Gifts

This year for me is not like other years before, it is a unique one! I believe that so is yours, with something very unexpected and new by His mercy He allows to happen in your days. Indeed, He is Glorious and never fails. He is God Who orders all things for our salvation, out of His Love toward us. And of course, we are not saying that we are everything, but the fact is He is everything. Will we not give thanks to Him for all things that has happened so far, both the things that we feel just 'ordinary' and something that are new, fresh and unique in our life? Glory to God for all things. Glory to Him for allowing us to meet new friends, new neighbours. Glory to Him for allowing us having new born babies and entrusted us to look after them. Glory to God for allowing some people slander us and make us upset. Glory to God for the new opportunities each day to hear the growth and even the need of the Church all over the world. Glory to Him for all things (You can add the list with your personal experiences)!

For me, what make this year definitely unique is the gifts, so many gifts that I receive from my friends both in the form of mental, spiritual and even physical helps. He sends me friends with great musical talents, He also make me known to His servants which support me and guide me to The Path. I learn a lot this year and testify that indeed He is The True Provider! "The Lord is my Shepperd, I shall not in want". And the more I am pondering on His Great deeds, I am so amazed and find something very awesome and make me welling up with tears of joy and contrition.

When I look back to the history of Israelite and see how God had been the True Provider along the journey in the desert, I find that that's very beautiful. Unfortunately, in the fallen nature and heart-hardened of them they missed the point. They thought that they are everything and it is God's duty to obey their wants. They kept grumbling about this and that, forgetting all the Mighty miracles and wonders God has shown before their very eyes. God had lead them with His Strong and Safe Hand through the arid desert, and sustained them miraculously in the midst of dangers and hardships. They had been a new nation among the wild and godless ones, just like sheep among the foxes. O, Glorious God! How Great and Mighty is He among the nations! He bestowed his precious gifts to His beloved ones.

Actually this has been so clear here, that this is the greatest thing among men: to set our eyes on Him, follow Him and to obey him wholeheartedly. That is, to desire God more than anything! Because God is even much greater than Canaan, because what is Canaan if not God blessed it to be the promised land?

This thing will bring joy and peace to our heart: to have fewer and fewer desires for earthly and material things and to have greater and greater desires for Him and everything that He loves. He is the first One, when we awake from our sleep, it must be natural thing to directly adore Him and remember His Love and to seek first His kingdom and its righteousness! Do we remember what The Saviour told us, " If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" And suddenly that reminds me to the Virgins parable. We see how the Five Wise Virgins, out of their love toward The Groom and desire Him more than anything else, they kept strengthened to be faithful waiting for the Awaited one, and not falling asleep!

Gifts (especially helps), whether they spiritual or physical are bestowed upon us according to His Mercy and Love, but let's keep reminded that we should not desire the gifts more than the Giver, yes, because indeed we are literally His own. And thus how great then our joy when He allows everything to happen around and to us, not only those which makes us laugh but also those which bring us bow in tears; for both the breads and the fresh fishes in our table or may be slanders and even the swords of the pagans! We are joyful because we desires Him and what He loves, more than our lives. (Listen to the audio podcast version of this posting here)

Glory to You O God, Glory to You! Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!