Saturday, November 4, 2017
Numbers 20:11
I think this was the second time that the Israelites complained about their situation and upset with Moses for leading them out of Egypt. The Israelites even said that at least in Egypt, the would not die of starvation. This is incredulous to me simply because of how short minded and short-sighted they are. God told Moses to strike a rock and this is so powerful to me because of the two sides in this verse. One, my frustration with the Israelites is very funny especially since I know that I am no better. I look back right now and can think of all the doubts and complaints that I have about why my life panned out this way in order for me to be where I am. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, with painstaking lives and hard manual labor day in and day out. Yet we see now how they still have the audacity to complain. I understand that they are wandering in the desert for quite some time and that there is no foreseeable end, but to just have that perspective and to evaluate where they are at and where they used to be, it seems very similar to what I do on an everyday basis. My application for this week is to be more cognitive of my thinking. My complaints are daily, my struggles are daily, but to be sustained by God in every second of my life should be apparent. I need to be metacognitive of my complaints and stress, to think with an eternal perspective.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Psalm 116
Observation:
1. God has shown me infinite grace and mercy throughout my life, even when I actively reject trying to remember His glory.
2. His graciousness should be appreciated maximally; He his constantly maximally pouring out his love and mercy upon me and I simply receive abundantly.
Interpretation:
1. Even in times of turmoil, doubt, stress, earthshattering movements with life, giving thanks to God and always coming back to the house of the Lord is of utmost importance and an aspect of Christianity.
2. The nature of giving thanks to the Lord is not because of the result or lack of result in which requests are made, they are made despite the results and not a contingent of met desires.
3. The factual statement is made that God hears and knows of every plea and cry that is lifted up to him; he does not turn a blind eye or ear to situations.
Application:
I like to think that I've been through a lot, a lot more than the people around me, the peers that I engage with on a daily basis. This way of thinking has allowed two things to enter my life; Victim mentalities and constant stress. To explain further, I feel that I am dry. I feel that I am spent and cannot bear another setback. I have become emotionally, physically, and spiritually dry. This has been my battle for the past two years and I know that my darkest days are still to come despite what I have been through already.
The sermon Pastor Sean preached about courage during the Area Large group spoke to me and stirred thoughts in my head. I do not consider myself courageous, less so courageous because of God. This renewed way of thinking is interesting to me because I have been operating each day with a negative emotion on the outtake of my life. Whether it be school, work, Christianity, etc., I do not know how to enjoy the beauty of life that God has intended and designed for me to experience, however, this verse speaks differently and I have interpreted it as something where I should be thankful. This gentle rebuke is something that I have been able to receive for the first time in a while. I would always pity my situation, pity my family. But the fact remains that the "Lord is gracious, he has been good to me, he has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living". I think the application that I am beginning to see is the reason for living and desire for living for God. I received a call Friday afternoon from Deloitte saying that they want to offer me a summer internship. I cannot remember the last time I had a break like this from life and the moment that I got the call, I did not turn to God, instead, I was overcome with joy and happiness. I just look back and regret how the joy and happiness were not God-centered; I have relied on God through prayer, dialogue, etc. throughout this recruitment process and yet when I succeeded, I did not feel that I gave God the glory, the full credit. I need to be able to recognize that and it should be my first instinct in life. To always give thanks to God first and lift my cup up as a display of my worship towards and for Him
1. God has shown me infinite grace and mercy throughout my life, even when I actively reject trying to remember His glory.
2. His graciousness should be appreciated maximally; He his constantly maximally pouring out his love and mercy upon me and I simply receive abundantly.
Interpretation:
1. Even in times of turmoil, doubt, stress, earthshattering movements with life, giving thanks to God and always coming back to the house of the Lord is of utmost importance and an aspect of Christianity.
2. The nature of giving thanks to the Lord is not because of the result or lack of result in which requests are made, they are made despite the results and not a contingent of met desires.
3. The factual statement is made that God hears and knows of every plea and cry that is lifted up to him; he does not turn a blind eye or ear to situations.
Application:
I like to think that I've been through a lot, a lot more than the people around me, the peers that I engage with on a daily basis. This way of thinking has allowed two things to enter my life; Victim mentalities and constant stress. To explain further, I feel that I am dry. I feel that I am spent and cannot bear another setback. I have become emotionally, physically, and spiritually dry. This has been my battle for the past two years and I know that my darkest days are still to come despite what I have been through already.
The sermon Pastor Sean preached about courage during the Area Large group spoke to me and stirred thoughts in my head. I do not consider myself courageous, less so courageous because of God. This renewed way of thinking is interesting to me because I have been operating each day with a negative emotion on the outtake of my life. Whether it be school, work, Christianity, etc., I do not know how to enjoy the beauty of life that God has intended and designed for me to experience, however, this verse speaks differently and I have interpreted it as something where I should be thankful. This gentle rebuke is something that I have been able to receive for the first time in a while. I would always pity my situation, pity my family. But the fact remains that the "Lord is gracious, he has been good to me, he has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living". I think the application that I am beginning to see is the reason for living and desire for living for God. I received a call Friday afternoon from Deloitte saying that they want to offer me a summer internship. I cannot remember the last time I had a break like this from life and the moment that I got the call, I did not turn to God, instead, I was overcome with joy and happiness. I just look back and regret how the joy and happiness were not God-centered; I have relied on God through prayer, dialogue, etc. throughout this recruitment process and yet when I succeeded, I did not feel that I gave God the glory, the full credit. I need to be able to recognize that and it should be my first instinct in life. To always give thanks to God first and lift my cup up as a display of my worship towards and for Him
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