Be Content in All Circumstances

1 Corinthians 7:17-24  

17  Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.  This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

18  Was a man already circumcised when he was called?  He should not become uncircumcised.  Was a man uncircumcised when he was called?  He should not be circumcised.

19  Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.  Keeping God’s commands is what counts.

20  Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

21  Were you a slave when you were called?  Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

22  For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.

23  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.

24  Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

God had called the believers back in Apostle Paul’s time to their different lots in life, either Jew or Gentile (circumcised or uncircumcised), and either slave or free.  We are to follow God in our current situation.  Think about how challenging it can be to obey God under these circumstances:

-living in wartime or peacetime

-living in persecution or religious freedom

-born in a certain race/nationality vs another

-being single or married or widowed or divorced

-being employed or unemployed

-having money in the bank or burdened with debt

-enjoying good health or enduring long-term illness or disability

-parenting young children or adjusting to the empty nest

-having children you didn't plan for or afford or struggling with infertility

-born into powerful influential family or ordinary common one

-born into large family or small family or orphaned

-educated and talented or not given opportunity to be educated

There are many of life’s circumstances that are not mentioned above, but every one presents its unique challenges.  Rather than grumbling about our hardship, we should “bloom where we are planted.”  1 Cor. 7:19 reminded me of another passage that Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-12: “I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  Paul was sharing with the church in Corinth what he was learning from the Lord in his circumstances. The most important part is this: “Keeping God’s commands is what counts.”

Father God, help me learn to be content where You have placed me.  Help me not to covet someone else’s life, but to bear spiritual fruit where You have planted me to be.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Who's Judging Me?

1 Cor. 4:3-5         

3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

4  My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent.  It is the Lord who judges me.

5  Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.  He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.  At that time each will receive their praise from God.

To me, this sounds a lot like dying to oneself and putting on the new self in 2 Cor 5:17.  Most of us are our own harshest critic, and we can level that same standard onto another person.  However this passage says that I have to get to a point of not caring about what others think of me (v.3), but how God will judge me should weigh far more heavily than how others judge me.  Dying to myself goes beyond just listening to a well-thought out and doctrinally-correct sermon or Bible study.  It means putting my faith in action. 

Sometimes being in “public” ministry exposes me to people’s judgment about my teaching or singing.  It’s a hard place to be, yet the spiritual needs of the church calls for this kind of ministry.  Whether I’m teaching in women’s Sunday School or recording a new worship song, I feel the glare of people’s opinions and preconceived notions.  If I let the weight of people’s judgments press me down, then I will never go forward.  I can’t be preoccupied by other’s opinions of me, but rather ask myself, “Am I doing what God has called me to do?”  If God’s calling means being a leader, teaching others, having a ministry beyond whom I’m comfortable and familiar with, am I willing to accept all that it encompasses, including unfair criticism and judgment?  I have to keep in mind that it is the Lord who ultimately will judge me (v.4), and He will judge me fairly and lovingly.  That gives me confidence to go forward.

God’s wisdom, not mine

1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 3:12-13        

1         …When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom, as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.

2         For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

3         I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.

4         My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

5         So that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

Thank you for praying for me and Pastor Tim while we were in Malaysia and South Korea on our personal missions trip.  Indeed, it’s not by our own power or ability that we can minister God’s truth and love to others, but it’s God’s power residing in us.  One of my more memorable experiences was visiting a leprosy hospital in Malaysia and having a chance to do personal evangelism there.   Many of the men were only half dressed, and almost all were missing a foot, leg, or other body parts.  I was so reluctant to go inside the male patient ward, but the female evangelist who brought us there and my husband marched in without hesitation and started talking to the patients.  I decided to stand by the entrance and take pictures.  God saw my weak faith and moved a little old man in a wheelchair to come right up to me, talked to me, and invited me in.  I told him truthfully that if he didn’t invite me, I would not have gone inside.  We struck up a conversation, and I felt during the course of our conversation that God was telling me that this leper was very lonely.  Almost all the lepers were outcasts in their families due to the stigma of their illness, but one of the Chinese churches there visits them every week.  (How’s that for local evangelism?!)  Even though this leper did not believe the Bible is true, I told him that if he feels lonely, he can always talk to God.  When human relationships fail, he can reach out for God.  I asked to take a picture of him so that I can pray for him when I get back home.  Incidentally, my husband ended up leading the male patient he was conversing with to Christ!

How about you?  We cannot serve on our own strength, nor in our own timetable, and definitely not in our own past experiences or education.  Faith is not exercised in doing the things we’re good at or comfortable in (v.4-5), but faith gets stronger when we obey God in the things that test us and make us uncomfortable.  The longer I walk on this journey with Christ, the more I realize that God wants me to say “yes” to Him on harder, faith-stretching tasks and experiences.  If I had refused the leper’s invitation, I would have missed out on a memorable experience to bear testimony for God.  Even though it made me very uncomfortable, I’m glad I obeyed God.

Lastly, I’d like to leave you with this thought.  In the end, all of us will have to answer to God for how we live our lives and how we serve Him.  “If any man builds on this foundation [Jesus Christ] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.”  (1 Cor 3:12-13)

Throwing It All Overboard

Acts 27  

18  We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.

19  On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle with their own hands.

20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

22  [Paul said]”…I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.

23  Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and…serve stood beside me

24  and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul.  You must stand trial before Caesar, and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ “

30  In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow.

31  Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

32  So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

33  Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat, “For the last 14 days…you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything.”

35  …he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all…

36  They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.

38  When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

39  When daylight came…they saw a bay with a sandy beach…

40  Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea…

41  But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground.  The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

42  The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.

43  But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan…

44  …everyone reached land safely.

For the past 3 days, I’ve been following Paul’s harrowing journey at sea to Rome in my daily devotions.  God’s peace prevailed in Paul through the violent storm in such a way that he repeatedly encouraged and advised other passengers on the ship (v.22-24, 31, 33-34).  God’s favor rested on Paul, a prisoner, which even the centurion would listen to his instructions and move to protect his life (v.31, 43).  But what’s not so obvious is the loss of all material things to the sailors in this dangerous voyage here—cargo (v.18), ship’s tackle (v.19), lifeboat (v.32), grain/food (v.38), anchors (v.40), and finally the ship itself (v.41).  Trials tend to strip away everything we hold dear.  The sailors started out full of all the supplies and equipment needed to sail to Rome.  Now they were left empty, except for the promises of God spoken through Paul.  When we experience trials in life, ultimately, clinging to God and His Word, His character, and His relationship with us are what will carry us through.

Building Unity

Acts 21:15-26 

15  After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.

16  Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay.  He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

17  When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly.18  the next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.

19  Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 When they heard this, they praised God.  Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

21  They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.

22  What shall we do?  They will certainly hear that you have come,

23  so do what we tell you.  There are four men with us who have made a vow.

24  Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.  Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.

25  As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

26  The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them.  Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

By the grace and power of God, Paul was a passionate Pharisee who had turned into the first Christian missionary to the Gentiles, with great success and much sacrifice.  After nearly 2 months of reading the book of Acts in my daily devotions, the number of new believers and the places where the gospel had spread under Paul’s ministry truly astounded me.  Yet the Holy Spirit had moved Paul to go back to Jerusalem, with much warning about his future imprisonment.  He reported to the Jewish church elders there all that God has accomplished through his ministry.  Then the elder reported to Paul the trouble brewing among the Jewish believers towards him and his ministry.  Paul could very well ignore this report and went on his way back to spreading the gospel among the Gentiles.  He could have opposed the authority of the Jewish church elders, some who were uneducated fishermen, whereas he was a highly educated Pharisee.  After all, these men would not know more about Jewish law than he would! Instead, he submitted to church authority and worked to bridge the gap between the Jewish believers in Jerusalem and himself by publicly observing the law the very next day.  Before the week was over, this decision had cost him his freedom. 

Why did Paul make such a costly decision?  For the sake of unity in the church, he and the Jewish elders wanted to put an end to rumors and lies about Paul not observing the law.  This lie might have caused Jewish brothers and sisters to stumble in their newfound faith.  Paul was sensitive to how his actions, or lack of, can affect other believers.  Paul was attempting not to make observing the law the dividing issue in the early Church, and he publicly tried to reconcile with the Jewish believers.  Today, there are a lot of issues that divides the body of Christ.  What are we doing to build unity and not let side issues distract us? 

When I was in a workplace Bible study, I was witnessing for Christ along with African American sisters and a couple of messianic Jewish brothers for a few years.  In college, one of my best friends had roots in a Pentecostal/assembly of God church.  We had spent many hours praying with one another, encouraging, and leading an evangelistic Bible study together in college.  Almost all my college Christian friends were Caucasian, and a couple of Hispanic sisters belonged to one of my Bible study groups.  After I married my husband, I minister in Chinese churches for more than 20 years, learning Cantonese and improving my Mandarin so that I can better fellowship with sisters and brothers.  One of my best prayer partners was a Cantonese sister, and two sisters from Beijing and I served the Lord closely together.  Can you guess that I am a second-generation Chinese Christian, born in Taiwan, grew up in Chicago area, raised in and serve in conservative Chinese churches all my life?  The bond of Christ should be our strongest bond.

Getting More Than You've Asked For

Acts 3:1-10  

1          One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.

2        Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

3         When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

4        Peter looked straight at him, as did John.  Then Peter said, “Look at us!”

5        So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6        Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

7        Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

8       He jumped to his feet and began to walk.  Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

9         When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10     They recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

This is a very familiar Bible story involving the disciples Peter and John, the lame man, and the people at the temple as spectators.  Everyone knew who the lame man was, for he was at the temple gate every day for a number of years.  Every day when the man asked for money, he expected a few coins from temple worshipers who pitied him or moved by God’s compassion, perhaps some quiet rebuffs.  What he didn't think to ask for and had given up all hope for was healing.  No doctor or political leader or any powerful person could have given him this.  Only Jesus could!

But on that day, everything changed for him.  The lame man received much more than he had asked for.  He asked for money, but he received healing, freedom from a life of begging, a new beginning, and a powerful undeniable testimony!  He was set free from a lifetime of helplessness and shame, no longer dependent on other people’s charity.  He can work for a living, and he can walk/skip/run/ jump to the temple to worship God.  Tears of gratitude streaming form his face, shouts of joy pouring from his lips, strong legs and feet leaping and dancing are all evident on this once-lame man.  No one could ignore him now, not even the religious establishment who were so against Jesus and His followers.

What about me?  Am I ignoring what God is showing to me?  Did I ask Jesus for some answer to prayer, only to receive something far greater than what I have asked for?  Receiving this greater answer to prayer would require much more faith on my part, much more persecution in my life, but also much more spiritual blessings.   The lame man would have forgotten who have given him money, but he would never forget Who have healed him and changed his life.  He became a living breathing testimony of God’s power to the people in his community.  Let’s ask and expect great things from God.   Let us experience unforgettable encounters with God and grow in our faith and devotion to Him!

Terah's tragedy

Gen. 11:26-32 

26  After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27  This is the account of Terah’s family line.  Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.  And Haran became the father of Lot.

28  While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth.

29  Abram and Nahor both married.  The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah.

30  Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.

31  Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan.  But when they came to Harran, they settled there.

32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

Out of so many people listed in the first genealogies in Genesis 4-5 and 10-11, only a few were truly noteworthy.  Some of those few were marked by abhorrent wickedness, such as Cain (Gen 4:1-11 murder of brother Abel and, Lamech (Gen 4:19-24 murder and adultery).  Others lived in extraordinary righteousness, such as Enoch (Gen 5:21-24  walking with God and never experienced death) and Noah (Gen 6:8-9, 22, 7:5 did everything God had commanded for building the ark and saving His creation).  Most names passed yawningly by without even a note about what they had achieved, except for having “other sons and daughters.”  However, Terah’s family was sadly significant due to the three tragedies that had fallen on him.  He experienced the death of his son Haran, which only 2 fathers written in the Bible had experienced, Adam and Jared (Enoch’s father).  The death of a child is one of the most heartbreaking trials a parent could ever experience, no matter what age.   Was Haran’s death from a mysterious fatal illness, a vengeance-filled murder, or an unfortunate accident?  We may never know.  Secondly, his daughter-in-law Sarai, Abram’s wife, was the first woman noted in the Bible to be childless.  While everyone else’s families were blessed with many sons and daughters, Abram and Sarai bore the daily stigma of childlessness. Terah could not enjoy being a grandfather to children of his oldest son Abram.  Perhaps to escape the wagging tongues and prying eyes of all the neighbors and relatives, or perhaps to flee from the many painful memories, Terah decided to take Abram and Sarai, and his grandson Lot, and move from Ur to Canaan.  But they never made it.  Instead, they settled in Harran, and there Terah died.  He never completed his goal of reaching Canaan. 

If the accounts in Genesis were an early indication of the state of the human race, then only a few of us live a life of significance in God’s eyes.  All this misfortune had caused Abram to seek the face of God and hear His voice.  From the long list of mundane lives, Abram’s life stood out.  God had turned Terah’s tragedy into a great spiritual blessing, both in reaching Canaan, the promised land, and for giving Abram a son named Isaac, and the godly lineage that followed, ending with Jesus the long-awaited Messiah. What kind of life do you choose to live?  What is your response to the tragedies that you faced in your life?  May you resolve to live a significant life before God.

 (Thanks to my husband Tim, for his matchless spiritual insight into this passage!)

A Righteous Life

Job 31:1-40 

I do not know how long Job suffered before God answered him and blessed him again.  In the meanwhile, Job’s days groaned with unceasing tears as he grieved over the loss of his 10 children (Job 29:2-6), all his servants, all his wealth and property, the loss of his health (Job 30:16-17, 30), the loss of his dignity and respect in his community (Job 29:7-25,30:1-15).  He felt he lost hope and favor with God (Job 30:20-23).  Yet through all of this, Job never doubted his righteous life before God.  He made a very clear and detailed examination of his life:

Job 31:

v 5- “If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit—

v 7- “if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled,

v 9- “if my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

v 13- “If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,

v 16- “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

v 17- “if I have kept bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless—

v 19- “if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments,

v 21- “if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,

v 24-  “If I have put my trust in gold and said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’

v 25- “if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,

v 26-27- “if I have regarded the sun in its radiance and the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,

v 29- “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him—

v 31-  “if those of my household have never said, ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?—

v 32-  “if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart

v 38-  “if my hand cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,

v 39-  “if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,

Job did not commit any of these sins.  If he did, he quickly took care of it before God.  Suffering as Job did, most of us would question how we lived our lives before God and if God was punishing us for some sin we had done.  But Job lived a righteous and exemplary life, and no one in his community could question that. 

How about my life?  Is my life without fault before God and people?  Have I settled my accounts with everyone?  Lord God, examine my life and my heart for any wrongs I need to clear up and ask for forgiveness.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

inspirational verses from Job

I have been reading the book of Job using “Living Life” devotional journal every day for several weeks now.  This is my first time reading Job in-depth, and I was so struck by the beauty of many verses in this book.  God also had moved me recently to write a short song to help me memorize one of the verses.  In all, the Lord inspired me to pen four worship songs from various passages of Job out of my quiet time reading Job.  May you meditate on these Bible verses bore from the pain of Job’s suffering before God:

Job 1:21b-“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” 

Job 5:9 & 9:10- “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

Job 5:17- “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”

Job 16:20-21- “My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.”

Job 19:25- “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.”

Job 23:10- “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Job 23:12- “I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”

Job 28:28b- “The fear of the LORD—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

A Complacent or a Convicted Life?

Luke 19:1-10 

1         Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2         A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3         He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

4         So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5         When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at our house today.”

6         So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.

7         All the people saw this and began to muttered, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8         But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9         Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

10     For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Zacchaeus’ salvation was evident by his lifestyle change.  Here he was, a grown man, wealthy and notorious in his community, climbing a tree!  He wanted to see Jesus so badly that he humbled himself like a little boy!  In verse 8, he proclaimed to the crowd, promising to offer half of his net worth to the poor, widows, orphans, homeless.  The crowd might have murmured half-hearted approval or disbelief, and then Zacchaeus cemented the evidence of his true faith by reminding the community whom he had swindled money out of.  Perhaps it was the poor old widow struggling to pay $100 in taxes; now Zacchaeus will repay her $400.  Perhaps it was that man whom he had a personal conflict with and slapped him with a $1500 tax bill; now he’s going to cough up $6000.  Multiply this by 10, and the total amount of money would be pretty staggering.  Zacchaeus might have to sell his possessions and even his house to repay all that debt!  He would be considerably poorer by the time he was through.  But I believe these are not just mere words but real actions, or else they would not have been recorded in the Bible.  His words were backed up by his actions.  Some years later, James thundered to this audience with these words, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”  (James 2:18)  Jesus recognized that Zacchaeus’ change of heart was proven by his actions, and He forgave him of his sins.

I’ve been re-reading Francis Chan’s first book Crazy Love, and I’m convicted, especially the chapters about lukewarm people.  Ouch!  True believers offered to God the first and the best, and that’s what Zacchaeus had done.  So often, we give God our leftover time, money, energy, and devote the best to ourselves.  Malachi 1:8 “When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?  When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?  Try offering them to your governor!  Would he be pleased with you?  Would he accept you?”  says the LORD Almighty.   If you haven’t seen “Flywheel,” the first movie made by Sherwood Pictures, I’d highly recommend it!  The main character had to go through what Zacchaeus had gone.  He was a Christian who had to repent from cheating God on his offering (he puts an empty envelope on the offering plate), and then repaying back all the customers he had cheated and being honest with his business dealings.   Does my lifestyle reflect a true change of heart and real gratitude to God?  What is hindering my testimony to others?

Lord, convict us when we start to think we’re pretty good in Your eyes.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To Serve or Not to Serve

Luke 10:38-42     

38  As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.

39  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He said.

40  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”

41  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,

42  but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Often, I’d encountered Christian women who said they’re the Martha in the church, and they say this a little grudgingly.  I’m no slouch when it comes to Christian ministry, often juggling 6-7 different areas of service while raising my family.  I admit that serving God is like my full- or part-time job.  Some of my church sisters are indeed overworked and desperately need an extended time of renewal.  Others seems to be enjoying one conference after another, hopping from one Bible study and fellowship to another, or retreating from church life.  Why work?  Why rest?  Are we supposed to be a Martha or a Mary?  Jesus seemed to favor the restful Mary, and that doesn’t sit too well with the hard-working Marthas out there.  Perhaps I can offer another perspective, as one obviously in the Martha camp.  Inside, I’m a Mary, and I had to make time to be a Mary or else I can’t serve effectively as a Martha. The purpose of rest here on earth is to renew our passion, strength, and vision to serve God and extend His kingdom on earth.  But being finite frail human beings, if we don’t rest regularly, our bodies break down, as well as our souls, and in worse cases, even our families.  We’re not in heaven yet, so we’re not entitled to “rest” the rest of our lives away.

So ladies (and gentlemen too!), are we to be both?  Let’s know how to rest like Mary so then we can serve like Martha.

Who am I?

Luke 7:24-28   

24  After John’s messenger’s left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed swayed by the wind?

25  If not, what did you go out to see?  A man dressed in fine clothes?  No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.

26  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

27  This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’

28  I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

When John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod for his bold messages about repentance, he began to doubt about who Jesus was.  But Jesus was never in doubt about who John the Baptist was at all!  John was not a weak man shaken by every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14), and he was definitely not a rich man living in finery.  According to Jesus, he was the greatest prophet ever born! 

When we’re faced with an identity crisis, we should ask the Lord for His view of who we are: 

·         We are beloved children of God (1 John 3:1)

·         We are sinners saved by His grace (Romans 8:23-24, 11:18-20; Eph. 2:8-9)

·         We are disciples in the path to spiritual maturity (Matt. 28:19-20; Eph. 4:14-15, 22-24)

·         We are His branches in need of pruning (John 15:1-4)

·         We are God’s workmanship created for good works (Eph. 2:10)

·         We are an important part of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:14-20)

·         We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-14)

·         We are ambassadors for God (2 Cor. 5:18-21)

I could go on and on, but do you see the point?  God has the highest and most accurate view of ourselves, not what we or what others think of ourselves.  We may think of ourselves too lowly or too highly, but God’s view of us is 100% correct!

Father God, thank You for knowing us intimately.  You see potential for Your kingdom in us, and You see the areas where we need pruning.  Make us useful instruments in Your sight, and help us be fruitful in the kingdom of God.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Having the Favor of God

Luke 1:24-38 

25  “The Lord has done this for me,” she [Elizabeth] said.  “In these days He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

28  The angel went to her [Mary] and said, ”Greetings you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.”

29  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30  but the angel said to her, “do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

36  Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

37  For no word from God will ever fail.”

38  “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”  Then the angel left her.

Few people recorded in the Bible have a true abiding relationship with their Creator.  Not many enjoyed the Lord’s favor. Abraham was titled the father of faith (Heb. 11:8-12, 17-19).  Moses saw the face of God and lived, and God spoke to him as a friend! (Ex. 33:9-17) David was said to be a man after God’s own heart (Ps. 51:10, 17).  Daniel was considered highly esteemed by God (Dan. 10:11).

For a long time, Elizabeth must had felt that God passed His favor over her and bore the shame from the community, even though she was righteous and followed all the Lord’s commands (Luke 1:5-7).  Now, Elizabeth was ranked with the holy women of the past—Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah—by conceiving a son by the hand of God destined to be greatly used by God.  God did favor Elizabeth, but he did so in His time and in His way (Is. 55:9). 

Mary now had the distinction of being the only mother in human history to give birth through a truly supernatural phenomenon to the Savior of the world!    The Lord has chosen her for this awesome spiritual responsibility.  She humbly accepted her unique calling and bore all the joys and burdens that came with it.  If she did not have a close relationship with the Lord or have a deep knowledge of His Word and His ways, she could not have lived through the weight of Simeon’s prophecy (Luke 2:34), the wonder of Jesus’ future ministry starting at age 12 (Luke 2:45-52), the miracle at Cana (John 2:1-12) and all the other miracles that followed, the horror of seeing her son nailed on the cruel cross (John 19:25-27), the shock and unspeakable joy of His resurrection and His ascension (John 20:19-20. Luke 24:50-53), and finally the founding of the first Christian church in Jerusalem (Acts 1:12-14).  What a spiritual roller-coaster journey Mary must had traveled through!  This favor from God carried much sorrow and opposition from evil men, but through her humble obedience over many years, the world is blessed with a Savior, and countless many have found favor with God through His salvation.

Do we find favor with God?  What prevent us from being used by God in a great and mighty way?

Being Faithful with Everything

Exodus 39: 32-42 

32  So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed.  The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.

33  Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses:  the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases;

34  the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather and the shielding curtain;

35  the ark of the covenant with its poles and the atonement cover;

36  the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;

37  the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its accessories, and the olive oil for the light;

38  the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;

39  the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its stand;

40  the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting;

41  and the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

42  The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

For the past several days, my mind was filled up with Scripture about building the Tabernacle and setting up the system of worshipping God.  I cannot help but think that everything was done by hand.  After all, the Israelites were doing this in the middle of the desert, with no sophisticated tools or even sewing machines.  I can’t imagine sewing all those curtains by hand, along with the intricate designs of the priestly clothes.  I can’t even begin to fathom what it’ll take to mold and fashion all that gold, silver, and bronze for the altars, clasps, bases, pegs, etc., out there in the hot desert.  Wouldn’t it be easy to cut corners?  Also, it was a little tiring to be reading everything the Israelites were making in order to carry out God’s commands, right down to the tiniest detail.  I’ve counted at least 35 separate items, each demanding the greatest of care to make.   Does God really care about all that?  You better believe it, or else it wouldn’t be recorded in the Bible!  What we think is important is not what God thinks is important (Isaiah 55:9).

The Israelites were faithful with everything the LORD had entrusted to them to make.  Am I faithful to do everything God has called and entrusted me to do?  Are there spiritual responsibilities that I’m neglecting?  Are there tasks, calling loudly and urgently, that shouldn’t be on my to-do list at all?

Lord, help me be wise in living my life for Your glory.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Is it a Virtue to Work 24/7?

Exodus 20:8-11  

8  Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

9  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.

10  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.  On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

11  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

God designed his laws for us to work 6 days and rest on the 7^th day.  When companies, computers, and most of the world are going at break-neck speed to accomplish the latest project and meet the latest deadline, God’s law contradicts the 24/7 mentallity.  When multi-tasking seems like a must-have virtue in today’s society, God commands His people to follow His pattern of work and rest.  But most of the world blatantly disobey this law:

·         I remember someone telling me that one time Japan was trying to implement a 10-day work-week in order to squeeze more productivity out of its workers.  The result?  People were even more stressed out, and productivity lowered drastically.  Japan couldn’t tamper with God’s design for the human body and mind. 

·         When I had visited my relatives in Taiwan as a college student many years ago, I was shocked to find out my aunt was required to work every Saturday morning, in addition to the 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday work-week.  This was not overtime, by the way.

·         During our short-term missions trip to Israel, our hostess told us most Israelis would drive to the beach on the Sabbath, but few actually went to the temple to worship God.  (We witnessed this by the long line of cars heading to the coast in Tel Aviv).  How sad.  They kept the Sabbath technically, but they failed to keep it holy, as God had commanded.

·         How many of us as parents strive to get our kids into every conceivable extracurricular activity on Saturday and Sunday?  I had heard of a teenager who went to Chinese school on Sunday mornings due to the parents’ wishes, but she would like to go to church.  This is only one out of many examples.

·         How many working in shops, malls, movie theaters, restaurants, etc can enjoy either a Saturday or Sunday off?  The managers dare not close their establishments on weekends, their busiest and most profitable days.  One notable exception is Chick-Fil-a, which is closed on Sunday to allow employees to rest.  The size of their company cannot be compared to McDonald’s, but God has kept them in business over all these years and has blessed them.

When we go against God’s Sabbath law in our lifestyle, our bodies would break down prematurely, tempers would flare up inside the home, among other terrible consequences.  Do we trust God to help us do what we need to do without working extra hours?  I know some of your bosses and professors don’t think so, so they schedule meetings and classes early in the morning, late at night, and weekends.  Don’t you think the increase in cancer in industrialized societies recently is not just due to lack of organic food and clean water, but lack of rest?  We may not get much ahead in this world, we may turn down certain jobs in detriment to our careers, our kids may not have a lot of activities listed in their “school resume,” but we can choose to honor God and His laws with our lifestyles and bear testimony to others who are observing us as Christians.

Lord, help us not to conform to the standards of this world but to live in respect to Your Sabbath laws.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Praise the LORD!

Exodus 15:1-21          

1  Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

2  The LORD is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

11  Who among the gods is like You, LORD?  Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

20  Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.

21  Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.”

The Israelites had just taken part in one of the greatest miracles of all time—deliverance from their enemies, the Egyptians.  During the Passover, they left hurriedly in the middle of the night (Ex 12:29-42).  Did they burst into songs of praise when they left Egypt?  Perhaps when preparing the Passover, they were too tired and too busy (sounds like most of us!) to get ready to leave that they didn’t give God the praise and honor due Him.  No praises or thanksgiving to God from the Israelites were recorded. This was unacceptable to God, who deserves our praises.  After several days, the LORD disclosed to Moses, “..I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”  (Ex 14:4)  The weary, battle-hardened Israelite slaves, who long ran out of hope before God showed up, experienced an unforgettable display of God’s power when crossing through the Red Sea and then witnessing the deaths of their enemies when the sea came crashing down on them.  THAT did it, and the praises poured forth from their mouths, their hands, and their hearts, starting with their leaders Moses and Miriam.  Now they truly realized that God was fighting for them and that He can be trusted with their lives!  They finally started to know Who God is!

Does it take a huge cataclysmic event to move us to finally praise God?  We can praise the LORD for everyday little blessings—God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, peaceful lives, health, family, friends, freedom, church, job, clean air and water, food, opportunities, etc.  It shouldn’t take a disaster to fall on our knees before God!

the Long Road from Pride to Humility

Exodus 8:1-24 

1  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘this is what the LORD says:  Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.

6  So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.

8  Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.”

15  But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.

16  Then the LRD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.

18  but when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.  Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere,

19  the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”  But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.

22 “But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies, will be there, so that you will know that I , the LORD, am in this land.

23  I will make a distinction between My people and your people.  This sign will occur tomorrow.”

The beginning of Exodus sets the stage for a climatic showdown between the LORD God and Pharaoh the king of Egypt.  After 430 years of slavery with not a word from the LORD and Pharaoh’s power reigned supreme, the LORD decided that now is the time.  Chapter 8 brings us to the middle of this battle, after turning staffs into snakes and water into blood.  Pharaoh’s wise men, sorcerers, and magicians came up short when trying to make little creatures called gnats; they are no match for the living God.  Earlier, they were able to produce frogs (v.7), but they could not make them disappear, and Pharaoh had to summon Moses and Aaron for the job.  But Pharaoh refused to give up his pride and his hunger for power again and again.

I think earthly rulers get cocky and proud too if no one is contesting them and their reigns.  We are going through some of the worse crises of our time—dire famine, extreme poverty, strained international relations, economies buoyed by borrowed money, increased natural disasters, prolonged wars, unemployment, etc.  with no real end in sight, yet our rulers refused to turn to the LORD. Instead, they either shut out the LORD completely, or they blame God for their problems.  They refused to believe that their sin and unrepentant hearts are the cause of all their troubles. 

America was great because the LORD’s hand of protection and blessing was on her:  keeping relations with other nations peaceful, making wars short and decisive, increasing crops and harvests, limiting natural disasters to a minimum. 

We are also to blame, because we often failed to call on God about all calamities happening around us.  O LORD, awaken us! Open our eyes and our hearts to see what You see and feel what You feel.  In Jesus’ name,  Amen.

the God of my fathers

Exodus 3:1-22    

4  When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”  And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5  “Do not come any closer,” God said.  “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

6  then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

15  God also said to Moses,” Say to the Israelites, ’T he LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’  “This is My name forever, the name you shall call Me from generation to generation.

16  “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘’T he LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

The Israelites knew about the LORD God by how He related to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They would have no problem identifying which God Moses was referring to.  Up to this point, they knew God had performed miraculous births on all their behalf, led small-scale victories over their enemies, and initiated life-changing relationships with each patriarch.  Now they were going to know God as the God of power and might, worthy to be praised and worshiped, able to take on the most powerful ruler in the ancient world.  They were going to experience His awesome deliverance and jaw-dropping miracles—something the patriarchs never saw for themselves.  They were going to know another side of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

When we pray to God, He just may reveal to us another side of His holy character.  That’s why God was given so many names and titles throughout the Bible: the God who sees me(Gen. 16:13-14), King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16), wonderful Counselor (Is. 9:6), Emmanuel(Matt. 1:23), etc.   Through our experiences with God and our God-given answers to prayer, we can know another dimension of God.