What things have to happen in your life, so that one day you will look back and say: "Yes, it was really worth it?"
Focus on the big stepping stones, rather than trying to do too much at once.
What are the big stepping stones in your life? What are some things you need to stop doing so you have more time and energy to work on the things, which truly matter?
Do something great with your life and die fully given. Contribute your gifts to what matters most.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
When It's All Been Said and Done
I love this song by Robin Mark. "When It's All Been Said and Done" reminds us to focus on what truly matters in life.
What will really matter when you move towards the end of your life? You brought nothing into this life when you were born and most likely you will take nothing material with you. Do you live with an awareness of this?
How do your choices in life reflect the fact that most things are temporary?
Have you discovered anything or anyone who is non-temporary?
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Why focus and prioritising is so important - some personal reflections
Many personal development courses emphasise how important it is to "give your dreams all you got" or "never give up". While this is in general good advice, it can become a problem if we overexert ourselves. As humans we all face constraints, particularly in terms of our available time and our health.
For most of us, there are probably more than a million things we really would love to achieve during our lives if we had unlimited time e.g. learn all languages spoken in the world, be an expert in twenty different fields of studies or really good at five different types of sports. Unfortunately, we do not have unlimited time.
We need to acknowledge that our time on this planet is limited. Take the approximate number of years you still expect to live multiply it by 365.25 and you have a rough estimate of how many days you still have left to make those things happen, which really matter.
We all need to make choices. Not to decide is also a decision. The same is true with trying to keep your options open for too long.
What do you want people to say at your funeral?
If you could only achieve 5 things with your life, what would they be?
What does your current way of living tell you about what your priorities are? Do you live purposefully or do you just drift along?
It is so important to regularly think about these things. Let us not waste our lives but use them to accomplish what matters most.
For most of us, there are probably more than a million things we really would love to achieve during our lives if we had unlimited time e.g. learn all languages spoken in the world, be an expert in twenty different fields of studies or really good at five different types of sports. Unfortunately, we do not have unlimited time.
We need to acknowledge that our time on this planet is limited. Take the approximate number of years you still expect to live multiply it by 365.25 and you have a rough estimate of how many days you still have left to make those things happen, which really matter.
We all need to make choices. Not to decide is also a decision. The same is true with trying to keep your options open for too long.
What do you want people to say at your funeral?
If you could only achieve 5 things with your life, what would they be?
What does your current way of living tell you about what your priorities are? Do you live purposefully or do you just drift along?
It is so important to regularly think about these things. Let us not waste our lives but use them to accomplish what matters most.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Some reflections on the Gospel of Mark
Mark appears to deliberately place summary passages about important aspects of Jesus’ ministry such as preaching, healing and teaching (Mk 1:14-15, 3:7-12, 6:6) before the sending out of the disciples (Mk 6:7-13).
Moreover, Jesus takes the initiative in each of the discipleship stories. He calls the disciples to become his followers (Mk 1:16-20) as well as the core of God’s new people (Mk 3:13-19) and then sends them on a mission.
For us today, this means that we need to be open to Jesus’ guidance not only in mission but also all other areas of our lives.
As true followers of Jesus we need to make honest attempts to overcome all ungodly obstacles while trusting that God is with us and provides what we require.
Moreover, Jesus takes the initiative in each of the discipleship stories. He calls the disciples to become his followers (Mk 1:16-20) as well as the core of God’s new people (Mk 3:13-19) and then sends them on a mission.
For us today, this means that we need to be open to Jesus’ guidance not only in mission but also all other areas of our lives.
As true followers of Jesus we need to make honest attempts to overcome all ungodly obstacles while trusting that God is with us and provides what we require.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
What is Freedom?
True freedom is not being able to do whatever we desire to do. Honestly, who would be really happy with that anyway? It might initially seem like a lot of fun, but does it really satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts?
Rather, true freedom appears to be the ability to choose those restrictions that best suit our design and thus fulfill us the most. It is the ability to do what is right regardless of our circumstances in life. If you are truly free, you are able to forgive when others hurt you. You are able to stretch out your hand in friendship regardless of how much wrong the other side has caused you. It is the ability to overcome evil by doing good.
How can we attain this true freedom?
Rather, true freedom appears to be the ability to choose those restrictions that best suit our design and thus fulfill us the most. It is the ability to do what is right regardless of our circumstances in life. If you are truly free, you are able to forgive when others hurt you. You are able to stretch out your hand in friendship regardless of how much wrong the other side has caused you. It is the ability to overcome evil by doing good.
How can we attain this true freedom?
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Deep Inner Peace - Being Safe, Significant and Unconditionally Loved
Such peace is something that we all long for. We might not always be aware of it but it is such a deep human need that it drives much of what we think and do on a day-to-day basis. Such peace comes from knowing that we are safe, significant and unconditionally loved.
But how can we trust that this is the case in the reality we live in?
Many things in today's culture attempt to offer us meaning, belonging, safety and love. Just consider the dominant themes of advertising promising that everything will be well if we just buy this one more product. Alcohol, excessive parties and online role playing games are a few more examples with which many people today try to find meaning, love and security. But no matter how hard we try to find peace in worldly things, it just leaves us empty again and hungry for even more of the same.
The reason why worldly things in themselves do not satisfy, is that we need to go to the source of all life first. This leads to the question of God's existence and how he can be known today.
The Good News that followers of Jesus Christ have proclaimed for the last 2000 years is that God can indeed be known. Jesus' death and resurrection established a way for everyone who believes to be free from guilt, condemnation, stress and strive and experience the deep inner peace, which comes from realising that our lives are indeed in God's hands.
Communication with God helps us to rid our lives of all worries and do as much as we can while letting go of the outcome of a particular situation in our lives:
But how can we trust that this is the case in the reality we live in?
Many things in today's culture attempt to offer us meaning, belonging, safety and love. Just consider the dominant themes of advertising promising that everything will be well if we just buy this one more product. Alcohol, excessive parties and online role playing games are a few more examples with which many people today try to find meaning, love and security. But no matter how hard we try to find peace in worldly things, it just leaves us empty again and hungry for even more of the same.
The reason why worldly things in themselves do not satisfy, is that we need to go to the source of all life first. This leads to the question of God's existence and how he can be known today.
The Good News that followers of Jesus Christ have proclaimed for the last 2000 years is that God can indeed be known. Jesus' death and resurrection established a way for everyone who believes to be free from guilt, condemnation, stress and strive and experience the deep inner peace, which comes from realising that our lives are indeed in God's hands.
Communication with God helps us to rid our lives of all worries and do as much as we can while letting go of the outcome of a particular situation in our lives:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6-7, TNIV)Following Jesus does not mean that everything in our lives always turns out the way we want it. Nevertheless it is the most satisfying way of living as it is the way, which suits our design:
"Our parents disciplined us for a little while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Heb 12:10-11, TNIV)God's peace also includes freedom from other people's opinions as God is the only legimitate ultimate judge of our lives but chose out of love to forgive us:
"I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." (1 Cor 4:3-4, TNIV)However, this wonderful peace, that comes from a personal relationship with God through Jesus, is not an excuse to be lazy and complacent about improving the world that we live in. True Christianity means living with the wonderful peace that ultimately all things will be made right by God and doing as much as we can to improve this world until Jesus returns.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Epilogue of Tim Keller's book: "Where Do We Go From Here?"
Can you believe it? We have finally reached the end of the book :-)
It is possible though by no means certain that Christianity may be more plausible to you now that you've read this book. You may have been personally moved by some of the descriptions of our world's need, your own condition, and Christ's mission in the world. What if you are ready to explore that it means to put your faith in Christ? Where do you go from here?
Motivations are nearly always mixed. If you wait until your motives are pure and unselfish before you do something, you will wait forever. Nevertheless, it is important to ask what is primarily moving you toward an action, especially when it comes to faith commitment.
For example, you may be at a time of great difficulty and need. You are sharply conscious, maybe for the first time in your life, that you need God and some kind of spiritual help in order to make it. There's nothing mistaken about that, but it would be very easy in that condition to approach God as a means to an end. Are you getting into Christianity to serve God, or to get God to serve you?
We have to recognise that virtually all of us begin our journey towards God because we want something from him. However, we must come to grips with the fact that we owe him our entire lives just because of what he has done for us already. If Jesus' death for us was the only thing he ever did for us - and he has done and still does so much more - even then he would deserve our eternal gratitude.
Importantly we need to remember that becoming a Christian is not simply a matter of ticking off a list of things to believe and do. Behavioural changes alone will not make you a Christian. Lots of people in the world are socially and personally ethical but do not have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Repentance is not less than being sorry for individual sins, but it means much more.
The repentance that really changes your heart and your relationship with God begins when you recognise that your main sin, the sin under the rest of your sins, is your self-salvation project. As we have seen previously, humans have the tendency to create their own 'gods' even though we do not call them that.
Moreover, becoming a Christian always has both an individual and a corporate aspect. Being part of a community of believers is important. At this point it is vital to acknowledge that so many people's main problem with Christianity has far more to do with the church than with Jesus. They have had bad experiences with churches before. The church of Jesus Christ is a bit like an ocean, enormous and diverse. Like the ocean there are warm and clear spots and deadly cold spots. But there is no alternative. You cannot live the Christian life without a band of Christian friends, without a family of believers in which you find a place.
What if you have reached the end of this book and, as the result of reading it, you wish you could have faith but you don't? This questions is probably best answered by the following example. During a dark time in her life, a woman of a local church complained that she had prayed over and over "God, help me find you" but had got nowhere. A Christian friend suggested to her that she might change her prayer to "God, come and find me! After all, you are the Good Shepherd who goes looking for the lost sheep." She concluded when she was recounting this to me, "The only reason I can tell you this story is - he did."
Based on: Tim Keller (2008), The Reason for God, p.213-226
It is possible though by no means certain that Christianity may be more plausible to you now that you've read this book. You may have been personally moved by some of the descriptions of our world's need, your own condition, and Christ's mission in the world. What if you are ready to explore that it means to put your faith in Christ? Where do you go from here?
Motivations are nearly always mixed. If you wait until your motives are pure and unselfish before you do something, you will wait forever. Nevertheless, it is important to ask what is primarily moving you toward an action, especially when it comes to faith commitment.
For example, you may be at a time of great difficulty and need. You are sharply conscious, maybe for the first time in your life, that you need God and some kind of spiritual help in order to make it. There's nothing mistaken about that, but it would be very easy in that condition to approach God as a means to an end. Are you getting into Christianity to serve God, or to get God to serve you?
We have to recognise that virtually all of us begin our journey towards God because we want something from him. However, we must come to grips with the fact that we owe him our entire lives just because of what he has done for us already. If Jesus' death for us was the only thing he ever did for us - and he has done and still does so much more - even then he would deserve our eternal gratitude.
Importantly we need to remember that becoming a Christian is not simply a matter of ticking off a list of things to believe and do. Behavioural changes alone will not make you a Christian. Lots of people in the world are socially and personally ethical but do not have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Repentance is not less than being sorry for individual sins, but it means much more.
The repentance that really changes your heart and your relationship with God begins when you recognise that your main sin, the sin under the rest of your sins, is your self-salvation project. As we have seen previously, humans have the tendency to create their own 'gods' even though we do not call them that.
Moreover, becoming a Christian always has both an individual and a corporate aspect. Being part of a community of believers is important. At this point it is vital to acknowledge that so many people's main problem with Christianity has far more to do with the church than with Jesus. They have had bad experiences with churches before. The church of Jesus Christ is a bit like an ocean, enormous and diverse. Like the ocean there are warm and clear spots and deadly cold spots. But there is no alternative. You cannot live the Christian life without a band of Christian friends, without a family of believers in which you find a place.
What if you have reached the end of this book and, as the result of reading it, you wish you could have faith but you don't? This questions is probably best answered by the following example. During a dark time in her life, a woman of a local church complained that she had prayed over and over "God, help me find you" but had got nowhere. A Christian friend suggested to her that she might change her prayer to "God, come and find me! After all, you are the Good Shepherd who goes looking for the lost sheep." She concluded when she was recounting this to me, "The only reason I can tell you this story is - he did."
Based on: Tim Keller (2008), The Reason for God, p.213-226
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