The most startling thought came to mind this morning…

If it’s not of God, even the most quiet undisturbed life is cursed.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

O how do I not love God? Let me count the ways…

This week I realise I love myself a lot. I love myself so much I love me more than I love God. How do I know that?

I’m reluctant to speak to a friend who could be doing something ungodly because I care more about my convenience than about God’s glory.

When I teach, I’m often more pleased with them listening to me, than with them listening to God’s word.

When I discuss plans with people, I’m more eager to be understood than I am to go and understand.

And worst of all, for every known way that I love myself above God, there are a hundred other ways that are hidden and undetected.

Why would I love myself, someone so worthless and why don’t I love God, someone so worthy, I asked myself.

Perhaps it’s because I’m deceived that the more I love myself, the more I gain out of life.

The more I avoid conflicts, the happier I would be. The more people listen to me, the more they might respect me. The more I’m understood, the more people can give me what I want.

And I’m right, I could gain all these. It’s highly possible I would be happier, respected, and satisfied – except that all that I gain is good only for this life, and not for eternity.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” O God, I cry out for you to help my spiritual bankruptcy.

Father I want to love you more. I want to be more like Jesus. He loved you more than he loved himself. He loved you so much he was willing to die on the cross to obey you. Holy Spirit come and make me more like Jesus. I want to love me less and love God more. In the precious name of Jesus I pray, amen.

let’s sing an old hymn

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age to same;
his holy Name–the Lord, the Mighty One.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!

Is Jesus the King of my heart?

If my answer is yes, then it must make a difference in the way I live my life, including the way I respond when a wedding dress is damaged by the dry cleaner.

And so this was the struggle I faced this week. It wasn’t primarily the heartache over a few hundred dollars, or the frustration with the dry cleaners who has yet taken responsibility – though those were tough too. It is ultimately an issue to do with my heart – what do I  treasure most?

Let me read you my paraphrase of Matthew 6.19-21:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where dry cleaners destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

That I was bothered and distracted is indication that I treasured the dress more than I treasured Christ. I had trusted in the dress to make my life right – if only the dress wasn’t ruined, my life would be happier!

Instead I should be trusting in Jesus through whom I have received the best bundle of blessings one could ever imagine and depending on him for joy in my life.

Each time I thought I was over the dress, a sense of disappointment and injustice would overcome me again. I had to repent daily and God spoke faithfully from his Word in Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 3:7-11.

Regardless of the dry cleaner’s response, I want to be able to say at the end of it all: I forgive the dry cleaners because Christ has forgiven me much more!

God wants us to keep our leaders joyful

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. – Hebrews 13:17

When I first read this verse, I knew it was a keeper. Because like a good friend, it says what I need to hear, and not what I want to hear.

Sometimes I may not feel that my leaders are doing a good job of “keeping watch over my soul”, but make no mistake, God will surely demand an account from them. My part is to submit willingly to them so that they can lead with joy and not groaning!

In particular, this is a challenge for me as I return to serve in the youth ministry at my church. Submission to my youth pastor must come first instead of seeking what I think is best for the youths, often without much love and consideration for him.

I simply cannot build up the youths at the cost of obedience to what is plainly written in God’s Holy Scriptures. The ends does not justify my means! Strangely, I have a feeling that obeying this verse alone will result in a more fruitful time for everyone.

Marriage is good because God is good

I’m a bit shame-faced that I’m not quite the effusive new bride that some people hope I will be. At least it would make the conversation more bearable when they ask, “How’s married life?” Especially when they greet me with a really loud, “Hello Mrs CHOO!”, I turn around and I’m thinking, Err who are you? while giving them my best smile.

At least I could regale them with stories of how exciting the honeymoon was, how wonderful my husband is, how good the food I am eating daily at our aunty’s place, how sexy my new Kenwood mixer is. Instead I just say “oh it’s ok” (because it really is!) or a “well, it feels the same” (because it really does!).

But these tales would not give you a good idea of what marriage is like. In any case, most people wouldn’t count our honeymoon exciting (we played badminton and chess mainly), my husband isn’t always wonderful (me neither), I eat way too much over here (I’m not complaining, just saying…) and the mixer is just a machine, tis all. So what gives? How is married life, really?

Well, marriage is, indeed, good. It is good because God is good. God made marriage and calls it very good (Genesis 1:31). Depending on the time or day you ask me, I might give a different take on married life ( ) but this truth doesn’t change. Marriage is good because God is good.

God calls marriage very good because he instituted it to fulfill his purposes. He created wives as helpers to their husbands, and husbands as loving leaders for their wives. I find that when I am willing to align myself with God’s purposes, that’s when I enjoy my marriage the most.

Without this understanding, a person might take a “very good” answer from me to mean there are no difficulties in marriage life at all, and that’s not real. On the other hand, I don’t wish to discourage others from marriage by telling them how hard it can be. Worst of all, I do not want to pressure the singles into thinking marriage is the ultimate source of fulfillment. This statement is true too – Singleness is good because God is good!

So the next time you ask, “How’s married life?”, remember you are asking a very profound question! May my answer to your question speak of the glories of God. (Just don’t catch me on a bad day.)