They glorified God because of..

ok! time for another entry!

So... I was doing my readings on Galatians 1:11-24 last night and one verse stand out sharply - giving a mark on my mind even when I'm going to sleep. It was this one verse:

"And they glorified God because of me." (Gal 1:24)

The passage is about the life of the apostle Paul, who he was before he believes in Christ, how He met Christ and saved, what he did after and his callings. I think most of us know who he is, and how God made miracles and save lives through him. Considering he is the biggest prosecutor of Christianity in its early days, it was such a big thing for everyone at that time (even now it is). He is faithful to his calling, obedience to the words of God and cares about the fellowship of believers, be it Jewish or Gentiles.

After all he had done, he can write on this letter: And they glorified God because of me. Now, it can sound very boastful indeed. But try reading the whole passage. My opinion after doing that is that I can't find a single trace of boast in what he said. He's still humble and knows who he really is in front of God. And that's just amazing. He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.

Now, as I ponder on this passage, I can’t get this thought of my mind: “will my life be something that will glorify God as Paul's life did?" I will admit, it was very far, far away from that. We are created to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. But are we really striving to pursue that in our live? Does what we do reflect the goodness of God?

Will we be able to say: "they glorified God because of me" when we reflect on our life?

Well.. That’s a question we need to keep pondering on.. I know one thing for sure however - My life might not reflect His love fully, but I will keep trying my best to fulfill His calling.

Soli Deo Gloria

He helps me find my wing =)

Today (4th of July) is my father's birthday. Well, we never do anything special in our family to celebrate birthdays - just dinner, nothing else. Usually I always have the opportunity to celebrate it with him since it's on the holiday, but I have to be contended with saying happy birthday over the phone this year since I can't go back.

When I play through my song list I found one interesting song though. Somehow it reminds me of him so much. The song was titled "Find your wings" by Mark Harris. It is about the prayer of a father when he watched his son/daughter grew up and 'fly'. I can't help to smile when I hear this song, and I remembered how he has guarded me to become who I am right now, especially after my mother passed away in '96.. He helped me find my wing; he helped me and teaches me how to stand on my own. The two of us may have our own differences sometimes - I can be quite rebellious, he can be very strict and demanding. But those were nothing compared to the love that he gave me over 22 years of my life.

So... I want to share this song with all of you, and dedicate this song to my father. It's a shame he don't have a FB account though.. haha.. Happy 55th B'day pah.. ^^~

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Find Your Wings

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray for all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know you're walking in the truth
And if I never told you, I want you to know as I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage to dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings, so let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind that leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong; guide you on your way
May there be many moments that make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

I pray that God will fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage to dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings, so let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off, but I'll cheer as you fly

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage to dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings, so let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

Who am I?

Lately, I have been trying to brighten up my days with songs of praise. They said that after uni, it will be harder to maintain our spiritual life since there will be less time for us to spend in a fellowship or ministry, and I started to understand why... That's why I tell myself that I need to work harder in my spiritual discipline.

This song has been a constant reminder for me. It was not our work, not who we are that enables us to call God our Father. It was Christ. It was what he had done in that old rugged cross. We are merely a withering flower, here today and gone tomorrow. A vapor in the wind, insignificant and swept away with ease. But behold, He still faithfully carry that cross to the hill, died for our transgression. Let's remind ourselves daily about His sacrifice, about His love that has brought peace to this world.

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Who am I?

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way, for my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am, but because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done, but because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean, A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am:
I am yours. I am yours.

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain and calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am, but because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done, but because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am:
I am yours.

Not because of who I am, but because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done, but because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am:
I am yours. I am yours.
I am yours.

Whom shall I fear, whom shall I fear?
I am yours.. ('cause) I am yours..


(I took a cute video since most of you should have heard this song before =P)

A bit from "The cost of discipleship"

As some of you might know, I have started working since last week. One thing that I am able to do better during my work than during my uni time is reading books. Thanks to the waiting time in MRT, bus and shuttle bus, at least I had almost 2 hours worth of reading books everyday (every working day to be precise =p).

The book that I'm reading right now is Dietrich Bonhoeffer's classic, "The Cost of Discipleship". I was blessed by this book a lot within this week, as I read the writings of someone who did not just write about how to life our life in Christ fully, but living what he wrote in full integrity. I will not discuss about him or the book now.. But you can wiki him for now =p. Anyway.. this is what I read a while back, and I don't see a reason to not share it with you =)

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..The call to discipleship, the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, sets the Christian in the middle of the aily arena again sin and the devil. Every day he encounters new temptations, and every day he must suffer anew for Jesus Christ's sake. The wounds and scars he receives in the fray are living tokens of this participations in the cross of his Lord. But there is another kind of suffering and shame which the Christian is not spared. While it is true that only the sufferings of Christ are a means for atonement, yet since he had suffered for and borne the sins of the whole world and shares with his disciples the fruit of his passion, the Christian has to undergo temptations, he too has to bear the sins of others; he too must bear their shame and be driven like a scapegoat from the gate of the city. But he would certainly break down under this burden, but for the support of him who bore the sins of all. The Passion of Christ strengthens him to overcome the sins of other by forgiving them. He becomes the bearer of other men's burdens - "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). As Christ bears our burdens, so ought we to bear the burdens of our fellow men. The law of Christ, which it is our duty to fulfil, is the bearing of the cross. My brother's burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot, his natural characteristics and gifts, but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which I now share. Thus the call to follow Christ always mean a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian's duty to bear.

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quite a long paragraph.. but meaningful. Bonhoeffer's writings in this book are tough to read, but his "simple obedience" to the Word of Christ is admireable. I learn a lot from this book, and I learn that we need to bear each other burden's in a whole new perspective. =)

Let there be light!