New Wine needs New Wineskin

"No one puts new wine into old wineskins. The wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine, and ruining the skins. New wine needs new wineskins." (Mark 2:22)

During the time of Moses, when the law was given to keep the Sabbath holy, it was meant to give people rest, to take time to worship God. This rule was given to slaves freed from Egypt, slaves who did not own their time or their fields but instead had to work for their masters, the Egyptians. After 420 years of being slaves, I don't think the concept of 'rest' existed - which is why God had to make it a commandment. (Mark 2:27)

Yet, when Jesus merely healed someone who he 'noticed' had a deformed hand 'on his way' to the synagogue, the Pharisees were closely watching him to gather reasons to kill him.

It didn't matter that Jesus was here preaching the same message the Pharisees taught. It probably mattered more that Jesus was not under the control of the Pharisees.  They were not bad people, they just had a hard heart (Mark 3:5)

Sometimes people are so fixed in their ways that they can't see something good even if it was staring them in the face. We are creatures of comfort and like things to remain the way it is, even if it's detrimental to our own being, or our family. 

A home divided against itself is doomed (Mark 3:25)

Conversations with God

I asked God to make it happen in the most impossible way, so I would know it could only be Him.

He did. 

Again.

He allows the unexpected things of this world to throw us off balance; to see if our faith still stands, or if we have quantified Him & limited our faith in His power. 

I was daunted by what I faced, I didn't it could happen. 

But instead of doubting, I focused on something else. 

I prayed, and when fear or doubt came in, I just diverted my attention. 

Going to Italy and England helped, of course - but it was still 6 long weeks of waiting.

In it all, I felt a peace but I didn't dare believe in it. 

Then He made it happen.

Like our friend said, He is amazing and amusing. 

He also does things in a way that humbles us, and reminds us that it is not by our strength. 

He teaches me to lie down, to rest... to trust that my cup will overflow, that my head will be anointed with oil and I need not fear anything.

Yet we try so hard, like a hamster in a wheel or me on a treadmill. Going nowhere. 

All praise and glory be unto Him. 

Thank You Lord. 

you

Sometimes in life, you manage to find someone who is your polar opposite, 

Yet they somehow feel like they’re made for you.

Like the fiery orange sunset against the calm blue sky. 

 

Once in a rare while, 

The sky might wish the sun was calmer;

Or the sun; that the sky was more fiery.

 

But the truth is, in their contrast,

They complement each other;

And a more beautiful view is hardly ever found.

 

Perfection.

Yet neither perfect on their own.

 

In you, Yang, 

I found the most infuriating, stubborn and fickle minded person;

Next to myself, of course.

 

You are fast, while I am slow; 

You look at the bigger picture while I tend to the details; 

You are focused when I get distracted.

 

You understand the things I don’t say; 

while often not paying attention to the things I do say.

 

Which is why, though you infuriate me;

You somehow also complete me. 

I’ve come to understand that sometimes

What is said, isn’t as important;

As what is understood.

 

The son's assignment

For part of my son's assignment, i'm supposed to write a blog for him to assess and correct. Imagine that! They've started giving parents homework, as if we don't have enough work already! raising a preteen is no joke! He thinks he knows everything, is filled with snide remarks, a holier than thou attitude about everything and is quickly adapting a victim attitude that I truly detest!

My son! The sweet caring boy, who was a true old soul. Who took care of me when he was under 3 years old, while I was sick and pregnant with his brother. The boy who is everyone's friend, the kind boy who gave his own money to siblings and even friends for the collection box at church. The boy who watches out for his siblings, his grandmother, the boy who was the envy of all his friend's parents.

The responsible, dependable, sweet, caring boy...... is growing into a..... young man. And during the metamorphosis, we've got to put up with this gorilla - frog - giraffe person. And once he's a handsome even tempered young man - he'll find a girlfriend.

OH NOOOOOOOOO

MY LIFE IS OVERRRRRRRRR

P.S - Son, this is your assignment. 

When we pray, we often ask God for His will to be done; but often we only want to hear a 'yes'. We don't want to hear any other reply - worse, we often want to twist His arm into doing as we want - our 'errand boy'.

Boy, it is SO hard, when God says No to something we desperately desire, even if that thing we desire is not really beneficial to us. It's just something we want, like a tattoo.

I believe we have been walking in God's will, but sometimes I really want to throw a tantrum when I don't have my way. And He's been saying an awful lot of 'No's' lately.

I pray for grace to learn the lesson He is teaching me. 

All my hands have made I'm laying down

All that I hold dear, my many crowns

I have tasted and seen of Your great love

You satisfy me, You satisfy me

The beauty of living in God's will

Many years ago, a preacher came to our church. At the end of the service, she had an alter call.

When she prayed for me, she asked, "Why are you not surrendering your will to God? Do you think what you want, is better than what He has in store for you?"

I was not expecting that; to be rebuked, maybe; to be shamed, maybe. But to be spoken to like a friend, a person.... no. It broke me. 

I met God, the one who is my friend.

And that day, was the beginning of my life as it is now.

Many times, I did what I knew was right; but I couldn't explain it. It was not in the ways of the village in which I was brought up. Rather than explain myself, I let people judge; they were going to, anyway. I learnt to walk alone. 

Actually, I always did walk alone, but I walked alone in a crowd. 

Now I learnt, to walk alone with God.

What God has had in store for me was infinitely greater than what I had hoped for or imagined. However, it is a daily journey of faith.

Even now, to rejoice when I'm still in the wilderness; is the peace and joy that can only come from knowing God, and trusting in His will. The thing is, when we choose to follow God, we really need to leave everything else behind. Things that distract us, people who have their demands and expectations of us, it's all got to be left behind. No one can please 2 masters.

The reward isn't money or riches, though He doesn't hold that back either. The reward is sleep, it's peace, it's love, it's this moment that we can be present in. It's thanking God for knowing the number of hair on my head - He's so in the details it astounds me. After 38 years, many of my relatives can't even get my name spelt right.

Mary and Martha

Oh how this passage has spoken to me so many times, at so many different stages of my life - and now, again.

Anyone who knows me, know I'm a Martha. Growing up, it's almost expected of me, to be the one to prepare the drinks, clean, help in the kitchen - not only in my house but also in that of aunties and uncles. I never thought twice about it - until at one particular family holiday, I noticed that among all the nieces and nephews I was singled out to help in the kitchen. It's almost expected of me; and when that choice was not mine to make, I resented it.

Now a few days ago, this was the passage discussed in our family devotion. 

Obviously, I was of the opinion that Martha was the host and had to see to the preparations of the feast she prepared for her guests. And why did Jesus rebuke her for wanting help? I mean Mary chose what's more important and it won't be taken from her, etc...

But in doing so, Jesus implied that the fellowship was more important than the feast. I mean he could feed five thousand with five loaves - he meant what he said. When Jesus rebuked Martha, He said Mary has chosen what's more important - implying Martha chose to do the work, but in giving her a choice He also gave her a chance to sit at His feet instead of being busy with the preparations.

Now, my husband was leading in the scripture reading, and he looked directly at me, and said, "did it ever occur to you, that Jesus spoke that way to Martha because He loved her so much? He was willing to 'make do' with whatever was prepared or not prepared, as long as Martha heard the message? He didn't want Martha to miss out."

I felt butterflies in my stomach.

Because at that moment, I realised that that's exactly what he does, for me.

He's never expected me to be Martha, in fact, many times he has rebuked me for being a Martha and not choosing to 'be' instead of to 'do'. Not only that, when I choose to 'be', he quietly helps me with whatever needs to be done so I won't end up 'doing' whatever I put off earlier. It wouldn't have been the feast I imagined but it would have been good food with great memories. The house would probably not have been cleaned the way I wanted before the guest arrived, but it would have been good enough.

I realised (after 12 years of being married to him) that he never expected anything from me, but to be his friend and his partner.

And when I gave up my job in the corporate world to raise our son, the only time I chose to be Mary, was the best decision I ever made. He fully supported it; but even then, he did not ask me to give up my career. He let me choose, and I chose to be with our child instead of work for the money, and he said I chose what is better and let me have it.

Oh what love.

He truly loves me like Christ loves the church.