Step Back

Once in a while, let's step back. Step back: to appreciate beauty; to realize our purpose; and to sense God's will. For it is in stepping back that we can relentlessly move forward with conviction and certitude.

Appreciate beauty, for it enriches the soul. There are just too many things that we take for granted.  Behold... beauty is before us! Take a second look at creation, our loved ones, the Gospels -- our own lives!  The beauty of God's handiwork and His wisdom is more than enough to fill us---and---to knock sense into us that life is a gift that we need to fully open and appreciate more.

Realize your purpose! Sometimes busyness, ironically, can be a comfort zone.  For as long as we are doing something urgent, we run with it -- 'til we become cranky and overly stressed. When one does something difficult, but with a purpose, it's passion.  When one is stressed (even in menial matters), it is often a symptom of a misplaced purpose. Realizing our purpose is knowing that what we do contributes to a bigger goal -- towards a dream that is worth all the hardships and "shipwrecks", as in St. Paul's missionary experience.

Sense God's will in prayer.  Amidst a hurried and noisy world, contemplation is becoming less in practice. The voice we hear is often our own, and we as human beings, are not fully reliable; for sin mars sound judgement and only in God can we find peace and direction for our lives. Without prayer, we are lost! What can matter more than doing God's will?  He, Whose only intent is to give what is best for us. 

In stepping back, we can face the future with more confidence -- emboldened by gratefulness, mission, and divine guidance. Therefore one should not discount the value of a rest day, a recollection, a retreat, or a lengthened time of prayer; for these can be the very "pit stops" that will equip us to zoom towards our true and eternal destination with our Father in heaven.  

"In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer
to God." (Luke 6:12)

1. What has been stressing you lately?
2. When do you plan to "step back" for a while? Schedule your personal recollection or retreat.

Thrilled with Anticipation

Our doctor said, "The baby can already come out anytime."  So, I'm always on call and ready.   We have on stand-by; the baby bag, our clothes, video and camera, and other important things related to our 3rd baby's birthday.  I'm thrilled with anticipation.  The days seem to come by very slowly as I wait and wait for his coming.

I remember what was written in Matthew 3: 1-3: In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea (and) saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: "A voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'"

Are we prepared for the Lord's coming? Are our hearts ready to be His dwelling place? Are we ready to serve Him on call?

In our day to day lives, let us be thrilled with anticipation. Today, the Lord desires to dwell in our hearts.  In the same manner of how we prepare our homes for a newborn, we strive to make the home of our hearts clean and suitable.

And when the Lord calls us, we cannot pass up the opportunity and say, "I'm not yet ready Lord."  We might just miss out the very best thing that can happen to our lives.  "On call," should be our posture.  We prepare our hearts to be ready to respond to His coming and to His prompting.  We look on to God's will for our lives with thrill and excitement.

Suggestion Versus Commandment

I went to a coffee shop to study, but i didn't want to get coffee since I had too much already for the day.  So I asked the barista what he recommends.  He then suggested to me a shake that he says I will surely like.  I couldn't really make out what kind of concoction he was trying to serve me. He just mentioned something about a fruit and that it tasted like yogurt. It turned out that his suggestion was okay, and I enjoyed the shake.

With a suggestion, you can either say yes or no.  People who suggest are those who do not have authority over us and hangs by our decision.  But people who have full authority over us can command us, and  our actions will either be to follow or disobey.  The negative implications of not following a suggestion are not usually as grave as not following a command.

When the Lord said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34)," He was not suggesting, the Lord was commanding us.  He didn't say, "I suggest that you love one another as I have loved you...".  Why does the Lord command us?

1. He has authority to do so.  He is God and He is above us, and our obedience is demanded although we are given free will. He loves us so, that we were not born puppets, but creatures with a capacity to decide and choose good or evil.  We need to come to realize that His authority is like more of a father rather than a tyrant.  His authority is born out of love for us.

2. He knows that His commands are good for us.  Our wisdom is limited, while His is all encompassing.  Since God created us, he knows how we are supposed to be as His creation. When God commands, we have to obey because our disobedience will lead us away from Him.  When we are in a state of sin, we are ashamed and our dignity is stripped from us, just like how Adam and Eve realized that they were naked when they disobeyed God.  The 10 Commandments are good for us.  They were not called the "10 suggestions" because the consequences of disobeying are severe. If we "covet our neighbor's wife" we know the kind of tragedy that will fall on our family.

3. To give us direction in life.  His command is a way of revealing His perfect will for us. We often ask, Oh Lord what is in store for my future? What are your plans for me?  I believe that through His commandments, He directs us to the kind of life He wants us to live.  The fruits of our obedience will be the revelation of His plans.  What about the rich young man?


Now someone approached him and said, "Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?" 
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good.  If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." He asked him, "Which ones?" And Jesus replied, " 'You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother'; and 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The young man said to him, "All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19: 16-22)


The true result of total obedience and observance to God's commandments will be a life of surrender to the Lord, putting Him first in our lives; even above our wealth and following Him to eternity.


The Lord does not command us to do something to our own demise.  He gives us commandments  rather than just suggestions because if He says so, it is sure to be good. God is good...all the time. 

Fan Into Flame

Once baptized in the Holy Spirit, we have been set on fire to do the mission of Jesus. We were granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit that will enable us to do as the apostles did.  But in trying times when the flame seemed to have died down, the fire is not actually dead.   In this stage we are like ember, still glowing with much potential for fire.  Just like grilling barbecue over charcoal, we fan the flame so the meat will be cooked.  We need the Holy Spirit to Fan Into Flame, the power that is within us.  We ask the Spirit to blow upon us and enflame us once more.    Let the Spirit revive us and turn us from ember to razing fire to do His will on earth.

In Search of Clarity

Clarity is an elusive quality.  We want to be clear so that there will be no confusion. Yet, we yearn for freshness, something exciting, and surprising.  They say, "You cannot box-in the Holy Spirit."

"The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (John 3:8)."


What if everything was laid out before us?  Just to be clear.  We would know what will make us successful, when we would die, and we would know exactly what heaven looks like.  No mystery, no surprises.  No more searching, no more praying. I'm sure life will be boring and we'd be acting like robots.

The future is not known to us for a purpose. It is hard to see the reason behind the tragic things that happen to us or to a friend.  Our faith is often challenged by the desire to know everything right away.  We ask, "Why me Lord?" or  "Where were you  Lord?" We get angry at God because we assume that He did not answer our prayers.

Yet for the Lord, a thousand years is like a blink of an eye. 

"But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years* and a thousand years like one day (2 Peter 3: 8)."


Our prayers have been heard and answered. The answers might not be what we excpect, some answers are beyond our lifetime, some answers we see immediately.

The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).


So, why did some good person get an accident or become a victim of a heinous crime? Only God knows the true reason (Jer. 29:11). Our requirement is to have faith that God is good...all the time.

Living a life in the Holy Spirit is fresh, exciting, and full of surprises. It is meant to be unclear, to be a mystery, so we do not stop seeking and yearning for God.  Those who deny God's existence are uncomfortable of what they cannot see or control. They try to box-in life, yet after thousands of years and all these so-called geniuses, no one has found the cure for the common cold.

Let us not stop asking the Lord for clarity of His will for our lives but at same time we have to keep our faith firm when we are confused and the circumstances are unreasonable. If there is one thing that is clear, it is that God loves us and He has a plan for us.