All you really need is love... and a little chocolate doesn't hurt!

Sometimes you never know how God will speak to you... When I opened the wrapper of a Dove chocolate the other day, this is what I read:
"All you really need is love, and a little chocolate doesn't hurt."

The saying in this wrapper perplexed me. I know I have been wrestling with "praying for a husband"... But this little chocolate wrapper struck a chord in my heart and left me digging deeper into my mind and heart.

Over the past several weeks, even before the encounter of this wrapper, my noodley mind brought me in another direction to verses that I haven't thought of in a while.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. or now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~1 Corinthians 13:4-13~

These verses are a wonderful verses. (And what part of God's Word is not wonderful?) Although these verses has been quoted gazillion of times in weddings, there is a deeper meaning beyond the love that we normally associated with these verses, which brings me to the next verses...

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.~John 3:16-17~

These verses were pivotal verses towards my acceptance of God and Jesus. Senior year of high school, I was going through a bought of depression and anxiety. Although I was young and had everything going for me (going to NC State that fall), I was left with the thought of, "What will my future hold next?" A friend at the time, who is a Christian, shared with me various verses on God's love, and the more I dwell of these key verses, the more I realize God is bigger than anything I can imagine. God is love. That summer, I started to read the Bible on my own but it was the fall of my freshmen year at NC State that I was challenged to read John and participate in many church-related activities. I became a Christian in October of 1998 (detailed testimony may come later...).

Over the many years of being a Christian, I am sometimes amazed by the depth of God's love, and both the simplicity and complexity of it. To throw in some Greek, there are three forms of love: agape (God's love), philia or phileo (brotherly love) and eros (love in sexual nature or romantic love). Agape love is probably the most mysterious of all the loves. It is the unconditional love of God towards us, a sacrificial love. Even Paul noted the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the church in the context of the love of a husband towards his wife in Ephesians 5:22. Christ loves the church... as a husband should love his wife.

There are many verses in Scripture that talks about God's love. However, not to over-analyze God's love, but simply put: God loves us so much that He gave His Son Jesus as the perfect sacrifice and to take upon himself the sins of this world. And for it is by grace we are saved, through faith...(Ephesians 2:8).

Jesus, for a time, was separated from God when he took upon himself the sins of this world... Jesus even cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" And I think the realization of that reality of what Jesus was felt deep in my heart... yes, it is nice to know God will provide, God will clothes us, God will feed us... But God did more than just that. He gave His Son up for us. And through the miracles of God, Jesus was lifted up to be with the Father. It is beyond me why God did this. We didn't deserve it. God did it anyway to renew the covenant, the promise, with His people, to take back what was lost, and to give us the faith in him, hope in him, and the love in him, that Jesus will come back some day.

All I really need is to dwell in the love of the Lord. What more can I ask for?

Happy New Years! - a lesson from Little Women

This year, I thought about not having a new years resolution. But I read something that I thought was very simple yet encouraging. I had the blessing in receiving a Nook for Christmas from my brother and in choosing a few free downloads/books, I ran across a book I have been meaning to read Little Women. I read 1/3 of it when I was in high school but never finish it. And the little that I did read, I don't remember what it was about. So, I decided to start over again, knowing that it was about 4 sisters growing up in the Civil War times.

To share the excerpt first:
"If I don't seem to need help, it is because I have a better friend, even than father, to comfort and sustain me. My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that of your earthly one. The more you love and trust Him, the nearer you will feel to Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but may become the source of lifelong peace, happiness, and strength. Believe this heartily, and go to God with all your little cares, and hopes, and sins, and sorrows, as freely and confidingly as you come to your mother."

In this particular chapter, Jo March (also Josephine as some of her family members calls her) had a fight with her youngest sister Amy. Jo didn't want Amy to join her and the oldest sister Meg to watch a play and in return, Amy burnt one of Jo's books. Jo is a tomboy with quite the temper and also has a talent for writing. Jo pretty much exploded as she has worked quite a while on this book for their father (who is away as a chaplain at war) and not forgive her young sister Amy.

The next day, Jo went out to go skating with the neighbor boy Laurie and Amy decided to follow them. In venturing out to the icy lake, Laurie warned Jo about the thin ice in the middle of the lake but Amy didn't hear as she was still far away from them. Amy finally made it to the lake, and as Amy skates out to the middle of the lake, the ice broke underneath her and she fell into the freezing water. Laurie and Jo rescued Amy and got her safely back to the house. Jo felt very bad as the night before her mom told her to "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" (Ephesians 4:26) for what Amy had done to her book.

In this sorrowful state that Jo is in, Jo's mother, Mrs. March, told Jo about her relationship with not only Mr. March but also her relationship with God. In this lesson, Mrs. March taught Jo in how to handle her anger and learn to forgive those who wrong her... and that sometimes patience and humility is the strongest teaching than the strictest lecture. But even in this chapter, it's a continuing lesson to all of us that we can go to God no matter what our challenges are in life.

Reflecting on a Father's Love

Last Friday, I went into my colleague's office to talk to him about a project.

I am like Monk. I noticed things or a change in something.

So, in looking at my colleague's corkboard, he posted a new piece of artwork from his daughter. It wasn't much to see, really, except for this gigantic blue Christmas bow and a few strips of purple ribbon or tinsel. In the middle of the artwork was a white heart with "Dad" written in the middle.

I later went into his office to comment on how awesome I thought it was. I mean, really, the Christmas bow kind of make it stand out. He said that his daughter is very artsy. She does arts and crafts in her spare time.

I went home that evening thinking how sweet that my co-worker would display his daughters artwork at work. It's not really worth looking at except I was touched. And his daughter made it during his business trip.

I think that is how God expresses His creation. He created us (Genesis 1:27) in His image and those with a childlike faith respond back in love. In our love for Him, we may worship him in song, art, prayer, and hopefully, our ultimately response of accepting Salvation. And what does He do next? Display us as the bride of Christ.

We may look like a boring piece of artwork, but just like a Christmas bow, there is in each of us a special "something" God wants to display. All it matters is the heart for our Father.

New Year's Resolution 2011

I thought long and hard about this. And I figured out my new year's resolution.

Romans 12:1-3

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

This beats any diet or exercise plan I have ever encountered. It's seeing yourself as a temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) but it's not only the physical, it's the spiritual, to prepare to serve God in all we do.

Other verses to go along with Romans 12:1-3 is Colossians 3 -
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

To be a little blunt, I have been struggling with a lot of things lately, mostly about the future. But in reading Chip Ingrams book "Living on the Edge" (aka r12), it opened my eyes again to Romans 12. The book itself is just a supplement to the chapter in Romans. r12 did draw out good points (but forgive me, I only read the first two chapters so far). But I am more of the person that questions "What does the Bible really say and how does God speak to me in this chapter of the Bible?" Whatever my problem is, I am to sacrifice it to God, my whole being. My troubles, worries, fears of whatever is to come. (Matthew 11:28-30)

With an open heart and mind, I am looking forward to this year whatever issues may come. I may blog a little bit about my thoughts but I guess this will do for now. :)

zealousness

Today I went to the mall to find a jersey for my brother (no luck). I was a little hungry, so I went over to the Starbucks kiosk to get a muffin and order an ice coffee. As I sat down with my refreshments in hand, a woman came up to me and asked where Best Buy is.

Then, she excitedly went into talking about her adventures of skydiving out of an airplane. She explained how it wasn't a solo jump, that a guy was strapped to her, how they didn't use parachutes but used "gliders" to coast onto the ground, how her ears were popping due to her past life of scuba diving, how she had eye issues along with everything... etc.

It kind of reminds me of people becoming new Christians. Zealousness. Excitement. Can't wait to talk about Jesus. It's a thought that popped into my head as I listened to the lady: comparing her excitement to the excitement of becoming a new Believer. She was very excited by this new experience. And despite all her ailments and her age (she was in her 50's), she went and did it anyways. And enjoyed the adventure.

As I get older, I tend to forget some of that excitement. I came as I am, with all my ailments, to be renewed by Him just as this lady came to skydiving with her ailments to be thrilled by the adventure. I hope when I get to her age or even now, I'll find that excitement also in life. :)

All because she asked for directions. I guess I got directions instead.