As school is winding up, I am feeling the pressure of transitioning and making adjustments. This summer has been a very forgetful one by mind, but surely a not forgetful one by spirit. I feel as though as time goes on, my life seems to be more opened and disclosed to the biting reality of life: No one is ever safe or completely secure, and nothing is for certain. Of course, I am speaking in a worldly sense where the pattern of life is already known to you.
I recently was referred to the book of Romans. It's by far an alarming book and one that has consistently pulled me back to God with every chapter - the book of Ephesians as well (which has been the Sunday Bible Study for some weeks now) which always points to Christ.
You know, there's something very essential that was said to me last night. That is that I need to think more positively. The fact is not that God did not choose the person next to me (of which I will never know...) but that He saved me. SAVED meaning I can breathe again. I can be free and see life in a way where I am already a conqueror, a step above death.
It's not easy when people constantly deceive themselves. In fact, it proves how helpless we are to our sinful nature, how nothing we do is ever good or that nothing ever good is by our power. How can we do good then? Well, indeed we are not perfect beings, but we still have to try, something I thought I would give up on. It's not a bad thing - to try.
The Bible warns that the days are getting evil. That in fact, we should be wise to take up every opportunity and not wait too long. It's our way of keeping our selves safe and protected (or at least the illusion of it) but it's not always great to dream about the future. It's not always great to expect the default of life which you already know. On the other hand, to not have any expectations at all is really, I must say, a downer. What is the difference between dream and hope? I suppose a dream can be seen, but a hope cannot? I suppose I should rid myself of my dreams and instead work on putting my faith and trust in the hope that Jesus will come again. Romans elaborates on this; it says that (I am paraphrasing) what good is hope if you can imagine it! To not see is hope, to see will kill hope. I hope I said that correctly.
Wow, so basically much of this life, if not all, will be spent pretty much on this kind of unexplainable gut feeling and of course signs and guidance through prayer. It's seeming very scary and risky. Here's something I heard this past Sunday though that will (I think..) forever stick with me. That is Daniel Liu said that (quoting someone else) when we die, make sure the only thing we do is die talking about how to be a living sacrifice. I am impressed but certainly not surprised that he would preach on this topic the week before I go back to school, just because I've really been feeling on the fence about what it means to "surrender my life." I've expressed in the past my fear of this (or going back to it), but I'm not afraid that I have been mistaken about what it means to "surrender." Now most people say "surrender your all" or "surrender everything" to God. People don't know what "all" or "everything" is. Make sure when you die, that the only thing you do is die. I will keep this in mind when I go back to school.
Thank you for sitting in with me. I hope your summer has also been a blessed one. Please feel free to contact me or to chat because I think I would enjoy it unless I'm busy. Ciao for now.
Stephanie
I recently was referred to the book of Romans. It's by far an alarming book and one that has consistently pulled me back to God with every chapter - the book of Ephesians as well (which has been the Sunday Bible Study for some weeks now) which always points to Christ.
You know, there's something very essential that was said to me last night. That is that I need to think more positively. The fact is not that God did not choose the person next to me (of which I will never know...) but that He saved me. SAVED meaning I can breathe again. I can be free and see life in a way where I am already a conqueror, a step above death.
It's not easy when people constantly deceive themselves. In fact, it proves how helpless we are to our sinful nature, how nothing we do is ever good or that nothing ever good is by our power. How can we do good then? Well, indeed we are not perfect beings, but we still have to try, something I thought I would give up on. It's not a bad thing - to try.
The Bible warns that the days are getting evil. That in fact, we should be wise to take up every opportunity and not wait too long. It's our way of keeping our selves safe and protected (or at least the illusion of it) but it's not always great to dream about the future. It's not always great to expect the default of life which you already know. On the other hand, to not have any expectations at all is really, I must say, a downer. What is the difference between dream and hope? I suppose a dream can be seen, but a hope cannot? I suppose I should rid myself of my dreams and instead work on putting my faith and trust in the hope that Jesus will come again. Romans elaborates on this; it says that (I am paraphrasing) what good is hope if you can imagine it! To not see is hope, to see will kill hope. I hope I said that correctly.
Wow, so basically much of this life, if not all, will be spent pretty much on this kind of unexplainable gut feeling and of course signs and guidance through prayer. It's seeming very scary and risky. Here's something I heard this past Sunday though that will (I think..) forever stick with me. That is Daniel Liu said that (quoting someone else) when we die, make sure the only thing we do is die talking about how to be a living sacrifice. I am impressed but certainly not surprised that he would preach on this topic the week before I go back to school, just because I've really been feeling on the fence about what it means to "surrender my life." I've expressed in the past my fear of this (or going back to it), but I'm not afraid that I have been mistaken about what it means to "surrender." Now most people say "surrender your all" or "surrender everything" to God. People don't know what "all" or "everything" is. Make sure when you die, that the only thing you do is die. I will keep this in mind when I go back to school.
Thank you for sitting in with me. I hope your summer has also been a blessed one. Please feel free to contact me or to chat because I think I would enjoy it unless I'm busy. Ciao for now.
Stephanie
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