Living in a world where you are bombarded with information every seconds of your life, i often get carried away with it. I find myself lacking in time with God, and yet all those times that i spend with Him its still in the realm of modern world. Just for example, my Bible is in my Ipad, and in order for me to write this Blog i have to have access to the Internet. There are too many other things as well that led me to feel that the presence of God somehow were replaced by these gadgets.
However, deep in my mind and heart somehow i know that God can be deeply found when you remove all of these things away. When your heart turn in the simplicity of life, there is where God can be seen deeper. When you just find an empty space, empty room, and without engaging God with all these "gadgets" there is the place where i find God in much better connection than what i have right now.
I hope that this will be my new way of finding God. To set aside all of these engaging things and immersed in the presence of this mighty God.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Beyond The Word Religion
We are created for a purpose, for a pleasure of a God who loves us so much. That is what Christianity tries to portray and show to many. Well, people may agree or disagree with that. Some see Christianity as that form of force who asked to believe on their dogma, constrict their freedom, value human being based on one perspective and one perspective only, etc, etc. This perspective often driven by their personal experience with Christian. And to make matter worse, there are so many disagreement among Christian themselves. One will read the bible and interpret it the way other refuse to agree.
Well, i write this not to create a more complicated matter but rather to ask myself for what it does for me? How does it lead me to comprehend this person name God?
People will always define and redefine God. And it seems God is allowing that by being invisible. Sometimes i wish God just come down and open a press conference where He finnaly reveal and define Himself. He will correct the long waited wrong interpretation, and strengthen the right approach of Himself. It sounds like the perfect solution for all this ambiguous and confusing view of God. But on the same time, will we believe on Him? Will we treat Him with the awe and adoration of this mystery of being name God? There is a beauty in mystery and that is what i found through this exploration of religion and in particular Christianity. There is the msytery of greater experience of the unknown, unseen, untouchable. Yet its existence seems to be real no matter what. Beyond my senses, my presence. God does exist yet He is mysterious. He doesnt exist, but yet we are searching for a deep spiritual existence that we think is out there.
For that purpose i find that God is indeed beyond Religion. Religion is our attempt to contain this great mysterious being and to grasp God as much as our limited ability and capability can comprehend. It is our longing for knowing God.
In that process, we will encounter the obstacle of limitation, and this is the reason of me putting my faith on Christianity. It allows me to realize that grace is indeed ultimate mystery of God. It allows me to accept the fact of me in this limit, yet allow God still be God without me have contain it. I have to allow my inability to know God limits me and on the same time to let God know me unlimitedly. Its including finding the unknown side of me.
Grace is indeed become the only way i have to accept Him. That God is beyond me, yet its surround me.
Therefore, when our view of God is limited to religion, its something that only grace may answer.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Well, i write this not to create a more complicated matter but rather to ask myself for what it does for me? How does it lead me to comprehend this person name God?
People will always define and redefine God. And it seems God is allowing that by being invisible. Sometimes i wish God just come down and open a press conference where He finnaly reveal and define Himself. He will correct the long waited wrong interpretation, and strengthen the right approach of Himself. It sounds like the perfect solution for all this ambiguous and confusing view of God. But on the same time, will we believe on Him? Will we treat Him with the awe and adoration of this mystery of being name God? There is a beauty in mystery and that is what i found through this exploration of religion and in particular Christianity. There is the msytery of greater experience of the unknown, unseen, untouchable. Yet its existence seems to be real no matter what. Beyond my senses, my presence. God does exist yet He is mysterious. He doesnt exist, but yet we are searching for a deep spiritual existence that we think is out there.
For that purpose i find that God is indeed beyond Religion. Religion is our attempt to contain this great mysterious being and to grasp God as much as our limited ability and capability can comprehend. It is our longing for knowing God.
In that process, we will encounter the obstacle of limitation, and this is the reason of me putting my faith on Christianity. It allows me to realize that grace is indeed ultimate mystery of God. It allows me to accept the fact of me in this limit, yet allow God still be God without me have contain it. I have to allow my inability to know God limits me and on the same time to let God know me unlimitedly. Its including finding the unknown side of me.
Grace is indeed become the only way i have to accept Him. That God is beyond me, yet its surround me.
Therefore, when our view of God is limited to religion, its something that only grace may answer.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Searching For God's Heart
I have to write this with a consideration that people have different view about this subject. But let me carry this issue from the way i see it since this is the place where i can reflect things such as this anyway.
I came to the conclusion, that often time it is very easy for us to mention God, in our conversation, in our prayer, in our daily life, but yet i find it is very difficult to find His true heart. What do i mean by that?
Often time, i got myself into this situation where despite all the "activities" above, i cannot comprehend that presence of His in His majestic, ultimate, and graceful manner. Now i am not talking about the emptiness of feeling, but rather that there is something deeper, more meaningful, and mysterious about God that i cannot just receive from daily spiritual "activity"
In my dumb, ignorant, naive way i call it the Heart of God.
For this previous few weeks behind me, i was intrigue by the story of the Prodigal Son and a very special book with the Title "Addiction and Grace" by Dr.Gerald May. The story of the Prodigal Son, captivate that true searching of a person of their true relationship with God. The prodigal son, went away tries to get rid of the presence, the heart of his Father. He took away the Father's wealth in perception that it will bring joy and happiness to him. He thought, what He needs is His father properties, and not his father's heart. He went as far as possible, spending all that he can spend and find the pleasure that he really wish he could have. However, only when all this things did not fulfill his deep longing for that love, he realizes that only the Love of His Father is the complete love that he needs.
It is our nature to take our Father's blessing, and treat it as if it is there our joy and satisfaction lies. We wants God's wealth even if in the process we have to treat Him as if He is dead, and run as far as we can to the place where we can demolish the presence, the memories, the love that He gave to us. But yet He is patient enough to wait for us to find that true heart of His.
I feel i am still running away right now, but yet my heart keep calling that there is something deeper, something more rather than just another spiritual activity. There must be something more, than a regular bible reading, devotional life, prayer, teaching and preaching. For there is more to God himself.
Help me Lord in my search of your Heart, even when i am still being that prodigal Son.
I came to the conclusion, that often time it is very easy for us to mention God, in our conversation, in our prayer, in our daily life, but yet i find it is very difficult to find His true heart. What do i mean by that?
Often time, i got myself into this situation where despite all the "activities" above, i cannot comprehend that presence of His in His majestic, ultimate, and graceful manner. Now i am not talking about the emptiness of feeling, but rather that there is something deeper, more meaningful, and mysterious about God that i cannot just receive from daily spiritual "activity"
In my dumb, ignorant, naive way i call it the Heart of God.
For this previous few weeks behind me, i was intrigue by the story of the Prodigal Son and a very special book with the Title "Addiction and Grace" by Dr.Gerald May. The story of the Prodigal Son, captivate that true searching of a person of their true relationship with God. The prodigal son, went away tries to get rid of the presence, the heart of his Father. He took away the Father's wealth in perception that it will bring joy and happiness to him. He thought, what He needs is His father properties, and not his father's heart. He went as far as possible, spending all that he can spend and find the pleasure that he really wish he could have. However, only when all this things did not fulfill his deep longing for that love, he realizes that only the Love of His Father is the complete love that he needs.
It is our nature to take our Father's blessing, and treat it as if it is there our joy and satisfaction lies. We wants God's wealth even if in the process we have to treat Him as if He is dead, and run as far as we can to the place where we can demolish the presence, the memories, the love that He gave to us. But yet He is patient enough to wait for us to find that true heart of His.
I feel i am still running away right now, but yet my heart keep calling that there is something deeper, something more rather than just another spiritual activity. There must be something more, than a regular bible reading, devotional life, prayer, teaching and preaching. For there is more to God himself.
Help me Lord in my search of your Heart, even when i am still being that prodigal Son.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
That things about God
Love is indeed God. After all the things i see in this world, one thing i did know that love is indeed God. Outside of that is what addiction is all about
Thursday, April 28, 2011
In Your Presence
I want to dwell in Your presence o LORD i want to be where You are and be delighted by Your love and grace.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Still about Contemplative Spirituality
Distraction, its a big word that i still have to reflect and reconsider. This word has brought me to think about all the distraction that i have in my life. There are too many things, gadgets, and thought that often distract me from finding God and having that deep connection with Him. Contemplation is about letting it go, for a better focus on God. But that is the hardest part, to let it go. How can something pleasing for me should be taken away without me struggling to get it back? What is my natural being says?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Contemplative Spirituality
As you can see above, the title above indeed sounds very theological. However, this issue has been a hot potato right now among the people in my theological circle. My own Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Well, the accusation given to contemplative spirituality is the practice of meditation and solitude that "technically" mimic the monastic practice of spirituality and eastern mysticism.
I am not going to discuss theologically here, about the pro and con of it. But rather what i have learned from contemplative spirituality for my personal growth. There is something very important, something very true that often we as Christian has neglected so much that when other religion got it, we become so fearful losing our identity.
We are living in the world today that i believe, overemphasizing the importance of productivity, and result as the definition of success and achievement. Well, blame it to the Industrial Revolution. As a matter of fact with the advancement of industrialization, it comes with the urge for higher productivity. The heart of industry is product, for product defines profit, and profit defines success. So the word speed, efficiency, high rate, and other very "productive" word become the vocabulary of the world, and soon enough Christianity become part of it.
We have been carried away with worldview of the world, that our spirituality is defined by speed and efficiency as well. There is no time for God, there is no time for Prayer, there is no time for the Word. Who can spare three hours a day to pray and contemplate with God in solitude? Who can spare their precious productive hour on daytime sitting in one corner of the room with the words and prayer? Only Monk can do that! Therefore, our spirituality has lost its beauty, and Grace of God become very efficient as well.
Contemplative spirituality in my view tries to bring that point across once again. What have been practiced by the Church Father probably still something that we need even more today. Some method might be theologically debatable but the core and the heart of it is still the same. We are too fast, we are too ambitious, we are too rushed, and too insecure. We afraid to loose our catch, our productivity, if we have to slow down and just sit down with God.
We are too greedy, we want all things for our benefit, even the spiritual one. God need to bless us so much, but we cannot wait.
Ironically, Adventist whom we suppose to be the defender of truth, with our great teaching of "Day of Rest" are often the most restless people encountered. We even clogged our Sabbath day with OUR activity, for other day is OURs and God can only function on Sabbath. Spiritual life seems to went down with the Sun, as we pray at the Sundown worship.
This is still the great lesson that i have to learn, and yes i am determined to learn it. How to live up a life that is Centered on God in the term of time, and relationship.
Well, the accusation given to contemplative spirituality is the practice of meditation and solitude that "technically" mimic the monastic practice of spirituality and eastern mysticism.
I am not going to discuss theologically here, about the pro and con of it. But rather what i have learned from contemplative spirituality for my personal growth. There is something very important, something very true that often we as Christian has neglected so much that when other religion got it, we become so fearful losing our identity.
We are living in the world today that i believe, overemphasizing the importance of productivity, and result as the definition of success and achievement. Well, blame it to the Industrial Revolution. As a matter of fact with the advancement of industrialization, it comes with the urge for higher productivity. The heart of industry is product, for product defines profit, and profit defines success. So the word speed, efficiency, high rate, and other very "productive" word become the vocabulary of the world, and soon enough Christianity become part of it.
We have been carried away with worldview of the world, that our spirituality is defined by speed and efficiency as well. There is no time for God, there is no time for Prayer, there is no time for the Word. Who can spare three hours a day to pray and contemplate with God in solitude? Who can spare their precious productive hour on daytime sitting in one corner of the room with the words and prayer? Only Monk can do that! Therefore, our spirituality has lost its beauty, and Grace of God become very efficient as well.
Contemplative spirituality in my view tries to bring that point across once again. What have been practiced by the Church Father probably still something that we need even more today. Some method might be theologically debatable but the core and the heart of it is still the same. We are too fast, we are too ambitious, we are too rushed, and too insecure. We afraid to loose our catch, our productivity, if we have to slow down and just sit down with God.
We are too greedy, we want all things for our benefit, even the spiritual one. God need to bless us so much, but we cannot wait.
Ironically, Adventist whom we suppose to be the defender of truth, with our great teaching of "Day of Rest" are often the most restless people encountered. We even clogged our Sabbath day with OUR activity, for other day is OURs and God can only function on Sabbath. Spiritual life seems to went down with the Sun, as we pray at the Sundown worship.
This is still the great lesson that i have to learn, and yes i am determined to learn it. How to live up a life that is Centered on God in the term of time, and relationship.
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