Carpe Diem

It is pronounced as /ˌkärpā ˈdēˌem/ with exclamation (!).

It simply means to live in the moment and to give little thoughts to the future. 

It goes in line with what I have read in the Scripture today - Matthew 6. It begins with what it truly means to give to needy, to pray and to fast - to practice this spiritual disciplines is good, but do it unto the Lord in SECRET. 

"Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

This is repeated THREE times at every mentioned of the spiritual disciplines - giving to needy, to pray and to fast; 6:4b, 6:6b, 6:18b. It clearly emphasized that our work is not for the purpose of boastfulness or for fueled-up-men-praised. 

After all that is done is secret, Jesus Christ talked about treasures. We ALL loved treasures. Men looked for treasures all their lives - just like pirates in the sea, where as for us is looking for treasures in the sea of men. Treasures come in many forms - money, fame, future spouse and success as how our world packaged it for us. We allow the standard of the world to creep in our lives and be the standard we hold on to. We sometimes failed to realize that even though our mouth said our treasure is Christ alone, but our lives do not lived up to it. When trials come, we find it difficult to cling on to what is unseen rather than what is seen. For instance, if we are going through difficult period of time financially, we find it so hard to part with our money and we struggle with giving (I have been through it and I realized how true is that). 

Our Lord puts it clearly for us, that we CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS. He was not ambiguous on the matter - he state it clearly YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY. 

Although this was a firm instruction from God, we still struggle in our daily lives. The Lord knows it will not be easy. Hence, the following verses 25 - 34, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. He reassured us of the creations our Father in heaven created. He never once fail to feed the birds; the flowers in the field, He clothed them beautifully, 

So, why worry? Our Father in Heaven have already prepared for our every needs. 

CARPE DIEM!

IN THIS MOMENT, Live for God! 

Seek His Kingdom! Seek His righteousness! 

Ask yourselves this, have my DAILY NEEDS ever been neglected by God? (not wants)

If you are able to read this online, it does mean you are very much well off compared to many people in this world who lived in difficult situations.

Reflection on 1 Kings 17-19

So, this has been on my mind lately... What does it means to live life for God who fulfill every words that was said?

I read about Elijah in 1 Kings 17-19. What caught my attention in this passages is Elijah's encounter with the widow and the son that did not have enough to survive for the weeks (1 Kings 17: 7-24). The widow just decided to use what is left and make bread to eat and wait for death with the son. But, here comes Elijah that met her, not anyone else, and asked her to make him BREAD first with the little she have.

He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so that I may have a drink?"
And as she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread - only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it - and die. 
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 
For this is what the LORD, the GOD of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land."

AND SHE DID.

She made a small bread for Elijah. Just as the LORD had said in verse 9: Go at once to Zaraphath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food. The LORD kept His words. But what happened after that, the widow's son DIED. (Read it for yourself)

What a tragic incident? Put yourself in the widow's shoes.

First, is the lost of hope to live because there are only so little to survive on. Then, a hope came and Elijah gave the words from the LORD that the jar of flour and oil will never run dry until the LORD gives rain.
Did the widow find hope in the days to come?

They did have more than enough. Not only for her and her son, but for her family. Then, comes the testing when her son died. The widow's reactions changes abruptly. Instead of believing that the LORD that had provided more than enough and being in the midst of miracle in this season of drought, her faith fell. She couldn't believe no more.

The LORD was gracious. Elijah brought the boy to the LORD. The LORD healed him completely.

Now, the widow said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of GOD and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."

Look at her reactions, even through the first miracle that she can see it with her naked eyes, she couldn't bring herself to believe. But, with the second miracle that happened in her household, she finally realised how powerful the GOD that Elijah served. The widow lived a life based on what she sees. Believe only by the things she sees.

Back to my question, what does it means to live life for God? It means to live a life that goes beyond what our vision bring us to. It's more than what we can understand with our puny minds.

Through the lens of the widow, she saw life was comfortable just as long as her necessities do not run dry. When tragic happened, her faith is shaken. She could no longer believe in this God who provided for her family. Another miracle to happen to reaffirm the faith of this widow. And this time round you and I know for sure as we read about her response to Elijah, she is not turning back anymore.

Because her son that died is resurrected and lived as a living testimony in front of her eyes everyday. 

Now, you will asked me, does that has to happen to me to FINALLY be like the widow to believe?

I don't think so. Because that is why the account of an UNKNOWN lady, plus a widow (simply to wrap it up, she is a nobody) that the account of her faith is documented in the Bible.

Personally, the LORD is asking me, "Who is at command?". The Lord is saying to me, "To trust and fix my eyes upon Him no matter what happen."

Do read the text for yourself. Understand what the widow goes through and see through her lens.

Will we have faith that goes beyond vision and our understanding?

Will we be able to believe a God who holds to His every word? 

What is the LORD asking of you? 

The Word become FLESH

The starting of the book of John, he entitled his paragraph with that specific title. I never quite understand it entirely, when I was younger.

John 1:14 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 

The incarnation of the Word becoming flesh always is directed back to Jesus Christ. Which this is true. This is another perspective I have come across lately.

How then this applies to my life?

Words are powerful. Words can be used to encourage another or even pull the other person self-esteem. Throughout ages, people had been using words to express their feelings and philosophical ideas. Till today, some of the written ideas are still being read by many. Today, people still used words to communicate their thoughts in many different forms; digital, paper, electronic. It is so important that we are sent to school to learn how to familiarize ourselves to letters ABC. :)

We don't remain at baby stage just learning ABC. We grow to understand what lies behind the words. We take in words that formed sentences that brings truth in it. What does this truth means to us? 

Being raised in a Christian family, my parents taught me the importance of reading the Word (But, I never learned to see the importance till now) The Word you and I read hear from the Bible, is words that is beyond than head knowledge. The Word of God is filled with wonders of truths. This truth given to us first be translated to head knowledge. It has to transformed you from within as well. The Word we read need be to meditate upon and to allow it to transformed into flesh as our being. The Word then it's translated to our Christian faith. 

Let's look at a different example: Cooking from a recipe book. All that is written down as recipe will only remain as words, if we are not daring enough to put our hands in it to try it out. Although how awesome can a dish look on a  picture, we will never be able to taste it because it's just a captured shot of how another person had cooked it. Elisabeth Elliot wrote also in a different perspective, in perspective of relationship as a couple: We are human beings, made of flesh and blood as well as of brains and emotions. The Word had to be made flesh before we could truly understand what God was like. A man prefaces his proposal of marriage with a declaration of love - "In the beginning was the Word." Same goes to knowing and accepting the Word of God. 

If one call itself a Christian, then the Word of God is the truth in their life, translated in action in living the faith. If the truth is not lived out in life, then it is merely just head knowledge. The Word has not been made flesh in our life. Then, my question is how then you call yourself a Christian? 

Notes:

Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be A Woman. 1976.