Yesterday, we saw the fragility of the security, which the city of man promises. All that we have worked for can be taken away overnight (by a fatal accident) or by unexpected events (such as COVID-19 or wars or natural disasters). We also spoke of prayer as our declaration that our hope is in God, not in the promises that the city of man offers. But what is it that we are hoping for from God? Is it that, if we pray to God, God gives us the security for keeping what we value in this world, which the city of man cannot guarantee? But is that true? If we pray diligently and faithfully, are we free from unexpected sicknesses and accidents and other tragedies?
Read MoreYesterday, we talked about the culture of the city of man and its pursuit of autonomy and independence from God. Naturally, the city of man opposes prayer, which symbolizes man’s need for God, both for communion and provision. As we enjoy the safety and provision offered by the city of man, we feel less urgency to pray. How can we not be conformed to the city of man and its godless ways? There is a practical consideration as well as a more theoretical one. Let me address the practical one first.
Read MoreAnother reason that many of us have difficulty with prayer is that we don’t really feel the need for it. That’s understandable. Even though we are not of the world, we live in the world and it is easy to get used to the ways of the world. This world can be described in many ways but the one that I’m interested in is the world as the city of man (as opposed to the city of God). How did the city of man begin? We can trace its beginning to Gen. 4: “Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch” (vv. 16-17). Enoch is the first city mentioned in the Bible. It was built after Cain was banished from the presence of the LORD after killing his brother, Abel.
Read MoreThis year, we are calling our members to a life of prayer. We believe that the hardships and challenges we are facing are God-given opportunities for us to grow spiritually, especially in our prayer life. We all agree, I trust, that a good prayer life is vital to our Christian life and we can all grow in our prayer life. But why is it that so many of us have difficulty enjoying and benefiting from our prayer life? I believe that one major reason is fear of disappointment—in God and in our faith. What if we pray hard and long and God doesn’t answer our prayer? Many of us are afraid to try our best because, if we try our best and fail, we will feel like an utter failure. How do you live after that? If we don’t try our best and fail, at least we have the hope that, if we try our best next time, we might succeed. Rejection is hard to take, especially from God about something that matters a lot to us. If we pour our hearts out to God for something we want badly and God doesn’t give it to us, how can we handle the disappointment? As long as we don’t take that risk, we can always believe (however little) that God answers prayer. (I hope you see how ridiculous such thinking sounds!)
Read MoreAs we begin a new year, what are the desires and prayers of your heart? I’m sure all of us would like to regain the “normalcy” before COVID 19 so we can spend time with our families and friends without worrying about social distancing and wearing masks, go back to worshipping God and fellowshipping together side by side, go back to school and work as we used to, etc. Let us all pray that that time will come soon!
Read MoreIn today’s passage, we see what Moses did. He prayed to God, “Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants” (v. 13)! What else could he do? When a child is rightly rebuked by his father, what should he do? Should he walk away in despair, convinced that there was no point in asking for forgiveness because his offense against his father was too great? Would that be what the father wanted when he reprimanded his child? Of course not! What the father wants more than anything is for his wayward son to acknowledge his wrongdoing and ask for his father’s forgiveness and mercy! Where can a child go, away from his father’s bosom? What is better for the child than to be reconciled with his father and bask in his love again?
Read MoreYesterday, we spoke of the contrast between God’s eternity and man’s ephemerality. In this passage, we realize that there is more to the contrast: what was in the background comes to the fore—the cause of the transience of man. Moses knew too much to see man returning to dust as natural. Death is the curse that came upon humanity only after Adam and Eve’s fall in sin. But to Moses, this was not just a general truth about life. He was forced to witness its reality all around him. The brevity of life he describes in this Psalm was an ongoing reality very much present in his life as he saw his fellow Israelites dying away in the wilderness.
Read MoreIn this first section of the Psalm (vv. 1-6), we see a clear contrast between God and man—more specifically, between God’s eternity and man’s ephemerality. God has been the dwelling place of God’s people in all generations (v. 1) and He is God from everlasting to everlasting (v. 2). On the other hand, man, made of dust, returns to dust (v. 3). We know that he lasts only a brief moment, especially in comparison to the eternal God. A thousand years is a long time for man. But they are “but as yesterday” in God’s sight (v. 4). Isn’t that an interesting expression? A thousand years are so short to God that the moment He thinks about them, as it were, they are already gone as yesterday!
Read MoreWe are told that this Psalm is “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.” In all 150 Psalms, this is the only one that is attributed to Moses. Some of you know that there are five books in the Psalter. This Psalm is the first Psalm of Book 4. Interestingly, Book 4 opens up with this Psalm of Moses. Book 3 ended with Ps. 89 and that Psalm ends on a somewhat dark note. It is true that the last verse of Ps. 89 ends on an upbeat, positive note: “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen” (Ps. 89:52). But this ending is somewhat abrupt and surprising. Take a look at the few verses right before the last one: “Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed” (vv. 49-51).
Read MoreThe angels appeared to the unlikeliest of men to make the announcement about the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah—some shepherds in the field. Why to these men? Was it because Jesus was supposed to be the Good Shepherd? Possibly. But equally possible was because they were lowly people, neither rich nor powerful. They had to spend many nights away from the comfort of their homes, keeping watch over the sheep through the night, as they were doing the night the angels appeared. Consider also the angelic message: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (vv. 2:11-12). Christ the Lord was born in a stable, laid in a manger! He came in humility so that the humblest and lowliest of people like the shepherds can greet Him and worship Him and receive His salvation.
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