Devotional

Enemies

30 March 2009

” Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, an sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” Luke 6:27-36

Sebelumnya saya tidak penah memikirkan kalau Yesus akan memberikan perintah kepada kita untuk mengasihi musuh musuh kita, merasakan kehangatan kasih musuh-musuh kita, yang saya tahu adalah bagaimana saya menunjukkan sikap balasan terhadap perlakuan musuh mush kita. Setiap dari kita diciptakan menurut gambar dan rupa Allah. Dapatkah kita membayangkan bila dunia diubahkan oleh setiap orang yang hidup didalam perintah Yesus dengan melakukan segala perintah-perintah-Nya. Tidak akan ada tindakan bodoh yang keluar, tidak ada lagi peluru yang akan melukai sesama, tidak akan ada lagi aksi salaing melempar batu. Orang akan berjalan di dalam perbedaan dan akan tetap berusaha menghormati seorang akan yang lain dalam satu pemandaangan yang sama.

Apakah hal ini dapat terjadai di dunia kita suatu hari nanti ? dapat terjadi di negara kita dimana kita tinggal saat ini suatu hari nanti ? Yes. We can ask God to open our hearts and minds so that we will become the kind of people worthy of the name Christian. We can also ask God to open the hearts and minds of those who hate us and to turn their hatred to understanding.

Hearing The Whisper

31 March 2009

” After the earthquake ( came ) a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:19:12

Seperti Elia, kita biasanya mengharapkan melihat Allah di dalam tampak angin, gempa alam dan api yang datang menerpa kehidupan kita. Namun melalui sesuatu apapun Allah dapat berbicara dengan jelas dan bekerja di sekitar kita. But more often, God speaks in a gentle whisper. Keeping a spiritual journal over the years has helped me to discern God’s voice. Jikalau melihat lima tahun yang lalu saya mengalami masalah dengan kehidupan doa saya. Saya telah mencoba berbagai cara doa yang berbeda, But i always felt that i was doing the talking. Seperti Elia, bisa saja kita begitu cemburu , marah, percaya diri kepada Tuhan, tapi sebenarnya kita tidak mendengar dan tidak dapat mengerti suara Tuhan.

Celebrate

1 April 2009

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Paslm 118:24

One day during a discussion of “firsts” in our lives, I shared with my pastor my practise of first-ofthe-month clebrations. When they asked me what kind of things I do to mark the day, I found myself hesistant to tell them, affraid that my little ceremonies would sound frivolous in light of the spiritual discussion we were having at the time.

However, in the bible we are told repeatedly to rejoice in our salvation and God for the goodness of life. Not just once a month but every day, God takes pleasure in seeing us enjoying the world and the blessing in our lives. Even seemingly frivolous activities can become spiritual if we do them with gratitude in our hearts toward God.

Eyes Of Love

7 July 2009

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love”. Paslm 103:8

God Knows my mean thoughts, jealous tendencies, and lazy attitudes. In spite of my misdeeds, God looks at me with eyes of love. God is not blind to our sins but forgives us when we ask. As I view the world and its great potential, my attitude enables me to look with greater compassion. Following God’s example, when hurts come I find it easier to forgive the people who hurt me. Look at the world with the eyes of love.