see pt. 1.) And as a member of Christ’s kingdom, I should even more be asking: “How much can I save that I may have more to give to the needy and to God’s people and the advancement of God’s kingdom?”
Friday, July 11, 2008
In my notebook I found this short line that I copied from Amy Carmichael's biography.* I am still finding it true:
Maybe it sounds negative. There are so many good things about home. But wait - this is one of them. This is one of the good things about home: opportunities to die daily. Daily dwelling with other imperfect people is something God uses to sanctify me. The wait outside the bathroom door, the dirty shoes on the rug, the instrument being practiced while I'm trying to study - these are the nitty gritty parts of home-life. But they are chances to die, to look not only to my own interests but also to the interests of others, to lay down my life for my brothers. Everything can't always be the way I want it, and that's actually good. When I see dirty shoes on the rug, I can mentally take them up like a sword, and instead of pricking the negligent "culprit" with it, I can turn it on my sin nature and plunge it to the hilt whispering - "Die! Die old self that loves clean carpets more than Jesus. Die!" (I am not saying that such things should not be corrected, but sisterly nagging is not the loving way.) And in those moments, I am amazed at the rebellious strength of my old nature. I feel it kicking, screaming inside me, "No don't kill me, you'll be so much happier if you turn and nag them." Sometimes I have listened to its pleading, and let it spring back up and do its thing, and I lose the chance to die and the chance to show love. But I want to die more often so I can say this in truth:
* A Chance to Die - the life and legacy of Amy Carmichael, by Elisabeth Elliot
"'Home with all its prohibitions and opportunities to die daily.'"
Maybe it sounds negative. There are so many good things about home. But wait - this is one of them. This is one of the good things about home: opportunities to die daily. Daily dwelling with other imperfect people is something God uses to sanctify me. The wait outside the bathroom door, the dirty shoes on the rug, the instrument being practiced while I'm trying to study - these are the nitty gritty parts of home-life. But they are chances to die, to look not only to my own interests but also to the interests of others, to lay down my life for my brothers. Everything can't always be the way I want it, and that's actually good. When I see dirty shoes on the rug, I can mentally take them up like a sword, and instead of pricking the negligent "culprit" with it, I can turn it on my sin nature and plunge it to the hilt whispering - "Die! Die old self that loves clean carpets more than Jesus. Die!" (I am not saying that such things should not be corrected, but sisterly nagging is not the loving way.) And in those moments, I am amazed at the rebellious strength of my old nature. I feel it kicking, screaming inside me, "No don't kill me, you'll be so much happier if you turn and nag them." Sometimes I have listened to its pleading, and let it spring back up and do its thing, and I lose the chance to die and the chance to show love. But I want to die more often so I can say this in truth:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Gal. 2:20 ESV
* A Chance to Die - the life and legacy of Amy Carmichael, by Elisabeth Elliot
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