April 14, 2006

CG 2 9

Filed under: Reflections

Wen led the BS tonight so no Isaac to tell me to give others a chance to share hahaha! We had a lively discussion on Col 1:18. Good job Wen for the well-prep discussion.

Col 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

Questions for Bible Study – Study of Colossians 1:18

 

1a. The verse says that Jesus is the head of the body. What is the ‘body’? What does ‘Head’ mean?

-source of knowledge
-brain: control centre
-leader

1b. Who makes up the Body of Christ & how to be a part of this body?  (Hint: 1 Corinthians 12:12-13) 
-Christians
-My response: someone who acknowledges the head as leader
2. Jesus is also described as the ‘beginning’ and the ‘firstborn from the dead’. What do these phrases mean? Was Jesus the first to be dead?

The word "firstborn" made me see the verse in a different light. Firstborns as the chiefborn inherits everything. He is the most important seed among all the other seeds. He has the most authority. Yet Jesus as the firstborn died for us. How significant His sacrifice is.

Final thoughts of the night…
Perhaps it is not so much that Jesus is first place but more like Jesus is central in our lives. The emotive, cognitive, spiritual and physical parts of us revolve around that central.  
What’s more cool is that WE are at the centre of His universe.

God’s providence

Filed under: Reflections

This picture touches me a lot.

It shows of God’s providence for the littlest of creatures. Notice how the ants are cast in the sun’s shadow, enough to give them light (not that I think they need it). The petals provide shade from the scorching sun, and the juice from the flowers, food.

What worries do we have then…

Sweet Jesus

Filed under: Reflections

You know how when you are in love and thoughts of your loved one swim in your head every second of the day and night?

Such sweetness I felt this morning as I opened my eyes from a night’s rest and remembered Jesus’ love for the Father, in obeying the Father’s will for His life. It felt even sweeter that God loves us so much, so much, that He sent His best to redeem us. He did not abandon us. He cannot abandon us. Because he bought us with a price. He now owns us. Oh, how this touch my soul and brim my eyes with tears.

Today, I remember the First Glory. I am royalty. I walk with my head high.

May all of these be heartfelt and not just head knowledge.

Faithfulness

Filed under: Reflections

"Can you say with confidence you will never cheat on your spouse and/or walk away from God? Many great men and women have. What makes you think you are any different?"


A thought-provoking question from a friend (his Pastor had led a discussion on this during CG). 

I understand where he was coming from. We are afterall sinners with a heart that habours not only love, hope and faith, but pride, lust, greed. It’s in our nature. Afterall, Adam and Eve, God’s most glorious creatures, fell. 

But I think we all fail to understand the grace of God in our lives. We fail to understand the extent of this Grace. It’s given freely. We can tap on it. We can live victoriously. It’s a daily battle but victory is already won! Now how about that! If we can see with eyes of heaven into glimpses of our future, what God is going to provide, we will stop and give up our moping. Between now and then, we need faith; faith-stretching hurts inevitably.

Having ruminated on the question, I have 3 responses.

1) Both relationships are love relationships. You need to work on them to nurture them. This does not mean there will be no temptations. I believe in any relationship we will feel a certain lack (for lack of a better word; or perhaps it’s a longing placed in our hearts by God which keeps us seeking and yearning for Him). What will fill this lack? I believe the devil uses the lack in our lives to draw our attention away from our spouse and/ or God. He "fulfills" our lack and we have no need of God. Love is hard work. It is afterall a verb.

2) Why use Judas as a yardstick when there is a better role model such as Paul? Why live up to our sinful nature when we were originally given the First Glory which is deeper to our nature (John Elderidge, 2003). Why play up to this nature? We should be growing from glory to glory!

3) Pitfalls. If you know your tendencies, avoid the pitfalls. Know your push and pull factors. 

In all of these, we can’t do it on our own. We will come to the end of ourselves. We need the grace of God in our lives. 






















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