Friday, August 25, 2006

Bday update & thoughts

I had quite a good birthday yesterday. Thank you for all yr well wishes & smses. :) Really thankful for the friends that God has blessed me with. I went to Bakerzinn at Fullerton with my colleagues for lunch, and then they got me a bunch of purple roses, a Levis top,earrings, insect repellent & sunscreen (for the overseas trip in dec-cos I said I wanted practical stuffs). I thought it was really thoughtful for them to buy me a range of things, from the impractical to the really practical. =) Thankful also that we have moved beyond just being colleagues to being friends, encouraging one another on a typical dreary work week, and being able to share. heh. On my own I would never have gotten a Levis top ofcos. hehehe..
Had a good dinner with HY too at night!

Yes, I think that on hindsight, God has been really gracious to bless me with a nice boss and really good colleagues to work with in my first job.
I tell myself each day though, that I must never end up feeling so so so comfortable, but consistently challenge myself in my lifestyle and in walking right with God.

My computer broke down last night. Sheesh...: ( No comp over the weekend, tho I've got so many things to share. One of it is I've been studying the story of the rich young ruler. Some ple say that it is not literal when the Lord said to give up yr possessions and follow Him, but it is merely to put God first in our finances. But whether it is literal or not, what does putting God first in our finances mean? I think putting God first in our possesions can only lead us to live a less comfortable and materialistic life. And the disciples not understanding what Jesus was saying- said proudly they had given their all to follow Jesus! But that was not the issue, it was not about how "good" we are, or what good lives we live to examplify being a good christian. I mean, the rich young ruler kept all the laws since young, yet it was not about his righteous acts. At the end of the day we are not justified by how good we are.

Another preacher says giving up our possesions as everything that we were proud of- our degrees, our so called spiritual knowledge etc. I think that's so impt! We can be so self righteous in our pursuit, yet at the end of the day, it is simply giving up our all to God...coming to a place of surrender.

The disciples were shocked that Jesus said it was hard for the rich to enter into heaven. Why? Cos typically, in jewish culture, the rich are seen as blessed by God. If they couldn't enter the kingdom of God, what say them? So yes, once again, we are not justified by our outwardly position, status etc. We are justified in Christ. In obedience to Him.

And that is such a dilemma isn't it? it's so tough to do. First we must give up our all- possessions and all. But second, this act of giving up is not the act that makes us righteous, but rather a r/s with God.

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