211012

by

sixty!!!!!!

Church day today!!

TOPIC: 'Why are you?' moments

We often are placed in situations where we just question 'Why'?

For some..

1) Your parents tell you that you can't go to your friend's 20th birthday party because they know there is alcohol involved and you go... 'Why are you not letting me go!?"

2) You ask a girl out... and she says no... even though the past couple of weeks + months seemed to show positive signs... 'Why is this happening?'

3) You are going through a very hard time... your friends have betrayed you, your family doesn't want to have you around, society doesn't even pay attention to you... even if you have good intentions.. and you ask 'Why is everyone like this? Why, God, are you allowing me to go through this?'

Similarly, in the Bible, we see a few similar moments..

1) Moses leads the Israelites in escape out of Pharaoh's enslavement and when they are being chased by Pharaoh's soldiers, The Israelites' path is blocked by the Red Sea... And then God tells Moses to hold out his wand...... Now, the average person would question 'Why would you tell me to do such a ridiculous thing? Point me to the direction of a bridge or something tangible!'

2) Joseph in the Old Testament... He did no wrong but was sold into slavery by his own brothers, then accused of raping the slavemaster's wife, then imprisoned for a good portion of his youth... The average person would question 'Why God have you put me through such misfortune?'

3) Jesus + Peter... Matthew 16:13-28. Jesus told the disciples that he was going to be ridiculed and to suffer many things - including death. Peter wasn't happy with this so he took Jesus aside and rebuked him (v.22). For Peter, someone who firmly believed that Jesus is King and thus should live up to the status of one.. his thoughts would probably be something similar to - 'Why are you telling us all this Jesus? You are the Son of God.. You are meant to be King! You're not meant to suffer at the feet of those evil men'

The things all these situations have in common is that...

We bring up the 'Why' question when we fail to understand something. When a situation fails to fall into our logical understanding....
'Why would you tell me to hold out a wooden stick'
'Why do I deserve such treatment even though I've done good all my life'
'Why are you saying that you will suffer and be killed when you are meant to be the King'

Furthermore, we bring up these questions when we think that we can be God over our situations...
"Why did you give me such cruel parents!?!"
"Why would you put me through heartbreak!? Why did she say no!?!"
"Why did you give me such hateful friends, family and a society full of cruel people!?!"

I definitely have had my 'Why' moments.. Several times here in Korea, several more back home in Sydney... It's during those times when my frustration turns into a stubborn bitterness towards God... But I have noticed that, somehow and sometime in the future... As time and God's will unfolds.. Often times, these confusing situations begin to reveal more of the sovereign being that is God.

You see, it's times of confusion and a lack of direction that God tests our faith. And later, through these situations, we are then invited to marvel at God's glorious will as our logical understandings become microscopic when compared to the reality of God's work.

In those Bible events..

1) The parting of the Red Sea by the wave of Moses' staff, the successful crossing to the other side and the drowning of Pharaoh's soldiers.

2) If it weren't for Joseph's imprisonment, he would not have met the Pharaoh who had heard of Joseph's gift of interpreting dreams.. and if he didn't meet the Pharaoh, he wouldn't have been given the second seat to the Kingdom, which was necessary to have fed his very brothers who betrayed him.

3) If Jesus didn't suffer, die and rise on the third day... We would remain as sinners... Jesus wouldn't have fulfilled the prophecies of old and no one would come to understand the all-powerful, yet all-loving God that we have who would send His son to die for the world... Yet still be God in conquering death.


You see, at the end of it all.. God's Will will be done, no matter what... and glory will be given to God without fail.

We must remain faithful and trust in His plans for us... When we pray, we pray because it aligns our will to God's..
We shouldn't pray as if we wanted God to change situations in our favour... We should pray in a way that says - 'God, You are all powerful... Your Will is supreme and my understanding fails to grasp Your divine mind... Therefore I pray Your will be done with me and I pray for courage and faith to freely give up the steering wheel to my life. Even if at times I do not understand.. And even if at times it hurts me, do what You must. Your Will be done.'


The bible verse today was on Luke 19:28-40 - Jesus on the way to the Mount of Olives riding a donkey.

Why a donkey?

Why not a white stallion... Why not a chariot... Why not a Ferrari?

Read Zechariah 9:9

9 
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

It had to be a donkey... A humble King prophesied to be riding on a donkey in the Old Testament. It sealed the deal to those who have read the prophecies of old...

In v.40 of Luke passage... The crowd told Jesus to rebuke the disciples who were praising Jesus... and he said 'If they keep quiet, the stones would cry out'.

Wow.

At the end of the day... At the other end of our doubting mind and our uncertain situations... When the time comes for God to reveal His plans and His ultimate will... God will be glorified and He deserves all our praise.


If you are going through a rough patch right now... If you are uncertain why some things aren't making sense... Take heart... Stand strong...
There is a reason and a very good reason at that!
For sure, God has not betrayed us and His Will surpasses all our understanding.... Expect the unexpected, for our God is a supernatural God. Don't let the boundaries of logic blur your knowledge that we have such a God.

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GOOGLE HANGOUT SESH WITH TIFF + WINKY!!


=D

Good day.

=D =D =D.

A new start to the week.... MUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh.

Ceebs.

O wells...

=D.

Mugen kit.





Thankful: Church day and a very good day =D. Lots of laughter, smiles and happy thoughts all around!

Prayerful: A new week full of uncertainties... Expect the unexpected, but don't forget who's in control!

Dangers: Exam on Thursday... Laziness and feelings of non-motivation lingering... =[.