"Sometimes we wonder if we will have the mercy to stand in terrible testing. Yes, we will. Peter says, 'If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you' (1 Peter 4:14). When the reviling comes, the Spirit of glory comes. It happened for Stephen as he was being stoned (Acts 7:55-60). It will happen for you. When the Spirit and glory are needed, they will come."
The latter was an excerpt from "A Godward Life", by John Piper. I recieved this book on my birthday (the 19th) from a family who I respect a great deal. Although life for me has been pretty full with finishing the school year, preparing for graduation, and trying to complete reading Blue Like Jazz, this book has already managed to bless me.
The past two years have been filled with considerable times of pain and change in my life, and in the life of my family as a whole. I departed indefinitely from the place I was chiefly raised in (the Philippines). I have learned more about God's grace in 24 months than I have ever learned in 18 years of life. I lost my grandfather, a man I admired and loved and who I aspire to be like as I grow older. I will be graduating from high-school in less than a week. God has been merciful through every bit of it. In all things He has revealed small glimpses of His glory, and how I simply am unable to do anything at all without Him.
"If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you"
The question lingers in my mind: Who am I being reviled for? Am I earnestly and honestly seeking to please God? Or am I half-heartedly stumbling through life, treating God's mercy more as a free ticket to Glory rather than a divine sacrifice from a Heavenly Father?
There is way too much on my mind to write anything else on this topic. There will probably be more later.
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Tomorrow is my last exam. Ever. At least of my high-school career. I have to be at school at 8:00 to take a comprehensive Algebra II exam. Once I finish, I will be free to fly flappingly from the hallways of GCS and into the wild blue yonder. Almost. I still will need to report for duty on Wednesday morning to take care of some last-minute legalities. Graduation is Saturday at Grace Community Church (On Woodlawn Road). Come one, come all.
According to FedEx, a MacBook with my name on it is currently venturing its way from Anchorage, Alaska, down to my eager little paws here in South Carolina. It should be arriving Thursday afternoon. Everyone is welcome to drop by and help me celebrate.
My head is spinning from too much thinking. Or maybe from gazing into the computer monitor for too long. I've wasted much time on here this afternoon - mostly here playing a game called "Anagrammatic". I'm hooked.
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