Dear...
'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Hebrews 11:1
It has been two months since I felt led to draw upon noteworthy articles in our local Sunday papers for sharing the word of God. Patient I have been, and indeed, the word "patience" is the thought that God left as a deep impression upon my very being these past few weeks.
Today's Sunday Times, has the headline banner " entering relationships require a leap of faith." which indeed has an obvious ring of truth for the human mind is fickle and our hearts are even more imponderable.
The lady journalist who wrote this article is not a Christian, at least a few months back, when her article on over-enthusiastic purveyors of our faith, led to the birth of this 2nd blog of mine at http://sundaysnippets.com, not as an intent to challenge the views of others, but rather, to provide a spiritual perspective to the thoughts of the secular.
With this little vignette of history now shared, let me not ramble along too much, for the intent of "SundaySnippets" is to be concise, much as my other blog http://hieang.com.sg is a discourse in meandering, as the Spirit of God leads, and like a lovely long walk in the park, there is no predestination, for one could stop and smell the fragrance of God's word, as it speaks to you. No rushing along, no clear destination, only certainty is that it is undergirded by the grace of God and enlightenment for you, the reader, comes from God at His timing and form.
Your patience I must have stretched a little here, with my flashbacks to the focus of my two blogs, but patience is indeed a virtue, that most hoped to have, but are quite hapless when it comes to exercising it.
God looks not for sacrifices from us, but an obedient heart.
Faith does not arise from us, but it is a gift from God and to receive that God given faith, we must be willing to come unto His presence, in prayers, in praise, in His words and in His works.
Christianity is a relationship. A relationship with an everpresent and faithful God Who is unchanging. It is not a leap of faith into the unknown, as the writer of today's Sunday papers article alude to in human relationships, for we know not the hearts of our fellow human beings. But God's love for us and His promise to deliver those who trust in Him remains the same.
Faith indeed comes from God, but are we willing to not just come unto His presence, but be willing to stay steadfast, waiting patiently for His leading? Will we stay patient in obeying His leading, much as we do not seem to see the deliverance of His promises and the compelling call of our imperfect understanding ask us to do otherwise?
'Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in
awe of Thy word. I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great
spoil.'
Psalm 119:161-162
We live in a sinful world. There are at any point of time, many crosscurrents that demand and distract our willingness to sit still and know the will of God. And even in the seemingly more privileged environs of ours, where freedom of worship has long been taken for granted, will we still continue to be patiently faithful, like our counterparts across the Causeway, who are now experiencing situations that have been more prevalent in Indonesia and India and the Middle East?
Patience becomes a habit, when we truly remember and acknowledge our Sovereign God as the great " I AM " every moment of our lives. Impatience sets in when the "i and m" comes to the fore and supercedes what was once patient us. Like the devil, selfishness replaces selflessness.
Patient is what one associates with those who are physically ill as well as the mentally challenged. We live in a fallen world, where many ills abound. Yet, God is a God who healeth us. Healing is more than physical or emotional. God looks at making our hearts right, to be willing to receive His Spirit, to be willing to be made right again in His likeness, in preparation for eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our journey with God does not mean that He will not allow us to go through storms. In fact, the Bible says that those who seek to be godly will be persecuted. But the Bible also clearly state that God will deliver those who stay steadfast and obedient in their faith. Unlike the sinful man, our relationship with God is not a journey into the unknown. There is instead a very clear pattern in the way God will relate to us. It always start with an imperfect action from us the sinful man, continues with a search from God for a solution that we think should be, but if we stay faithful, the Spirit of God will convict us of our sinfulness, and in our repentance, the healing starts and God will begin to move us up from the morass of our lives into the great heights of inner peace and joy, as we see the wonders and wisdom of His ways.
'Consider how I love Thy precepts, quicken me, O Lord, according to Thy
lovingkindness. They word is true from the beginning, and every one of
Thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.'
Psalm 119:159-160
Indeed, the Psalmist is right. Every word of God is true. Every experience in our lives are for our refinement and is always a blessing. Man can and will disappoint, hence the trepidation of the writer of today's Sunday papers. But God is faithful always, much as we are often not. God is patient. And we must be like Him.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(10 jan 10)
note
Patience is what our good Lord impressed upon my heart these past couple of weeks. Patience in every aspect of my life. In financial investments, many who were restrained by fear and sound logic last year, are now straining at the gates of rationality, much as the optimistic delusions are hard to resist, even as they are indeed delusory. This is the year to invest, to prepare for the high inflationary cycle that the world has foolishly entered into by their continued unrepentance from the sins of this past decade, much as many are still waiting for fuller proof of this new and more virulent animal. But great patience is needed for one to not end in grief this year, as many surely would if they continue to be driven by their own understanding. I believe that the storehouses are being prepared to be released in the days of famine a few short years from now, to be shared with many who God will place in our lives. For God is love, and He will use us as
the bridge upon which many will walk upon unto His presence.
Will you be willing in all patience, to let Him mold you, just as He will show us where to plant the seeds that He has given us??
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