My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.
Psalm 26:12
I like Psalms because it applies a lot to my life. In it David speaks of his worries, his anger, his joys, his hopes, all these things that me and you experience in our day to day lives. But when I read Psalm 26, I was stuck. Throughout the entire psalm, David asked God to vindicate him for he was a blameless man. It went on saying how he didn’t sit with the deceitful or the hypocrites, how he has lived in reliances of God’s faithfulness, and basically pointing out that he was not like the other “sinners” out there.
Forget about sitting with the hypocrites, I’m just going to be honest and admit that I was one of the hypocrites! How can I proclaim this psalm like David did when I felt the complete opposite of him? I certainly didn’t live a blameless life, so does that mean the Lord won’t redeem me and be merciful to me?
Then it hit me: God has already redeemed me, with the blood of His very own son. In His unfailing love and mercy, He has already paved the path for redemption before the world was even formed. Since the fall of Adam, no man, except for Jesus, has ever led a totally sinless life, not even David. Yet when God sees us, He doesn’t see our sins, but sees us covered and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. So indeed, our feet stand on level ground, and in the great congregation we shall praise the Lord.
Posted in Quiet Time | Tagged psalm, redemption
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
Psalm 25:3
It’s weird, but you’d think that of all people, your close friends would be the least judgmental when it comes to you. Not in my case though. I know they mean no harm when they say these things, but every time they make these remarks, I feel shame. It’s bad enough that I feel it already without them adding oil on to the fire, but these remarks only elevates my shame, to the point where I get pissed off. And it’s not like these comments are about things that can be helped: it’s about things that can’t be changed, things that one are born with.
God promises that those who hope in Him won’t be put to shame, so why am I constantly having to deal with this? From all sorts of friends, Christians and non-Christians alike, to the point where I just want to give up instead of having to deal with their “harmless” ridicule. Yet God also says, shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. This second part got me thinking: had I been treacherous in the past just because?
I started thinking back, and I realized that I, too, have criticized so many people, people that had done me no wrong, just because I felt like it. I turned the miseries of others into jokes and laughed at their expenses, sometimes with ill will, hoping their miseries prolong because “that’s what they deserve”. Some of these very people I ridiculed are now the very people returning the favor. Though I never said these mean things to their faces, it doesn’t change the fact that I had sinned, yet here I am complaining to God about others.
Of course, two wrongs don’t make a right, and neither what I did nor my friends are doing justify the fact that criticism is wrong, for God says do not judge others, lest we be judged. Lord help me to guard my mind and tongue, lest I judge others for my own benefit and bring upon my own shame.
Posted in Life, Quiet Time | Tagged friends, judging others, psalm
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
These past 2 weeks have been difficult for my entire family. Just last Monday on the 18th, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer, and my dad is on the borderline for stomach cancer if he doesn’t start taking care of himself. As an only child who is very close to my mom, I became extremely upset and stressed. My dad didn’t take it any easier than I did, and it didn’t help that he was extra busy with work and I just started my second semester in college. This family crisis came at the worst time possible.
My mom knew it would be a difficult time for me, and she encouraged me to read the bible and get closer to God, because in the end, I would need Him. She was right. I knew that in times like these, only God could bring our family strength, peace, and healing. I started reading the bible again where I left off, and the words of God truly brought me out of despair into hope. Psalm 21 and 22 talked about how David went through hard times himself, but when he trusted in the Lord, God answered his prayers and gave him victory over his enemies. What an encouragement this was to me!
But for the day of my mom’s surgery, God especially prepared for me just the words I needed: Psalm 23 – reassurance that He was our family’s shepherd, and that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is still by our side, comforting us. I thank the Lord and praise Him for His guidance and faithfulness, even when we weren’t.
Posted in Life, Quiet Time
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:33-34
Remember my previous post, when I said I was stressed out about a lot of things, and everything just seemed to be wearing me out? Well one thing was bonding with my boyfriend’s friends. I really like them, but 1) I’m shy around people I don’t know and 2) they all already know each other really well, so it’s hard to break in to such a tight-knit circle. Well as much as I’d like to say I’m best buds with all of them (which I’m not), I did take a HUGE step towards the bonding and friendship. It’s amazing, I never knew things would work out so well and I would have such an amazing time with them. As a matter of fact, that was probably one of the most fun nights I’ve had in a LONG time.
I wasn’t purposely trying to solve the problem, as a matter of fact, I didn’t want to hang out with them that night, but things just ended up happening, and before I knew it, I was having the time of my life. Coincidence? I like to think it’s God working in my life 
I will continue seeking Him, and await patiently for the lovely surprises He has in store for me.
Posted in Life | Tagged friends, matthew, testimony
“As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”
Psalm 17:15
These past 2 weeks have been down weeks for me, and when I say down, I do mean down. Not your average “it’s exam week” or “oh it’s that time of the month” down, but it’s so far down that the stress is actually causing me to miss that time of the month! Sure, it is exam week, but I’m a junior in college, I’m used to this by now. But instead, it’s like every little thing that could possibly get to me is actually getting to me, and in the end, I’m just so overwhelmed and stressed out that I’m not motivated to do anything anymore.
Needless to say, anything included my quiet time, which I have missed for quite a while now. It’s ironic how in the end, no matter how much I’m unwilling to admit, I still crawl back to God because I need him. So I finally opened my bible and read Psalm 17. Not much enlightenment at first, until I read verse 14 and 15.
In v14, David describes his enemies as those who find their reward in this life and world. But in v15, he contrasts himself with them, saying that his satisfaction is in seeing God’s likeness. What a revelation! All this time, I’ve been trying to find my rewards from this world, and needless to say, disappointed each time. This strive to find satisfaction from this life, instead of from God, is the exact reason for my stress. And it shouldn’t be just about needing His presence, but desiring His presence, thirsting for it in your life. Perhaps others can find happiness from things of this world, but as for me, I shall be like David, and be satisfied with seeing God’s likeness.
Posted in Quiet Time | Tagged difficult times, happiness, psalm, school