Can I share a story?
Once upon a time, there was a Father. This Father owned lots and lots of land and property and had a thriving business. He had a little girl whom He loved very dearly and He would make time for her anytime she wanted, but He also knew that she would be overwhelmed by His power and the honour that others gave to Him if He were to keep her by His side all the time.
So He designated a pretty little cottage in a peaceful sunny field for her to live in, and would come and visit her from time to time. The Father appointed many people to help take care of His little girl; a Nanny and a Guardian and a Tutor and many, many other people who helped to keep the world of the little girl warm and sunshiny. The little girl had everything she needed and sometimes was even given a little more sweets than were strictly necessary, because the Father loved her so much and wanted her to be happy.
Ever since this little girl could remember, all the people around her told her of a Treasure the Father was reserving for her. It was told to her when her hair was being brushed; it was sung to her as she swung on swings in the sunshine; it was whispered to her as a lullaby before she fell asleep at night. Nobody knew what this Treasure was, only they knew it would be given to her in due time, and that it was absolutely certain that it would be given to her one day. But this made the little girl wonder and wonder about it as she ran about day by day, and the leaves on the trees in the little wood nearby whispered many things to her as she played next to it. None of these leaf-whisperings were true, but the impatient little girl clung onto them because she wanted so much to know what it was.
Now everyday the Father would want to come and be with His little girl, but being only a very young and restless little girl, she would often forget to meet Him, or despise her homework and run away to play and forget about meeting Him, or only stay a few minutes before she would get fidgety and run out of the room. But when she did remember, she would love that time spent with her Father, because He was loving and firm and helped her to grow just that little bit bigger than she was before. Yet the fickle little girl often forgot this wonderful time spent with her Father and ran about her own business, avoiding her homework as much as she could even though she knew it was good for her.
One day, the little girl came across a room on which there was a sign saying "Do Not Look", but being an incurably curious as well as disobedient little girl, she pushed open the door a little way and peeked in. There she saw her Father against a bright light, and He was standing in front of a velvet box labelled "For My little girl" which was wide open. In one hand He held a sparkling gem, and the brilliance of that gem caught the little girl's breath and took it right away. It was so beautiful, that gem, and the little girl wanted it very, very badly. She tried to pull herself away from the door because she knew she should not have been so sneaky, but her eyes had been caught by the sparkling gem and by her own will she could not turn away. She tried to go no further than the door, but the more she stood there the less she could control her feet. All the while the Father stood there gazing lovingly at the gem in His hand.
Suddenly, the little girl could take it no more. She dashed forward and grabbed the gem from the Father's hand, and without waiting for Him to say a word, she ran away to her hidey-hole to hold the gem up to her face and look at it closely. Away from the Father's light, the gem shone less brilliantly, but it was no less beautiful and the little girl admired it very much. Maybe, she thought, this was the Treasure! It was very, very precious to her and from that day on she vowed not to let it out of her possession.
The Nanny and the Guardian and the Tutor and all the other people who heard about what the little girl had done came to try and persuade her to return the gem, but she refused. After all, hadn't the Father meant to give it to her? She was sure He had taken it out of that box and it was going to be for her, so why shouldn't she have it? Besides, the Father never told her to give it back, not even when she met up with Him in the days afterward. So no matter how much they scolded her and tried to punish her, she believed that the Father meant for her to have it and she held onto it tightly because it was the first thing that had meant so much to her. It was her Treasure, after all! What right did they have to take it away from her? Besides its great beauty, it held the Father's love for her, and so it was very very precious to her.
But gradually she began to remember the sign on the door, and that she had disobeyed it. She also realised that she had vaguely seen other boxes around, that might not have had her name on them. Couldn't the Father have meant this gem for someone else? And might she be stealing this gem from someone else? The little girl was torn, because the gem was so precious to her but at the same time she could see how precious it would be to someone else. It would be terribly unfair of her to keep it away from that someone else.
Slowly the little girl remembered other details of the scene. She remembered that as she dashed forward to grab the gem, she had seen in the Father's other hand a chisel, held as if it was about to keep shaping the gem. She looked at the gem and thought that it looked beautiful as it was, but she knew that the Father's taste was much better than hers and if He was going to continue shaping the gem, it would turn out more beautiful than before, perhaps the most beautiful gem in the world. By taking it away, she might have interrupted the Father's work! How could she, a mere little girl, do that to her almighty and ever-loving Father?
At this thought, the little girl could stand it no more. She took the precious sparkling gem from her hiding place, and made a decision that she would return it to her Father. The decision was very painful because the gem was so very precious to her and it had made her so happy for a few precious days. But she knew that she would have no peace until she knew what the Father wanted to do with the gem.
And so she went, step after painful step, down the hallway to the room where she knew her Father would always meet her, no matter what time of the day it was. "When I get before my Father," she thought, "I will open my palms and hold the gem up to Him and tell Him that I am sorry I snatched it from Him that day. Maybe He will tell me this gem is not for me and take it away, and that He has something else for me that is the true Treasure I am supposed to have. I will be very sad, but I will know that I am doing what my Father pleases. Maybe He will tell me that it's okay and that He meant for me to have the gem soon anyway so I can keep the gem now. I will be very happy, and I will be happy that I am doing what my Father wants. Maybe He will tell me that yes, this is the Treasure for me, but because He is not done chiselling it yet, He will take the gem back for now and I will have to be patient and wait until He is done with it. But whatever He does, I have to remember that this gem belongs to my Father and it is only mine if He makes a gift of it to me. And I must not allow my fingers to tighten around the gem if He is going to take it away. I must give it up to Him entirely, because He knows what is best for me."
And so the little girl goes, step by painful step, down that long hallway to the room where she is to meet her Dad. And she prays, fervently, for the strength to open her fingers one by one in order to offer the gem fully and willingly to her Father and say to Him, "Not my will, but Yours be done."
Ok I stopped writing the story there :) Haven't decided how to end it. Somehow, "gem" reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird, and I laugh at the thought of Precious Jem. Teehee! :P
Can I share a song?
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways
We cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength
For each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way
God will make a way. I only have to Trust and Obey. :)
Precious Jem... remember you are beautiful to God. And to me.
Monday, November 13, 2006
QT Quotes
(gahh can i be lazy for once and not capitalise everything? :P i'll do it eventually. teehee.)
sunday's QT:
"Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God will never leave or forsake us, and Philippians 4:19 says that God will meet all our needs. when we accept Christ as our personal saviour, God promises eternal life. We trust God's promises, and God can help us to keep the promises we make."
"when we keep our promises, we model the faithfulness of God"
Genesis 9:14 "it shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;"
monday's QT:
Psalm 1
v2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
v3: he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
v6: for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
"that foggy morning helped me to remember the spiritual fog in my own life that had obscured my way. slowly but surely God lifted that fog for me by opening my heart each day to the light of God's presence."
"whether our spiritual fog is denial, unbelief, intellectualism, anger, fear, grief, addiction, abuse, pride, or anything else that hides the path, God can lift it. as we attend to God's presence and will, the way becomes clearer. the fog may not lift suddenly, though that has happened for some. as the path becomes visible, we are able to move ahead with confidence and assurance." (this has new meaning for me after a few days' worth of events :)
tuesday's QT:
1 Corinthians 12
v12: for as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
v13: for by one Spirit we wre all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
v15: if the foot should say, "because i am not a hand, i am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
v17: if the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? if the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
v18: but now God has set the members, each one of the, in the body just as he pleased.
v20: but now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
v21: and the eye cannot say to the hand, "i have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "i have no need of you."
v22: no, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
v23: and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
v24: but our presentable parts have no need. but God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
v25: that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
v26: and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
wednesday's QT:
"we have our houses, cars, gadgets, and clothes and find ourselves working not to earn a living but to pay for everything we have. in this way we become controlled by our possessions."
"if we have abundant possessions, let us consider how we can use them to serve God and neighbour."
"help us remember, O God, that everything we have comes from You."
[skipped thursday's QT coz had CG :P ok, bad excuse. sorry God :S here's some bits that caught me now, though.]
Isaiah 58:6-9 "is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'here I am'."
"Isaiah 58:7 explains that relieving the suffering of others is a valid way to fast."
"while denying myself the comforts of home and the convenience of regular routine in order to serve others, i learned that fasting is making the choice to give up valid desires in order to please God."
"i offered to God my work in the homeless shelter as a spiritual fast. the 12-hour days of cooking and cleaning required me to eat regular meals to keep going. being rigid about not eating could have weakened me and thus kept me from the holy task of giving suffering people a hot meal. each situation calls for different forms of self-denial that draw us close to our Lord."
"the fast that pleases God is different for each of us, as we serve those in need."
[skipped friday's QT :S sorry God!]
saturday's QT:
Habakkuk 3
v3: God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah~ His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise.
v4: His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, and there His power was hidden.
v6: He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.
v10: the mountains saw You and trembled; the overflowing of the water passed by. the deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high.
v13: You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah
v17: though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from th efold, and there be no herd in the stalls--
v18: yet i will rejoice in the Lord, i will joy in the God of my salvation.
v19: the Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. (i almost said "high heels" here :P :P)
sunday's QT:
Acts 5
v20: "go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life."
v24: now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be.
v29: then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "we ought to obey God rather than men.
v32: "and we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."
"Lord, give us grace to be your faithful witnesses, even in hard circumstances."
monday's QT:
2 Corinthians 9
v6: but this i say: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
v8: and God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work.
v11: while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
"this reminds us that we too can become "dead seas" if we do not share our time, our resources, or ourselves with others."
"we keep the waters of life flowing through us and avoid spiritual stalemate by serving, giving, and sharing."
"loving God, show us how to let Your living water flow through us to others."
sunday's QT:
"Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God will never leave or forsake us, and Philippians 4:19 says that God will meet all our needs. when we accept Christ as our personal saviour, God promises eternal life. We trust God's promises, and God can help us to keep the promises we make."
"when we keep our promises, we model the faithfulness of God"
Genesis 9:14 "it shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;"
monday's QT:
Psalm 1
v2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
v3: he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
v6: for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
"that foggy morning helped me to remember the spiritual fog in my own life that had obscured my way. slowly but surely God lifted that fog for me by opening my heart each day to the light of God's presence."
"whether our spiritual fog is denial, unbelief, intellectualism, anger, fear, grief, addiction, abuse, pride, or anything else that hides the path, God can lift it. as we attend to God's presence and will, the way becomes clearer. the fog may not lift suddenly, though that has happened for some. as the path becomes visible, we are able to move ahead with confidence and assurance." (this has new meaning for me after a few days' worth of events :)
tuesday's QT:
1 Corinthians 12
v12: for as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
v13: for by one Spirit we wre all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
v15: if the foot should say, "because i am not a hand, i am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
v17: if the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? if the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
v18: but now God has set the members, each one of the, in the body just as he pleased.
v20: but now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
v21: and the eye cannot say to the hand, "i have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "i have no need of you."
v22: no, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
v23: and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
v24: but our presentable parts have no need. but God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
v25: that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
v26: and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
wednesday's QT:
"we have our houses, cars, gadgets, and clothes and find ourselves working not to earn a living but to pay for everything we have. in this way we become controlled by our possessions."
"if we have abundant possessions, let us consider how we can use them to serve God and neighbour."
"help us remember, O God, that everything we have comes from You."
[skipped thursday's QT coz had CG :P ok, bad excuse. sorry God :S here's some bits that caught me now, though.]
Isaiah 58:6-9 "is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'here I am'."
"Isaiah 58:7 explains that relieving the suffering of others is a valid way to fast."
"while denying myself the comforts of home and the convenience of regular routine in order to serve others, i learned that fasting is making the choice to give up valid desires in order to please God."
"i offered to God my work in the homeless shelter as a spiritual fast. the 12-hour days of cooking and cleaning required me to eat regular meals to keep going. being rigid about not eating could have weakened me and thus kept me from the holy task of giving suffering people a hot meal. each situation calls for different forms of self-denial that draw us close to our Lord."
"the fast that pleases God is different for each of us, as we serve those in need."
[skipped friday's QT :S sorry God!]
saturday's QT:
Habakkuk 3
v3: God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah~ His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise.
v4: His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, and there His power was hidden.
v6: He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.
v10: the mountains saw You and trembled; the overflowing of the water passed by. the deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high.
v13: You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah
v17: though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from th efold, and there be no herd in the stalls--
v18: yet i will rejoice in the Lord, i will joy in the God of my salvation.
v19: the Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. (i almost said "high heels" here :P :P)
sunday's QT:
Acts 5
v20: "go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life."
v24: now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be.
v29: then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "we ought to obey God rather than men.
v32: "and we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."
"Lord, give us grace to be your faithful witnesses, even in hard circumstances."
monday's QT:
2 Corinthians 9
v6: but this i say: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
v8: and God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work.
v11: while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
"this reminds us that we too can become "dead seas" if we do not share our time, our resources, or ourselves with others."
"we keep the waters of life flowing through us and avoid spiritual stalemate by serving, giving, and sharing."
"loving God, show us how to let Your living water flow through us to others."