“These [instructions] are not mere words, they are your life” (v.47a)
and it IS my life. the story of israel. the story of God’s love, jealousy, justice, power, sovereignity. man’s foolishness, my foolsihness. God’s forgiveness. God’s grace.
if my life was made into song, what will the words be?
i have a Job issue in my life that constantly reappears in my thoughts and in my heart. im not sure if i am already clear with it that i can write about it. but i know its there, and i know God has answered it tonight..
.. although i dont know if deep inside i have already completely ended the issue, i feel like it will still most likely to reappear soon. in that case, im glad i now have Job to look back at
Job 42:1-16
as the battle rages, God gives another warning:
this is big Lord. it doesnt get any easier right? i kinda expected it din naman.
how will my sin affect the people around me? first off, we wont be winning battles. we are at constant battle: our accountability group, our d12s, families… we will not be experiencing as much victory as we’re supposed to if i sin. remember this marco. you have people that you are praying for, people that need love, blessing…
Your sin will have an impact on others. Choosing to disobey God may cost your family God’s blessing. The power of God may be absent from your church because you are living in disobedience. Your friends may suffer because you are not living righteously.
this quote from the devotional hits it straight to the point. remember this marco!
another thing that struck me is this:
(v11) “and they have not only stolen them; they have also lied about it and hidden the things among their belongings”
no more hiding.. we are at war.
Joshua 7:1-15
from threadless.com
its not “who is my neighbor”, but how can i be “a neighbor” to the people around me. makes sense though, one shouldnt be selective to whom he shows love – Christ’s love. the devotional suggests that its because of busy-ness that the Pharisee and the Levite that they did not stop to help the Samaritan. The simpler interpretation could be that these guys just didnt want anything to do with the crime or that they are self-righteous pricks that despises people of lower status. I remember philo class back in college, it blamed society for why the first two left the Samaritan alone.
I guess, at this point, there really no need to argue which one’s the right/perfect interpretation. more importantly, have i been a neighbor to people? both to those i am comfortable with and to those that are “different” from me? i dont know, its hard to tell. i think it’s easy for me to be nice to people when i want to. i like helping people, its really a strong passion of mine.
but i know me. honestly, there are times where i just dont make an effort to look. if i cant see “the side of the road” i can just move along and not have to help whoever’s there lying half-dead.
crap.
yeah, i do that. sucks.
so much for mr. nice guy. more like, mr. nice guy when its convenient.
how appropriate, the messages in CCF now is all about love.. loving God and loving others. i guess its application time ey?
open your heart dude. maybe you can take the pains of life, youve developed a numbness to the trials and the sacrifices… but not everybody is like that. offer your strength to those who need it. its not your strength in the first place, its God’s, you know that. and not only that.. look! look at your friends, family, peers… you dont have to look hard to see that some of them are hurting, and some are in pain.. and dont look away.. for the love of God marco, please don’t do that again..
can you do it? can you be a neighbor to them (luke 10: 33)? can you help both their immediate (v. 34) and long-term (v.35) needs?
yes. im sorry Lord.. i acted wrongly…
yes i will do it.. i understand now..
Luke 10:30-37
ive always been annoyed at israel in the old testament. its the same old story happening over and over again. but they’re God’s chosen people for a reason. i know why.
its to show us that we too are like that.
i just read my previous post, and sad to say, i spoke too soon.
its been hard going back to God, but just on a whim, i decided to visit the devotional site. turns out, its not by accident that i was able to visit it, its God’s grace… it’s crazy… thank You..
“If you are continually being defeated by everything you face, your heart has departed from God“, quote from the devotional.
its a battle, a constant battle.. and its a fierce battle. abiding in God makes more sense now. its not anymore just about being able to live an abundant life. its now also because we are at war, and the outcome of every single battle will depend on whether we abide in Christ or not…