'Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart'
1 Samuel 16:7
Not too sure if it is the onset of age, or just plain boredom, lately one tends to spend more time contemplating about what was.
Just like one of those advant garde movies(which I never understand), snippets of one's life often flashes back and brings one into this longing for the past.
Yet, for many, such moments are the exception in a best forgotten life of difficult challenges that thankfully is best consigned to history.
'Know ye not that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death.....
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life...'
Romans 6:1-4
God has forgiven us our sins.
In believing in His salvation through the sacrifice of one man, Jesus Christ, we can partake in this grace given by God.
'In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace'
Ephesians 1:7
Our life starts on a clean slate. We start life as a new-born in God's kingdom.
Yet, we do not start nor walk alone, for in believing, the Spirit of God resides in us.
'...after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise'
Ephesians 1:13
On reflection, I first believed in God when I was 13, yet it stayed there. I never move past my belief to taking the next step(thankfully by God's divine intervention, I finally did start at the ripe old age of 39), ie to follow the Lord.
'How can two walk together unless they have agreed on the direction'
Amos 3:3
God has pre-planned the life that each of us should lead.
'For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate.....'
Romans 8:29
The route taken might be varied, but the objective for all is the same, to make us Christ-like and be ready when Christ returns and we move into the New Heaven.
'........to be conformed to the image of His Son,......'
Romans 8:29
Reality is that,for many believers, we resist, desist and totally miss the loving intent of our Father.
Yesterday, both my kids had their regular eye check with the optometrists.
Myopism is a worldwide problem but is of particular prevalence in Singapore.
A little red dot like us, always striving to be in the forefront of things, I am sure this one statistic that we could do without, but sadly, we are right up there.
Yet gladly, in such trials, God shines His light on our shortsighted approach to life.
Suffice to say, we did not jump for joy to usher in the furthur deepening of the myopism of my kids.
But God provides.
In the midst of our fears, He places us back in perspective to take a hard look at what most of us, by our own understanding, are trying so hard to achieve, inorder to fit into the system of the world.
Are we prepared to take a step back from this incessant drive amongst our general populace to strive towards academic excellence and things of the world at the expense of a lifestyle that places a more balanced emphasis on general health, good character development, family relationships and studying to enjoy rather than to achieve??
Are we prepared to let go of our fears and needs and learn to let God lead and to be desirous of placing Him as the focus of our lives??
God has indeed remove the blinkers in our eyes. As we learn to look to Him, no doubt our eyes will cringe, our hearts will dither, our thoughts would be, "would not it be nice and kind of God to just take a firm hold of our hands and pull us along???"
Of course God could permanently infuse us with this great unexplainable joy, keep us on cloud nine always, and we will just float along numbly with Him.
But God gives us a free will. He is not looking for automatons, but rather a loving relationship with a responsive human transformed in His image.
'We all......are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord'
2 Corinthians 3:18
God wants us to exercise that free will by looking to and trusting in Him. He wants us to be partakers and not zombies.
When we believe, we invite God into our lives. When we follow, we are asking and trusting in God to mould us as He knows best.
Like the proverbial gold and silver, everytime we enter into the trials of fire, when we look to God, we are infused with His love and are not just shielded but purified, to be more and more like Christ. It is a continous walk of purification and renewal and not a one off event.
'For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure'
Philippians 2:13
'For we are glad, when we are weak and Ye are strong....'
2 Corinthians 13:9
'In the day when I cried thou answereth me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul'
Psalm 138:3
God Blesses
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