Temporal or Eternal?

The thing about coffee is that I really can't take too much time in drinking it 'cause it will lose its hotness. So,  I would have to finish it in a bit of haste or waste good coffee. After sipping all up my favorite cup of cappuccino, I felt that I wanted more. I was left staring at an empty cup, and telling myself, "That's it?"..."Bitin (the feeling of lack)."

Like my cappuccino, all good things on this earth will come to end. All that we own is temporarily ours. Yes, we will feel the urge to acquire more. But like all earthly things, urges turn to lust, and lust turns to obsession. And obsessions never satisfy until it consumes our whole lives. We tend to spend too much time and money on what is temporal instead of the eternal. Funny how people do not recognize the value of tithing but consider much value on their own entertainment. Hear how people complain if the church asks for donation to finish the church structure or help in a project for the poor. Let us review where we dedicate our resources. How much time and money are we investing in our spiritual education and nourishment?
What then is eternal?

God's Word, the bread of life and His Kingdom are eternal. We are to invest time and money to understanding His Word and in building His Kingdom on earth. We are to invest where we want our souls to be in the after life. Surely, we will choose eternity in heaven. But what are doing to prepare ourselves for receiving eternal life?

The lures of this world are obvious. They are visible and very tempting. We succumb until we are convinced that this temporary life is already "it." We have to strengthen our faith and constantly be reminded of our true eternal destination.

Let us then be happy of living a simple life, with simple joys, and an abundant faith. Even if at times it's "Bitin" we need to have discipline and to be content. After all, the more we sacrifice on earth, the more our Father in heaven will store riches for us in our eternal home.

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Life is Not a Treadmill

One of the basic equipment in the gym is the ever reliable treadmill. It helps us warm-up and have a good cardio exercise. The obvious difference of a treadmill compared to a normal outdoor jogging experience, is that you don't get anywhere no matter how fast you run.

Life is not meant to be a treadmill. Life is meant to be a marathon race, with a finish line and a reward in the end. And that 'reward' is heaven. What the devil wants us to do is to work as hard as we can, achieve as much as we can, for our own selfish motives and worldly ambitions. "Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world." 1 John 3: 15-16. It may seem at first that our worldly desires are getting us somewhere, but at the end of it, we realize that we are stuck with the world. 


A treadmill is secure in the sense that you will not encounter the other risk factors of outdoor jogging or a marathon such as the possibility of rain, bumps on the road, and generally being exposed publicly. But in this sense of security, we will not experience the essence of God's mission for our lives.

So go out there, explore life, take risks for our Lord!  Put your life in His hands. Faith after all is risking for the Lord. We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Colossians 5:7). But faith is the kind of risk that is sure of the reward of heaven.  The rewards of the world is nothing compared with the rewards of heaven. Let us therefore not waste our time in indulging in worldly pursuits, but focus on doing things that help us in our pursuit of heaven. Let us get off from the treadmill that the world offers and embrace the exciting race that the Lord invites us to run.

I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.  From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. (2 Timothy 4: 7-8) 

Seeking What Is Right Instead of What is Easy

Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." (Luke 9:58)

What fascinated me in Beijing was that I could see so many birds nests all over the place. While travelling from one place to the next, these nests were very visible from the highway streets. It reminded me of how wonderfully God made us to be able to live and survive in this world. While in the zoo, I also took notice of the foxes that were very playful and would go in and out of their burrows. Surely the holes keep them safe and warm.

When Christ was born, he only laid on a manger. And even in his death, the tomb wasn't His. The birds and the foxes are even more comfortable than He was on occasions when truly resting was required. The Christian life is not a promise of an easy life. Its promise is a purposeful life, leading to eternal life.  When we look at the word discipline, we will see its connection to the word disciple. The cost of Discipleship is to live a disciplined life while the world presents an easy way out. Choosing to be honest instead of accepting or giving bribes, choosing to study instead of cheating in the exam, and choosing to pray and read scripture when laziness sets in.  These are some examples of discipleship amidst the comfort of worldly lures.

Secularism, relativism, consumerism, and materialism, gives in to man's resistance to discipleship.  Man refuses the discipline of Christian morality and reasons to be able to design the world according to his comfort and ease.  We can start to ask ourselves, "In what aspect of my life do I lack the discipline?".

The consequence of discipline is actually a happy life.  An easy life does not equate to a happy life. "He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Hebrews 11:26).  Those who are disciplined, those who can delay gratification, will reap great rewards. Although Christ suffered on earth, he was raised to be Lord of all.  While the saints and martyrs didn't have it easy, they are now in eternal happiness with the Lord in heaven.

Lord, make me strong in my conviction as a disciple. Grant me the grace of discipline, so I may seek what is right instead of what is easy.