The Narrow Road

[awalktowardforever]

Proverbs 1: 8-18

We are always told, growing up, not to sin. 

Sinning is bad. Sin and we go to hell.

And at times, that's why the Bible seems so unappealing...

It seems as if it's unreasonably telling us how to live our lives, as if God is setting out this roadmap of do's and don't's but stumbling upon the subtleties, it's actually very justified advice of wisdom.

Although because it spends verses 10-17 talking about what you shouldn't do, that is only in order to illuminate the punchline of verse 18: don't fall into the ways of the unrighteous, not because you're wronging those people but because what you're actually doing is wronging yourself.

Stealing, lying, cheating, yeah, it's unfair to the victim, but you're also changing yourself and not for the better. 

I think this life is given to us to better ourselves and in spite of how good we've become, to realize how much greater He will always be. And how low of a standard are you giving to what he can create creations if we act like this is all we are worth?

[awalktowardforever]

1 Corinthians 1:5-7&17, 2:1-5

1:17 "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power"

1: 5-7: "For in him you have been enriched in every way--with all kinds of speech and with knowledge-- God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." 

2: 1-5 "And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."

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[awalktowardforever]

Romans 2

19-24 " and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-- you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you"

3-5 "Do you suppose, O man-- you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself-- that you will escape the judgement of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgement will be revealed" 

maybe this is how it all connects: when I began to realize that life truly is short-- that there is no more "when I grow up"-- because this is the real deal. there is a sense of urgency and significance to living right starting now; because there is no 'later' in life, it's just here and now.

because I am so in love with God (or at least I say I do) but so easily and so readily do what breaks his heart... knowing that what I do is just taking away the chances I have to meet him and be in the presence of his amazingness.

[awalktowardforever]

Exodus 13: 17-18

"When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt." But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle."

Earlier today, Hanna asked why God lets bad things happen to people, knowing that it'll hurt them. Concurrently (for years I guess), I've been juggling with the word "wilderness" a bit since Pastor Fred Mok spoke about it at our winter retreat.

God didn't have the people of Israel travel through the wilderness with the intent of testing the people's faith, like "hoho, instead of the shortest path, I'm going to lead them through the longest and hardest path just because life isn't supposed to be easy," like no. God knew that there was a harder path and He led them through this little bit of trouble to avoid a bigger trouble that would be more dangerous to the people and would hinder them more from His plan. And it's not even like He abandoned them. He was there with them every step of the way, as a Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night, unmistakable.

But the faith and trust that they had, knowing that it was gonna be hard-- to the point of calling it a battle-- and preparing for it, knowing that He would lead them to grater places; not being too scared or too lazy; being uncomfortable for a little bit so that they could be rewarded beyond imagine for so much longer....

And yes. They did have this rough patch but they didn't act like angsty teenagers who sulk and let the bad outshine the incredible.

[awalktowardforever]

Psalm 23

This passage presents such a tranquil and fairy tale-like image, like of course it'd be amazing to lazy around being spoon-fed everything and protected and sheltered... but there's more to it than that, you know? Ok, I understand that I'm a pretty cynical person but it's not like that. Maybe after I die but for now, how am I supposed to do nothing but good when, sure it may be fun, but the excitement comes from doing the bad, which sounds incredibly stupid but I don't know how else to put it. But all in all, it truly is a very beautiful image and maybe one day I may be content in... I guess entrusting my life to the hands of God...

[awalktowardforever]

잠언 12 장 1 절 Proverbs 12:1

훈계를 좋아하는 자는 지식을 좋아하나니 징계를 싫어하는 자는 짐승과 같으니라

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 

[awalktowardforever]

Romans 2:1-4

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. Now we know that God's judgement is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?"