Giving thoughts, giving thanks

This year's Christmas is quite different from the rest. For one, this year's focus is more of outreach than celebratory. Hence, instead of bringing the usual 'is christmas about presents' punchlines, we brought the congregation to look inward and reflect on life and also what it means to live a meaningful life.

I think the recent skit not only prompted others to think but also to act. Through the characters in the skit, we may see a shadow ourselves. Did you identify yourself with any of the characters?
Personally, I have. I saw a shadow of my old self in the mathematician, one who is mostly driven by logic than feelings and adding to his task-oriented personality, you can say he is close to being a cyborg(half robot). And as I observed the optimistic girl, I thought perhaps there are situations where others need more practical help but we end up only saying words like 'don't worry so much'.

This Christmas season called me to take an exercise of faith to stretch it. I felt God asking me to think about what I can give and give. Hence, I ruminated about giving. It brought me to a story called A Giving Tree. A summary of the story goes like this.

The Giving Tree is a tale about a relationship between a young boy and a tree in a forest. The tree always provides the boy with what he wants: branches on which to swing, shade in which to sit, apples to eat, branches with which to build a home. As the boy grows older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives him anything he asks for. In the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut her down so the boy can build a boat in which he can sail. The boy leaves the tree, now a stump. Many years later, the boy, now an old man, returns and the tree says, "I have nothing left to give you." The boy replies, " I do not need much now, just a quiet place to sit and rest." The tree then says, "Good! A tree stump is a great place to do just that! Come boy, sit down and be happy." The boy obliged and the tree was happy.

Though this story has got little relation with Christianity, I know Christ also called us to devote our lives to love/serve others.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 john 3:16

As I read John Piper's Sermon about "He Who Sows Bountifully Will Reap Bountifully", God revealed to me that a heart which gives sparingly thinks not about the giving but actually the keeping. When we say 'spare my life', we want to keep it from God. But of course, God would want you to 'spare no effort' (which means hold back no effort) , not getting weary of doing good for His glory.

By God's grace, I actually formulated a concept from John Piper's sermon. It is simply packed into two words called give thanks. This phrase is pretty common isn't it? But when you meditate on the words and see what you get together, it is all pretty fascinating.

We look at the word give and think of God. Do we see God more as a giver or a taker? We know God gives and takes away but do you see him giving you more than He takes? Is loss not considered gain? God is definitely a giver and he blesses us abundantly. If it is a fact which does not change, then it makes Him a giver before and after our giving. This makes one wonder about the multiplier effect when I think about God's giving and how his giving enable us to give to others.

Now with what I have gathered,we look at the word thanks. It is a word of gratitude and I believe it is a godly attitude. When we want to thank God for things, we acknowledge that he gave (or take away) for divinely good purposes. We should thank God that he gave and continues to give us abundantly for every good work. We should thank God for the fact that it is more blessed to give than to recieve. And in the act of giving and thanking God, not only blessings will be multiplied but also that more will give thanks to Him.

And there you have it! I call this concept the give thanks cycle.
Let this post be a prompt to live a life which seeks God for who He is and gives thanks to Him.

A thrill of hope

Some time last week, I read the lyrics of the song O Holy Night. Then I stopped at this line.

"...A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices..."

Thrill: a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement, sometimes manifested as a tremor or
tingling sensation passing through the body.

Yes. The savior's birth brought this thrill of hope! His presence caused an immediate and sudden change. There is none as influential as Him. And we rejoice today because back then the angels brought great tidings of joy which will be to all people.

But why was the world weary? Let's take a look at Matthew 11:28-29.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Here Jesus gave an open invitation. To who? To those who are burdened by their spiritual bankruptcy and the weight of trying to save themselves by keeping the law.

Jesus came to fufill the law(Matt 5:17) and promised righteousness to everyone who believes(Romans 10:4). This meant that believing in Christ the Lord and Savior ends the sinner's futile quest for righteousness through his imperfect attempts to save himself by effort's to obey the law.

It is by God's grace, undeserved.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

今天从崇拜中所领悟到的一重点：

主耶稣真的很尊贵。（希1：1-4）

所以的确很难想象，撇下尊贵威严到底是何等一回事。

是超乎人的思考能力范围吧。。。

（我有时连为主撇下我舒服的单人床都不愿意）

What is Glory? What is Majesty?

What's more, What does it mean to put those down? From riches to rags...

嗨，人的弊病就是把宝贵的看为粪土，把粪土看为宝贵的。

提醒自己要时刻反省、咀爵耶稣荣耀的真理，从而更深体会他降卑的奥秘。