Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Chosing the better part
I have been pondering on something the Lord gave to me during Sunday worship this week. He whispered: "Let your devotion to ME be the strength in your hands, the spring in your step and the honey in your soul". Brings up the whole area of balancing devotion and works, which I often find a challenge. How about yourselves?
As I searched the scriptures to understand further, I was led to two related verses, which talks about finding joy in the God of My salvation and brings forth a reminder that the hope of the righteous will be gladness.
For me, over the past weeks, the Lord has been putting a finger on returning to my "first love" and as always, He is expanding (perhaps, to this slow sheep) what He means in this latest word on devotion.
Reflecting more, devotion represents to me, elements of faith, hope and love. The story of Mary and Martha gives us a picture of devotion and works - both important in keeping our walk in the Lord strong - but our works need to be fuelled by devotion, not the other way round. In this story, Jesus points out - "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" [for the full text, see Luke 10:38-42]. Works - it is too easy for us to get lost in spiritual sacraments, and fulfilling our duties in church activities. No wonder we feel weary.
During Sunday sermon this week, the pastor mentioned that the author of Ecclesiastes lamented, 'Everything is meaningless, what has been will be again' when he looked at all things UNDER the sun. Before this, I held a view that the book of Ecclesiastes is rather pessimistic. I have read it again since, and realized that the author is not really pointing to futility of everything per se. Rather, he is saying is that when we gaze upon everything other than the Lord himself, everything is futile. What is the real object of our devotions, under the sun, or to the One above? Going back to my first love means devotion first to the Saviour himself, not to the things of God. I'm coming back to the same truth, again.... when will I ever learn?
Labels: God's Love, Worship
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