Whatever is Lovely...
Well if there was ever a day where I felt like a total klutz, it would be today! It all started with me accidentally spilling my coffee on myself. I guess my early morning body thought it would be faster to absorb the caffeine through my skin instead of going through the whole digestive process. In actual fact, my body was wrong because it only absorbed as far as my coat and didn't even reach my skin let alone my blood-stream. Haha! Thankfully the sun was shining and my worship music was already playing in my ear. It made it a lot easier to laugh it off and give thanks to the Lord of the sunshine! I'm pretty sure I also tripped over myself a couple of times and there may have been a few blank moments... *sigh*. These humbling days definitely the most educational. Thankfully I did make it through all my classes and even managed to answer the question when my logic lecturer randomly asked me so, woohoo! That's right! We don't just survive we triumph-over by the power of the Holy Spirit!
I started thinking back a couple of Sundays ago where the sermon was about 1 Corinthians 12. The title given was about spiritual gifts but I noticed the main point that the preacher brought across was about unity in the Spirit. Today especially as my body wasn't really cooperating with itself, I noticed that one part of the body had to be patient with the other and work together in all things to function productively. My brain may have needed that caffeine pronto but it was no good for the rest of the body to think it could get it faster by means other than through the mouth, esophagus, stomach, etc. Not to mention, how much more pleasurable it would have been to experience taste and warmth rather than the embarrassment of the mess it became. I then considered my current and previous week and the different encounters I've had with different people. The truth of this chapter became so real and I feel so challenged again by verses 13 onwards.
In any case, I thought this was a most interesting and humbling lesson and it felt so much more appropriate realising it's the chapter just before the famous 1 Corinthians 13. In case you haven't noticed, Valentine's Day is literally around the corner. How suitable then to think of each of us as members of the body of Christ learning to love each other with His perfect love. Especially this last week where I heard quite a lot of discouraging news from various people, perhaps it is good to be reminded of such things for we are told that "whatever things are TRUE, whatever things are NOBLE, whatever things are JUST, whatever things are PURE, whatever things are LOVELY, whatever things are of GOOD REPORT, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8) and what is more praiseworthy than the Lord Himself. "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my lord... and count [all things] as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him..." (Philippians 3:8-9). So perhaps I end here with an urge to consider the loveliness of our wonderful saviour and a little extra reminder in Philippians to "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!...Be anxious for nothing, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)
"ONE thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I SEEK: that I may DWELL in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to [firstly] BEHOLD THE BEAUTY of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple." - (Psalm 27:4)
I pray then that we will all truly DESIRE the Lord and persistently SEEK and ENJOY His beautiful face that we may DWELL consistently and continually in His awesome presence. May you experience such beauty and love that only God can reveal. Happy Valentines Day (for Saturday and always)!
