LEARNING DEEPLY, September 1-30, 2022
Is any thing too hard for the Lord?... Indeed, no greater response to His promise can we hold on to more than to believe, against all odds, that no degree of our present troubles is impossible and difficult for our God to work in and out of, that we might receive more mercy and grace, goodness and wisdom... And so, may we emulate Abraham in faith, our belief counted as righteousness, not in blindness and ignorance that leads to pride, but in the humility and knowledge that our Creator can do all things, can give us strength to endure and persevere, and can make life and all its challenges and joys ultimately work out for our good and growth...
Lahai roi, Ishmael...
The God who lives and sees, will hear... Too often, like our spiritual
ancestors, even if we say we believe, we still have doubts and are impatient,
and try to help God along, thinking to speed up the fulfillment of His good
promises that way... But more often too, such short-sightedness only results in
pain and regret... May we learn to truly believe, humble ourselves and
patiently wait, because though daily living gets harder each day, and we may
feel we are running out of time; yet, by His own infinite reckoning and from
His boundless riches, we are always given mercy and grace, because our God
sees, hears and acts in perfect time...
Archaeologists, like
those that studied the ruins of Pompey, said that the land below a volcano is
fertile and rich, before it erupts... And apparently human life is like that
too: a life of pride, greed, high ambition, lust and selfishness often drive a
person to achieve more, amass much wealth, to climb up ever higher in society
and their careers, just before their house of cards come tumbling down... May
we learn from Abram, to be content and humble, live in courage, truth and
faith, defend what's good and right, and be fair and just; for truly, even in
the very simplest and humblest things, we find our God's goodness and discover
His grace, and we find deeper meaning and purpose...
Confusion, lies and
misunderstanding are as old as human existence... And though we may do great
things corporately, but often, because of the desire to get ahead, to put
ourselves first, to stand out and be acknowledged, we falter, we fail, we
sometimes betray and defraud... Yet, human behavior and character transcends
language in its universality, and everyone, regardless of race and status,
deserves respect and truth, justice and fairness... May we learn to overcome
our lesser nature, and live in humility, truth, fairness, goodness, godliness
and right...
I now understand, and
feel it a little less strange why people exercise, i.e., hike, jog, bike,
stretch in Memorial parks... For one, it's still a park... And for another,
well, there's nothing quite like death to encourage us to stay healthy and fit
for as long as possible...
What remains true from
the time of ancient civilizations and until now is that, like 2 of Noah's sons,
respect for elders, for our fellowman, for our God and His creation, is the key
to survival, sanity, strength and revival... And no matter how high a tower we
may have built in life, no matter how mighty we might have become, life only
becomes meaningful and come satisfyingly full circle if we put the needs of
others before our own, if we consider and care for their well-being and growth
as much as ours, if in humility we acknowledge our nothingness and nakedness
before our Maker and live a life of generosity and grace...
Boys and Girls
Missionary Challenge Sunday...
May God bless His
people around the world, from the capital of the brave, to the city of peace,
from the highest hills, to the deepest caves and subways, to the farthest archipelago
and island chains, and far flung Isles...
#OverflowingJoyInGivingInTheFaceOfAdversity
What was once a
once-in-a-lifetime event in Noah's time, and even as recorded in ancient
cultures, is now a regular occurrence in our day... So that our concern lies
beyond the horror and terror, but our conviction to believe, our willingness to
take heed, and our readiness to survive and thrive... Because truly, whether we
are here to experience it all for long or not, "as long as the earth
endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night
will never cease" (8:22)
History always repeats
itself; and in the case of an ancient wickedness and apocalypse, there was
still hope and comfort, which endured and started life anew after the mass destruction...
We likewise pin our hope and faith in this present day, on such consistency
between the Creator and all of us created beings: unwittingly yes, we each may
be contributing to the end of our world as we know and perceive it to be now,
but our God never fails to leave us a remnant of comfort, hope, love, joy and
peace...
Something very basic
as keeping in line and observing the proper queue tells the world whether we
have good manners and grew up with proper breeding... Not religiosity nor
education, not a miracle nor a favor, neither age (unfortunately) nor wealth
entitles anyone to jump in line wherever and whenever; because patience,
humility, justice and fairness always marks the better human; and he or she who
would leave a good legacy would do well to ingrain this virtue in their
children, and in their children's children... May we learn, as a people and
culture, to break away from the culture of nepotism that pervades our
generations, and be truly responsible and mature for this civilization and the
democracy we so verbally claim to hold dear and precious..
Here again we explore
the consequences of our early parents' failures; how pride, misunderstanding,
prejudice, ignorance, scapegoating, lack of foresight, selfishness, envy, greed
and anger lead to a life of sorrows and cursing, an unsatisfying life devoid of
fruits with any real substance... And the timeless lesson from the Word is the
only antidote: humility, in accepting our nothingness, in putting ourselves on
ground level and not thinking too highly of ourselves, in recognising our
helplessness and in calling on the name of our God for hope, salvation and
deliverance... No matter what we believe in, what remains true is we can do
nothing on our own; but by the grace of our Creator and Savior, we can have
strength to move on, powered by our life's purpose, until the day we return to
the ground, our true birth mother, from which we were taken...
It's been maligned,
abused and misused; yet what remains true in human consciousness, is our
understanding and acceptance that we are made in the image of a physically
invisible God and Creator, and that He wills for us to be like Him in
intellect, in mercy and compassion, in responsibility and accountability, in
wisdom and love... May we go back to our roots, the cause and reason for our
being, that we might fulfil our life's purpose... (going back again to...)
Dug up again from the
ancient baul, and reconnected with the Elder cousin's high school text book
(now mold-ridden), which expanded my then-6th-grade literary and cultural
consciousness... Truly, with reading from worthwhile sources, one grows in
knowledge, in skill, in wisdom, in character, keeping us from the traps of
evil, from scams and schemes that ruin our minds, bodies, and souls...
A time of thrift... A
writer for an online platform said that these are the times fast fashion,
always keeping up with the latest trend, the newest, the shiniest gadgets and
blings, the fastest and the most, are proven vain and useless... With the
everyday increasing prices and fast dwindling resources and money, people's
priorities should shift from being noticed and acknowledged in order to feel
validated, to that of surviving sane and healthy... And on the wardrobe side,
I'll not waste my genes, and not just because of the season, but every
intermittent time henceforth, my can't-do-without would be a needle and
thread... How about you? What's your thrifting game plan?
The end of our age, is
also the beginning of perfection and bliss... And even though our world's
present troubles dishearten and sadden us, yet, we trust in our Savior's words,
to continue to do good and well, to stay humble and patient and hopeful, and to
keep His Word and testimony... For even if evil and bad things get worse each
day, yet, one truer promise we hold on to is when He says He will come
quickly--three times in this passage, for strong emphasis and surety--not
according to our impatient reckoning, but according to His perfect plan and
timing...
They survived the
harsh travel, here's hoping they survive a different kind of soil, water and
air in a different land... And in like manner, we who live in movement
precisely because roots don't physically grow from our feet, may we learn to
adapt to any situation, even in abundance and deprivation, that wherever we may
be, we glorify our God who created us, and bless the people He sends our way...
A new heaven, a new
earth, a new universal capital city, but only for those who can believe and
accept... Because even science says that beyond dark holes lie new worlds, so
too we believe, no matter how counter-intuitive, that beyond our present
troubles and tribulations, lie not just a better but more perfect world and
universe, where the laws of our God and those He implemented in nature will be
followed with constancy and consistency... May we derive hope and strength from
this, and go on our journey in faith and love...
A harvest of aloes...
One of nature's most amazing plants is also one of its hardiest, surviving and
thriving anywhere, anytime; yet it is thick with a liquid-jelly-soft inside...
And so it seems for people too, particularly those hard-beaten by life's
troubles and challenges... For with every beating, with every put down, with
every attack, a little less of self gets promoted, but a lot more love,
generosity, faith and courage is poured out, making them endure and persevere
through whatever situation, in whatever season...
A book and a lake...
Simple things, one mundane, the other desirable, but each leads to polar
opposites in eternal destiny... While many have an aversion to reading, but it
is in reading that we know and discover, and come to decide whether to live the
Word honorably and be written in its book... While in choosing to live
pleasurably in a calm lake of pride and selfishness, we fail to see its deeper
dangers, hence, we earn a tragic place in a lake of fire and ultimate
destruction... May we have wisdom, may we have courage, may we have faith, to
choose the better way, for a better and brighter future and blissful
eternity...
I think that one
doesn't need to be a master or a green thumb to derive satisfaction from
gardening... Because to truly reap its rewards, one must exhibit just the right
balance of hard work, planning, diligence and consistency, and heart and passion...
For plants think and feel for themselves, and like all created things, are
naturally wired for kinship to those who respect and care for them... If one
feels their hands are an agent of doom when it comes to planting and seeing
these things die out in a few days, by all means let the anointed ones do it;
because like mom said, her reward is in the daily watering and harvest... Like
natural tea from your front or backyard, caring for plants and trees bring with
it a deeper, healthier, more satisfying form of joy and happiness...
Our omnipotent God is
Faithful and True, the Great Judge, King of Kings and Lord of Lords... And how
we live His Word will determine our ultimate future... May we align and array
ourselves as His bride, in spite of challenges and troubles, that we may spend
eternity in His kingdom... This may sound coercion or enforcement to some, but
when we realize how small and helpless we are, how ignorant, compared to the
greatness of His power and glory as manifested in the cosmos and creation, we
have been given and we can make good judgment if we make the better choice...
Prayer is life... My
clearest evidence of what prayer does is what I observe most people fail to
grasp: like in my grand-aunt's case at 94, a retired mananabtan who constantly
misses her long-departed batch mates, even with alzheimer's, more than
spirituality and emotionality, prayer is physical and one of the best
stress-free brain exercises... And because the brain controls all the nerves,
even the hormones in the body, prayer-warriors in whatever religion--Catholic,
protestant, pentecostal, Buddhist, etc.--always have a routine brain exercise
sure to prevent and minimize heart disease, arthritis and rheumatism, even
inflammations and cancers, thereby giving them good health well into their
twilight years... So, when our Savior said to pray, He may have given us how
to, but because His words are eternally sure and true, we know and are
convinced that every prayer is useful; for, more than faith and hope, peace and
confidence, it brings healing and health, love and life...
The end of an era...
Much has been written about and speculated through the ages about spiritual
Babylon, but few fail to see her pervasiveness; for even those who claim to be
believers are actually trading with her in their daily lives, in their
attitudes and motivations and character... And so, we discern and strive to
heed the call to come out; for someday very soon, her corruption will be
exposed, and our dependence and subscription to her lifestyle of pride, greed,
selfish ways, nuclear family orientation, envy, lust, rage and violence will
all be destroyed... May we have wisdom and humility, courage and strength to
live a better, more godly and honest, more faithful and steadfast life...
The rural
connection... I was born and bred in the metropolis, and only got to live in
the province, by choice, when I worked for the government... I heard some
people in the city say they have no "probinsiya" to go home to or
vacation in... I think that smacks clearly of pretense and social climbing; we
may have been born in city hospitals, but the concrete did not birth us; because
our souls and genes come from ancestors who lived off the land... If like in
the probinsiya, where one can still eat the same but tastier pandesal, along
with fresh fruits and vegetables and juices, cleaner and sweeter water from
natural springs and wells, take deep breaths of clean and fresh air, bathe in
virtually trash-free yet fish-rich rivers and beaches (the grayer, meaning, the
more available fresh waters upstream) and seas, hear the sound of birds for
daytime ASMR and that of frogs and crickets and owls at night; then wherever we
may be on earth, the probinsiya is with us, who may not personally know anybody
there, but who knows and lives the essence of a simple, humble, envy- and
covetous-free, yet joyful and satisfying life...
The Cosmic gender
war... Far from implying the sinfulness of women, and the superiority of men,
the book of prophecy explains to us that the great whore to be defeated is a
system, a culture, a way of thinking, a zeitgeist of our time; where for lust--
of power, of wealth, of the body and its emotions, people abandon their noble
calling and reject their eternally glorious privilege of being God's children,
and turn away from living lives in truth, goodness, justice and godliness... But
let us not be misled: wickedness, pride, greed and corruption do not pay...
What ultimately wins at the end is what our God and Savior stands for:
goodness, justice, truth, love and life...
I personally know some
people who are always fond of "next time"... "next time,"
I'll be better, I'll be more ready, I'll do better, I'll be more equipped...
Unfortunately though, most moments in life are once only and never coming back,
where one is often called upon to marshal all available and ready resources on
hand, make do with whatever is available, to think on the feet, to hit the
ground running... Because only the very rare few gets to be given the second
chance, and in most cases, that is because they have adapted well to a life
that is impromptu and spontaneous, instinctive and intuitive... May we all have
wisdom and courage, discernment and strength, so that whenever, wherever, we
will always be ready for life, and for our ultimate journey...
A world on fire...
This chapter is oh-so-familiar for our time--the extreme heat and weather
conditions, the chaos and rage prevailing in our collective psyche, and the
people losing sanity and ground, in refusing to humble themselves, to scale
back their pride and greed, and in denying and refusing to be more circumspect
and understanding deeper... An ancestor once said that in their twilight tears,
old people tend to consume less, because the body just naturally conditions
itself to do so, in preparation for its physical end... A great lesson to
learn, for the great many of us who think that wealth can insure us and our
posterity, and that fame and social standing secure privilege... For we will
all ultimately reach our end, and whether that be in peace or trouble, what
matters is the confidence we have in our God who saves, in being able to let go
of this world's lusts and enticements, in refusing to give in to its cultural
pull to accumulate more and more, and instead embracing the humility,
obedience, patience, goodness, godliness, and fortitude that faith and hope
bring...
Even the best laid
plans fail, our carefully constructed fantasies and illusions crumble,
especially when life and reality set in... Because no matter how much we
believe we are in control, what's as true as day is the fact that we are
powerless against the forces of nature, and against the actions and behaviours
of others save our own... And so in order to stay sane and grounded, we
strengthen ourselves, to learn to adapt and be flexible, to be patient and to
stand our ground, to be vigilant and remain steadfast and faithful... Because
it is not what we want to happen, nor that which actually happens that
determine our ultimate future, but what we are becoming now that leads us
there...
On the sea of glass...
I'm not a singer or musician, yet, to imagine that with endurance, persistence
and faithfulness, one will be able to stand before the Highest throne in the
universe, with a harp to play in praise of the One most worthy, would be
amazing indeed... Others may find it boring, especially if they are so gifted
with musical abilities, but more than the monotonous playing, to realize and
know that standing on the sea of glass means overcoming, remaining faithful,
patiently persisting and enduring through life's hardships and difficulties,
and still being able to keep one's faith and sanity, while being spiritually
and emotionally insulated from the plagues on the rest of the world, is not a
trivial or useless achievement indeed... Truly, the greatest reward lies
beyond, more than all the world's wealth and fame; and it is to know that we
have bought an eternal ticket to the throne room when we came to a covenant
with our God, a sure way to a good place for all time...
One of the truly great
things we can learn from the late Queen was her amazing sense of duty and
dedication to her role--to her people, her family and the rest of the world--
in spite of the world's seeming disregard and misunderstanding... And for this,
she remains relevant forever... How much more difficult would it be for the
many of us, who have no idea about our purpose in life... And yet, it is the
fulfillment of our humanity, to realize what it is we were called to do; not
what we would do to earn a living or build a career, but that which would make
this world better, that would be a blessing and inspiration to others, and that
which makes their life journey a little more bearable and worthwhile too... May
we all understand our calling, and so be able to fulfill our life duty well and
faithfully...
The patience of the
saints... On a harvest festival, we are also reminded by the Word of a true
eternal harvest--the harvest of our souls... Have we made ourselves ready? Have
we followed the Lamb and the leading of His 144,000 in keeping our hearts and
intents pure? Have we made ourselves good and faithful witnesses of our God's
mercy, grace and goodness, to others and to the whole world, in not abusing or
oppressing them, or taking undue, unfair and dishonest advantage for our own
selfish ends?... May we be found faithful, steadfast, strong, enduring and
true...
In many East Asian
communities, today marks the third day of mid-autumn harvest festival, where
one of the practices is ancestor worship, or paying tribute to elders and
departed ancestors... In many parts of the world too, today coincidentally, is
grandparents day... We may have to ask ourselves, what honor and recognition
have we given to our elders and grandparents so far, they who did all they
could to survive and thrive amidst life's hardships, to raise our parents and
even in their twilight years, still gives every last ounce of strength, to take
care of grandchildren, and still be founts of wisdom and love?... May we not be
remiss in our duties, and show them love, care, affection, support and
sustenance always...
The most famously misinterpreted
enemy... Because he is fond of lies and smokescreens, conspiracy theorists
throughout history and until today, think that this beast and dragon team is
still to be revealed... Yet, the first century believers actually only had the
roman emperor during their time in mind... What is often not talked about,
aside from conjectures and computations on the mark, is the character of the
marked one... They are not forcibly put, but because the enemy is a liar, a
thief, and a murderer, so too those who carry his mark until our time today...
Horrifying, yet, truly, even now, many people carry this mark in their lives;
so that more than the roman coins they represent on text, people marked by
God's enemy could not truly conduct any of their life's affairs without lies,
bribery, corruption, murder, selfishness, greed and pride... It is humbling and
sobering therefore to realize, that we may claim to be a Christian or a
believer, but if inside, and most especially in our motivations in how we deal
with people, if we are only looking out for ourselves and not the needs and
rights of others, if all we think about is how to get the most out of anything
even if it means others are oppressed, offended, abused and deprived, then, as
clear as day, we are spiritually and eternally marked not under the leadership
of God's 144,000, but by His enemy, the dragon and the beast... May we be
warned, may we stay watchful and vigilant, that our marks don't change, and
that we might keep it until the very end and until the great day...
Like sweet custard
cream inside tough and chewy mooncakes, may we not let life's hardships and
difficulties destroy the joy and beauty of life inside of us... Rather, may we
be encouraged, inspired, strengthened... For as long as we are physically
alive, there will be seasons, there will be times and chances--to do good, to
make errors, to fail and move on, striving to continue and keep on going in our
beautiful journey...
Make no mistake in
judgment... For even creation defends and protects those who keep His
commandments and testimony... Though physically, God's people may be
challenged, threatened and ruined by weather and climate catastrophes; yet, in
the wilderness of the soul, there lies peace, contentment, acceptance and
faith, that if we nourish and grow the seed of the Word inside our hearts, even
the very enemy who accuse us day and night, will fail in his efforts... Because
the souls and sanity of those who attune themselves to the will of the God of
all creation and hosts, like the woman who gave birth to our faith, shall fly
on wings of eagles, and soar and endure above life's challenges, difficulties
and tribulations, persevere and endure until the very end...
There is nothing quite
like pain and humiliation to remind us of our powerlessness, inadequacy,
weakness, helplessness, poverty and vulnerability; rather than feeling falsely
confident because we think we know when we don't, or we believe we are good
when we are just as pathetic and ignorant as the next person... Yet, though we
do not spend life in luxury like the former longest-serving monarch, we can
learn from her to weather life's storms and challenges, its offenses and
discouragements--all in fortitude and patience and grace... Because truly,
whether it is in any particular endeavor, in years, in living memory, the last
man or woman standing wins and conquers, even beyond death...
Truth is not relative, nor is it
dead... For with it, how we handle it, and what we become because of it, we are
measured, and our faithfulness over life and creation is proven... And like the
two great witnesses who won't die, reality is always before us, particularly
reminding us that we are nothing before the God of all creation, and being good
stewards of it all will determine our ultimate deliverance... May we strive to
do good, be honest and fair, be faithful and patiently endure, because He who
was, and who is, and who is to come, who is worthy of all praise and worship,
also never fails, and His Word and promises eternal and true...
Sometimes life doesn't work out the
way we want, sometimes dreams fail, sometimes people disappoint and discourage
us, or the things we put our hope and faith on don't turn out well... Yet, if
we can believe and accept, we discern that in the midst of our disheartened
state, in disappointments, in discouragements, in depressions, our God always
meets us along the way with comfort and consolation; probably not like a bribe
to keep us on rendering our loyalty and worship of Him, which will never be
enough for Him; but as a way of reminding us and inspiring us that life with
Him is always beautiful, His promises of better and greater days ahead always
worth looking forward to, and His reward beyond worth living and striving
for...
Truth is
bittersweet... Because though it is inherently good and beneficial, a blessing
and a bringer of peace, yet, upholding and promoting it comes at great cost,
even physical life itself... But being truthful is always worth it, a virtue
claimed by our Savior as His being, a character that determines the quality of
our person, and in the face of doom and destruction, trials and tribulations,
until our own judgment day, helps us keep our sanity and guards the safety of
our soul...
The spirit of the
air... The ancients use this phrase when referring not to the physical one, but
to the mood, the attitude, the personality and character, the morals and
culture that prevail in a given situation or group, of whatever size and
kind... And even until today, we discern such in how people speak and act to
one another, whether verbally, or digitally online... May we always strive to
subscribe to the spirit of love and generosity our Heavenly Father and His Son
have blessed us; so that every word we speak and write, every thought and deed,
be full of truth, mercy and grace, encouraging and building people up, not
belittling them, but in humility, enlightening them and giving hope and faith,
peace and joy...
The forehead mark of
preservation... Is interpreted by many scholars not as a physical and tangible
one, but something that involves the frontal part of the brain, involving
personality characteristics, decision-making, movement, smell and speech... And
in a world plagued by wars and death, by fierce armies and mercenaries often
out to destroy and ruin those who belong to the minority and do not subscribe
to the greed and selfish desires of demagogues and tyrants, one is kept safe
and sane by aligning their thoughts and choices with the will of God and His
good plan for humanity... It is counter-intuitive to talk of hope and peace,
confidence and joy in the face of fierce hardships and harsh tribulations, but
it is actually what being marked is: attuned to a higher level, all motivations
and resolve geared towards an eternal rather than temporal reward, so that
every thought, word and deed in the here and now full of grace and seasoned
with truth, honesty, generosity and love...
Not all of us are
called on to say and do great things; but everyday we live honest, sincere,
faithful, responsible, accountable lives, where we do our best to uplift and
encourage and not put down, where we speak our truth humbly yet clearly, where
we respect other people's rights and opinions instead of just promoting our own
(like only we know what's best and right), are moments well-lived, and our
journey becoming truly meaningful and worthwhile...
Nature's travails...
Are partly a cycle, but in our time today, mostly because of humanity's
short-sightedness, pride, selflessness and greed... The saints or God's people
since the dawn of history and until now must still continue to pray and live
godly lives, uphold truth and right, and promote peace and understanding; yet
for a better future for one and all, all creation are indeed tried, troubled,
tested, that there may be purification and renewal... May we truly apply and live
the faith we profess, and the knowledge and skills we have gained in life, to
weather the storms, to stand strong in all seasons and situations, and to
remain hopeful, faithful, steadfast, and true...
It's cliché, worn out,
and I am not even qualified to say, but it seems knowing our children,
accepting who and what they truly are, are keys to helping them grow and
develop, mature and responsible into the kinds of good people they should
become... And it goes the same way in our relationship with all people too...
While not all of us know exactly what is good for us, nor do we always know
what's true and right and noble, what is worth pursuing and investing our lives
on, it helps to have other people believe in our potential, and have the heart
and grace to support us in becoming the best that we can be...
Uncountable,
innumerable... Even in our time today, it is extremely rare to see people who
are honest, faithful, true to their words, who do their best not to offend or
insult, who are able to go anywhere or achieve their goals without abusing or
oppressing others, who instinctively help out those in need even when no one is
looking, who do their best to maintain their integrity and keep a clear
conscience in the face of temptations and difficulties, even when no one is
keeping score or just simply ignores them... Yet the Word says here they are
and where their souls will be for all time, led by the 144,000 marked among the
tribes, the uncountable multitude from all nations and tongues, the complete
diversity of people who remain faithful and true to the God of all creation and
Heavenly hosts... If eternity is as perfect as being free from hunger and
thirst because of the eternal buffets and feasts He promised to prepare, as
magnificently comfortable as being free from the sun's extreme heat, other
climate catastrophe and the multiple deplorable and terrible conditions these
result, and as wonderfully joyful as our tears being wiped by the One who gave
us life and salvation--then, life on earth is indeed worth struggling for, and
eternity worth hoping and living for...
"Bamboo breaks
when there is a really strong gale; but grass grows whatever the season and
weather... You can act like the bamboo on the outside; but in your heart, be
like grass, rising again and again." - Prosecutor Wang Min-Ho to
Prosecutor Kang Ha-na, 'Taxi Driver'...
A famous drama taught
us these words, uttered by a supporting character whom many of us long-time
fans of korean drama would surely recognize and love... And such words are as
timely and beautiful today, as the scene they were acted in; and I believe will
always be a source of encouragement, no matter the magnitude or kind of
hardship we encounter in life... May we be inspired and encouraged, and endure
and persevere...
The seals of human
history... Because the Word transcends space and time, since the dawn of
humans, during the first century when these words were penned, and until our
time today, life and existence are always plagued and subjected to the
existential threat by these "seals" or proofs: lies and cover ups,
hatred and wars, hunger and famine, death, persecutions and genocides, and
Cosmic and terrestrial apocalypse... Yet, by the mercy and grace of God, His
creation endures... And so, we gain hope and faith, that even if such troubles
happen in a loop and cycle, throughout our physical lives and beyond, the God
who preserved the souls of our ancestors in genes and faith, will continue to
do His work, and preserve our souls, our prayers as fragrant incense before His
altar, until the day of completion, when we will all receive the due reward for
our patience, endurance, persistence and perseverance...
Far too often, because
of selfishness and greed, we go into bystander mode in just witnessing and not
doing anything even when other people are suffering... Yet, the basis of
community of early humans is in having a shared identity, a sense of belonging,
caring for and catering to the same beneficial interests, and defending against
common predators, threats and enemies; and we learn of these from ancient
writings, even the Holy Bible... And so, even if the challenges of modern life
greatly tempt us to lean on towards an isolationist mindset, yet, may we let
our better humanity prevail, in continuing to care and be concerned, in giving
and helping as much as we can and when called for...
Worthy is the Lamb...
The biblically-recorded, and historically-plausible life and death of Jesus
Christ, is virtually how humanity reckons and dates history in our modern
times... And whether we believe on Him or not, there is no denying that
whatever our conviction will determine how our own lives work out too... For He
is The Lamb that holds history and eternity in His hands, and our ultimate
accounting is with Him, how we have been faithful with the words He uttered for
us, and how we have manifested the love and mercy, the grace and peace He left
as legacy and our inheritance, to each other and to one and all...
Life is not about us
and our preferences, but making it work with and be bearable for us and other
people... Because we might be kings and queens, princes and princesses in our
own homes, our word was law where we grew up, and with our families and little
cliques; but to insist on such attitude until maturity smacks of the ultimate
in arrogance and ignorance, which is due only for a very rude awakening... May
we learn to listen to others, honor and give respect to their points of view
and station, before insisting only we know, only we are right, and getting
ahead and doing what we think is best when in fact it is totally uncalled for
and unnecessary... For as the Word says, let us "consider other people's needs
before our own"...
All authorities and
powers belong to our Savior and God... The twenty-four elders, a numerical
symbol of God's tribes among all peoples of the world, and the four mightiest
creatures in creation according to first century Christian belief, all submit
their authority and power, and surrender themselves in worship to the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords... A sobering reminder to us all that no matter how
good and great we believe ourselves to be, we are nothing on earth,
predominantly only destructive and wasteful because of our pride and greed,
almost immaterial and inconsequential for our mortality and weakness, hopeless
because of our ignorance of life and nature and all its workings even to the
most minute details, and vain and meaningless because of our innate inability
to fathom and grasp our God's wisdom and grace... May we be like the elders,
and live each day in humility, always driven by the consciousness that we need
our God's mercy and love, His joy that becomes our strength, and in this hope
and faith, strive to always do good and right, and be responsible, faithful and
accountable...
In broad daylight...
The sun reveals what stuff are truly made of... Over the long weekend, the pet
plant I placed fronting the window, getting all the heat from the sun, was not
watered... The older leaves, even if partially covered by the younger ones, got
burnt in a few places; while the younger leaves, in spite of getting the sun's
heat full force, did not... They're now slowly thriving back to life though...
It's wonderful how even a small slice of nature can teach us about life: that
in times of crisis, grave difficulties and tragedies, old and outdated beliefs,
systems, ways of thinking and doing, are blatantly exposed for their ignorance
and weakness; while those with always a fresh outlook on life, willing to
embrace and adapt to change, while being patient and persistent, always endure
and persevere, and become wiser and stronger for it...
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