Watch-out Traffic Light!

Genesis 12:1-5

Meaning and Purpose of Life: “Watch out traffic light!”

Introduction: A professor once noted, “It’s better to be little late than die”, referring to his friend, who tragically died from an accident in an attempt to catch green light. In times like today when everything’s running—pali-pali—we want to keep up our steps with those running hours. So, many times we rush and run even ahead of God. Today, from the life-story of Abraham, we would like to remind ourselves to watch out the traffic light—what God is saying to do next. If God says “stay (red)”, let us rather be little late. Or, if God says “go (green)”, let us move though no one’s moving. So, watch out your traffic light!

The Call & Demand (v. 1): When everything’s seem going fine/OK to hang on, God’s personal call suddenly came. Now, Abraham has to move; green light from God is coming. Yes, God is PERSONAL God—not just a being—who can talk, speak, and even direct our path. To Abraham, all of his personal life-goal and dream came from this God. The same way, men/women of God!, to watch out to this spiritual traffic light is so much important in our life to know when to go, where to go, and what to do next. All our dreams and purposes should come from God, the original designer of life. He knows best! However, every good things are never cheap. The call from God is actually a demand to do something even to leave our comfort zone. Yes, men of faith/vision never stop striving; they never hang on easy way if a call from God comes. This is our calling too, if to take a walk with God.

The Promise & Guarantee (vv. 2-3): In faithful obedience to God’s calling, there’s always blessing. The blessing is not only about “you will be blessed” but about even to become a “key to blessing.” For detail, his obedience to fulfill God’s call even by leaving his comfort-zone means to Abraham, first, to become a bearer of all blessing (v. 2) and, second, to become even a custodian/keeper of blessing of all nations (v. 3). Though it’s in the midst of potential danger of threat from those nations, he’s a KEY to blessing…if you bless him, you’ll be blessed; and if you despise (not even a curse) him, you’ll be cursed (more than despise). In another sense, it’s a kind of protection for Abraham who left his own safe-zone for God’s sake. Therefore, not only being blessed (bearer of blessing) but also a blessing he himself will be (keeper of blessing)…Key for blessing!

The Adventure of Faith (vv. 4-5): What is faith? This is our response to God’s call and is our receiving hand for what He’s gonna give us. However, this faith doesn’t have any other substantial evidences except “God said”. Therefore, this is kind of adventure in believing the unseen God. Yes, Abraham did not have map or any direction to where he’s going except “God said ‘go’”. However, completely believing in God and trusting His personal direction, he began leaving his safe-home to reach the place he’d never seen. This is a new beginning of life in trusting God. At that time, he was seventy and five. Friends, never too late nor too old to start a new life in trusting and obeying God.

Personal Application:

• How many times did I counsel God [prayer and His word] for the plan/project that I’m presently carrying out? If none, please, take a short time—you’ve got a ‘red light’—to confess your rushing nature that runs even ahead of God, and pray for His direction?
• What obstacle or difficulty are you currently encountering in your life, family, business though you thought started with God? Don’t be afraid! You’ve got ‘orange light’ to wait for God’s timing until you see final result.

Purpose and Meaning of Life: Our Original Design

Genesis 1:1, 26-28; 2:7

Meaning and Purpose of Life: Our Original Design!

Introduction: “Who am I?” is one of the questions that we always ask. Yes! We want to know about ourselves much. For instance, to see how our face looks like is always our first intention whenever we check group pictures. To pay respect to the mirror at least once is our regular practice before we leave the room. Asking that “how’s my preaching today” is a habit of every preacher. Playing back their own video-tapes several ten times is the tradition of every movie-star. However, we can find our true self and true image, our original form and appearance, only when we reflect ourselves in God’s light, the creator of life. Therefore, to know God is to know self. For, He (God) is the original designer of life!

Originated from God: In the world of business, filled with strife and competition, everyone claims their copy-right for any thing that they stress out first to do it, e.g., emblem, logo, name, and even slogan. However, the Bible says that God is the only one who could claim this copyright at the very beginning. For, everything that ever exists is only God’s creation (vv. 1-3a). And the creation is out of “nothing” that means that He doesn’t owe to anyone or anything else, but we, everything, owe to Him instead. Understanding this magnificent past gives us a bright future that we have to start now. That future is “to come back home” to God for a time of harvest in our lives! Yes! We have to come back home to God daily!

Designed in God’s Image: When we come home to God, we will be reminded again with our original design—how’re we originally designed and for what? Our original design is more than being a superman! It’s even to be the image-bearer of God himself (vv. 26-30). In another words, we’re supposed to be photo-copy of God himself—that’s beyond natural law. In this likeness to God, the right to rule (v. 26), the community to join (v. 27), the grace to increase (v. 28), and the privilege to enjoy all creation at full (v. 28) were included. No one will complain for this!! These are our birth-right as we redefine our life, self, future in light of God’s original design. So, we are special! So special in God’s sight!

Breathed-in with God’s Life: Further, there’re more than this image-bearing. The Bible says that we’re breathed in with the very life of God, so we’re “living” (2:7). This is about to live (be alive). The same concept was again proclaimed in NT (John 3:16; 10:10). There’re many times in life seem we’re dead—e.g., dying-out of our dream, business, hope, family-life, etc. But, God gives us His life to live—i.e., power to subdue threats, strength to stand on, reason to survive. This is all what we can experience when we decide to come back home to God from Moab, our wilderness wandering, by taking Jesus Christ as our Savior and also as Lord, not only one day in the past but, in our daily life.

Personal Reflection:

• There’re many proposals that reject this creation history. However, until this present time, no other teaching or theory can give better meaning, value and purpose of life than a faith in the creation and the Creator who cares. So, to enjoy a meaningful life, full of purpose and beautiful dreams, what should we better choose today?
• How does my once-time confession of Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord really effect such as my attitude [to life, family, business], my dealing with others, my life-goal/purpose? Or, what changes should I make to those to reflect my faith in JC?

Priority of Life: Life, Bread, and God

1 Ruth 1:1-7, 22

Priority of Life: Life, Bread, and God”

Introduction: There’s a life-question that philosophers ask—“live to eat or eat to live?” Even though we don’t live just to eat, ‘bread/food’ is but a very basic need of life since we’re created this way—to feel hungry and eat. So, deep thinkers would say, “we eat to live.” However, Jesus said to the tempter that “man does not live on bread alone” (cf., Matt. 3:4). Therefore, from a very Christian perspective, God must be in between of this couplet—life and bread. Then, we’ll get this new paradigm—bread for life, but God for bread. For, God is our cheerful bread-Giver! So, what is our life-principle “in God we trust” or “in bread/food/gold we trust”?

Lack of Food and Challenge of Life (vv. 1-2): There’s a big famine in the land of Judah, the territory that God gave to Israel. This devastating starvation did not leave even Bethlehem, called ‘the house of bread’ probably for its rich harvest production in the past. However, the fame and glory of the past can not save the land from this famine. This is a sign from God to call his people back home to Himself, the Giver of their bread, from their lawlessness (cf., v. 1; Judges 21:25). In the midst, there’s a family, not knowing God’s calling voice, planned to flee to Moab, the land of pagan worship and spiritually-unprotected-land, to ease their hardships. As times passed by, their plan of short stay became kind of long settlement in pagan land (vv. 1-2, 4). Where do we find protection in times of crisis—in God or in Moab?

No Better Life in Unprotected Territory (vv. 3-5): In total contrast to their expectation, life in spiritually-unprotected-land, though seems OK at first, ends in death and deep sorrows to the family—first, the death of family-head (v. 3). It’s a first blacken-out of family’s dream that is to make a better life. No better in unprotected land! So, to replace this sorrow and grief, the family planned a merry marriage of the two young sons but to foreigners since there’s no choice. This is man’s best effort to mend his/her defections (v. 4). But, not soon after, the death of two sons followed (v. 5). This is final breakdown of family’s pride and family’s hope. No more except three poor widows in the room was left behind. Only incurable scars and sorrows of life are at the end of man’s strife and struggle. When we miss God in our life, we miss all. Yes, we’ve missed all!

Well-timed Homecoming to God (vv. 6-7, 22): However, there’s another happy end, when the broken family learnt to come home to God on-time. The motivation behind this is [not about the land (native) or the bread (food) anymore but] about God that He visited His people again (v. 6). Naomi and her broken family came back home not to Bethlehem of Judah but to God, the Giver of bread! And there’s a bright hope for this right decision that is that God is giving bread now! Further, what a more surprise to us is that when the family arrived back home, there’s exactly happened the right time for harvest (vv. 7, 22). The time we came home to God is always the very hour we begin to harvest—harvest of joy and peace!

Personal Application:

• There’re more than bread that always frighten us in life-journey. So, what is frightening and even driving us away from ‘trusting in God alone’? Make list of them and read out aloud before God in your private prayer. God knows!
• What kind of attitude, mindset, habit, and practice should I develop in my life that reflects my continual trust in God and His strength?

Priority of Life: It's a Choice

1 Peter 5:5-7
“Priority of Life: It’s a Choice”

Introduction: Life is full of choices! Every step of our life is a choice. From things to eat this morning to things to wear this afternoon are all abound to decision and choice. Actually, many options to choose [to make a choice] in life is not the problem of life—it’s a component of life and even is blessing!—but to make the right and proper choice is the risk that we’re taking on. As one single wrong decision can cost our whole life, one single correct choice can also save our life and even change our whole future. To trust God always and put His will (and agenda) first in our lives is a choice that we have to make on daily basis. It’s a choice!

Pride of Youthful Strength Vs God’s Grace to the Humble (v. 5): Full growth of power and strength is the sign of youthfulness. Therefore, youth are active, dynamic, and capable to perform many extraordinary things in life. This fact, however, leads many to undesirable end on another side—i.e., strife, revolt, activism, arrogance, etc.—if not properly controlled. This is the point of Peter in encouraging young men in the church to be humble and submissive. However, the implication is not only for the youth of this age-group (16-25). It is also for us all—who are still very youthful in showing of our self-competency [strength, education, position, wealth] instead of humbling ourselves before God, who graces the humble [by giving up all ‘ours’ and coming near to God as nothing]. Which one should we choose today, God’s grace or our arrogant strength?

Men’s Strife for the Best/Top Vs God’s Honor at Due Time (v. 6): Do you notice a truth of life—we always strive but never catch? Actually, God alone has the right to give us a ‘catch’ (cf., Rm. 9:14-16). So, it is better to be humble down before God, waiting for His “due time”, than making busy ourselves by striving without avail. Actually, since God has His own “due” time for us, to be humble before Him is the most restful way and surest way to success. And God’s “due time” means nothing except the time when we can really rely on His strength, taking away all our arrogant self and strength. In another sense, this is ‘being humble [nothing] before God’. That’s the very hour, in which God approves us for success in life, promotion in business, and healing in our family by the help of His mighty arm-strength (calming down all our storms and waves). Let us choose to take rest under His mighty wing by casting away all big “I” that only makes us tired and busy.

Our Anxiety for Life Vs God’s Personal Care (v. 7): Too much self-centeredness is the root-cause of our anxiety! In fact, ‘to cast away our anxiety’ requires to put off our big self away and to change our attention/concentration/focus from the big “I” to the great “God” who cares. So, the Bible gives us a proper direction when we cast our anxiety that is ‘toward’ God like we roll the ball to next person in playground. It’s the time to roll the ball to God, our next person, quickly less the enemy may overpower and we lose the game!

Personal Application:

• What things cause me too busy not to make proper time to pray to God, read the Word, and meditate on His unfolding goodness to me on daily basis?
• What recent problem or new plan is being drawn in my life, my family, my business? How can I ask and find God’s timely help in that hottest or burning situation?
• How does God want me to live in my school, office, and business this week?

Take My Yoke for Rest

Matthew 11:28-30
Priority of Life: Take My Yoke for Rest!

Introduction: Yoke is an ancient tool used to balance one’s position when carry heavy load. In Biblical history, yoke has never been a good sign. It’s a sign of slavery, forced labor, and even captivity (cf., Jer. 27-28). In fact, the invitation of Jesus Christ to take his yoke means another slavery [service to God]; but, the uniqueness of this new slavery is that it gives rest in place of our strife and struggle.

Different/Various Yokes of Life (v. 28): A proverb says that a new baby was born with a big cry, describing life—full of tears. When we were young, we wish to get old very soon—hope that we would make a better life. However, when after we were grown up, we longed for our childhood again, knowing life is not getting better. Yes! There are uneasy yokes of life to bear for different stages, and in different situations, of lives. Beneath this uneasy and heavy ladened life, there’s still an unrecognized [but the cause of all problems] slavery that is a slavery to our own self. That self is wise and learned enough even not to need God in life (cf., v. 25). Therefore, this is the call of Jesus to come to him, who recognized themselves as little, weak, burdensome, and even lost in life-ocean. So, let us say that there’s the God who knows our uneasy and burdensome life.

The Lord of a New Slavery “Yoke” (v. 29): The “yoke” is not used here in a very favorable form, i.e., to ease and help balance the burden, as some commentators might say. It is a borrowed of Old Testament image—image of slavery, forced labor, and even captivity. So, to take upon his yoke is not just a simple call but a challenge—to take up another slavery and service that Jesus Christ was also taking upon himself. In another words, this is like an addition of another load to our own heavy-enough-burden. Therefore, this is really kind of entering into a narrow gate and taking a narrow road. However, there’s a promise of pasture inside (John 10:9)! By-pass those who don’t know but stop-by you who know this!

The Yoke that Lightens (v. 30): There’s no light burden or yoke! Each load has its own weight. However, the secret of Jesus is to see REST within that YOKE by heading upward to heavens and making everything of life for God's sake. This is the only way to lighten up our burdens of life—taking God and His Kingdom sake first in our lives. This is the point of Jesus here. By taking his yoke in our lives, the promise is that it would not make us more burdensome but bring perfect rest instead. Therefore, this yoke is rather the yoke that will lighten up even our own burdens of life with heavenly endowed power and strength. So, we should say that there’re sometimes in life that some load of burden gives another big relief oddly.

Personal Reflection:

• What is in my life that preoccupied me even not to need (or ask for) God's help in my life?
• What is the proper way to approach to God in the midst of my burdensome life?
• What is the present situation of my own life, in which I can serve God's will and glorify Him in any possible way?