When I wash my car, I usually listen to sermon podcast. The sermons normally last for 30 to 40 minutes, which is the amount of time needed to wash the car. The sermon I listened to today is called "Good Servants, Wicked Servants and the Enemies of God" (with transcript). In particular, the Pastor asked 4 questions that are worth reflecting:
1. Do you habitually commit sin? Are you stuck in cycles of secret sin that you have kept quiet forever that own you?
2. Do you seek to live a holy life by being obedient to God’s Word?
3. Do you love others?
4. Are your affections on the things of this world or do you have any affection for God?
If the answers of the questions are in a certain way, then I'd better to reflect deeper to find out whether I am really converted. To be honest, my answers to these questions may make me quite embarrassed. I needed to stay in my car and pray for repentance after listening to the sermon. I just felt I'm way off.
Since the birth of Daniel, the pressure (or driving force, whichever way you want to say it) to be the head of the family in a way God wants is getting bigger. On the other hand, the fatigue due to child caring keeps catching me. I am not a person with strong will. So, once I am tired, the old self would catch me and so are all the same old problems.
Life is a struggle, I've learned. To struggle through the lukewarm situation I am living in, I must adjust the way I spend my time. Taking care of Daniel and Esther leaves me little time and energy to sit down and meditate. It's the bit and pieces that I need to seize and make a difference. Two of the things I'm working on including reading Bible in train, and spending less time absorbing messages from this world (e.g. political podcast, news, etc.) The goal is to leave more room in my life. So far, the progress is not significant. I will keep on pushing.
In the sermon, the pastor said, "He’s given me my children to impart the glory of His name to." I believe no matter what kind of father I become, God can work out a way to make my children precious tools of His own. If I can be the channel myself, that would be my honor. A really great honor. And I am most willing to try my very best to achieve it.
1 則留言:
Life is difficult & we're always in a struggle. This is why Immanuel "God with us" is so very important.
His steadfast love & faithfulness, His complete acceptance is all that we can rely on. While we have to repent once we've discovered where we've gone wrong, we can rest assured that He still walks with us & gives us the strength & grace to work out His miracles in our lives & the lives of the people He has entrusted to us. That's why it can be "relaxing" to be a Christian although we live in a fast-pace society with numerous forces that intend to pull us away from God & drain us of our energy.
I hope you know we pray for U & ur family every single day.
Much love,
mom
發佈留言