If you believe… (John 11:40) 021008
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
Yesterday was a restful day, it was both the Children’s Day and a public holiday for Hari Raya Puasa for the Muslim. I managed to wake up slightly later which was much needed for me. I had a bit of flu which caused my nose to be blocked and runny at the same time; it was because I had not been resting enough for the past few days. Though I was not able to bring my daughter out for a swim or play with her more, we did have some good time together at home. I just had to take life easy and enjoy every moments given by God.
The problem with us as modern day people, not only for Christians, we do not know how to trust in God by taking life easy and enjoying every moments. This is especially true for a fast-paced society like Singapore. We either has to make things happened or at least to be a happening person, it is not socially acceptable to simply waiting for things to happen. This is all in the name of improvement and advancement. But my questions will be: what are we improving to become? Where are we advancing to? Not many people can give me an answer.
Some will want to improve themselves with more certificates, with more gadgets and with a better image that they see on advertisement and movies. Some will want to advance in their academic pursues, career and their circle of authority. I do not see that there is anything wrong with all these pursues in life, in fact life without motivation to improve and advance will be really meaningless and become stagnant. But in the midst of all these pursue, there is one very obvious central motivation and purpose: that is they have to depend on themselves for having quality life rather than trusting in God to provide for them.
People spend all their resources and energies to go after qualification, career success, bigger bank account, faster cars, larger homes, and even recognitions from people they don’t even recognized. Recently, in the studies of Biblical Finance, I come across this expression about our modern generation of people: we spend the money that we don’t have to buy the things which we don’t need to impress the people whom we don’t even like or know.
This is even true in our Christian circle. We spend so much time in improving our music, but not able to enjoy the moment with God in worship. We spend so much energy in moving up in our leadership in church, but not able to enjoy the moment of being a servant to one another. We spend so much money in upgrading our church building and facilities, but not able to enjoy the fellowship with each others. We spend so much in pursuing Christianity, but not able to enjoy Jesus for a very short moment in our life.
The bottom line of all these is that we believe in ourselves more that we believe in God. We believe that if we have better music, we will be able to worship better; but we only need to believe in Jesus whom we worship in order to worship. We believe that if we have better leadership, we will be able to serve more people; but we are only called to serve as a servant, as the Lord pleases. We believe that if we have a bigger church building and more rooms and facilities, we will be able to have meaningful fellowship; but it is the people of God whom we are fellowshipping with, not the building or the room or the facility. We believe in the Christianity we have created, but not the Christ whom have created us.
Jesus wanted to be in our midst and perform miracles in our lives, but we have been so conditioned by the kind of Christianity we have believed in; we have not really believed in Jesus Himself. Jesus was in the midst of the people who were mourning for the death of Lazarus. Martha and Mary had believed in Jesus, but with their own understanding. They believed that Jesus could raise the dead, only if the deceased was less than three days; and Lazarus had been dead four days (v39), that’s beyond what they believed of Jesus. They had created a Jesus whereby they failed to recognize that the real Jesus was speaking and able to do beyond any human can imagine, if they believe.
If you believe, we can worship God even without music or singing out of tune. If you believe, we can serve one another without even having any title. If you believe, we can fellowship and impact each other lives anywhere and anytime. If you believe, we can enjoy the moments of Jesus in our lives. If you believe, you will see the glory of God.
Is there issue and situation in your life whereby you finding ways or methods to solve and overcome them? It may be an illness which has been with you for years and you have sought medical treatment from doctors and spiritual intervention from some spiritual leaders, but if you really believe in Jesus, you will see the glory and the healing power of God in your life as He unfolds for you, moment by moment. It may be some kind of spiritual fatigue which causes you not wanting to have fellowship with people and you have been reading and praying for a breakthrough, but if you believe in Jesus, you will firstly enjoy your moment with Him and slowly but surely you will enjoy your moment with His people. It may even be some difficult decisions to be made in life and you seek counsel and advice from leaders which makes you more confuse, but if you believe in Jesus, you will find the peace in the moment you make the right decision.
If you believe, you will see the glory of God. If you believe, you will enjoy the moment with Him. If you believe, you will live your every moment with Jesus in it. If you believe. Do you believe?
HHS…
Abel…
