The Heart of God

“I will turn their mourning into joy, ​I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.” Jeremiah 31:13

I read about this lady named Hu Xinglian. She is a professional mourner, a "kusangren", who is hired to ensure that a Chinese funeral is noisy with cries and wailing. She even comes with her own sound system, six members of her band and multi colored spotlights. After all the impassioned sobbing, there is a lot of festivities. I do not think this is what God had in mind when He pronounced through the prophet Jeremiah that, “I will turn their mourning into joy…”

I think if we can see deep into the heart of God, there is a lot of grief. Grief over the many sins and failures of man. And so, if we want to connect with our Father, we should grieve and mourn for that which He grieves and mourns over. Our personal sins. The sins of our leaders. The aggression in Ukraine, the plight of the refugees pouring into Poland, the hunger in Haiti, etc. The number of lives lost to abortion, cancer, people destroyed by drug addiction, broken marriages…

After all these, God promises comfort, consolation, yes even joy. In Revelation 21:4, the promise is, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Do we take this promise for ourselves, for us personally? 

We can take the words in Ezekiel 37, our first reading for today, and allow God to break into our life and speak to us: “I will deliver you from all your sins, and cleanse you so that you may be my people and I may be your God….I will make with you a covenant of peace; it shall be an everlasting covenant with you, …and I will put my sanctuary among you forever. My dwelling shall be with you, I will be your God, and you shall be my people.” 

Yes Lord, even as we grieve for these "former things", we look forward to the day that there will be no more pain. Thank You for Your promises, and Your mercy, grace, and truth we can depend on. 

Mighty Champion

“The Lord is with me, like a mighty champion..." Jeremiah 20:11

Who does not need a champion? I think we all do! Here in the Philippines, we are going to have our Presidential elections in 31 days. It seems clear comparing the two front runners who has the better track record, who has been serving the people for several years ever since she was young and not into politics, who has no stain of corruption, and who many many experts say will be able to get our country back on track. Unfortunately the other candidate has resorted to misinformation, lies and deception. Even a Hong Kong newspaper published an article about how “Filipinos fall for fake history”. We need a champion on our side if we are to be saved from our enemies. 

We need to know God as our champion so that we can become winners ourselves. The story of Esther Ahn Kim is a powerful testimony of a person who knew God as her champion and was never defeated even when she was thrown into prison for 6 years. Like the Old Testament heroes, she refused to worship at the shrines to the sun god set up by the Japanese during their occupation of Korea in WWII. She prepared for her impending incarceration by eating decaying food and memorizing the Bible and many hymns. She knew she would be tortured so she prayed so as not to be afraid. “I knew it would be impossible for me to keep my faith in my own power,” Esther wrote later. “God would have to work through me if I was to stand firm. I decided to fast.” 

In prison, she ministered to many people. Murderers, swindlers and other criminals got to know Christ through her witnessing to them and serving them with compassion. After she was freed, her story of faith became the all-time religious bestseller in Korea. 

Indeed Lord, You are always with us. Thank You for answering our prayers, for showing us we can depend on You. May You teach us also to be Your soldiers, Your ambassadors, Your champions where You need us. 

In God’s Heart and Mind

 "You and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages." Genesis 17:9

Covenant. What is a covenant? It is an agreement, a commitment, a pledge. When Abraham was 99 years old, God told Abraham that He was El-Shaddai. He invited Abraham to walk with Him, and be trustworthy. And God, the Creator of the Universe, gave many amazing promises to Abraham. Kings will come from his line. Land. Blessing.

If we search the Bible, there are many promises that we too, as children of Abraham, may claim. As Paul writes to the Galatians in Chapter 3:7, "Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham." "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:9) We are heirs, and as heirs, we have an inheritance we can claim. The term "gold digger" has a negative connotation, but if we mine the Bible for promises we can lay hold on, we are like gold diggers. The only difference is, we are sure to find treasure! We don't want to be "strangers from the covenant of promise" (Eph. 2:12), do we? But that is exactly what we will be if we are without Christ. The promise to Abraham of universal blessing is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It is amazing if we are able to fully grasp that when God invited Abraham to walk with Him, we were in God's mind and heart as well. God said, "I will always keep the promise I have made to you and your descendants, because I am your God and their God." (Gen. 17:7) How wonderful that we have a promise-keeping God!

Idols of Today

“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in Him..." Daniel 3:28

For each martyr or saint that God saves from death, there are probably hundreds of thousands that He doesn't and prefers to bring home to Him. In this story of Daniel, the King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, and he commanded that everyone bow down to it at the sound of a musical instrument. Anyone who doesn't would be thrown into a blazing furnace.

When it was found out that some Jews put in charge of Babylon defied this order, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were then called before the King. "Is this true?" the King asked, "I will throw you immediately into the furnace! What god can save you from my power?!"

But the three obstinately refused to bow down, saying, "Our God whom we serve can save us. But even if He doesn't, Your majesty can be sure we will not worship the golden statue you set up." 

Today there are no golden statues we are ordered to bow down to. We will not be thrown into a furnace if we do not follow a King's orders. The ways of the enemy are much more subtle. What are the idols today? Can it be ourselves? If we put ourselves before God than we are our own idol. If we reject God and His commandments, making our own rules and following our own path, if our purpose and goal is self-fulfillment and satisfaction without regard for our neighbors, can we say that we are not our own god? I am not exempt from this tendency.

I keep hoarding more and more things like the man in the Luke 12 who thought to build bigger storehouses for his crops. But I do not have time enough to make use of all that I have! Jesus ended His parable with the wise instruction: "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God!"

Lord, may I realize my many follies. Teach me to put You first and to stop doing the things that bring me farther away from You. 

Do We Want to be God’s Friend?

“Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.” Numbers 21:9

This is a very strange event and shows us how important it is to pray to the one true God. The Jews had been complaining about their food. They said it was disgusting. This was after they had experienced many miracles from God, their freedom from slavery, their escape through the Red Sea, manna and quail from heaven, water from the rock, God thundering His words for all to hear, the pillar of fire by night and the cloud over the Tabernacle to show where they should go. One would think that the Jews who knew God personally would stop complaining but they were not grateful for God’s provision. It reminds me of the times I am ungrateful even with God’s gifts. Like when I am having a hard time with our business and it becomes a burden. 

In punishment God sent saraph serpents which bit people and many of them died. The people then realized their sin in complaining against God and also against Moses who was leading them. Moses, who bore no ill will against the people, prayed and God instructed him what to do. 

In “Pondering the Word- The Anawim Way”, I read today, “God wants the people to see what they are doing to themselves, so he allows them to experience some of the bitter consequences of sin: they must face the poisonous serpents. But because God is more interested in saving than in punishing, he then instructs Moses to mount a serpent on a pole for the people to look at. It is as if he were saying to his rebellious children, ‘Look and see how your complaining and impatience is like a poison which is killing my life in you. Look clearly at that so that you can repent of this deadly behavior and be saved.’”

Today, a bronze serpent will not save us. But Moses knew God, had a close intimate relationship with Him. In Exodus 33:11, we can read that Moses spoke to God as a man speaks to his friend. In Exodus 33:17, God says to Moses, “You have found favor with Me, and you are my friend.” Do we want to be God’s friend? I know He wants to be ours.

That’s why He sent Jesus who was mounted on the cross so we could be saved, like the Jews in the desert. This Lent, let’s spend more time conversing with the Lord so we can understand and love Him more. 

The Lord is My Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd...” Psalm 23:1

The beloved Psalm, the 23rd, was most probably written by King David towards the end of his life. After all that happened to him, the twists and turns, betrayals and victories, his serious sins against God and his punishments, he could still write, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. In verdant pastures He gives me repose; beside restful waters He leads me; He refreshes my soul.” King David knew His God intimately. 

Before he died, King David reminded his son who would be the next ruler, “And Solomon my son, get to know the God of your ancestors. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and with a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought. If you seek Him, you will find Him...The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as His sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”  

We should take this advice to heart. We too are given this same work by God, to build His Temple here on earth, His Kingdom. We are to be Jesus’ hands, His feet, His eyes and His heart. In the Gospel reading today from John 8:12-20, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus does not leave us alone to accomplish the mission He gave His people. We have His promise that He will light our way. 

New Thing

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

Quoholeth, the central figure of the Book of Ecclesiastes, seems to be very pessimistic. He says all is vanity, all is futile, right at the very start. I guess this is what Pete Seeger thought as well. Pete was a defiant song writer. His publisher implored him, “Pete, can’t you write another song like ‘Goodnight, Irene’? I can’t sell or promote your protest songs.” Pete answered back, “You better find another songwriter. This is the only kind of song I know how to write.”

But Pete came up with a winner after he leafed through his battered notebook and found the words from Ecclesiastes. He composed “Turn, Turn, Turn” in 1959, which he felt was a call to action, another protest song. It became a hit and many artists recorded their own version of the song. But the most popular was the one released by the Byrds in 1965, which was imbued with a sense of urgency and became the protest song of the 60s when American troops landed in Vietnam. 

“A time of war, a time of peace,” everyone sang the catchy melody, “A time to love, a time to hate…To everything (Turn, turn, turn) There is a season (Turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose Under Heaven, A time to gain, a time to lose, A time to rend, a time to sow, A time for love, a time for hate, A time for peace, I swear it's not too late.” Perhaps most of those singing did not realize they were quoting almost direct from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. 

More than a sense of futility, the Book of Ecclesiastes was a work of apologetics, a defense of a life of faith in God. What Quoholeth was really saying was that it was futile to live without faith. Life would have no purpose, no meaning. It would be a barren wasteland, a desert, a bankrupt life. 

In Isaiah 43:19, we read, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Only God can make something from nothing. Only God can create something from a void. Can we perceive how He is changing the world in this time of pandemic and a possible world war? If we take the time to stop worrying, or complaining, perhaps we will see this new world and the opportunities He is creating. 

Father, help me to open my eyes wide to what You want me to see. Guide me in Your new paths and show me what I must do to lay hold of the treasures You have for me each day. 

A Trusting Lamb

“Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me.” Jeremiah 11:19

This verse is so appropriate, for today is the Feast Day of St. Pedro Calungsod who was like a trusting lamb led to slaughter. He was born here in our country the Philippines, in 1654. He is one out of only 2 Filipino saints, the other one being San Lorenzo Ruiz. 

Pedro was a young catechist and sacristan when he accompanied Spanish Jesuit missionaries including Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores, from the Philippines to Guam in 1668. Their mission was to evangelize the Chamorros in Guam. These indigenous people engaged in ancestor veneration, and there is one account where human sacrifice was practiced to placate a “huge fish” that was believed to be eating away their island. 

Many natives converted to Roman Catholicism, but the missionaries encountered much hardship and persecution. One man, a Chinese exile named Choco, maliciously spread the idea that the missionaries were using poisoned water to baptize, and because some babies died after they were baptized, a few natives believed and turned against them. This culminated in a father throwing spears at Padre Diego. San Pedro who could have escaped, stayed by the beleaguered priest’s side, and both of them were hacked to death. Their bodies were thrown into the sea. Both Padre Diego and Pedro were beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000; Pedro was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 16, 2012.

Indeed, young San Pedro was a trusting lamb who merely wanted to reach the Chamorros with love and God’s word. 

Broken Hearted

“The Lord is close to the broken hearted.” Psalm 34:18

Jesus is present in the Psalms, just as He is present in the other Books of the Old Testament. John the disciple who was with Jesus all the time said, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

In word and deed, Jesus was incomparable to any man. That’s why we should spend time to ponder His words. In contrast, what do we get out of scrolling through Facebook, watching a telenovela or gossiping with friends? Before anything else we need to be grounded on His Word, so we get to know Him and our love for Him will grow. 

We do not realize it but our spirits need His Word just as our bodies need food. We need His Word to battle our brokenness, hopelessness and feebleness. We need His Word to fight the wiles of the evil one, to find strength and comfort. Indeed, there is no book like the Bible.

I remember when my mom would feel hopeless as she battled her cancer of the tongue. I would read to her from the Bible, and she would feel better. Then there was the time, an old lady who was confined to her bed also found comfort when I read her the Psalms, and did not want me to stop. I personally like listening to Integrity’s Scripture Memory songs on Spotify. As it says in Proverbs 4:20-22, “My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”

Stand in the Gap

“Why O Lord should Your wrath blaze up against Your own people..." Exodus 32:11

God has emotions and He is not lukewarm. He is intense and gets blazing mad about disobedience. When the Jews were crazy enough to make a god out of gold and put an altar in front of it, He got infuriated with them. "I see how stubborn and rebellious these people are!" Moses had to plead with Him not to destroy them. 

"Turn away from Your fierce anger. Remember Your covenant with Your servants!" I think it is fascinating that the Lord relented after Moses' intervention. 

We can be like Moses too. There are spiritual battles going on around us. Is there strife in our home? In the neighborhood? In our country? Is God happy about the disunity, lying, cursing, corruption, and killings in our country? I think we can be pretty sure He is angry about all the evil and deception. Throughout the Bible, God searches for a people willing to put on spiritual armor and fight for righteousness and peace to prevail in the land. God said in Ezekiel 22:30, "And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found no one". Today, will He find us standing in the gap for our country like Moses?

If we think we are powerless, we need to realize that we have a greater intercessor than Moses at our side. Jesus is our intercessor. With all our sins and failings, Jesus stands between us and the Father, caked in blood, and His wrath is stilled. 

Thank You Jesus for being at our side always. I am more than a conqueror because You have conquered the enemy for me. And I can stand in the gap unafraid because You go ahead of me. 

A Mother’s Love

“Can a mother forget her infant, ​be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, ​I will never forget you.” Isaiah 49:15

There are numerous stories of a mother's unfailing love, but this one highlights a mother's love even in death.

36-year old Patsy Lawson left for her teaching job one morning, with her two children. She was planning to drop them off at the baby sitters, but they never got there. 8 1/2 hours later, her husband James found Patsy and their 5 year old daughter Susan dead inside their badly damaged car. The car was submerged, upside down, in a very cold mountain stream. James saw that even if Patsy was dead, she had been holding 2-year old Gerald's head above the 48 degree water. He was barely alive. For hours, his wife had held up the toddler's head so he could breathe, until she froze to death. (Story from Pastor James S. Hewitt's book, Illustrations Unlimited)

Who can measure a mother's love? Who can measure God's love? How inconceivable is it that God, who created us in love, would give His only Son to die for us in love? That kind of love never forgets, always forgives, and is ever faithful.

Refreshing Waters

“Where these waters flow they refresh..." Ezekiel 47:9

How good it is to make God a part of our life each day! Like a constant stream of water that passes through dry parched land, that is our God's touch on our lives! But it is also so easy for us to let the desert take over. In Israel, they have made their deserts bloom and they fight desertification, the desert’s continuing conquest of their land. The scientists learned that they have to direct the brackish water directly to the roots, not allowing the salt in the water to touch the green leaves. They use the drip-irrigation system which allows the nutrients to drip drip drip slowly soaking the roots and minimizing evaporation. 

We can liken this to our journey as Christian pilgrims. We too are constantly at the mercy of enemies who want to attack our faith in God, and our Christian lifestyle. This is why we need to be connected to the power of God and His Word. How? Day by day, drip by drip being connected to the Source of living water. 

In The Anawim Way, I read this passage: “Ezekiel’s vision of the abundant and life-giving water flowing from the Temple is clearly symbolic. He is describing, not a physical river which flows into a desert in the Middle East, but a spiritual river of grace which flows into the desert of humanity, giving life to the hearts of all who believe. St. John the Evangelist once had a vision of this same “river.” He speaks of it in the Book of Revelation: “Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev 22:1). On Good Friday, we will see the true Source of this river. It springs forth from the pierced side of Jesus on the Cross. All grace flows from the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the “fountain of life and holiness.”

In Ezekiel’s vision in chapter 47, the prophet describes the water of life. “Wherever this water flows, everything will live” (v.9). Through the water of life from the wounds of Christ, Ezekiel’s vision is fulfilled.

Lord, by Your Spirit, may we, Your people, Your Church, be constantly connected to You, and may we bring new life, healing and transformation wherever we go. 

His Joy

“For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight...” Isaiah 65:18

If we read the 65th chapter of Isaiah, we cannot fail to see how unhappy God is. “All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations, a people who continually provoke me to my very face .” (v.2-3) “I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.” (V.12)

And then the tone changes and God promises “to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people.” 

What changed? Always God is hopeful that there will be a ‘remnant’, a small group of people who will be obedient to Him, who will seek to delight in Him, who will not have rebellious spirits. Do we desire to be that people? A people God will call His joy and delight, the apple of His eye? How do we be that people? First, God already delights in us. Second, we are the ones that pull away, wanting to do things “my way”. Third, when we realize that we are running away from God and not toward Him, we can always , always make a decision to run back to Him, to repent. And like the prodigal son, we will be welcomed with wide open arms. 

Prodigal Son

“Let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found." Luke 15:23-24 

In Jesus' longest parable, the prodigal son asked his father for his inheritance. This was tantamount to telling his father, “I prefer that you die so I can have the money." The father sadly divided his estate and gave the son what he asked for. After the son “devoured his wealth with harlots”, he came back in remorse wishing only to be hired by the father. But no! The father, welcomed him with a largesse of love and mercy, and easily forgave him. The father had been longing for his son’s return and celebrated when he did. 

How many of us would like a taste of the rich life just as the prodigal son did? Would we like to have a fairy godmother who will give us Tory Burch’s dressing room, Ralph Lauren’s cars, Larry Ellison’s 33 homes and an island? Would we want to sample the night life in New York or Paris or Monaco? Or would our choice be jetting around in a Gulfstream III, tasting wine and cheese en route to the carnival in Rio? It’s nice to dream, but believe this if you can. A study from the San Francisco Federal Reserve reveals that suicide risks are higher in higher income bracket neighborhoods, all other things being equal. This may be from trying to “keep up with the Joneses”. 

Candice Lam Yue-tung, a clinical psychologist, knows from treating her high profile patients who are celebrities, bank CEOS, or political heavy weights, that many are prone to depression, panic attacks, violent outbursts, insomnia and eating disorders. She thinks it is because of the constant media and public scrutiny. 

Isn’t it a good thing that God does not answer all our prayers with yes? Can you imagine how many people pray that they would win the lotto? The mother of Dionie Reyes kept praying that he would win the lotto and finally in April 2008, he did. He won 14 million pesos and after living the life of a millionaire for 3 months, he is now destitute and owes big sums of money. “I wish it never happened," another winner, William Post said. “It was totally a nightmare!" He won $16.2 million but after a year, he owed $1 million. 

Like the prodigal son, a lot of people are under the illusion that having money would solve all their problems, and make them happy. Jim Carrey said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.” 

Instead of money, why don't we bet on a sure thing? The love of a merciful and compassionate Father! ❤️

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Be Merciful to Me, a Sinner

‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ Luke 18:13

If we listen or read St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography, she says a lot about being wicked, and sinning against God, but does not say what it is she has done. Luigi said that when you are close To God, you are more aware of your sins. In her autobiography St. Teresa wrote that she was ‘very fond of St. Augustine...for he was a sinner too.’

What impressed me is that she spent a lot of her time talking to God. Although she is the total opposite of Brother Lawrence, who was a simple man, unpolished and awkward, they both ‘practiced the presence of God’. In contrast, St. Teresa was sophisticated, her father was one of the richest men in Avila, and when she was young, she was very concerned about her looks, make up, and even perfume. 

Much to the disappointment of her father, she entered the religious life at the age of 20. She was sick for a long time, staying in bed for almost a year. What pained her about her sickness was she could not pray all alone as there was always someone watching out for her. 

Eventually, she found the laxity of her Order disturbed her. There were too many visitors of high rank, and unsubstantial conversations that intruded on the practice of contemplation and solitude. She then founded a ‘reformed’ Carmelite convent with stricter monastic regulations which included flagellation! She was a reformer and during the last three years of her life, she founded several convents and even men’s monasteries. 

What transformed this frivolous young woman interested in romance novels into one who only lived to serve God with her whole heart, soul and body? We can say it was the mercy and grace of God. 

St. Teresa de Avila wrote: “Trust God you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and everyone of us.”

Have mercy on me, O Lord, a sinner! 

How Can This Be?

 "How can this be?" Luke 1: 34

Sometimes a passage jumps out at you. you've read it many times before, but this time, it strikes a chord. In the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint Luke, I found this verse interesting, "I investigated accurately everything from the beginning..."

I can imagine this writer, St. Luke, amazed at what had occurred and desiring to come to the truth. He interviewed many of the disciples and people involved in this out of the ordinary series of events. Many saints and theologians believe Saint Luke was able to interview Jesus’ mother because of all the intimate details he has revealed in his gospel. In Luke 2:51, he wrote, “His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” 

What would he have found when he spoke to her? A woman still amazed, still in awe at God's goodness? In spite of all she had gone through? The stigma of her virgin pregnancy, the flight to Egypt, knowing hundreds of babies were being slaughtered because of the search for her Son, and ultimately the horror of seeing her Son hanging on the cross, mutilated, humiliated, seemingly defeated.

"How can this be?" she asked. How can this be that God chose me? 

How can this be that God would want to make me part of His plan to save humanity? 

How can this be that I would carry the mysteries of the universe in my womb?

Like Mary, God chose us for a unique purpose. We may still be wondering what it is. We may have many ‘why’ questions, but one thing is sure. If we put our lives in God’s hands, we can ask like Mary, “How can this be, that Someone so omnipotent and mighty chose me, so insignificant and full of failures, to be loved, and ultimately to be with Him forever?” 

The Finger of God

 "by the finger of God..." Luke 11:20

In the 11th chapter of Luke, Jesus casts out a spirit from a man who could not speak, and He said, "But if it is by the FINGER OF GOD that I cast out devils, then the reign of God is upon you." That's bad news for people who don't believe in Jesus, who think He is a fictional character, or even just a prophet.

The first time this phrase appears in the Hebrew Bible is in the Book of Exodus, chapter 8, verse 19, when the magicians of Pharaoh, impressed by the miracle where all the dust of Egypt turned into gnats, proclaimed, "This is the FINGER OF GOD." The second time is in Exodus 31:18: "As the Lord finished speaking with Moses on Mt. Sinai, He gave him two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the Covenant, written by the FINGER OF GOD." The third and last time the phrase appears in the Hebrew Bible, Moses says in Deuteronomy 9:10, "The Lord gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the FINGER OF GOD."

This is just one of the many things Jesus said that proves He is claiming to be God, I think. Although many listened to Him and believed, many more rejected Him and His teachings. The Pharisees and teachers of religious law were furious with Him and hostile, such that they were always looking for ways to trap Him with their questions.

How about us? Do we believe that Jesus is God, that we want to listen to Him and obey? Or are we looking for proof that He is not God, so we do not have to take heed of His Words and change the way we live?

Lord, may I allow You to write Your Words in my heart and free me from all the ideas that do not come from You!

You are My Righteousness

“Until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of the letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true." Matthew 5:18

Verse 21 in the same chapter reads: “"Whoever is angry with someone will be liable to judgement." We have all gotten angry with someone at one time or another. Anger is defined as a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure or hostility. It can go from rage to irritation or a slight exasperation. Before Jesus said this about anger, He gave this strong proclamation: "Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of the letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true." 

How much more emphatic can Jesus be! Does this not mean that every little yodh (the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet), and the tiniest serif (stroke at the end of a letter), is inspired by God and has His imprimatur, His official approval?!!! We definitely need to understand clearly what Jesus means by anger because He says that anyone and everyone who grows angry with his brother will be liable to judgment the same way that a murderer is liable to judgement. If we are abusive with our maids, if we belittle our employees, if we show contempt for others, feeling they are beneath us, this all falls under Jesus' definition of anger. 

I was listening to someone describing a woman in church. She knew her as such a nice and gentle person, she said, but she was shocked when she visited her at home. She treated her maids with disdain and would shout at them!  I suppose there are parts in our character we are not aware of, shadows that can't bear the light of truth.

Lord, make me aware of whatever there is in my life that is not pleasing to You. Help me to surrender all to You. It is impossible to obey all the yodhs and serifs of the law, but my hope lies in You. You are my righteousness! 

God’s Mercy

“You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.” 

Matthew 18:32

God is the same today as He was yesterday. In the Old Testament there are several accounts where God’s favored people were punished for their sins. God allowed their captivity or defeat, and even in modern times, the Jews were victims of the Holocaust. Is it because He wanted to bring them low? Is it because He did not want to forgive them? 

“For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins,” Azariah acknowledged when the Israelites became captives of the Babylonians. And he asked with a contrite and humble heart for God’s forgiveness for his people. We need to do the same. 

We are indeed brought low by this virus. Even if the cases are declining, there is no guarantee that it will not come back. Meanwhile we are dealing with the impact of the pandemic on the Philippines, lack of jobs, and the decline of our economy to its lowest level since World War II. We do not even begin to realize what the confinement did to our children’s mental health and well being. 

Are we able to look at this time, this strange and terrible season, with eyes of faith, and see the extraordinary gift God is giving us? This may be a time of purification, renewal, a strengthening of our faith. We needed to stay home, that is true. But we also  had more time to pray, read the Bible and other books, be with family, clean and organize and find things to give away, indulge in our hobbies, find ways to connect with people in new ways, etc. Did we make use of the time and opportunity, just as this season of Lent is also a time to ponder, to connect to God, and see where we have failed Him? 

God is calling us back to Him. We are His favorites as well, just like the Israelites. “The Lord disciplines those he loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son." (Hebrews 12:6) Let us look for the ways we have disappointed Him and ask forgiveness. Perhaps there is some unforgiveness in our heart we need to root out. Perhaps there is envy, or condemnation, or perhaps we like to gossip. We need to bring it out to light and ask God’s mercy for our sins. And God is merciful and will blot out our transgressions FOR HIS OWN SAKE; and He will not remember our sins. (Isaiah 43:25)