Deu 8:3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna
which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you
know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
When my grandfather
died more than 50 years ago, the family did not have money to pay for
the headstone. When my father died, we manage to afford the funeral,
with not much luxury. We had spent so many years trying
to avoid being poor eg having a good education, and working hard, but
often what we had focused on becomes reality. When we planned too far
ahead, we fail to live for today.
The manna in the bible
was given one day at a time, a simple meal nothing fancy that would make
you full yet you would not go starving too much.
In this world where we
live for materialistic enjoyment, and luxury, living in simplicity one
day at a time and listening and be connected to Jesus is difficult.
When we live for today,
God has great plans for us. It was with great irony, that the only time
my dad heard me preach was in his own eulogy. I had a lot of practice in
doing church prayers and in cell group. We would not know what will come
tommorow when our gifts and ministry would be or have been used from the
simplest of service to God.
During this period of
spiritual and physical challenges, my perspective on the Christian faith has changed to be more
spiritual and meditative that transcends beyond an earthly kingdom.
Henri Nouwen
asserts that we move from solitude to community to ministry. But in
reality, we are often too occupied with community because our partner
and friends and the ministry activities often fill our days. The
challenge is to go from community that we are in to solitude, to live
one day at a time connected with Jesus.
The Christian Faith is
a faith of living one day at a time, and enjoying life and giving thanks
for God's blessings for this day. He will take care of the tommorow. We
often planned too much although plan we should. But life is not about
tommorow, but today, and our communion with Jesus.
Some gay men had the
gifts to empathise with others, and I see them actively going out to
stand beside the down trodden. Their way of Christianity, in preparing
the way of the Lord is to bring love and kinship for a better world.
For me the way of the
Lord is a bit more mystical and spiritual. St John prepared the way of
the Lord by going out in the desert and calling for personal repentance
and baptism for sins and point to the Messiah who was to come. He didn't
go to the rich and the political leaders to confront them on social
injustice. His kingdom of God was not the salvation of the earth they
were living in, but a heavenly salvation.
St John the
Baptist didn't really died standing up against the powers to be for
social injustice. He was killed because he criticised the unholiness of
Herod in having his brother's wife. He didn't exactly criticised
Herod for being evil and cruel to the people. Herod was indeed reluctant
to order John's death. Herod was more a political fox rather than a cold
blooded ruler.
When Jesus came, the
disciples of John became the disciples of Jesus for Jesus took over the
ministry in the desert places calling on sinners to repent and be
baptised onto eternal salvation. Hence, upon baptism, they were part of
the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. It was a personal
salvation and decision to be part of a heavenly kingdom and not a
corporate salvation. Our stay on earth was to be temporary and we too
will return back to heaven like Jesus Christ.
Isaiah foretold this
"salvation" will be to all peoples, for the ministry of John and Jesus
was initially to the Jews only, but the disciples took it to the
gentiles that when they believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Saviour they too became part of the Kingdom of God on earth and in
heaven. Hence, the way of salvation, the bridge to God was made
available to non-Jews.
What does the Kingdom
of God being both an earthly and heavenly kingdom means? There is a
special gift in the GLBT community to see beyond the earthly into the
spiritual.
When we are baptised
into the Kingdom of God, we are born again and having the spiritual eyes
to see and commune into another kingdom. There are earthly prayers to
Jesus in known languages and understanding, but also spiritual prayers
in spiritual tongues that transcends us into a spiritual realm.
During this last few
weeks of struggle and even health issues, I am learning to live one day
at a time. It is that spiritual connection, always in prayer and
discernment, that Jesus becomes a present reality in troubled times.
Life is about communion
with the person of the Holy Spirit each day as we listen to Holy Spirit
of God and worship spiritually. We reach a point to realise that we are
spirit beings and our spirit can transcend our physical bodies.
During this Christmas
season where gifts and laughter and feasting abounds, we often forget
the simplicity of Christ coming not in a 5 star hotel luxury but in a
tattered manger. It is a season of holidays for many friends who would
stay in five star hotels and business class airlines. We seek joy and
peace often in the luxury of life and why not if we do indeed have the
means for life on earth is short.
The Lord's prayer reads
"Give us this day our daily bread ..." which is rare for today. For who
would eat bread without any spread of jam, or who would eat white rice
alone without vegetables and meat side dishes. Yet, God promised us our
daily bread, the white plain bread and not roast turkey. God promised us
basic necessities for our focus is to be on the heavens and not to fill
our earthly indulgences.
The walk of faith and
simplicity with Jesus starts with giving thanks for God's grace and
mercy, for the little and the mundane, the simple white loaf of bread
that we eat daily and not so much to notice the lack of meat and
vegetables. We can't change or influence the outside world, without
first having the nature and communion with Christ within us. Hence, we
need to practise the presence of God.
When Jesus comes back
to earth to bring us back home to heaven if we indeed accept Him as our
Lord and Saviour, few would anticipate the timing for they will still be
feasting and shopping till the last days. The sign is in the gay
marriages for salvation into the Kingdom of God, must first be available
to all the tribes on earth.
The 2nd coming of
Christ would be an easy transition if Christ is already so close to us
in our daily walk, one day at a time. May Thy will be done on earth as
it is in heaven.