Letting Go Anxiety

How many times in a day we find such cases in our neighborhood:
- A dysfunctional family quarreling about each member's share of the estate?
- A couple undergoing divorce and disputing over the right to raise their children?
- A man or woman being slandered for no wrong?
- A teenager lacking love at home that falls into reckless living?
- A child abandoned by his/her irresponsible parents?

Each of the above stories is enough to cause us real pain and distress. And, this is what happens in everyday life.
With so much sorrow and aggravation we face each day on the planet, we tend to ask God, "Why?"
Why all these troubles? Why all the cares, pain, and hardship?
Some even say, "Why is God tempting us?"

My Friends, God does not tempt anyone, "but each man is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed" (James 1:14).

I guess it will help to view all the pain and sorrow in this world as part of the transient nature of life. Take a good look, and soon they're gone. As soon as one considers them, they vanish like a vapor of smoke. Mere illusion life on Earth is!
Solomon said it so well in the Scripture:

"For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hate, and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6).

Anger, anguish, pain, grief, disputes, quarrels, vengeance, hatred (and the list goes on) are not worth clinging on to.
They don't last!
Who would remember who we were, what our problem was, how we managed to solve (or ruin) our lives, and why had we settled our matters, after we have died? A hundred years from now there will be no rememberance of our lives aside from meaningless names carved on forgotten tombstones!
Why take to heart things so fleeting?
Why choose the path of joyless life?

The Teacher presents us the key to live a full, joyful life while living in this transient world: CONTENTMENT.
We know that our problems, anxiety, and unhappiness would diminish by far if each of us knew how to be content and grateful with what we have (that is, what God grants us to have), not with what we don't have!
As Apostle James would say, "If you know how to control your desire, you won't fall into temptation!"

This is Solomon's advice to us:

"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart (be grateful with your everyday's blessing), for it is now that God favors what you do (love the job you're running). Always be clothed in white (maintain an upright outlook and attitudes), and always anoint your head with oil (be filled with God's guiding Word and Spirit). Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love (cherish and nurture love in your marriage and family), all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun -- all you meaningless days (make the best use of your lifetime). For this (contentment in all things) is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (do the best while you can)" (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10).

What a wonderful place this planet would be, if each of us knows how to be content and grateful, instead of filling our hearts and minds with desires that lead to much pain and suffering?
Do the world a favor: spare yourself of discontentment!
Enjoy life to the fullest while you still have the chance!

The Material and the Divine

Ever heard the "Prosperity Belief" among Christians these days?
This belief ensures that God blesses a believer abundantly in matters of material wealth as the result of their faith in Him. Whoever is NOT materially wealthy, then, is either doubted to possess true faith in God, or reckoned as one who has done some sinful acts (or retained sinful way of living) that prevent God's material blessings to be poured richly into his/her life.
Alright, we all believe that God does bless all His children. He always provides the needs of those who put their faith and trust in Him -- material needs included. But does money matter above all else?
I don't find such notion in the Scripture.
The Bible says about all who trusts in the Lord and does what He pleases:

"To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness, but to the sinner, He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God" (Ecclesiastes 2:26, NIV).

Are we sure that the abundant amount of wealth we are gathering indicates that we are blessed by the Lord for being upright and living to please Him?
Not necessarily so!
The above verse states clearly that when a man of faith pleases the Lord, He grants him (1) wisdom, (2) knowledge, and (3) happiness.

What does it mean?

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" (Proverbs 1:7, NIV).

"Wisdom is supreme. Therefore, get wisdom! Though it costs all you have, get understanding!" (Proverbs 4:7, NIV)

It means that the Lord values spiritual treasures far above earthly ones. Wisdom and knowledge are the most precious matters on the planet, the Scripture says. This does not refer to worldly wisdom, but the divine one: the wisdom that springs from our fear of the Lord and flows into full knowledge of His divine being.
That is the one thing we should pursue!
When we are wise enough to fear God and grasp the knowledge of Him, He will send everlasting happiness and joy into our lives -- things money can never buy!

Why busy gathering treasures that will not last?
When God does bless us with abundant material wealth, as the above verse suggests, use it to gain wisdom and knowledge of God! Spend our worldly wealth to store up heavenly treasures, not only for ourselves, but for others as well!
Then, and only then, will we be rich in the sight of God.
The Lord blesses us all!

Do Everything in Love!

"Do everything in love!" wrote Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 16:14.
As I came across the above chapter in my daily devotion, the verse stabbed me! It was not an ordinary admonition, but a profound life-changing rebuke.
The church in Corinth was the most troublesome among all the churches in the days of the apostles. Oh, yes. They did possess material wealth in abundance, as well as spiritual gifts. But, something was fundamentally wrong with this church: the gifts of the Holy Spirit were misused, the congregation was divided four ways, the church members had no appropriate honor and understanding of the Holy Communion, and they had not mature in their spiritual life as they should, but remained "infants" in spirit.
It took Apostle Paul two long letters to straighten up the matters in the Corinthian church, teaching them (all over again): Godly wisdom, the true foundation of the church, the basic principles of marital life, the proper application of spiritual gifts, and so forth.
But the last command he wrote down for them, as the sum of all the teachings and exhortation, was the above verse: "Do everything in love!"
These four words stand like a mirror for the churches in our days:
If we have love, we will care for one another and will not be divided.
If we have love, we will use our spiritual gifts appropriately for edification of the church.
If we have love, we will grow and mature in the faith.
If we have love, we will know God and understand His good will and purpose in our lives.
If we have love, we will come to perfection.

Love is the key to everything!

Why do we complain?
Why do we quarrel?
Why do we find our ministry a burden?

Let's examine our foundation: have we done everything out of love, or not?
Jesus founded His church on love. That was why He gave His life as an atoning sacrifice of redemption in exchange for our condemned souls.
Shouldn't we now do the same, building our ministry on our love to Him who has loved us so?

Take Up Your Cross

"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me," said Jesus as recorded in Luke 9:23.

For centuries, the cross has become the symbol of suffering, affliction, and self-denial, that whenever a believer is in tribulation or distressing situation, we refer to him/her as one "bearing the cross." A woman undergoing great struggle once told us, "I guess this is my cross to bear."
Yes, we take up our cross and follow Jesus when the journey is tough, through the valley of the shadows of death, resting our hope in Him who always guides us and had set His bloody footprints for us to follow along the way. We believe He will strengthen us and lead us to a place of shelter and peace.
And, He always does.

But, what do we do after He does deliver us from tribulation?
What happens after the Lord leads us to a spacious place where our burdens are turned into blessings and our tears replaced with laughter?
Let's consider the fact: believers tend to find it much easier to trust in the Lord in times of trouble than in times of joy!
Most of the time, when life has gone soft on us, the wind of tribulation has been stilled, and God's provision is in abundance, we tend to lay the cross aside, thinking it's no longer necessary to take it up when the road is smooth and easy.

Did Jesus say so?
No!
The Lord had stated it very clearly, "He must deny himself and take up his cross DAILY and follow Me!"
The word "daily" comprises every single moment of our life, in joy and sorrow, in pain and blessing, in good times as well as bad times. There should never be a day in our life that we stop bearing the cross of Jesus!

The cross doesn't merely talk about pain and suffering, tribulation and hardship, in following the Lord. It speaks of living as the Lord's redeemed people who always honor, cherish, and reflect Christ's atoning sacrifice in every aspect of our life, every single day on Earth, whatever the circumstances may be.
This is the foundation of Christian life and the basis of our following the Lord. The cross is our strength as well as shield and weapon. Without it, we will not be able to withstand the attack of the Enemy.

And the Enemy knows how alluring the comfort of abundance really is.
Once the Lord has lifted up our burdens and replaced it with blessing, the Devil comes and tricks us into laying the cross aside. The blessing God has provided can be turned into a trap when we are not careful of the Devil's subtle ways and be seduced into forsaking the Lord's cross.
That's the moment of a believer's downfall!

Let's remain alert at all times, keeping in mind to take up our cross DAILY and follow the Lord. Only in focusing on Jesus in every circumstance we can stay solid and immovable in our faith to Him.
Amen.

It Will be Me

If you hear a voice,
In the middle of the night,
Saying it'll be all right,
It will be me.
If you feel a hand,
Guiding you along,
When the path seems wrong,
It will be me.

There is no mountain that I can't climb,
For you I'd swim through the rivers of time,
As you go your way, and I go mine,
A light will shine, and it will be me.

If there is a key that goes to your heart,
A special part, it will be me.
If you need a friend, call out to the wind,
To hold you again, it will be me.
Oh, how the world seems so unfair,
Creating a love that cannot be shared,
As you go your way, and I go mine.
A light will shine, and it will be me.

I see ever after,
There's a place for two,
In your tears and laughter,
I'll be there for you.
In the sun and the moon,
In the land and the sea,
Look all around you,
It will be me.

There is no mountain that I can't climb,
For you I'd swim through the rivers of time,
As you go your way, and I go mine,
A light will shine, and it will be me.

It will be me...
It will be me...



Lyrics: OST Walt Disney's BROTHER BEAR 2.
Picture: Ikki & Shun, Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac.

Gold Saint Aquarius

When the boy, Hyoga, first set foot on the remote terrain of Siberia on the start of his training to become a bronze saint, Camus Aquarius welcome his young, new disciple with icy-cold look and the utmost-important question, "What's your purpose of becoming a saint?"
Hyoga replied honestly, "When I am powerful enough, Master, I plan to salvage my mother's body, buried in a drowned ship in the Arctic."
The prince of ice turned and shook his head.
"No, Hyoga," he said. "If you fight for such a reason, you will only end up dooming yourself."
He then pointed at the icebergs, stretching miles and miles on end, and told the boy, "Look, Hyoga. Only when you've become as tough and emotionless as the eternally frozen icebergs of Siberia will you be able to become a true saint and formidable fighter."
Hyoga didn't understand. The memory of his mother was the most priceless matter in the world to him. Even after he did become the Cygnus Bronze Saint, he still couldn't leave the memory behind. Camus noticed, but kept the matter to himself.

To Hyoga, even as he so highly respected his master and found him a fatherly figure, Camus always appeared as a cold, emotionless person. Little did he know that deep within, his master was a selfless man who always fought for the greater good and would not hesitate to sacrifice at any cost.
His life goal was to train a prodigy that would one day succeed him as the Aquarius Gold Saint.

It so happened that after Hyoga Cygnus finished his training and rejoined his band of bronze saints, war broke out between the saints of Athena and the gold saints of the Sanctuary. This would mean that Hyoga and Camus would stand on opposite sides.
Camus knew at that time who was on the right, yet he refused to choose side. His concern was on Hyoga alone.
Nevertheless, as the guardian of the Aquarius Temple of the Precious Urn, he had to return to Greece and guard his post.

As Hyoga and the other bronze saints arrived at the Sanctuary and fought their way, Camus took his disciple aside to the empty Temple of Libra, and taught him one last lesson.
Hyoga had to understand that to be able to challenge a gold saint in a fair combat, he had to master the "seventh sense," the ability to reach the highest cosmos and utilizing the power of the universe to the zenith. In order to reach this level, Hyoga had to go beyond the physical plane and every single matter that tied him to the present dimension, including the loving memory of his deceased mother. Camus had long seen this as Hyoga's ultimate weakness that hindered him from becoming a true saint.
But still, the boy wouldn't let it go. Even after Camus drowned the ship to the deepest trench of the Arctic, even after he gave Hyoga such blows to wake his seventh sense up, he still wouldn't let go.
"This isn't going to work," Camus thought to himself -- and finally decided to hit his disciple unconcious with the Aurora Execution, his most powerful attack.
Gazing down at the boy lying on the cold floor, Camus sighed heavily. It was most likely that, if Hyoga couldn't master the seventh sense, he would waste his life in unfair combat.
"It will be better if you die by my hand than another's," Camus whispered. "I will spare you a painful death."
Upon thinking so, Camus locked his disciple in an ice coffin, weeping bitterly as executing the boy, yet still believing that it was for the best. Tears running down his cheeks, Gold Saint Aquarius left the Temple of Libra, shattered within.

But Hyoga hadn't died. Several hours later, his friends arrived at the spot. And Shiryu Dragon, who happened to be the disciple of Gold Saint Libra Dohko, "borrowed" his master's weapon to break the ice coffin and set Hyoga free.
Finally, Hyoga returned to combat, to encounter Camus' best-friend, Milo Scorpio, in the next temple. Under excessive torture in the hand of Milo, eventually Hyoga succeeded in surpassing the present dimension and reaching the seventh sense.
Milo congratulated the boy and granted him permission to continue to the next temple.

In the end, Hyoga came face to face with his master once more -- and Camus did his best to train the boy to master his newly-achieved seventh sense, teaching him the Aurora Execution.
Upon reaching complete mastery, as both master and disciple were using the Aurora at the same time, Hyoga eventually defeated Camus. The Gold Saint Aquarius fell onto the floor, dying in contentment. At last he succeeded in creating a true saint, the one he had been waiting for his entire life.
Hyoga fell down in total exhaustion, crying remorsefully. Only then did he find out how much his master had loved him, what price Camus was willing to pay to make him a better man and a true saint.

After his death, Camus' spirit remained in his Aquarius gold cloth, and whenever Hyoga was in great danger, the cloth would come to aid and protect him. Camus kept guiding his disciple even after his departure, until Hyoga was qualified enough to become the next Gold Saint Aquarius.

The above story was part of the anime Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, a TV series I used to watch 17 years ago. Out of the blue, the memory returned so vividly to me that I decided to give a thorough look:

The master, the disciple...
The lessons, the forging...
The selflessness, the sacrifice...
The iceberg without, the flaming love within...
The boy who became the saint!

And was it fate or coincidence that I was born an Aquarian?

Two Scenarios

Imagine yourself a film producer. One day, you are handed two screenplays to choose:

(1) A boy from a good family comes into bad neighborhood and is seduced to follow wayward living. He enjoys the wild, reckless, and adventurous so-called "freedom" for a while until he discovers that it all doesn't worth the love and affection he's got back home, so he turns away and returns to his family after learning his lesson.

(2) A boy from a good family comes into bad neighborhood, is seduced to follow wayward living, gets trapped in deep trouble, and gets killed without ever being able to return to the right path.

Which scenario would you prefer?

No doubt, you would choose the first one, as would any film producer in the world!
Nevertheless, my friends, that first scenario is nearly always found in fictions and not necessarily so in reality!
As a matter of fact, observing the situation of our days, the majority of young generation tend to fall into the second, tragic scenario!
Youths try to bite a taste of the forbidden fruit, thinking they can get away in the end, but the consequences of their recklessness overtake them before they can learn anything from it -- and they end up with their lives either cut off or shattered. There's no anti-climax of repentance, no resolution of second chance.
That's what we find in reality. Most of the time, there is no second chance as offered in the movies. The sand in the hourglass runs out way too fast.
That is real life.

But we also need to keep in mind that the fact we find so many cases of the second scenario out there also results from how frequent our children are exposed to the first scenario at home!
Parents, be careful what television is "teaching" our children!
TV or movie plots are fictions, delusive rather than instructing. We need to emphasize to our younglings from the early stage of childhood that the stories told through that tube is NOT REAL!
A youth these days is so prone to tell him/herself, "Ah, it's okay. I'll get away with it, just like the hero(ine) in the movie last night."
If we don't want our children to have this pattern of thought printed in their mind, we'd better start guiding them from now on in understanding fiction, filtering and selecting the stories they should and should not watch.
How many young lives are wasted out there on the streets, never returning home as living teens, bright and joyful as they should have been in their prime of life, just because we let the poison slip unnoticed from the crystal tube into the children's head?
Let's take extra caution in bringing up our kids. Don't let them believe "there is always a second chance" slogan offered by man-made stories. They probably won't survive that second chance!