Since this is my 100th blog post, allow me to share how my last Saturday (November 24, 2012) went great and was filled with wisdom. This is also my last blog post, so pardon me for making this quite lengthy.
Let me start with Grounded and that WORD.
Kuya/Pastor Edrei preached about the Miracle of Salvation. It was an intense preaching on the story of Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus (Luke 19:1-10). I already know this story since I’m 4 years old maybe, and since then, it was just like “let’s welcome Jesus like Zacchaeus.” Not until I turned 22 and encountered this story with a deeper understanding and realized that this is a story of repentance. (Click this for my first reflection on this story.)
One of the main points of Kuya Edrei’s preaching was “we didn’t choose Jesus, but He chose us”, and I strongly agree with him, for among the crowd who welcomed Him, Jesus was the one who chose Zacchaeus and not vice versa.
In our Life Group, I asked the girls what was God’s message to them with the story of Zacchaeus. With their permissions, here are their replies,
Bea: “Zacchaeus, ‘chief’ (given emphasis) tax collector, big time sinner, BUT big time or small time sinner, its just the same. We are all sinners, and we all need Jesus. “
Rachel: “God has plans; it is up for us to accept it. Like Zacchaeus, when Jesus called him, he accept it and he was saved.”
Abby: “Jesus found us. He had a good life in heaven, yet He came down to look for a sinner like me, like us.”
I was so blessed with the preaching and the girls’ sharing, so out of my abundance I shared mine as well. If the last time God showed me that this was about repentance, this time God impressed on my heart that He is asking for obedience. As Kuya Edrei was reading the Gospel, one word was somehow given emphasis that for how many years of hearing this story, I did not notice that this word was there. That word is “IMMEDIATELY.”
Jesus did not said, “Zac, take your time and come down here” nor “Zac, I’ll wait for you at your house, meet me when you’re ready.” Jesus’ words were clear, “Come down, IMMEDIATELY.” There was an urgency in His words.
Look what happened next, immediately Zac came down and obeyed Jesus, immediately He repented, immediately there was reconciliation, and immediately Jesus said that Zac was saved. See that? Salvation came in a span of hours for Zacchaeus!
When God impressed that word on me, I can’t help but be on my knees during the worship. Why? Because it took me many years before I came down and fully obeyed Him. If only, I came down with my pride and humbled myself immediately the very first time I heard Him call then I had lesser heartaches, lesser sins, lesser regrets, lesser sufferings, etc., etc.
I remember Abby said, “Ouch, parang binababatukan na ako ni Lord,” I then replied, “Abby, ako na-paddle na ni Lord sa tagal kong sumunod.”
Jesus demands Zacchaeus obedience. He didn’t asked Zac to repent or give back what he had taken to the people; God didn’t demand sacrifices, for He demands obedience better than sacrifice. Furthermore, late obedience is still disobedience.
See that word IMMEDIATELY? I believe Jesus means it. Is Jesus calling you? If Yes, see the urgency in His words. Respond immediately!
Breaking Dawn Part II and those ACTIONS.
While watching the last installment of Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn Part II, two particular actions did caught my attention and created a pinch on my heart. I’ve read all the books (twice), so I know the story fully well, but when I saw it on the big screen, these two actions create an impact on my thoughts and even emotions.
First act: Dr. Carlisle Cullen, a dignified, law-abiding, and peace-loving vampire attacked the Volturi. He did it out of what? Out of love and protection for her adopted daughter, Alice.
I think that scene really reached me because I grew up fatherless, but then I realized that God is the same (not a vampire), but He would do the same for all of His children. Carlisle risked losing his eternal life as a vampire just to save his vampire daughter; God gave up His son’s life just to save us. I may not have a father here on earth who would risk his life just to save me, but I know one man already gave up His life just for me to be saved, and with that, I have an eternal life to praise and thank Him.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
Second act: Edward and Emmett Cullen attacked the Volturi in revenge of their father’s life. I saw the pain, the hurt, and the anger in the Cullen brothers as they fight.
With that act, I started to wonder if I can do the same for my Father. I remember our Grounded Leaders Summit wherein we had a basketball game and the other team just stayed on their court defending their net; they never won, and they got tired defending. In the end, we concluded that with our faith, we must also learn how to attack because we can never win the world if we just stay on our comfort zones. How can we reach out the world to Christ when we just stay at the corners of our church?
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. – Philippians 1:20
Let me go back to Zacchaeus who was bold enough to seek Christ and obey Him as His follower. Zac was not ashamed in doing the right things; he was not ashamed of what others may tell about him with his new identity in Christ.
How about you? What will you do if someone offended Jesus in your face? With your life in Christ, how bold you are and how daring you can be?
This 100TH AND LAST BLOG POST
After a lengthy Saturday, I edit a blog post then I saw this stats report:
Stats for 30 days as of 11-24-12
As I reflect and look back, I realized that a big part of what I did and doing since childhood until now is sharing His words. I was part of the Bible class since 3-1/2 years old, been invited to speak in different youth camps and conferences since 15, and now in just months of blogging, it reached this far!
My relatives weren’t shocked with this (unlike me), and they even asked if I’m preaching in the pulpit already; they know me since birth and maybe they saw that this is coming. I just realized how blessed I am to know His words and blessed enough to share it. I feel blessed when I received invites to talk; however, I have been turning down offers in camps and conferences as a speaker (because of my shifting schedule). I also feel blessed every time I received comments from different people saying how my writings helped them and how they feel God more. I know that this is my gift and my purpose (somehow), for God has been calling me to do more (since my senior year in High School); however, I am still dealing this with Him, 6 years and counting Lord. (It was no wonder why obedience and courage was the message of God.. hehe)
I remember when I was still a prideful and overachiever little girl, I used to say, “I will be great and be part of the History”. Now that God humbled me, I say, I may not be like Paul who was used by God to write His words and became part of world History, but I believe with this gift, God will use me in sharing HIS STORY.
So, why shall I stop writing then? Well, this is just the last blog post in this website.
How bold I am in Christ? Here’s how I will show it…
my very own website
The site is not up yet, but I’ll be promoting this SOON when it’s running already.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes… – Romans 1:16
The Learning Mama 