Cooking Day

Yesterday I spent a whole leisurely day shopping for groceries and cooking. A sister 'ketemu gede' of mine spent the night. It's so nice to have a sister around sometimes, especially because my real ones are all so far away around the world.

Anyway, she wanted to learn some of my recipes to cook for her boyfriend. We cooked pork steak with potato salad for lunch, and babi kecap (steamed pork stew with dark sweet soy sauce) with rice and veggie stir-fry for dinner. We had a blast of a time. That was fun.

I'm sure we'll do some more in the coming days. I hope she stays on for good in Singapore. It's nice to have a sister around.

Persevere in Suffering

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly.

Richard Bach

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Joseph son of Jacob- to his brothers who sold him to Egypt but who later came back to him (Genesis 50:20)

The sovereignty of my God overcomes all things.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ro 8:28

May you be encouraged today. That as long as you are in His hands, you are safe. Never step away, be unmoved. You are in GOOD hands. Stay.

Persevere. Forgive those who intended to harm you- give it over to God. Justice will prevail in due time. God is not mocked. He is sovereign. He is patient.

He is our Shield and our very great Reward. Stay close. Stay.

all in Quiet

It is in quiet obedience that we follow His footsteps

It is in quiet reflection that we hear His voice

It is in quiet assurance that we find His rest

It is in quiet trust that we find His strength.

-Roy Lessin- taken from www.dayspring.com

How quiet have we been today?

How many pockets of quietness have we allowed for ourselves, alone with God, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of daily life?

Do we always want to let other people know how much we're doing and suffering for His kingdom? Or do we take time to be quiet, to obey and trust quietly, based on the fact that our FATHER who sees all things will see what we do in our quietness?

How quiet will we be today?

Zephaniah 3:
17 The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Zep 3:17

God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.
Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. 1 Sa 16:7

The heart.
God looks into the heart.
I used to see this verse only as God knowing who is who. Especially in terms of their devotion toward Him. Or of their purpose that God has set for them before the beginning of the world, as in the case of David, son of Jesse, later to be king of Israel (read 1 Samuel 16:1-13).

But a sermon (podcast) I heard from Dr. Erwin Lutzer helped me see it from a different perspective.

What is in the heart?
Not all the mushy, sweety cutey things, actually. But terrible, mean thoughts. Sinful, horrible intentions. Things that are left unsaid, hidden from every eye. (You wouldn't want to talk to me ever again if you had seen what was in my heart.)
If we are honest, that is what's in everybody's hearts. Men and women, even children's hearts.

What is amazing is this:
God sees my heart, and yet He still loves me!
Not only that, He even died on the cross in my place, just so that He might win my heart.

Now if that doesn't break one's heart, I don't know what would.

Our response should be of thanksgiving and humility, bowing down to Him in adoration:
My Jesus, My Savior, Lord, there is none like You!

He looks and He looks. And that's the only thing He looks at on me. It doesn't matter how beautiful I coat my outward appearance. He looks at my heart all day long, apart from everything else He sees. Let us be transparent before Him, knowing that He sees the heart. Every motivation, every hidden agenda. That should drive us to holiness, isn't it?

Let this guide my thoughts today. That the Lord of Hosts sees not like men sees. He looks at the heart.

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Sa 16:7

(PS: I love how the photo above looks like crayon drawing. )