 “Choose” is the last in our series of January reflections to make 2022 a life of joy and laughter. It’s also a segue to a succession of articles I’ll be writing to the beat of my heart— of which I am prisoner. I’ll appreciate your suggestions and feedback as we search our hearts together. Choose And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13  Enoch and God Out of breath, he finally got to the fig tree, their meeting spot. He was terribly late. It had been an unusual, long, and challenging day for Enoch. His plow was severely damaged from the fallow ground that Jared, his father, asked him to cultivate. The work animals were acting up. He got stuck in the field without accomplishing much. He dragged his lead-heavy legs, still hurting from much exertion. Earlier, Enoch dreaded he wouldn’t make it to their appointment. It had been a commitment and a habit for hundreds of years that he can’t do without. Where else can Enoch release his burdens for the day? And, who else could reset his mind, body, and spirit so that he feels eager to face life? “I’ve been waiting for you,” the usual calming voice welcomed him. Enoch felt relieved to hear His voice. As Enoch started to explain what happened, the voice interrupted, “I know, I was there with you. But once the sun is positioned in its usual place, I long for our conversations. Come on, let’s walk.” Enoch’s weariness vanished with the warm breath he felt on his neck. Suddenly, incredible strength gripped him, and he was ready to walk with God for a million miles. “Thanks for being there when that lion attacked me. You truly are my protector,” Enoch uttered between breaths. “Of course, you know I never leave you nor forsake you. Your heart raced so fast you could have fainted. Fear is natural, but rest assured I’m with you always,” said the comforter. “I know, but I was stressed even before that lion showed up. I was so annoyed earlier when my father asked me to work on that field,” Enoch confessed. “Hmm… Tell me more,” the voice urged. The conversation got deeper. Enoch talked about his frustrations with his father, his child Methuselah, and his community. He showed God his blisters from the ruined plow and ranted about how his neighbor refused to help him fix it. Sandal straps that snapped, sunburn, joint pains, evil thoughts, hard labor, a broken spirit, and how their walk provides rest and respite – Enoch discussed it all with his Father. “I enjoy listening to you. I’ll never get tired of your venting,” the voice sounded like God was smiling. They took a detour somewhere so God could show Enoch some of His creation – brooks, hidden trails, and even took him to patches of wild grapes when Enoch felt famished. God was a great storyteller. He explained how lilies and eagles are providentially cared for and don’t fend for themselves. And He repeatedly told Enoch how He loves Him unconditionally. Enoch was captivated and was lost in time. After what seemed happy ever after, Enoch noticed a star setting to the west. It was almost dawn. He had walked with God for several hours. “It’s really late. I need to get back home to my family,” Enoch said. “Well, my home is closer to where we are right now. Why don’t you come home with me so we can continue our conversation?” asked God. Enoch walked steadily with God. And then, one day, he was simply gone: God took him. (Genesis 5:24 MSG) (This story is inspired by Dr. Jay Vernon McGee) My Walk With God I walk and talk with God on the treadmill. The outdoors is ideal –that is, if I had physical vision. But to walk outdoors using a cane requires attention, and I enjoy giving my undivided attention when conversing with God. So the treadmill is my best bet. Also, like most people, I, a blind person, close my eyes when I pray. Sitting or lying in bed praying conditions my mind to sleep. Needless to say, I can’t sleep while walking, so I pray on my treadmill. On a side note, this is why I warn my husband not to pray while driving if he'll eventually close his eyes. It would be the shortest way to heaven.
Whether my walk with God is long or short, it’s deep enough to impact my day.
When in deep conversation with God on the treadmill, my purple-colored room transforms into the open space of the heavens or the mountain ranges. We run, hike, fly, sit and rest together. When my treadmill was defective, I tried praying while walking around the house. Being blind and unaware of my natural environment while praying, I would lose my bearing. I accidentally bumped into walls and sharp edges so my forehead looked like one big piece of bubble wrap. Finally, my husband took pity and promised to get a treadmill that works for me. After much research, my techy son recommended the model suited for my needs. We bought the treadmill at a Black Friday deal. It turned out to be so much better than my old machine. I’m back to walking with God on the treadmill, a habit that has become a posture of life. Has your prayer life changed the way you live?  INSANE! That’s not the word for the weak. Though inadequate, “insane” merely describes the incredible creative power of the WORD. Imagine God speaking the entire universe into existence. In the pitch-black darkness, there was a booming voice that exploded, calling out every element. In the beginning, He might have declared, “LIGHT,” (my little mind assuming God didn’t care about sentence and grammar rules at that time). Lo and behold, there was light. Then He called the rest of the heavens and the Earth into order out of nothing. Mind-blowing! No narrative or film production could ever give justice to the ineffable creation scene. And what’s exciting is we can also speak order into our lives through a God-given word. We can speak a word into our lives because God first spoke. Since we’re formed in the image and likeness of God, we are His co-creators and co-laborers.
Skeptic? That makes you and me, until I witnessed its effectivity in my daughter’s life. Those who know Jem will instantly believe me. Last year, Jem received from God “positivity” as her word for 2021 and Philippians 4:8 as her verse. Why positivity? If Jem were around Albert Einstein in his time, Jem’s negativity would have broken his doggedness and perseverance, and we wouldn’t be enjoying his inventions today. A case in point, years ago, Jem had trouble moving on after a heartbreak. Her damaged sense of worth affected her confidence. Later, she got rejected for a job position she loved. Consecutive rejection hits knocked her down into the quagmire of despair. As her mother, I knew better not to break, but redirect my child’s strong will. Our continuing conversations may be likened to a world cruise with many disasters. Upon boarding, we’re both excited to get to a depression-free destination—at the shores of positivity. But tidal waves of painful memories, icebergs of doubts, flames of arguments washed out the beauty of new possibilities and open doors. After countless days, all-nighters and a million cups of tea, we circled back to our place of origin—depression and negativity. But In 2021, Jem meditated on things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (Philippians4:8 MSG). This was her GPS to positivity. The result? She became confident and journeyed from negative and inconsistent to positive and steadfast. Slowly, her teaching career burgeoned. She transformed from a fence-sitter to a decision-maker with her identity rooted in God. She didn’t slide into a negative slump, even after unpleasant job interviews or letters of rejection. Studying Japanese got her up every morning, and she made her bed every day (finally!). Bursting with creative ideas, Jem maintained a journaling streak that stretched to a third of a year. Entries included her goals, alternative plans, and new projects. Her vision to be a true gem of wisdom kept her motivated to sharpen the saw, as well as be spiritually and physically healthy. What can I say? She’s now ahead of me by several miles. She even inspired me to start this blog outreach. Need I say that I, too, have a word for 2022? It’s “build”, based on: 1 Corinthians 3:10 (NLT) Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. Let me explain. The disheartening events of 2021 brought me to an existential crisis. I came into 2022 weak and empty. Nonetheless, I am ready to receive from God, build on the foundation which is Jesus, and reach out to those who, like me, are weak. Today, several constructions are halted, projects paused and lives on hold. Initially, I thought it untimely to build during times of increasing uncertainty. But God had always been counter-cultural, and He gave His promise in the following verses. Isaiah 58:9-12 (NLT)
This same Word, which called the world into existence, actually dwelt as a human being among us. And now, that same Word, Jesus, lives in us if you allow Him to dwell in your heart. So inside of you is the Living Word that will recreate your life.
By the way, “logos” is closely related to the Greek word “lego,” which reminds me of my son’s favorite brand of building blocks as a child. I envision arranging and stacking the blocks God gives me into a wonderful creation. What do you think is God’s word for you in 2022?  “The unexamined life is not worth living.” -Socrates When I was a junior college student, I came across old high school friends who were going to the bar. Excited, I decided to join them. The problem was it was the night before my Statistics finals, and Math-related courses have always been my Waterloo. The result? I failed the exam, repeated the course, and lost my scholarship for the next year because I prioritized having fun instead of reviewing for my exam. Examinations are administered to test one’s knowledge of a subject. Passing an examination attests that one is ready for the higher class. The word stems from the Latin “examinare”, which means to weigh, ponder, or consider. Reviewing what we learned in an academic course is similar to reflecting on our lessons in the university of life. But, unlike the academic classroom where the professor administers an exam, an individual needs to be responsible for evaluating his life for the past twelve months. Every new year is higher, so we need to assess the past year to ensure we're ready. Look over the pages of your story. Identify your focus and priorities. Be grateful for the good and learn from the bad, but address unresolved issues, and so on, before you close the book for 2021.
This list turned me into a robot. Often, I declined my daughter’s request to chat over tea, my son’s offer for a joy ride, my husband’s invitation to watch a movie, or my dog’s plea to play. Still, at the end of a busy day, I’d be beaten down, empty, and a failure for not accomplishing all my tasks. My passive existence was disrupted while reading Haggai. He said, Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!” Haggai 1:5 NKJV Ouch! How many years have I wasted allowing life to take over instead of thinking it over? When unreflective, you don't notice the black spot on the ladybug or the cloud formation in the sky. What’s worse, you overlook your hurting child, how you've veered away from your primary goals, and that your marriage is going downhill. There’s no beauty, joy, or meaning in your existence. If you don’t give thought to your ways, life will pass you by, leaving you empty-handed. There are many ways one can evaluate life, but we’ll look at the next verse in Haggai for now. It talks about things we’re doing that aren’t resulting in anything. You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don't have enough. You drink, but you aren't filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.” Haggai 1:6 NKJV I guess everyone can relate to this. Even if we work 24/7, we cannot make enough or we want more. Sometimes unforeseen needs arise, Or worse, health problems. If finances are the top priority, Rousseau’s words are valid, “The money you have gives you freedom; the money you pursue enslaves you.” If we continue on the same path every day of every year, we’ll get the same results. There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25 What path of life are you on? Where does it lead? If we give careful thought to our ways, we can change how to live our lives and our end. "Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change." (Jim Rohn) The next verse provides what we need to prioritize. “Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the LORD. Haggai 1:8 At that time, the Israelites did not say that they would not build a temple at all. But, they said, "Not yet, not at the moment. That will come later after we’ve built our houses and planted our fields.” They did not say that they would never repent, reform or be actively involved in doing work for God’s Kingdom. They just said, “Not yet.” Hundreds of years later, our Lord Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Our response today is often no different from that of the Jews. We say I gotta send my kid to college first. Or when I’ve paid off my house. Or after I finish my MBA. Or when I’ve saved up for retirement. Or now I’m too old. When God’s work is put off, so are His blessings.
Suppose we adopt the paradigm of the examined life; 2022 will be an opportunity to apply what we learned in 2021. How appropriate these lessons will be as we enter the third COVID year. We can be informed but not hopeless or fearful. While economies continue to crumble, natural disasters ravage, and rising crime rates keep us on alert, we have a safe hiding place in God. We can insulate our hearts from the invasions, intrusions, and distractions of this age. Our hearts will be set on the Sovereign God.
If you were a mentor to yourself, how would you draw an exam for your life in 2020? Have you ever thought about what your purpose in life is?  New Year’s resolutions are effective until I give in to my inclinations. Indulging in chocolates, stressing about things I can’t control, watching videos instead of reading, sleeping rather than praying, or buying those fashionable workout shoes—I can’t be resolute about changing my thought processes, habits, activities, or social circle unless I have a new heart. Fortunately, Jesus says, “Behold, I make all things new,”” so I looked to Him to transform my heart. Our conversation went something like this: I heard Jesus calling out to me, “Can we hang out and talk about what’s in your heart over coffee?” “Oh no,” I thought as resistance paralyzed me. Is he going to do a heart audit? Before answering, I took a mental inventory of what I was keeping in my heart. To do that, I had to push aside my stress from work to think straight. It’s been weighing me down since last November. I can’t sleep well thinking about it. Suddenly, an aggressive, prickly creature, the size of a kitten, leaped at me. “Ouch,” I screamed in pain. “Who are you?” I demanded. “I’m your anger from your sister’s nasty comment last Christmas gathering,” the creature growled. During the family reunion, my sister reminded me of how I was all about myself when we were teenagers, and I’ve taken it to heart. That creature had been feeding on my resentment and had grown. Then, jeering laughter broke my thoughts. Scared, I asked, “Who are you?” “Don’t you recognize me? We make fun of people’s flaws. Look at you. It’s so funny how Miss Courage turns into Miss Cowardice. Hahaha!” she sputtered in between uncontrollable laughter. Meanwhile, rodents of different sizes scurried around. They were Worry, Pride, Offense, White Lie, Technology Idol, Envy, Ungratefulness, Regret, If-only. Once again, I heard Jesus’ voice, “Would you instead figure out your concerns yourself? Or do you want to discuss them over coffee? Give me your heart. I long to fix it. Don’t let it be troubled nor be afraid.” Disrupted, I replied, “Yes Lord, tell me, why my heart? I can give you some of my time and a little money. I can even work for ministries.” Jesus explained, “Your heart is my tabernacle, or dwelling place, ever since you trusted me for your salvation. But your heart is divided, and you are still the boss of it. I long for you to love me with your whole heart, mind, and soul. A heart that treasures good things makes a good man.” “So my heart is evil and unfit for a Holy God?” I objected.  “Behold, I make all things new,” (Revelation 21:5 NKJV). “I can make your heart new if only you’ll let me,” Jesus assured me. Curious, I asked my Lord, “Why do you dwell in people’s hearts?” Jesus told the story. “God walked with Adam and Eve every day in the garden of Eden. But since man disobeyed God when he ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil, sin separated man from God. Since then, God had been longing to fellowship with man again. He expressed this yearning when He asked Adam and Eve, ‘Where are you?’ ” The thought of a Holy God longing for a sinful man brought tears to my eyes. I knew this verse by heart but didn’t read God’s yearnings between the lines. Jesus’ voice broke as tears slid down His face. He wept with me as He said, “I’m the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world, God’s only provision to bridge man back to God. My work is finished. But, the Father’s chief concern has always been to establish a dwelling place with man. “Remember, after God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, before traveling through the wilderness, He spoke to Moses, saying: “ ‘On the first day of the first month, you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,’ (Exodus 40:1). “God wanted to encamp with the Israelites. He met up with Moses at the tent of meeting, then Moses delivered His Word to the people. God ensured that His people were guided, guarded, and physically close to Him. Imagine, during the day, God led the Israelites as a pillar of cloud so His people would be protected not only from sunburn but from enemies. At night, God manifested as a pillar of fire to provide light and direction. What miraculous provisions God gave His people when He was in their midst. And this can be true today if I abide in you and you in me. You will bear much fruit and be a light in this dark world.” I was awed as I imagined witnessing a significant population of people traveling headed by a pillar of cloud or fire. Regardless, I managed to ask another question, tongue in cheek. “But that was during the wilderness march, which may no longer be relevant today, right?” Jesus replied, “Your world today is no different from the wilderness then. If anything, it’s more dangerous. You desperately need my lead, not as a pillar of cloud or fire, but through my voice speaking in your heart. If you give me your whole heart, my desires will be yours, and my will, your resolve. You’ll look more and more like me. But first, let’s drive out the monsters of bitterness, critical attitude, pride, and the ogre that wants to control everything. This is the first step to making your heart my dwelling place.” So I finally said, “Amen.”  At the beginning of 2022, let’s listen to what God has been telling us and known about us. Surrendering to His absolute control will result in a new focus and a new set of priorities. We can’t really plan for ourselves during these uncertain times. Let’s face it, you woke up to the same world of 2021 last New Year’s Day. Same pandemic. Same fears. Same confusion. Same distractions. Same baggage carried over in 2022. Jesus warned us that we’ll continue to face difficulties in this world and is asking us to live in it trusting Him.
But we first need to make room for Jesus in our hearts. Would you let Him? |
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