I Really Don't Know Life At All

 "I've looked at life from both sides now

From win and lose and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all"

That’s from Joni Mitchell’s song “Both Sides Now”. I love that song. If I’m not mistaken it was written sometime in the 60’s, but the reality of its message rings up to today. It speaks so much about what we feel about life, when we look at both sides – win or lose, ups and downs, blessings and trials.  We just really don't know life at all.

Who of us can explain what happens in this world? Sure, we have “gold medal” moments (as I write this the hangover of Hidilyn Diaz’s Olympic gold win is still there). But we still have the covid-19 virus that has mutated to a delta variant! Our day may start good, but may end up at the opposite end. In reality, we really don’t know life at all.

Compare the lyrics of Joni Mitchell’s song to that of the words of our Lord:

The apostle John wrote:

John 1:4 NIV In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Notice the certainty, the assurance, that God gives us when it comes to life. In Him, Jesus Christ, was life. Why? Look what John says before that:

John 1:1-3 NIV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The Son of God was there in the beginning. Through Him all things were made. And when God made man, life came from the breath of God.

Genesis 2:7 NIV the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Imagine that "life" that was breathed into man! God is eternal, which means that the life breathed into man was also eternal!

And yet man rebelled against that life of God by disobeying their Creator in Genesis chapter 3. This is what brought death, and eternal separation from God. This is also what brought a curse to this life on earth.  Because of this sin, man has lost his understanding of who God is, and is blinded to the life that God has for those who follow Him. Sin has blinded us from seeing God and His life.  

But that’s why God sent His Son.

Jesus Himself said:

John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 9:39 NIV Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness. Never. Why? Because the Light of the world opens our eyes to our sinfulness, and makes us realize that we have rebelled against Him. He opens our eyes to who He is, and He makes us realize that we have been living apart from Him, all this time. Only through the life and death of Jesus the Christ do we have forgiveness of sin, and redemption, so that we are brought back to the "life" that was breathed into man in Genesis - life eternal. This now becomes our new hope - not just life in this world, but life eternally with God.

After Jesus had given sight to a man born blind, He asked this:

John 9:35-38 NIV Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" (36) Who is he, sir? the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." (37) Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." (38) Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

This was the whole point of Jesus healing the man born blind.  The Light of the world opened his eyes so that he would believe and worship Him.  He opened the man's eyes so that he would see Him, know Him, and receive the life that Jesus restores - eternal life.

This is what He does up to today.  He opens the eyes of the blind, that we may know Him, and the life eternal that He restores to us through His death on the cross.

Life’s illusions become clear when the Light of the world opens the eyes of our hearts that have been blinded by sin. Through the cross He has brought redemption and forgiveness of our sins, and for those who realize their blindness He is there that we may see. That same question He had to the blind man He also asks us – “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”.

"I’ve looked at life from both sides now. Life may have its illusions. But through the Light of the world I now know life eternal, a life that is not of this world. A life with God forever through the redemption and forgiveness of sin found in Jesus. I now know life."

May this be the new song of life that we sing in our hearts. 

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.