Dear….
‘Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god….’
Psalm 16:4
Some of us of the slightly older vintage might remember the diminutive South African long distance runner of some reputation, Ms Zola Budd. She was famous for running barefooted but became infamous when her foot accidentally caught the thighs of her rival, the American runner Mary Decker and derailed both their Olympic dreams in the Summer Olympic Games in 1984.
‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God.’
Mark 10:17-23
By God’s prescience, the Daily Bread reading this morning(DB Tuesday 17th Aug 10) talks about the dangers of our race for the riches of the world and I quote “Don’t let riches or the pursuit of riches, derail your pursuit of Jesus.” A known fact this might be, but still a useful reminder for many who have since lost sight of God’s purpose for their finite lives, having been blindsided by this great desire to cumulate things of the world for eternity, forgetting that it is life after that matters more. And on the matter of derailment, reality is that much as troubles can bring us much grief, such troubles also double as a means to bring us back into focus upon things that truly matters, that is, eternity with God or eternal damnation in Hell.
‘Hell and destruction are never full, so the eyes of man are never satisfied.’
Proverbs 27:20
The Olympics according to folklore originated in Greece, as a competition to glorify the physical prowess of the then all conquering Greek city states as well as a tribute to their great god, King Zeus, who purportedly rules in the Heavens. Today, much as many have come to disregard Greek mythology as the basis for the Olympics, for the modern Olympics is meant to be a platform of men’s idealism, reality is many continue to pursue the gods, though of a different form - that of glory and adulation.
‘Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else, I am God and there is none like Me.’
Isaiah 46:9
Many of us often accepted the faith, and brand ourselves Christians when we tripped up, like Zola, in our lives. And once God picked us up, we often resume running on the same track of carnal desire, with mammon as the end all of our determined pursuits, instead of switching tracks towards Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.
‘Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust…..
Psalm 16:1
What if you are truly desirous of running the heavenly race and is prepared to leave the treacherous paths that the devil has laid for all of Adam’s seeds? How can one stay the course and not be swayed back into the once well trodden alluring road to damnation?
If you are willing, God’s will shall prevail.
‘I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His domination shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and earth, Who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.’
Daniel 6:26-28
This morning, as I spent time with our Lord, He brought me to the book of Daniel and most will be familiar with the faithfulness of Daniel and how God protected him in the lion’s den. And how King Darius, the ruler of most of the known civilized world then truly acknowledge the faithfulness of the Sovereign God, much as nowhere was it mentioned that King Darius worship Daniel’s and our God.
‘The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup; Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, yea, I have a godly heritage. I will bless the Lord, Who hath given me counsel, my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.’
Psalm 16:5-8
Tearing is an emotion I do not do often, but since the Spirit of God touched me that night in Bangkok, a welling of joy and thankfulness that cascades into tears of thankfulness is an oft enough occurrence that the Lord has blessed me at His time. And this morning, the reading of Daniel, not an unfamiliar story nor an unfamiliar verse in my regular traipsing through God’s Word imbued in me this tearful thankfulness. Indeed God stays faithful, but unlike Daniel, most of us often err in our steadfastness to an ever present God.
‘Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before His God, as he did aforetime.’
Daniel 6:10
Our only goal in life must be one where we strive to look towards Christ the author and finisher of our faith, and our pursuit of this command of God must never be swayed by the distractions of the world nor our self deceit. Daniel was a man of the Old Testament. He looked to God. Today, as children of God living in the New Testament, our great God has now brought forth the next phase of His plans, for God knows that the finite men can never meet the requirements of the law, but the law was put in place to remind us of our need to look to Christ as our example, and to lean upon the leading of the Holy Spirit that Christ left in the hearts of believers to intercede for us with God our Father, till His return.
‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’
John 13:35
What must be the measure of the “success” of our total pursuit of our relationship with the Sovereign God?
Can men see the glory and grace of God upon our lives and like the evil men of Daniel’s time, they can find no fault in us, other than our total obedience and love and fear for God our Father?
‘Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.’
Daniel 6:5
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(17th Aug 10)
What should we truly pursue in life??
Do take time to read and ponder through Psalm 128( see linkhttp://www.o-bible.com/cgibin/ob.cgi?version=kjv&book=psa&chapter=128) and may it be both edifying and enlightening.
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