July 21st, 2020: Treating Life's events as God's Gifts

 What Kind of Health Problems Do Golden Retrievers Have? | POPSUGAR ...
 
My son and his wife just got a puppy. It was a beautiful golden retriever. His temperament is a dream and he is such a joy to be around. They always want to have a dog after her dog (another golden retriever) died after being in the family for 14 years. So now they discover that this little dog needs serious time commitment to take care of him. In some ways, their life has changed (nothing compared to having a baby though). 

Things we enjoy in life do require commitments on our part in order to sustain them. Sometimes it is easy to think that we can just have fun with no strings attached. That is the biggest lie I have ever heard. I have listened to men and women who have fallen into that lie only to discover that they have lost more than time and money. They have their integrity compromised.

Things we appreciate in life sometimes are the outcomes of the hard work of many others. We would be able to gain greater appreciation if we stop trivializing the goodness of God. As soon as we think we deserve something, we have lost the true meaning of that very thing. I have seen people who lost family and loved ones because these folks are so preoccupied with themselves. 

Things we embrace in life will change us. Any significant and meaningful life experience is transformational to some degree. My son and his wife found that out almost immediately after the puppy was delivered at a meeting place and not home due to Covid-19. When we claim our responsibility for others, we are a gift to them and they are to us.

Life is an ongoing journey and as we treat our life as a gift from God, we will make commitments to care for one another, we will be changed for God's sake, and we will be moving forward embracing these types of transformational responsibilities.

Isaiah 40: 31
"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

 

Popular posts from this blog

Aug 31st, 2024: Confession

Image
Dealing with pain sometimes affects our ability and flexibility. A physiotherapist friend gave me a set of home exercises to help with that. They are simple yet intense at the same time. Dealing with our human brokenness sometimes affects our ability to see and hear God. Our commitment to spiritual disciplines must be at the core of our relationship with God. One of the disciplines I have been trying to embrace more fully is confession. It’s not just about recognizing where we have gone wrong; it’s about how we have chosen to live our lives independently from God. It’s about whether we truly want God to be part of our lives. The absence of meaningful confession will damage our freedom to experience intimacy with God. "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
Read more

Sept 4th, 2024: Praying in Images

Image
It has been a rough few days. Living in immense pain does not allow us much energy to think about anything. I ended up praying in images, and not many words came out of my mouth. Most of the images were of people I know. God knew that I was praying for them as their faces came to my mind. I did not need to mention the circumstances or situations of their lives—He knows. My heart was at peace as I ended my days with these images. He will take care of my body, and I know this because I was able to get some sleep. Tomorrow is in His hands.
Read more

Oct 1st, 2022: Be With Those Who Suffer

Image
  Listening to a young woman who shared her experience of being raped repeatedly by a family member for over four years as a teenager made my heart ache. The man who did that was a leader of a church. He was imprisoned for seven months and released. He was her stepfather. Her mother chose to pick him over her after his release. Her life has changed forever. She had to go to a foster home. Her foster parents helped her with her restoration and her faith in God. Her supervisor at work asked me to see her because someone at work was inappropriate toward her. That triggered many emotions within her. I did not expect the story I heard from her. The meeting took longer than I thought, and it was toward the end of the day. She kept talking about her anger and the pain she felt when men treated her like a subject. I knew that the best I could do was to listen. She told me she had not been able to tell anyone as much as with me. God reminded me of the true calling of being a pas...
Read more