- at Jesus's feet -

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Matthew 11:28 [Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.]

Lift it up to God.
Thats the phrase that many ppl constantly use to reply to someone who is facing a problem.
You may think that it is not as easy as it sounds, its not easy to just stop worrying, its not easy to just lift it up to God, its not easy to stop thinking about the problem.
Indeed you are right! It IS difficult. But, what exactly do you have in mind about : Lift it up to God?

Plainly just trusting God and putting Him in charge of the situation. Pray, and then listen. If God tells us what to do, praise God! If He doesnt, dont be disappointed, continue to pray, knowing and believing that God knows what He is doing. He is, after all, God.

Many times we find it hard to lift it up to God. And even as we pray, we still havent lifted it up to God. We as humans, esp Singaporeans, expect and want God to answer NOW, to turn the situation around NOW, and to give instructions NOW. And when God doesnt show up as you expect or wants Him to, you take the situation into your own hands. And when that happens, we end up as the wrecker. And then we get all angry and blame God for forsaking us, and for hiding Himself from us.

But, of course, there are many times in which God just simply choses to keep silent until the last moment, then He shows up. And it is in these situations that we learn just how much we really need God in everything we do.
Eg. [Exodus chpt 14] Moses did not know exactly what God would do. But he still trusted in God. And when the egyptians were coming after them, God protected the people and told Moses what to do. In the whole chapter...the verse the speaks out to me the most is verse 14: [The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still]

Just because things doesnt turn out to be the way we intended or wanted it to be, doesnt mean its bad. Because, remember, Isaiah 55:9 [As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [His] ways higher than your ways and [His] thoughts than your thoughts]. And also Jeremiah 29:11 [For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.] If you have entrusted your life into His hands, then know this: Your life IS in His hands and He knows what He is doing. We can never fully understand Him as He often works in mysterious ways we cannot comprehend. But we know that it is a fact, that, His plan for us is definitely better than the ones we had planned for ourselves. So trust in Him. It is the only way we can really fully lift up our problems and burdens to God.

The kind of love we have for one another as sisters and brothers in Christ, even if we do not know the person, is not just expressed through actions, but it is connected by the Spirit. So when something happens to a certain sister or brother in Christ, we feel the same sadness, happiness, or anger. Because the Spirit that is in each and every one of us, is the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit. Our God is compassionate and full of emotions. Amen!

free to dance
Saturday, September 09, 2006
...Rossy...**