Sunday, September 29, 2024
Beloved of God, Child of God
Today was an occasional day that I went for church service. With recent breakup & setbacks I carry a pensive mood of melancholy. Hence today’s message by Ps Alex in TNCC was timely and reminding where I stand as a son of God in relation to God the Father. He expounded from the passages on Jesus’ baptism and Jesus in the wilderness.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17).
I grew up alone in Perth at the age of nine (9), and grew up having lots of fears and insecurities right into adulthood as I didn’t have the love from a family, the assurances and security that a family brings. Those days there were no mobile phones or Whatapp and very few Asians in the boarding school. My parents called me once a month and I came home once a year. I came home for good at the age of twenty six (26) with many lingering insecurities.
I went to a private school and Bible studies were part of the school curriculum. I knew the Bible but I didn’t know God till I worked in Singapore at the age of 30. I began to learn that “I am a son of God, that I am His beloved and that God was pleased with me”. Exactly what the Bible says.
TESTS & TRIALS
Just as Jesus was led to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil immediately after His baptism, my life began to fall apart few years after being serious in the things of God.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple (Matthew 4:1-4).
Jesus was vulnerable as he was hungry after fasting forty days and forty nights. I too have many vulnerable spots. The devil said if you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. I ask myself since I am the son of God, why so many things are often wrong in my life. I have doubts on the promises that God gave me. Did God really promise to give me a wife? Did God really promised to raise me up as an entrepreneur?
The devil try to sow doubt in Jesus as he did with Adam and Eve. Did God really say???
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1).
One of the greatest challenges during our broken seasons is the voice of doubt. It’s the deception of the enemy. The whispers that say we are unwanted and forgotten. I felt isolated and discouraged. When we carry God’s love within us even in hardship or hurt by someone, our kindness becomes the greatest gift we can offer in response. The test and trials are not signs of God’s absence, but His active presence in preparing us for greater things. He is not just removing the impurities in us and stripping away what no longer serves us, but He is revealing the treasure within us which is Him.
Yes our greatest treasure is Him. As Ps Alex declared;
a. I am a son of God: its not a master-servant relationship, but He sees you as his beloved. It’s a blood relationship and we are joint heirs with Christ.
b. I am His beloved: The love He pours on us is not inferior to the way He loves Jesus. In fact He sent Jesus to the cross to pay for our sins. I too must endure, take up and carry my cross.
c. God is well please with me: Yes a lot of promises of God have yet to manifest, but I can rest assured that the same God that took Joseph from the pit to the palace is working on my life without ceasing.
Tempting God
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Matthew 4:5-7
The second temptation that Jesus endured that Ps Alex shared was to tempt and test God. When things go wrong as they often do, we blame God. But like Job, I must not curse and blame Him. Every chosen one goes through a season of brokenness before a season of breakthrough follows. Maybe meet a few wrong ones, before the right lady comes. Praise and worship Him instead! Its His way of drawing me closer. Praise that comes from a broken heart, a heart that’s been through the Refiner’s fire is a powerful act of worship.
Like Jesus I don’t want to ask God for me to be spared from sufferings but instead that God’s name be glorified through it. I want to come out stronger at the other end. Ps Alex shared that the third Jesus faced was temptation of the flesh.
Temptation of the flesh
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. (Matthew 4)
Naturally we will have our desires and there is nothing wrong to admit that. Looking back in the past years at myself, our fleshly desires are usually self-seeking. We need recognition, chase after fame, or we are after security other than which God provides. Let’s be honest. When I started out working, there were a million and one ambitions in my heart and what I was to achieve. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). Never compromise on God's principles and righteousness to gain wealth and fame.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John2:15-17).
Do not lust after material things. If we are blessed with wealth then it's great to be a vessel to build God's kingdom. Naked we come, naked we go, for there are no pockets in a shroud.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
Yes I need to take heart. The pain is still there O Lord. The road ahead is still foggy but I am not alone as God and my guardian angels are there to guide me. My story is being crafted by the Hands that guided Joseph. The present pain will one day give way to a future filled with God’s promises. My story is not finished yet. God is still writing it and the best chapters are yet to come.
Amen Yes Lord!
