Dear Friend, How are you? Hope you had or are having a good day, today? Since last September, I’ve been going to an oriental medicine clinic. The reason being I went there first was due to digestion problems over the past few weeks. My hairdresser introduced the doctor, as she and her son were healed after acupuncture treatment and right diet about a year ago. My digestion problem was also healed after acupuncture treatment, right diet and some changes in my habit such as not too many thoughts, etc. As I found the acupuncture treatment helped my overall health, including cholesterol, I continue to have the treatment regularly till now. The clinic is always jam-packed, and I should wait long despite reservation. Sometimes I read books from the bookshelf in the clinic, while waiting. Other times, I brought my own book to read. I chose to bring Frank Laubach’s “Letters by a Modern Mystic” and “The Game with Minutes,” as the two titles are in one small and light hardcover. And I also felt that I must recall the contents and practice the game with minutes, especially when my mind was so busy and distracted easily last year. Soon enough, I came to read what I really needed the most, the one thing: “I seem to have to make sure of only one thing now, and every other thing “takes care of itself,” or I prefer to say what is more true, God takes care of all the rest. My part is to live this hour in continuous inner conversation with God and in perfect responsiveness to His will, to make this hour gloriously rich. … I do not claim success even for a day yet, in my mind, not complete success all day, but some days are close to success, and every day is tingling with the joy of a glorious discovery. That thing is eternal. That thing is undefeatable. You and I shall soon blow away from our bodies. Money, praise, poverty, opposition, these make no difference, for they will all alike be forgotten in a thousand years, but this spirit which comes to a mind set upon continuous surrender, this spirit is timeless life. … Clearly, clearly, my job here is not to go to the town plaza and make proselytes, it is to live wrapped in God, trembling to His thoughts, burning with His passion. And, my loved one, that is the best gift you can give to your own town. … The most wonderful discovery that has ever come to me is that I do not have to wait until some future time for the glorious hour. I need not sing, “Oh that will be glory for hour for me” - and wait for any grave. The hour can be heaven. … Every now is an eternity if it is full of God. (From Letters by a Modern Mystic)” I can’t recall when, but I started to yearn for something eternal from some time ago. I want to spend my time here on something eternal, not temporary. I do not mean that money is not important, as we need it to live here on earth. Also, health is important as long as we live in the earthly body. Yet, I found myself distracted by the news on politics, videos and articles on health, etc. so often. They may be important for a while, but they are temporary here on earth. So, I wanted to invest my time on something eternal that won’t fade away. My worship toward the Father and my Lord, Jesus is eternal. The time we spend together in the secret place, in His garden and everywhere I go is eternal. My relationship with Him. My love with Him. I recall Pastor John Fenn’s teaching that the relationships between saints are also eternal. We will remain friends and brothers & sisters in the Lord. The kindness, generosity, mercy, grace that we extend to one another will be eternal. Though I understood what would be eternal, my mind, however, was a battlefield very often. So, re-reading The Game with Minutes, I wanted to be reminded of the author’s advice. Then, I came to think of my yearning in my heart from a couple of years ago. If you and I were raptured tonight, we would be happy to meet our beloved families, friends, teachers, pastors or authors whom we wanted to meet in person. And whom do you want to head to and meet first? During my worship toward the Father in 2023, I would say to Him in tears, “Father, I look forward to seeing You face to face on that Day. I would run to You, when I get there.” He would be the first One I would like to meet. Even last week, I wanted to read the Scriptures that described the Father on the throne in the books of Daniel 7, Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4. I would imagine that I would finally see Him in person and be hugged by Him. Or I would prostrate in front of His feet, fearing His holiness and magnificence. Then, I came to say to myself, “Why on earth am I wasting my time, distracted by many, while I want to meet the Father first upon rapture? Every minute, I should turn my focus on Him. Every moment with Him is so precious and that’s eternal. I’m already in eternity!” Even if we don’t say anything to one another and our communion is in silence, our thoughts toward one another are precious and eternal. One night in 2023, I felt an impression in my heart that the Father wants me to come to Him, simply to worship and love Him, not for revelation. We often want to be so-called productive. And sometimes, our motives are not pure. We want our prayers to be answered, or we want revelation or gifts. “Of course we are not always sure whether we have guessed God’s answer right, but it is surprising how much of the time we are very certain. It really is not necessary to be sure that our answer is right, for the answer is not the great thing - He is! God is infinitely more important than His advice or His gifts; indeed, He, Himself, is the great gift. … The most precious privilege in talking with God is this intimacy which we can have with Him. We may have a glorious succession of heavenly minutes. How foolish people are to lose life’s most poignant joy, seeing it may be had while taking a walk alone! But the most wonderful discovery of all is, to use the words of St. Paul, “Christ liveth in me.” He dwells in us, walks in our mind, reaches out through our hands, speaks with our voices, IF we obey His every whisper. (From The Game with Minutes)” It’s ok, even if we would feel we heard nothing from the Father. No answered prayer nor revelation. No impression in our heart. He, Himself is the greatest gift to us. Friend, Prophecies will fail. Tongues will cease. Knowledge will vanish away. But love never fails. (1 Cor. 13:8) I pray that you and I yearn for something eternal and press forward to eternity in our hearts. Just like Mary, we choose one thing, the good part that will not be taken away from us. Amen! Have a bliss! Julie
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