Chasing after God is always something that I personally think is a mystery. Just imagine, how do you chase after something you cannot see, and what can motivate one to keep chasing after something that you do not physically see. It amazes me how one can be pursuing so wholeheartedly, what is it that stirs them, what inspires them, and where did the energy come from?
One passage that I read, and have always been challenged by is what Paul stated in Philippians 3:7-8
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ"
When I look at Paul's heart, it stirs within me the conviction and devotion that Paul had. I become really challenged that am I considering all things in my life uncomparable to the knowledge of Christ in my life? Is Christ so important to me that I will chase and pursue after Him, and not be afraid of losing anything else in my life. As I meditate on this scripture even more, it stirs me to see that it is not just everything I have, but whatever was to my profit, it is not comparable to knowing Christ Jesus. It is like giving up all your life, to just come to know God.
"Am I willing to give up my life to come to know Christ deeper?"
"Am I willing to give up my comfort to come to know Him more?"
"Am I willing to give up my work to serve God more?"
"Am I willing to give up my friendship, relationship to just seek His heart deeper?"
These are questions that I think will be a challenge to answer, how much am I willing to give up to just know God more. Paul is willing to give it all up to just seek God wholeheartedly, am I able to live up to Paul's convictions.........I am challenged, because when I look at it, I don't know if I'm ready to give it all up just to know Christ deeper. It felt like I want the cake, and I also want to eat it. I want to know Christ deeper, but I also want to still keep all I have. But I realise that all these other things that I have in life distracts me a lot from coming to know Christ deeper. And maybe that's why God says so clearly that you should only be serving one master.
When I look at my life, no wonder I seem so far from where God is calling me to, because I don't know Him deeper, and that's just because there have been so much other focus in my life - work, relationship, ministry, and that it has been so hard at times to just prioritise to say that it is just for God alone. As I prayed more, I am just so much more convicted that my purpose in life is to pursue after God alone. The pursuit of God should be one where one runs with the perseverance............just as how Hebrews 12:1-2 says:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, the sin that so easily entangles, and run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
This year, this is my motto - "to pursue and seek after God, and not just do what I have to do" I want to grow in my conviction that my pursuit of God can be reflected in how everything is considered rubbish, only unless it brings an increase towards more of Christ. I pray that God will lead me to more of Him in my life. Hallelujah!!!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
It is for HIM alone
It has been a while since I last put in an entry. Personally, it has been a busy start to the new year, but also one that is exciting and challenging. I have actually so much to share that I do not know where to start from...........
One conviction that God has really laid upon my heart recently as I prayed for my goals for this new year, is that I want to put God first above all else, where nothing else comes before God. It is a constant struggle, not that I have not known, but to put it into action in all areas of my life. I tend to find that when I get busy with work, ministry, I tend to have thoughts to give God a miss that day. And until the end of the day, when I pray and chat with God, I realise that ..........opps, I forgot to spend time with God that day. Being honest, it has happened to me a few times, and I really felt so guilty about it, and that's when I questioned myself, "how important is God to me, that every morning when I wake up, He is the one that I want to look for, not my manager, or my sheep, or my close ones."
I looked at it, and challenge myself that God should be the number 1 of my life, in my work, my ministries, and my relationships with different ones. I have always made this prayer, that God, help me to put you first. But as I look back, it has only been a prayer, and the struggle still remains. And I'm at that point..........God it can't stay that way any longer, but I want to do it, where you are the first one that I think about in all aspects of my life.
I placed upon myself that it is not just a need to draw closer to God, but it is a desire. Such a great desire that nothing else could take that place. I committed it to God the other day, all that will take that place of His, and lay it before His feet. I want to do it like how Paul does it......... where he considers his life worh nothing to him, that if only he may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given (Acts 20:24). I really pray that I can do it, where all that is in my life is worth nothing to me, but what is more precious, is my life and purpose in Christ. It is my heart cry that our achievements, relationships and ministries are not what we are living for, but it is Christ that we are living for.
This is only one of which that God has spoken to me about...................I pray that all that is reading this, will catch the same heartbeat. Let it be Christ that we are living for.
One conviction that God has really laid upon my heart recently as I prayed for my goals for this new year, is that I want to put God first above all else, where nothing else comes before God. It is a constant struggle, not that I have not known, but to put it into action in all areas of my life. I tend to find that when I get busy with work, ministry, I tend to have thoughts to give God a miss that day. And until the end of the day, when I pray and chat with God, I realise that ..........opps, I forgot to spend time with God that day. Being honest, it has happened to me a few times, and I really felt so guilty about it, and that's when I questioned myself, "how important is God to me, that every morning when I wake up, He is the one that I want to look for, not my manager, or my sheep, or my close ones."
I looked at it, and challenge myself that God should be the number 1 of my life, in my work, my ministries, and my relationships with different ones. I have always made this prayer, that God, help me to put you first. But as I look back, it has only been a prayer, and the struggle still remains. And I'm at that point..........God it can't stay that way any longer, but I want to do it, where you are the first one that I think about in all aspects of my life.
I placed upon myself that it is not just a need to draw closer to God, but it is a desire. Such a great desire that nothing else could take that place. I committed it to God the other day, all that will take that place of His, and lay it before His feet. I want to do it like how Paul does it......... where he considers his life worh nothing to him, that if only he may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given (Acts 20:24). I really pray that I can do it, where all that is in my life is worth nothing to me, but what is more precious, is my life and purpose in Christ. It is my heart cry that our achievements, relationships and ministries are not what we are living for, but it is Christ that we are living for.
This is only one of which that God has spoken to me about...................I pray that all that is reading this, will catch the same heartbeat. Let it be Christ that we are living for.
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