God continues to challenge me on how I view my life and the time I have on earth. Specifically, how I am spending the days and abilities He allotted me and whether they are focused on Him and His purposes.
My Life is Not My Own
North Americans and South Koreans constantly hear the message from the media and society that we own our lives –- that I am in charge of me and I should be able to do whatever I want as long it makes me happy! I need to look out for number one because no one else will and it shouldn't even matter if I need to step on others to do it -– just make sure I don't get left behind!
Let's face it, it's a popular message because it places the focus on us and definitely tickles our ears. The question is: have I bought into this message and, if I have, to what extent? Sure, if I didn’t believe in God or eternity then I would certainly buy into this message wholeheartedly and live life to the full -– do whatever I please because I only have one life to live!
But as Christians we must look to another source than society for our direction. It doesn't take long to realize that Scripture has a radically different message for us: when we become believers God gives us the Holy Spirit to live in us! In Romans we read that,
Christ lives in you. (Ro 8:10)
This means our bodies are housing the living God who made us! How amazing is this? Shouldn't this change our perspective on what we do with our bodies and how we live our lives? Is it any wonder that God does not want us to live according to the world but according to what He wants? God commands us to lay down our lives (to offer our bodies) for Him and His purposes, not ours! As Paul writes in the first two verses of Romans 12,
Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him.
Don't live any longer the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect. (Ro 12:1-2)
Quite a different message than the one we hear from the world around us. So which message are we buying into? When we take a look at our lives, what do we see? Do we see activity and decisions based on what we want only or do we consider what God wants us to do with our lives?
Think about all the decisions we make in a given day; how many of them are based on how we feel at the moment or whether they will
make us happy? What should I buy? read? eat? what relationships should I focus on? what to study? where to work and live? should I exercise? what should I watch on tv? what should I listen to on my ipod? when should I wake up? when to go to sleep? what medications should I take? -- and the list goes on and on. God cares about the intimate details of our lives because He wants us to be ready for His service at all times.
A Life Complete with Gifts
God has given each one of us the gift of life along with talents and abilites so we can live for Him according to His purposes. A few verses later in Romans 12, Paul reminds us that,
We all have gifts. They differ in keeping with the grace that God has given each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it in keeping with the faith you have. Is it your gift to serve? Then serve. Is it teaching? Then teach. Is it telling others how they should live? Then tell them. Is it giving to those who are in need? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully. (Ro 12:6-8)
And God places us in different locations and situations so that we can effectively use the gifts He has given us. These are not gifts so that we can solely indulge in personal gratification. These are gifts He has given us to glorify Him and use as He desires. He wants us to enjoy our gift of life and all that comes with it, but I believe we will enjoy it to the utmost when we offer it back to God for His service.
A Life of Numbered Days
Not only am I responsible for the body and life and gifts God has given me, but I only have them for a short period of time! King David in Psalm 90 asks God to
Teach us to realize how short our lives are. Then our hearts will become wise. (Ps 90:12)
And in Psalm 139 he realizes,
You [O Lord] planned how many days I would live.
You wrote down the number of them in your book
before I had lived through even one of them. (Ps 139:16)
An image comes to mind of a burning log. The log represents my life and its burning flames as activity surrounding my life.
I like this visual because it reminds me that my life will burn out one day! No choice in the matter. It's a fact. The log may burn out either slowly or perhaps the Fire Maker may choose to extinguish the fire long before I naturally turn to ash. Either way, I have an allotted amount of time on earth and my fire will go out.
The tendency, especially when we're young, is to believe we have all the time in the world to "get serious" and follow through on what God has in store for us. As young and old, how much time is wasted trying to live up to what society has decided is
the norm? How much time do we spend attaining material goods that will last but a brief moment, or attaining a job of status that is far from where God wants us, or relationships that are not God-inspired? All in an effort to fit in with society's standard so we will not be seen as
different from the norm.
Perhaps it's because youth haven't experienced the passage of time and how quickly it goes. I must say the older I get the more I realize my time is limited and finite. I now understand I don't have the luxury to sit around waiting for the moment I feel like asking God what He wants me to do.
I want to remember and encourage everyone that there is no time to waste! Our flame may be burning bright but is it purposeful and burning for the purposes that God desires? Once we realize exactly how short our lives are –- a mere blink of an eye when compared to eternity –- shouldn't we live our lives with more intensity, purpose and sense of urgency?
Let's not wake up one day to find our flame is almost extinguished and we missed the opportunity to use its light and heat for God's glory and purposes. May every minute of every day count and may we not frivolously waste any of the precious opportunities God has given us to shine.
A Life Not Meeting My Expectations
There are times I sit back and notice that life is sure looking different than what I had intended and hoped! Sometimes that's a good thing because it far exceeds my expectations and, admittedly, sometimes it is a source of frustration because it doesn't meet with my expectations.
Being the 'planner' that I am, I like to chart a direction and then carefully plan the steps needed to get there. Living the life of a Christian, however, requires more of me than just to execute plans -- it requires that I abandon my plans when God has something different in mind! I've come to learn that planning and moving in a direction is great but
only when accompanied by an undeniable peace that God wants me to carry out these plans.
So when I offer my body and abilities and time but it doesn't look like God is using them for any significant purpose, I try to remember
it is not a matter of whether I can see God using me but whether I am willing to allow Him the opportunity to use me. This willingness means I have an attitude set to rejoice always, pray continually, not be anxious about anything but trust Him when I can't see what's going on, daily repent of my sin, focus on what is good and follow His lead step by step.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:4-9)
Personal Challenge
My prayer is that you will join me in striving to make the most of every moment of every day.
When you wake up in the morning, praise God for the gift of life He has given you!
If you are struggling with something, thank Him for the struggles that can make you stronger and for His invitation to participate in His plans!
Life may not look the way you want but thank God anyway for preparing and using you with what you offer Him for His purposes.
If you are a Christian, thank God for choosing to live in you and be part of your daily life! And then ask Him,
Lord, what do you want me to do today with this gift of life you have given me?
Or for those who don't read Malay or understand the title of this post, may I extend to you a very Happy New Year!
When possible, I try to get away into God's creation for my quiet time – whether that's in the mountains of Colorado or in the snow-covered woods of the cottage or overlooking the ocean in Malaysia. Regardless of where I stand, year after year I stand in awe at the Lord's faithfulness in my life and in the lives of so many of my Christian brothers and sisters around me: an incredible gift that keeps on giving year after year! It is truly humbling to experience love from the God of the Universe in addition to His constant protection, discipline, revealing, providing and getting my attention after the circumstances around me start to govern my thoughts.
But we know that life offers us times of joy as well as times of struggle. With God's help, I can honestly say times of struggle have often turned out to be more valuable to me than the times of joy because they test my character and help prepare me for what God has in store for me. Let's face it, the fun times are great and it's enjoyable writing about them and sharing them with you, but in light of eternity they don't matter one iota.
So with this in mind, permit me to share with you in the next post a version of what I shared with the church congregations in Borneo. It is my desire to remember these words not only in 2009 but for the rest of my given days. I trust the following will be encouraging and challenging to fellow Christians who are reading this as they are to me.
