Monday, October 17, 2011
Not too long ago just had a blessed day with my sweetheart. Has been some time when someone beloved spent time celebrating my birthday with me. Once again, its really amazing how things have moved on so fast, yet feel so long. Sometimes i ask myself, whether it might be to presumptuous of me to ask you stuff like marriage, engagement, talking about our possibly distant future of kids and family.... But these things seem to come so naturally, and its like we have both on our part, thought through such things as well. I guess its really maturity coming together with age? No more the expedient means to get a girlfriend, or just merrying around. :) All i want to say is: 总觉得跟你好像过了半辈子，有时像老夫老妻，有时又像小孩子嬉闹。总之每一天都是幸福的；没刺激，但也不枯燥乏味。
Went to church today and was touched by several verses shared! Hahaha. I always make it a point to record certain learning points down usually after church so that i will ever remember and be refreshed. The first of the verses goes:
Exodus 21:1-6; "1 “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them: 2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever."
This is actually the first judgment that God had passed and ordained after the Ten Commandments, thus bearing some significance. But why did He choose to highlight this out of so many laws? I was shown by my pastor that Jesus did not only come as a king of the Jews, but more importantly, a servant to all mankind who is willing to accept Him as our servant and our saviour. More verses continues to play out this beautiful picture.
Psalms 40:6-8; "6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”"
In the New American Standard Bible (NASB), "My ears You have opened" had a footnote identifying that it meant being pierced. So this refers to the notion of being God's servant. Finally in Hebrews 10:5-8:
Hebrews 10:5-10; 5 "Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’”
8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
This is actually the first judgment that God had passed and ordained after the Ten Commandments, thus bearing some significance. But why did He choose to highlight this out of so many laws? I was shown by my pastor that Jesus did not only come as a king of the Jews, but more importantly, a servant to all mankind who is willing to accept Him as our servant and our saviour. More verses continues to play out this beautiful picture.
Psalms 40:6-8; "6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”"
In the New American Standard Bible (NASB), "My ears You have opened" had a footnote identifying that it meant being pierced. So this refers to the notion of being God's servant. Finally in Hebrews 10:5-8:
Hebrews 10:5-10; 5 "Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’”
8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
And thus, this fully depicts that Jesus came to be a man to serve the ones He loved so much, that He willingly healed the multitudes, cleaned the feet of His disciples, and sacrificed Himself on the cross for all our sins to be paid for! He could have walked away after all He had done on Earth, as per a good servant without any blemishes to His service terms; to avoid death and to return to Heaven (as per Exodus 21). But He loved His Father, and He loved us all that he stayed to be bound forever as our saviour. As a body prepared by God, just like the ear of a servant, He was nailed to the doorpost (cross) signifying His commitment to us.
Who are we to always complain, that God is not with us, Jesus is not on our side, when He clearly chose to stay with us even though He could have just left the world without a care?
Lord i thank You for the journeys You have gone before me; I know that the choices i made are the doors that You have opened. In You i trust, and i pray that as a month will pass soon, You will be in our midst, sealing our relationship with Your love. And it is through understanding Your love, that Jingting and i will love and appreciate each other, evermore. :)