Enjoying Freshly Ground and Brewed Time of Prayer

In this world where almost everything is automatic and quick, we sometimes miss out on the best, and just settle for "just right", or, in Tagalog - "pwede na".  Making coffee is one of those examples. 

Many people settle for instant coffee.  Not that it's not coffee.  But it's a quick fix.  When you don't have time to prepare and brew coffee, instant coffee is the way.  My eldest son and I enjoy freshly brewed coffee every morning.  We usually have ground coffee in a pack, and we just scoop up what we need straight to our dripper (our preferred way of preparing coffee). 

But there was a time when we would buy coffee beans, and freshly grind it.  It takes more time and effort. But you get the BEST aroma and taste of coffee when you do it.  There is nothing that beats it.  When you take the beans and begin to grind it you already begin to enjoy the aroma of the coffee.  And then when you eventually brew it into a cup, it tastes fresh.  The aroma and freshness makes the time and effort worth it.

Instant coffee is still coffee, that's true.  But why settle for a quick fix, when we can enjoy the process of enjoying the best coffee you can have?  Packed ground coffee ready to place in a coffee maker is still coffee, that's also true, and it tastes so much better than instant coffee.  But there is nothing better than enjoying freshly ground beans, pouring hot water over it, and enjoying it every morning.  It takes time and effort, but it's the best.

Luke 10:38-42 NIV As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. (39) She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. (40) But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (41) Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, (42) but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Both Mary and Martha enjoyed the presence of Jesus in their home.  Martha, probably being the eldest, was the one who opened her home to Jesus.  But as you continue in the story who is it that enjoyed the BEST of the time with the Lord?  It was Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what He said.  The description of what Mary did shows us how she was not after a quick "hi, hello and goodbye" with Jesus.  She wanted to enjoy the time with Him.  Her sitting down describes how she wasn't going to do anything else except take time, make time, to listen to what the Lord was saying.

Martha enjoyed the fact that Jesus was in their home.  But Mary took the time to sit down, listen, and had the BEST experience with the Lord.  Jesus eventually said - "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

What a beautiful description of what our prayer life should be like, right?  In this world where everything is moving so fast, when we have so much to do, how easy it is to have "instant prayers", rather than enjoying a "freshly brewed" prayer time.  What a blessing to take time to sit down, take our Bible, read until the Holy Spirit ministers to us.  It really provides the best time we can have with the Lord.

Many Christians today settle for "instant prayer", which does still have it's benefit, but we miss out on having the BEST experience with the Lord when we take the time to go through the long process of enjoying our sweet time with the Lord.

Shouldn't we be after the BEST time we can have with the Lord always?  Doesn't He deserve being given the best time?  Why settle for a quick experience of "instant prayer", when you can enjoy the slow and beautiful process of enjoying the presence of God as the Holy Spirit works in our hearts?  Why settle for instant, when you can enjoy the best, and have a "freshly ground and brewed" time of prayer?

60 is the new...60

I had to go to the mall to buy some medicines.  Ok, I did have to buy essential medicines for my blood pressure, but I didn’t HAVE TO go to a mall, hehe.  It’s just that this mall I go to here in Bacolod is a sort of “happy place” - less people, strict safety protocols, and nice to walk around in.  Plus it has a food court that has almost no customers because of this covid-19 scare.

When you enter the food court you have to register your name, I’m guessing for contact tracing just in case.  Of course you had the usual fill in the blanks - Name, address...AGE.  Age!  I paused for a while...what should I put.  Two things entered my mind.  If I put “60”, they might question why I’m out, because our city being in MGCQ (Modified General Community Quarantine) discourages senior citizens from going out for non-essentials.  So maybe I should just put 59?

The second thing that entered my mind was - WOW, I AM 60 YEARS OLD!  Hahaha.  It hit me...hard!  I am 60 years old.  I just celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago.  I know I am 60...reality just hit me when I had to write it down in the registration.

I have no problem with being 60.  For me it’s just a number.  And although I’m starting to feel my body telling me I’m getting older, being 60 isn’t really bothering me.  I do remember when I was a teenager, looking at all my relatives who were 60 and above, and saying “wow, they’re old”.  Well, now teenagers are looking at me and saying the same thing.  But it’s ok, I don’t mind.  It’s good to be 60.

Before the pandemic I was excited to become 60, with all the discounts and perks that come with it - watch movies for free, discounts in restaurants and other perks like getting preferential treatments like not having to line up when paying bills, in airports, etc..  But with this pandemic movie houses are closed, I’m not going to be travelling soon and although restaurants are opened we haven’t really gone out as a family to eat. Maybe when we order “take out”.  And I can’t enjoy those benefits until I get my senior card, which I have to wait for a while before I get it since the Senior Citizen’s Office in our City Hall was closed for sanitation when one of their employees was found to be infected with covid-19.  But, it’s ok.  I’m not in a rush to get it.  And once I do get the card, then I’ll enjoy all those benefits for the rest of my life!

I am also processing my SSS (social security pension).  Imagine, the government is now going to start taking care of me (partially, at least). I’m also going to get a refund of all the PAG-IBIG (housing benefits) contributions I’ve made through the years.  Again, I’m not rushing.  Eventually I’ll be enjoying them for the rest of my life as a senior citizen.

Yes, the benefits are there.  But being 60 does remind me of one thing - how finite I am, how temporary My life is.  And with this pandemic taking lives, especially of “high risk” senior citizens, it does remind me of how fragile I am (reminding me of the song of Sting, the singer).  With my asthma I am considered a “high risk” senior citizen, which makes me extra careful in where I go, who I’m with, and following all the health protocols as strictly as possible.

But getting older simply means that eternity with my Lord and Savior is slowly becoming a reality.  And while I’m still alive and well, I have His Word to assure me as I continue in this journey He has placed me in.  This is one of them:

Psalms 139:13-16 (NIV)

¹³For you created my inmost being; 

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, 

I know that full well.

¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place. 

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶your eyes saw my unformed body. 

All the days ordained for me 

were written in your book 

before one of them came to be.

From the time He created me in my mother’s womb, till the last breath I take, all the days ordained for me have already been written.  From the first to the last chapter, to the last sentence of the story that He has written for me, He holds me in His sovereign and loving Hands.  I have this truth to hold on to, and enjoy day by day, as what He has written comes to pass.

THE WATER THAT GIVES LIFE

God always has a way of teaching me through the kalamansi bush that we have at home.
The past months have been dry, practically no rain at all.  The kalamansi bush in our house did have some fruit, but they were small and it has been taking a while for them to grow, probably because of the lack of rain.  In fact some of the fruit dried up even when they were still tiny.  There was obviously a lack of water to nourish it.
And then yesterday it rained practically the whole day.  It was a welcome pouring of rain, a big change from the scorching hot weather we have been experiencing.  It cooled our day.
Then, this morning, I noticed something with the kalamansi bush:

I'm not sure if it's clear in the pictures I uploaded, but I was surprised to see flowers starting to bloom.  This, of course, is a sign that there are more fruit about to come out!  Wow, all it needed was just one day of rain, the right amount of water, to bring it back to life!  The kalamansi bush was nourished, and had all it needed to continue bearing fruit!  I can't wait for the next "harvest", not only of the fruit coming out of these flowers, but from the small fruit that, for sure, will keep growing because of the nourishment it received from the rain.

It reminded me of a psalm I just read a few days ago:
Psalms 1:3  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Our kalamansi bush needed rain for it to be nourished after a long hot spell.  But imagine if this was planted right beside a stream of water!  The flowers would just keep blossoming, it would keep bearing fruit, and for sure it wouldn't wither.

Psalm 1:3 describes  a man walking with God, who will become LIKE a tree planted by streams of water.  When a man has everything he needs to be nourished he will yield the fruit he needs to bear, he will not "wither" and in whatever he does prospers.

But what fruit is this talking about?  This is not talking about material or financial fruit or prosperity.  This speaks of the spiritual fruit that we should bear as we walk with God.  How do we know that?  Because the nourishment that Psalm 1 is talking about is spiritual nourishment, that bears spiritual fruit. 

Psalms 1:1-2  Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Now that's a man who is blessed!  He is someone who gets the right counsel, walks in the right way and sits with the right kind of people.  He is someone whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and meditates upon it day and night.  To meditate is not just to read, or memorize.  To meditate is to ponder on what you have read, and see how it can be applied in your life.  That application of the Word of God in our life is the fruit that you bear.

A man who is continually nourished by the "water" that God supplies him is someone who will continually bear the fruit that God wants us to have, to bear.

When a fruit tree bears fruit continually, that's when it is blessed and prosperous.

So with Christians.  When we continually bear the fruit of God's Word, that's when we are considered a blessed and prosperous person - blessed with the spiritual fruit that comes from the spiritual nourishment of God's Word.

This is the prosperity that the world needs to see in us.  Not just financially or materially prosperous, but rich in the fruit that comes from the spiritual nourishment we receive from God's Word.

Everyday we have been given the blessing and access to this spiritual nourishment from God's Word.  All we need is to make time, read and meditate upon His Word, apply it to our life - and that's when the outpouring of His nourishment will come.  He will "rain" His Word upon us, and be nourished.

Then, we will be a people blessed and fruitful in our life.

IT'S THE PRODUCT, NOT JUST THE PACKAGE

A few months ago, we received a blessing of a pack of Mascobado sugar, packed in small packets.  Since I usually use honey to sweeten my coffee the Mascobado sugar packets were just kept in a container.  Now that the supply of honey is short, because of the community quarantine we are in, I started using these packets of Mascobado sugar for my coffee.
Today something interesting happened.  I got two packets of mascobado, and when I felt one of them I was surprised that it felt flat and empty.

I didn't have to open it to confirm that it was empty, I just had to press hard on it and it was just full of air.  It most probably was a packaging error.  I know that happens.  That's why manufacturing companies always have quality control checks, even in packaging.  But, once in a while mistakes do happen.  This is possibly the case.  The packaging was the same, it was sealed, but there was nothing in it.

When you think about it - it's not just about the packaging, it's about what's inside that counts.  The label in the package can say "Mascobado", but if there's nothing inside then it's not what the package label says, it's the product inside that really matters.

It made me think about the label "Christian".
2 Corinthians 13:5  Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?

Millions of people today wear the label "Christian".  We profess that we are Christian, we attend a church that is Christian, we fellowship with people who are Christian, we can even live a life that looks Christian.

But when the package is opened, will the product prove the label?  When our hearts are exposed, will it show that we are really Christian?  Or will it be empty, like the Mascobado packet that I found?

There are many of us making an effort to take care of our label "Christian", and the packaging that comes with it.  But what really counts is what is inside.  When everything else is taken away, will we still be Christian when our hearts are exposed?  Take away your religion, your denomination, your traditions and practices, and then ask yourself - "why am I a Christian?".

The answer should be simple - Christ.

Nothing else, no one else.  Just the Christ.

Not an imitation of Christ.  Not who we think He should be.  Not an invention of Christ.  Just Jesus Christ, as He revealed Himself to be, as He has shown us in His Word.
The "Christ" is the "Anointed One", the One chosen to live a righteous life, die for our sin, and rise again - that we may be saved, reconciled back to God, and live lives that glorify Him.  This is the Christ we trust in - for our eternity and for our life today.
Without this Christ in our hearts we may have the right label and packaging, but we will be empty in our heart.

When God graciously opens a heart, and reveals who He is to that heart, and that heart believes, that is when a person becomes a "Christian".  And where can we go to show us who we are to believe in, except to Him and His Words.

Have we met this Christ?  Is this the Christ we believe in?  Is He truly the "Messiah", the Anointed One - for our eternity and our life today?  Do we consider ourselves His disciples?

In the end, our hearts are to proclaim what the psalmist said:

Psalms 73:25-26  Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  (26)  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

No one else, nothing else - just Christ alone.

The package may be right, but will the inside show the right product, or will it be empty?

It's not too late to make sure we are truly Christian.

Patiently Cleaning

One good thing that this quarantine is doing is making us aware of the things that we have not been cleaning for the past months (or even years!).  One of those things I noticed were our window screens.  So I took one down, and brought it to our backyard where we have a hose to wash out the dirt accumulated in the screen.  But our water pressure was so low that the water coming out of the hose was not as strong as I wanted it to be.  And even if I was using the "old style", pressing the finger at the end of the hose to try and make it spray, it wasn't working.  It was washing away the dirt, but not as fast as I wanted it to be.  So I started grumbling and complaining about the water pressure and how long it was taking to clean the window screen.  It was taking so long!

Then, for some reason, I had a thought - "be patient.  Imagine how long it is taking the Lord to wash you of the sins that you are still struggling with".  Whoa!  It blew my mind.  I don't know if that was the Holy Spirit, or just me, but it hit me like lightning!  That is true...I have been a believer for so long, and up to now the Lord is still cleansing me of sins that just keep coming back!  It's taking so long.
And so I smiled, humbled, and just went on patiently washing off the dirt in the screen, imagining how patient and how gracious my God has been.

Psalms 136:1-26  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.  (2)  Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.  (3)  Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.  (4)  to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.  (5)  who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.  (6)  who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.  (7)  who made the great lights-- His love endures forever.  (8)  the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.  (9)  the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.  (10)  to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.  (11)  and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.  (12)  with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.  (13)  to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever.  (14)  and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.  (15)  but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.  (16)  to him who led his people through the desert, His love endures forever.  (17)  who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.  (18)  and killed mighty kings-- His love endures forever.  (19)  Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.  (20)  and Og king of Bashan-- His love endures forever.  (21)  and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.  (22)  an inheritance to his servant Israel; His love endures forever.  (23)  to the One who remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.  (24)  and freed us from our enemies, His love endures forever.  (25)  and who gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.  (26)  Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Every time I come upon this psalm in my prayer time, it always strikes me - all 26 verses, in all the

times the Lord worked in Israel's history - it was His love enduring forever. I would always wonder - why did the author have to write "His love endures forever" after each account of God's working in their lives?  I guess it was his way of showing how the Love of God was enduring.  God just kept loving them again and again, despite all their sin and imperfection, His love endured.

It's interesting how the word "endure" is defined  - "suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently". Or "remain in existence; last"
Isn't it hard to endure someone who hurts us or sins against us, and we have to forgive them again and again?  We suffer patiently while living or relating with them.
But this psalm is talking about the love of our God enduring with us.  I would like to think it's the second definition that applies with Him - "remain in existence; last".

How thankful should we be that God's love endures?
How difficult do you think it is to forgive sin?  Especially for a holy God!

And yet His love for us endures, remains in existence, lasts forever.  But how can God's love endure the sin we commit again and again, and how can He forgive again and again?  Through Jesus Christ.  The suffering, and the death, of Christ was payment for our sin. When we put our faith in Christ it has justified us, brought us near to Him, being payment for our sins.  And this is what covers us in the eyes of God everyday.  Because we have put our faith in Christ as our Savior, His atoning sacrifice covers us.  And every time we still commit sin, Christ's death is the only reason why He can forgive us, and restore us.  This is why His love endures forever.

This is not condoning sin, or giving us a reason to keep sinning.  In fact, realizing what Christ has done to justify us and to cover us, should make us get rid of the sin that so easily affects us.  But every time our flesh overcomes us, and we sin, the only reason God's love endures is because of what Christ has done for us. This is why His love can remain, last, forever!

1 John 1:7-9  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  (8)  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:1-2  My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  (2)  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Thank God for that!  Amen?

Imagine how long has our God been forgiving us?  The only time that forgiveness will end is when we are in eternity with Him, when there will be no more sin!

But as long as we are still here, His love remains in existence, it lasts forever, because of the grace that is found in what Christ has done for us.

His love endures, because our faith in Christ's sacrifice has brought us near to Him, has reconciled us.

His love endures because even if we do sin, Christ's sacrifice covers us, and our Heavenly Father forgives us because of that.

And so, again, as I kept patiently washing our window screen, I smiled, imagining how loving and patient my God is for me.  It made my day.  Thankful for the grace I have in Christ, and the enduring love of God because of Him.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  His love endures forever.

THE SAME ROUTINE DAY AFTER DAY

Have you noticed how time flies with this Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) we are going through?  Most of us, if not all of us, are going through the same routine day by day.  That's the story of my ECQ  life - I wake up, prepare my brewed coffee, sit down in my "prayer seat" and read God's Word, meditate upon it, pray.  And then I spend the day how to minister to a church I don't actually see, and then after that listen to music, after that watch tv, check the news, binge on a tv series I missed in the past.  Check on my wife and the kids, and realize we're all doing the same thing day after day, the same routine.

It was morning...and then evening.  Another day passing by.

Actually, there was one day when I actually forgot what day it was!  I was sitting, waiting for one of my favorite shows to come out, until my daughter tells me "Dad, that was yesterday", and starts laughing.  I laughed also.  It made my day.  I actually forgot what day it was!

That's how routine and monotonous our days have become.

And I'm sure, like me, a thought passes by our minds everyday, saying "when is this going to end?".  Of course who doesn't want this to end.  Our "normal" has been changed.  We've been stripped of our everyday routines.  I guess it's normal for us to be praying that God bring an end to this unique ECQ experience.  

But through it all, what should also come to our minds is "what is God teaching me in this experience?".  Why is He bringing us through this ECQ (aside of course from protecting us from a virus, and our helping the nation by not being an instrument in making it spread).  What is God teaching us as His people, His church?

It reminded me of the Israelites, when God delivered them from Egypt, and had them travel for forty years through the wilderness as He brought them to the promised land.  The Lord could have shortened the travel.  It could have been just a few days.  But He chose to have them travel for forty years.  Forty years!  When they were hungry and grumbled that they had not food, God provided manna for them every morning.  They were given exactly what they needed for that day.  When they were thirsty, God had Moses strike a rock, or "cleanse" a pool of water that was contaminated.

Day after day, for forty years, that's all they saw, all they experienced.  And, unlike us, they ate the same thing again and again for forty years (think about that before you complain and grumble).

Talk about the same routine day after day... And that for forty years!  Why would God bring them through that experience?  There were a number of reasons why, but one of them comes to mind:

Deuteronomy 8:2-5  "You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.  (3)  "He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.  (4)  "Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.  (5)  "Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.

First, it was "that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not."

The circumstance we are in always reveals what is in our hearts.  God wanted to know if the Israelites would obey Him, even if He had them go through the wilderness for forty years.

What is it in our hearts that God is exposing through this ECQ experience?  Are we continually obeying Him, without question?  Or, are we beginning to grumble and complain, and anxiously praying that God brings an end to this lockdown? If you think of it, grumbling and complaining is a form of disobedience, a disobedience of the heart.  Why?  Because grumbling and complaining is questioning God's sovereignty over our life in bringing us through this experience.  

The second reason God humbled His people:

"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

Man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.  It's not what we are eating that is important.  What should have been important for the Israelites was the word of the Lord - that He would take care of them, that they were not to worry or be anxious, that He would never leave them or forsake them.  That promise, that word, is not dependent on HOW He does it...it's just dependent on His Word.

We can go through a day with little food, and be content.  We can go through a day with lots of food, and be content.  We can go through a day with no food, and yet be content.  Content that we have a God who has promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.

That's how God wanted the Israelites to go through the forty years of wilderness travel, eating manna every morning.  He wanted them to have hearts of worship and obedience.  He wanted them to have hearts that were so content with God and His words, that it did not matter if it they had manna every morning for forty years.

And then there's verse 4 - "Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.

I wonder if they realized it - after forty years of traveling their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.  God took care of them, sustained, them, and brought them to the promised land.

How we miss those simple blessings of our God.  We complain about being cooped up in our homes, about our not being able to go to the mall, or be with friends or churchmates, about not having the freedom to go out when we want to.  But do we see that through this experience, day by day, whether we have plenty or we lack things, that God has been sustaining us through it all, day by day?

(5)  "Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.

Do we see this experience as God disciplining us?  Not disciplining us as a punishment, but disciplining us for maturity, for us to have the right heart before Him.  He is our Father, and as His children He wants us to grow with the right heart, the right perspective of life.

I guess this is what we need - another perspective of what's happening with us today with this ECQ experience.  Are we beginning to grumble and complain?  Are we praying that God bring an end to this and bring us back to our "normal" life?

Or have we forgotten that the "normal" for a believer is that "man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Do we rejoice that through this experience God has been sustaining us, taking care of us, despite the virus and lockdown we are experiencing?

Are we thankful that we have a heavenly Father who is disciplining us, making sure we are going through life with the right heart, the right attitude, a right perspective - one that glorifies Him and in line with the kingdom that He is preparing us for.

Remember, God is also bringing us through a wilderness journey in this life.  And we have a promised land waiting for us - eternity, eternal life with Him.  And in eternity it's going to be all about God.  It's not about the place, or what we will enjoy - it's all about Him.  And it's going to be the same day after day after day.

We're just being prepared to enjoy eternity with the One who redeemed us.  

A Simple, Subtle, Temptation

I experienced a "simple" kind of temptation.  Twice actually.

Just like most of us, I have been stuck at home for the past seven days!  No going out of the gate, no driving around, no going to the grocery, or buying medicine.  No going to the ministry center of the church, no going to the mall, no eating out.  No date with my wife, no fellowship with other believers, no Sunday worship!
We just stayed home.
I wanted to be the one with the quarantine pass so that I would have an excuse to go out of the house during this community quarantine lockdown.  But my kids didn't want me to go out because I am a sort of high risk to get the virus.  So my eldest son got the pass.
So I've been on lockdown for seven days.

I was tempted to break the rules though...twice.
First, I found out that members of the clergy were exempted from the lockdown IF they were going to go out and visit a parishioner who was sick, and pray for them.  All they had to do was show their ID. So I wanted to have a church ID made so that I could have an excuse to go out.  But I was convicted by the Lord, because I wasn't going to use it for the right reason, and just for the reason of going out and doing what I wanted.  So, it didn't happen.  It didn't feel right.

Then, today, I wanted to ask if there was a way for me to get an extra pass, so that I could go out.  Of course that is breaking the rules, because only one per household was allowed to have a pass.  That plan eventually fizzled out.  I was going to break the rules, only one member of the household should have a pass...and I couldn't do it.  It didn't feel right.
My God's name, and my testimony as a Christian and pastor was on the line.

I was tempted to do it.  I almost did, but thank God He got me out of it.  And what a great feeling it is to overcome temptation, and walk in the righteousness that God has for us.

What a subtle thing temptation is.  But it's something we need to be conscious about.

James 1:13-15  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  (14)  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  (15)  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

How subtle temptation works in us.  It's simple.  Our bodies are tempted by evil, no matter how simple that evil is.  And because we are a sinful people, there is "evil" in our bodies that we are tempted to do.  Our bodies lust for it, it carries us away and entices us, until we eventually sin.

Temptation in itself is not sin.  But it's what leads us to sin.  The good news is - we can overcome it.

My temptation was simple, very subtle.  In fact there are some reading this who will argue that what I was tempted to do wasn't really sin, or "sinful".  But for me I was tempted to break the rules of the ECQ.  I was tempted to do something that I wasn't supposed to do.  And if I actually did it, for me that would have been sin.

There are so many other grave sins that our bodies lust after.  Even as Christians, living this new life we have in Christ, we are still in our sinful bodies.  And there will be times when we will be tempted to do the evil that we used to do when we weren't with the Lord yet.  Temptation will always be there.  But by God's grace and strength we can overcome it.

1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Just as there is evil working behind every temptation, God is also there working "behind the scene", behind the temptation, showing us the way out, giving us the grace and strength to be able to overcome the temptation.  And what a joy it is for a Christian to know that he/she has overcome temptation and live the righteous life God wants us to live.  

It just feels right.

Being Very Careful

How careful are we today with this covid-19 virus situation we are in.  I remember at first that I wasn't that careful in the beginning.  At first I believed the news that only patients who were sick should wear a mask, and that we should just practice social distancing.  And then I heard about a man, so much younger than I am, infected with the virus.  Then I became extra careful!  I started wearing a mask all the time, washed my hands with a sanitizer when I went back to the car, and washed it again when I reached home.  I even had one instance when I let my guard down, and spent time with someone and I wasn't wearing a mask!  When I got into the car I quickly washed my hand (and even face! That's how afraid I was), and when I went home I took a bath!
These are really times of being very, very, careful with regards to where we go, what we touch, who we are with, because we don't know where this virus could be.
I saw a news report that suggested that even the groceries we buy should be sanitized first before we bring them in the house! 
And, just a little cough makes us wonder if that's a sign we have the virus.

Wow, talk about being very, very, careful because of this virus.  It's affected all of us.  And we must, if we are to avoid being infected by it.

It made me wonder - are we Christians this careful with regards to sin?

Ephesians 5:15-17  Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,  (16)  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  (17)  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Be very careful how we live.

If only every believer would be very careful how we live, what a blessing this would be!  

We would be wearing "masks" to guard our mouths from speaking words that are hurtful, deceitful, immoral.

We would wear "gloves" to make sure that we do not touch any sin, commit sin in our life.

We would watch who we are with, where we are, to make sure that we are not contaminated with the world, that no "droplets" of sin would hit us.

We would "leave our shoes and clothes" outside their homes, make sure that nothing happens inside their homes that is not contaminated with sin!

We would be conscious of every little "cough", wondering if we had sinned against our God.

Are we being very, very, careful with our lives as Christians?  Here is an ever present consciousness that we must have as disciples of Christ.  This is how we should be walking all the days of our lives!

This "lockdown" could be the best time for us to not just be very careful about a virus, but for us to pray and ask the Lord to make us very careful with regards to our life, to any sin, that may have contaminated us, and seek God's protection as we go through our lives everyday.

Psalms 1:1-2  Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

We are to be very careful that we do not walk in the counsel of the wicked, that we do not stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.

Our "mask", our protection, is God's Word, the law of the Lord, guarding us from the virus of sin in our lives.

Let's all be very, very, careful.

FEELING PROTECTED

The COVID-19 virus is around us.  And though the virus is not airborne, it can be transferred by droplets landing in our hands, eyes, mouth, even eyes!  And so we need protection.  Doctors are telling us that the best protection is to wash our hands all the time.  We also have the social distancing required by the community quarantine we are in.  Wearing of masks for those who are coughing or sneezing, or even for extra protection is also advised.
Even if we cannot see this virus, it’s nice to have that feeling that we are protected, right?

We are also protected by those who love us.  My children have become very protective of me and my wife, since we belong to that segment of the population that are more susceptible to not only catching the virus, but to become sick because of it.  And so they have asked us not to go out anymore.  My wife and I are used to going to the supermarket for the family, but now our kids are the ones who are buying groceries for us.  Even going out to buy medicine, they want to be the ones to do it.
We’re adjusting, yes, but it’s a nice feeling someone is protecting us.

Psalms 91:1-4 (NIV)

¹He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

²I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, 

my God, in whom I trust.”

³Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare 

and from the deadly pestilence.

⁴He will cover you with his feathers, 

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91 is a known song in the book of psalms that speaks of protection.  It’s a great feeling to know that we have a God who promises us that wherever, and whenever, He is always there to be our protection!  Of course this is assuming that we are dwelling in His shelter and in His shadow.  When we are where we aren’t supposed to be, or doing what we’re not supposed to be doing, we cannot expect His protection.  But generally speaking, our God is always there for us.

But do you know that God’s protection here in this world is not just for today, or for our life here on earth?  He is protecting us in light of the eternity we have inherited through Jesus Christ!

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

We have an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade.  Not here on earth, but in eternity...it is kept in heaven for us.  This is what God is protecting us from here.  We are shielded by God’s power, protected until the coming of that day!

Here is the real protection of God.  He’s not just protecting us FROM circumstances, but protecting us FOR eternity.  There’s a difference.

This means that, even if we experience trials, hardships, sickness, pain in this earth, the Lord is still protecting us.  He is making sure that we will reach the inheritance that He has prepared for us!

If that is the case, what is God really protecting?  Our hearts, our faith.  God is making sure that when we enter eternity our faith remains strong and steadfast, no matter what trials and hardships we are facing.

This is the protection that is sure, that God promises to keep.

No matter what trial, sickness or hardship we may face, God is keeping our hearts, our faith, so that we enter our inheritance joyful in Him.