LOVE… PASSION… SUFFERING

in Thoughts  by Ruth 0 comments

LOVE… PASSION… SUFFERING

We hear the word passion used a lot these days. We are encouraged by the 1000s of self-help career books and online blogs about ‘how to find your passion.’

It is a modern day scavenger hunt.  Hundreds of online articles promise to help you find your passion in six steps, eight steps, four steps, etc.

We are so busy looking for our passion, have we ever stopped and considered what the word actually means?

Passion derives from the Latin passus – to suffer. It was used in Medieval Europe to describe the sufferings of a martyr.  Martyrs underwent tremendous suffering before their inevitable death for their beliefs. They considered dying for their deep convictions an honor.

It would be hard to mention passion without love. The two are woven together. Passion is essentially the unstoppable fortitude of love.

We marvel at stories of people who persevere through great struggle to achieve their goal. Sometimes the struggle is abolishing slavery, blocking corrupt legislation, making a speech, working two jobs to send your kids to school, painstakingly researching a cure for a disease, or trying to understand advanced calculus. Their dedication reveals an extraordinary dedication for a higher principle than any material gain.

Christ exemplified the meaning embedded in the very heart of love and passion. The greatest passion belongs to Him – The Passion of Christ.

His passion was and still is for us. He suffered and died for the love of humanity.

King Solomon poetically captures the intensity of love/passion in the following verse:

SOS 8:6 … for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

I encourage you to reflect on Christ every time you hear the word passion. For the word is intertwined with Christ’s zest for humanity. Christ’s passion testifies of His love.

If you are searching for your own passion, I can’t give you a step-by-step guide on how to find it. However, in light of this word’s origins you can now ask a far more guided and thought provoking question. Ask yourself “For what am I willing to suffer and sacrifice my life for?”

Lest We Forget

in Thoughts  by Jinha Kim 2 comments

I’m reading a book called “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives” by Charles R. Swindoll.  It’s about the people behind the scenes who make it possible for famous individuals to succeed.  For example, ever heard of Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, or Shaman son of Agee the Hararite?  I didn’t know who they were until I read the reference:

“These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.” 2 Samuel 23:8-12

Thanks to these men, David was able to survive the years of persecution and exile while King Saul was alive.  Because of their dedication and sacrifice, David became the King of Israel.  Yet we don’t often hear about them nor the many others whose incredible stories of loyalty and devotion would merit individual biographies if there were enough information about them.

It is a timely reminder to treasure each person around us who make different things possible – the postman who delivers our Christmas presents and cards, the train conductors who keep us safe on the tracks, the nurse who attends to our needs at the hospital, the janitor who keeps our workplace clean.

Every one has a story that if we listened, would be a fascinating, even heartbreaking story of redemption, loss, and hope.  Every one fills a place that may be unnoticed by the majority but nurtured carefully by the Creator who designed each person with unique personality, skills, interests, and opportunities.

You may feel invisible and insignificant in the drama of culture, politics, and competition that flash in blinding colours and burn in the spotlight – but in God’s eyes, you shine like a star (c.f. Daniel 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5-7; Philippians 2:14-16).

So let’s remember the unsung heroes this Christmas season.  Let’s appreciate each other as we celebrate the birth of a baby born in a manger to poor parents.  After all, the world has never applauded the meek and humble – but the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Sandcastle

The everlasting rock

in Thoughts  by Sharyn 0 comments

As a kid, one of my favourite songs at church was the song Sandy land.

“Don’t build your house on the sandy land… don’t build it too near the shore. Oh, it might look kind of nice, but you’ll have to build it twice, ’cause you’ll have to build your house once more. You got to build your house upon a rock. Make a good foundation on a solid spot. Oh the storms may come and go, but the peace of God you will know.”

(… if you have that song stuck in your head the rest of the day – you’re welcome!)

One of the reasons I liked singing it so much was because of all the actions. While we sang, we pointed, clapped, sketched circles in the air. We mimed building, we waved our hands from side to side to represent storms, we made peace symbols and pointed at the sky.

It was a fun song to sing because of the actions that went along with the words.

The story the song is based on is also about actions that go along with the words.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46-49)

Reading the story Jesus told, you can see there are a lot of similarities. Both men were builders. Both built houses. Both were hit by the same storm.

The difference is, one man took the time to lay a firm foundation. He built into something solid. Something that would last, that would anchor him.

The second builder skipped that step – we’re not told why. Maybe he was lazy. Maybe he was just so keen to start building, he didn’t see the point of digging first. After all, it’s hard to get excited about a foundation. That’s not something that people can see just by looking. After all – the house is the part you live in – so he focused on that.

When they were finished, both houses would have looked the same. Looking at them side by side, you wouldn’t be able to tell the strength of their foundation. However after the storm hits – it becomes very apparent. One house has collapsed, and one is still standing.

It didn’t matter how much time or care the second builder put into the house – once the storm hit, it all came tumbling down.

A foundation is something that comes first, that everything else rests upon.

Isaiah 26: 4 – “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

In life, there will always be storms. We can’t control how strong the wind may blow or how heavy the rain may fall around us. But we can make a choice what sort of foundation we will lay, by following what Jesus has said. The storms may come and go – but the peace of God you will know – if you build wisely, on a sure foundation. 

As Water to the Thirsty

in Thoughts  by Jinha Kim 3 comments

I broke out in shingles the day Donald Trump won the U.S. Presidential Election.  As I stared at my computer in disbelief, I felt the rash burning on my back and belly, which had been aching for several days (I had ignored the pain thinking it was just a strain from carrying the boys).

The GP confirmed that I had shingles and told me to “rest.”  As if that were possible with a 3.5-year-old and a 6-month-old!  For the next several days, I struggled to “stay positive” as Joshua refused to take the bottle and I questioned whether taking the anti-viral medication was the best thing to do.  I still had to pump and discard every 3 hours, which meant that the elusive “rest” was even harder to get despite Roy and my friends’ generous help and support.  Even when I could lie down, sleep would not come and the pain and discomfort haunted my dreams.

Reading about shingles on Google only increased my fears and anxiety – what if I developed post-herpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles that results in chronic pain so bad that some people commit suicide? What if Joshua got chickenpox? What if the rashes spread?

On Monday, I hit a breaking point.  I was too overwhelmed and exhausted. I curled up into a ball (on the side that was rash-free) and cried.

I thought about Job and how my troubles were so light compared to his.  I had friends going through far worse.  I knew that I had so much to be grateful for, and yet – the tears kept flowing.

I prayed and tried to find comfort in the Psalms, a collection of poems that express the gamut of human emotions.

“As the deer pants for streams of water,

So my soul pants for you, my God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food day and night,

While people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?” Psalm 42:1-3

But the words blurred in my mind as I tried to blink away the fears that filled my heart.

My soul thirsted for peace and comfort.  I wanted God to come and hold me.

You know what?  He didn’t come.

But caring friends delivered delicious food.  Prayers were said on my behalf.  Roy took care of the children and cleaned the kitchen while I took one of the best naps I have had in a long time.

I woke up feeling not only physically improved but emotionally rested and spiritually refreshed.

The rest of Psalm 42 came to my lips as a song:

“Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God…

By day the Lord directs his love,

at night his song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:5,8

He had come after all – not like a mighty wind blowing away the tears, nor like a fire burning down the fears, but like a constant friend, a loving partner, and the sweet, healing slumber of a weary soul.

As water to the thirsty,

as beauty to the eyes,

as strength that follows weakness,

as truth instead of lies,

as songtime and springtime

and summertime to be,

so is my Lord,

my living Lord,

so is my Lord to me.

Like calm in place of clamor,

like peace that follows pain,

like meeting after parting,

like sunshine after rain,

like moonlight and starlight

and sunlight on the sea,

so is my Lord,

my living Lord,

so is my Lord to me.

As sleep that follows fever,

as gold instead of grey,

as freedom after bondage,

as sunrise to the day,

as home to the traveler

and all we long to see,

so is my Lord,

my living Lord,

so is my Lord to me.

Words: Timothy Dudley-Smith

 

Splash

in Thoughts  by Ruth 0 comments

b6c72007-406d-4223-9801-94073c953475SPLASH

Test. splash 

Run. splash

Music. splash

Trump. splash

These are examples of the random-seeming words produced by Julius Popp’s word waterfall entitled bit.fall.

I admit it was ambitious to go to an art museum with our nine-month-old son. We felt entitled to at least one adult centric excursion.  After all, it was our nine-year wedding anniversary.

The MONA in Hobart did not disappoint. Well, at least the third we got to enjoy before our bub dictated otherwise.

The museum is entirely underground. Three stories carved out of solid rock. Bit.fall was the most impactful for me. (Perhaps because it is the first one in the exhibit, and every art piece thereafter I was placating our son.)

Words are created using water which appear for a moment until they splash with a cracking echo into the drains below. The words are temporary. You process them with brevity of thought and then it is on to the next word. It is hypnotic and a major waste of time but that is the artist’s point.

Bit.fall encapsulates the constant barrage of distraction within our digital age. Our phones herald new messages, meet ups, and Facebook posts with catchy sounds, and once hooked, we become victim to the plethora of ‘link bait’ stalking us on nearly every web page.

I see an ad, a word, a picture, news feed or a status update.

I view.

I consume. My phone vibrates.

I move on. Splash

Although these distractions waste my precious time, I feel I have lost something far more important – Focus.

Matthew 8:23-27 is a well-known but amazing story of how Jesus commanded the stormy seas to be calm. The storm caused the disciples’ fear that ultimately revealed their lack of faith. Their distraction was a storm. They lost their focus.

In addition to storms, the modern world is bathed in distractions. Where once we may have watched the occasional TV show, we are now drowning in a sea of personalised content.

It is not that news, YouTube, status updates are bad or even sinful but they are common snares that detract from experiencing the abundance of life. I have found personally that it robs me of my ability to think deeply and reflect.

In a feeble but sincere attempt to reclaim my focus and thoughts, I have deleted the Facebook app from my phone.  I have to sign on using my computer (pre 2007 style). This is just enough effort for me to forget to check it at all. I have also unsubscribed to a number of email subscriptions this week.

These minor changes have given me more time to reflect on important matters and my focus is slowly coming back. I still get distracted and admit I struggle to concentrate.

I am comforted by the fact that despite the disciples’ lack of faith, Jesus still calmed the stormy seas. There are no prerequisites for God to rescue us whatever our snare.

On that thought, I would like to finish on the serenity of Psalm 107:28-31 instead of a distracting splash.

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. 

Peace lilies and parables

in Thoughts  by Sharyn 0 comments

For my birthday this year, one of my best friends gave me a very special present: my first ever plant! It is a peace lily (for us non-gardening types, you may know it by its less scientific name, the-one-with-the-wide-green-leaves-and-the-upright-white-flower-bits).

I was promised it (and the other plants we bought on the same expedition) would be ideal for a novice gardener like myself. ‘Low maintenance’. ‘Hardy’. 

Six months later, and I’m pleased to report that my plants are still alive and – for the most part – well. Although we have had our ups and downs.

Particularly my peace lily. It turns out lilies need a fair amount of watering, and it took us a while to get into a routine. Especially after I went away for a few days.

When I came back, I could see its leaves drooping – and drooping. I panicked. I watered it, but the next morning it still looked sad. I was convinced this was the end. Surely I couldn’t coax my plant back from the brink of its drooping decline.

I talked to my friend (who is an excellent gardener), and she told me to take it to my laundry sink and leave it under a running tap for five minutes, then let it drain in the sink overnight. I was skeptical, but did exactly what she said.

The next morning, when I woke up I couldn’t believe my eyes. My plant had gone from looking like a forlorn, disgruntled swan and the lilies had returned to their perky upright selves.

Peace lily

What a difference water makes! I could see the difference for myself.

Isaiah 58:11

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones. You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

If you’ve ever been thirsty, you know how amazing that first sip of water tastes. If we hadn’t ever experienced drought, we wouldn’t appreciate what it would mean to be connected to a source of water that won’t fail. A watered garden means that a gardener is tending it. And unlike me, who may occasionally forget to water my plant, God is there continually to guide us, to satisfy our soul and to give us strength.

Throughout winter, I watched in dismay as the lilies changed from white to brown, and eventually dropped off. My peace lily became all leaves and no lilies. I kept watering it. And in spring, I was so excited to glimpse the first lily as it bloomed – and then another – and another (I’m now up to four!). Each one seems like a miniature miracle to me. 

In parables, Jesus often uses examples from nature – vines, branches, fruit. Things that grow. Things that require care. And things that flower, and bring forth fruit.

John 15: 5, 8 

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing… By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 

 

The Power of Accountability

in Thoughts  by Jinha Kim 0 comments

I went to the gym today at 6 am for the first time in years.

I didn’t want to go; I was hungry, tired and cozy in my bed at 5:45 am when the alarm went off.  But I had promised two lovely people that I would be there and I did not want to disappoint them.  So I got dressed in the dark, tip-toed past the two boys’ rooms, and got in the car wondering, “Why did I sign up for this?”

I got stuck behind the rubbish truck all the way down the street, so I had a few more minutes to reflect.  “I’ll be glad I did it afterwards,” I told myself.  “It’s a good way to start the morning,” I reasoned.  “I paid a lot of money for the membership,” I reminded myself.

By the time the workout started, I was feeling more optimistic.  In the middle, I wanted to give up (and cancel my membership).  In the end, the three of us were exhausted but pleased with our first morning workout session together.

A passage from Ecclesiastes came to mind:

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

If either of them falls down,

one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

and has no one to help them up.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Accountability is a word we don’t like very much; we like freedom and independence.  We don’t like the idea of burdening someone nor depending on anybody.

But the truth is, we need each other to stand strong.  Not only for the times when we need emotional support, but for the times when we need to stand up for something or someone. When truth is swept under, when the vulnerable need our voices, and when our conscience demands it but our courage is weak, we need accountability to push us to do right.

So pray for an accountability partner who is willing to ask you hard questions.  Find someone with whom you can be honest and vulnerable.  As you share and grow together, you may find that your friendship becomes a bond that “is not quickly broken” – a blessing for a lifetime.

He calls us friend

in Thoughts  by Jinha Kim 0 comments

One of the greatest blessings in life are good friends.

When we close our eyes and picture a good time, fond memory, or favourite pastime, most likely we are remembering moments with our friends.

Some of us are fortunate enough to have at least one “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

Now imagine Jesus, the Creator and Sustainer of life, turning to us and saying, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends . . . I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:13,15b).

Did you catch that?  Jesus calls us friends!

It is easy to read this passage in John (or any passage in the Bible for that matter) and hear the impersonal voice of an audio book narrator.  But go back and picture your best friend, who knows he or she only has a few more hours to live, leaning over to you and saying with trembling lips and soulful eyes, “You have been my friend…”

Wouldn’t you clutch your friend’s hand and say, “Thank you for being my best friend!  I don’t know what I’m going to do without you!”  Wouldn’t you weep if your friend’s death was to save your life?

Jesus could have saved us in a condescending swoop, like the way we release bugs outdoors instead of killing them.  Or He could have saved us like a superhero in spandex, using his powers to do the maximum good for as many unknown faces as possible.  He would still be worthy of worship.

But Jesus comes into the every day.  He walks with us.  He eats with us.  He talks with us and cries with us.  He knows us each by name.

Even His enemies saw that Jesus was not an esoteric snob or unapproachable celebrity with his posse of “cool guys”; they were annoyed that he was “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11:19).  He treated them as His equals; He was “Immanuel” – one with us.

When Judas betrayed Him, Jesus still called him “friend” (Matthew 26:50).  It was not said with sarcasm, but with sorrow as His heart was broken.

In those last few hours of HIs life, Jesus poured our His heart to His closest friends, the twelve disciples.  He washed their feet and shared one last meal with them.  He called them friends and prayed for them.  After they had all fled and even denied knowing Him, after He had been abused and crucified, He prayed that they would be forgiven.  Then He died for them – and us.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends…” (John 15:13).

Jesus extends His friendship to us – He says tenderly, earnestly, “Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, ad they with me” (Revelation 3:20).

By saying yes to opportunities to know Him better, we are venturing into the best friendship we could ever have.  It may take several months or years, but we will come to know and love a God who longs to call us friends.

Giving our Best for the Worst of Times

in Thoughts  by Jinha Kim 0 comments

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way –” (A Tale of Two Cities, first line)

Charles Dickens’ description of the tumultuous years leading up to the French Revolution came to mind the other day as I was listening to the news on the radio.

The U.S. Election, terrorist attacks, crimes of fear, hate, and greed, spread of disease and rise of global warming – everything I heard made me despair in the state of the world.

But looking around me as I drove to my friend’s house in Melbourne, I saw parents leisurely pushing posh prams to the park, cafes bustling with business, and markets fully stocked of diverse produce.

How is it that in one corner of the world, there is a surplus of food, money, and peace while just around the bend there is such suffering, both silent and exposed?

Dickens was right; it is possible to live in a parallel universe where  pompous and poor, entitled and empty, indifferent and invisible are neighbours.  The growing inequality and injustice lead to a revolution that shatters and self-destroys.  Living for oneself and one’s own pursuit of happiness inevitably leads to a reckoning that is catastrophic not only for the guilty but the innocent. 

If his masterpiece isn’t warning enough for us of the dangers of indifference, let us turn to the greatest classic:

“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 and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:16-18)

God’s Word is a truth mirror that reveals the injustice, hypocrisy, and sinfulness in our souls and society.  God does not mince words; He cuts through our complacency to spur us to change.

So what can we do?

Laying down one’s life for our brothers and sisters doesn’t always require the guillotine or the cross.  It does however ask for compassion and love in action.

This week is Homelessness Week, as Bronwyn presented last week at church.  Here’s the list she presented on what we can do:

  1. Donate money, food, beanies, scarves, gloves, warm coats, and toiletries to the homeless directly or to organisations like Salvos, St Vincents, Wesley, Melbourne City Mission, ADRA, Pinch-a-poo, Swags for the homeless, Kids Under Cover, etc.
  2. Write to your local MP re: the need for affordable housing
  3. Volunteer at a drop-in centre, food van, or soup kitchen
  4. Donate a house
  5. Fundraise and raise awareness
  6. “Like” the charities on Facebook and share the posts
  7. Join campaigns towards affordable housing
  8. Participate in the Homelessness week events and activities Aug 1-8
  9. Volunteer time and money regularly

We may not be able to feed the world, but we can feed one. We may not be able to prevent wars, but we can heal personal relationships. We may not be able to reform national or international politics, but we can vote.  We may not be able to change hearts, but we can humble ours. 

Jesus has left us an example of laying down His life for us.  As we too carry His cross of unselfish service and sacrifice, we will experience true satisfaction in our search for meaning and security.  As we love as He loves, we will find the rest and community that our souls crave in this unsettled life of isolated screen time.

Then we can echo the sentiment reflected in the last line of A Tale of Two Cities, though lesser known than its first, but far more beautiful for its redemptive refrain (spoiler alert! the protagonist realises that individual sacrifice and love, however insignificant it may seem in the scale of the darkness and disaster all around, can impact generations and leave a legacy that endures):

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known” (A Tale of Two Cities, last line).