*Post-Christmas period*
Some say that the post-Christmas period can be a real "downer" for folks. Honestly, I kinda felt that "downer" but I guess it was more of a reflective mood.
I was reflecting on God's amazing love. This was because we had a series of love messages in our church in the past months. Actually I already wrote down some of my reflections in my past blog entries.
Christmas is all about God's love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son..." (John 3:16) "O Lord, what love is this that pays so dearly?" says one line of a worship song. I'm speechless.
I finished reading a book (finally?! after a few months..hehe). It's Dr. Ravi Zacharias' Cries of the Heart. Let me quote a paragraph I read from the said book...
"When you notice Michaelangelo's painting of God reaching out to Adam, you see how outstretched God's arm is. Every muscle on His face is contorted, and the hand is reaching as far as possible to make contact. By contrast, Adam lackadaisically lets a limpish hand dangle with apathy in an attitude that seems to say, "If it meets it meets." That reflects the contrasting inclinations of the heart very well."
I've seen the painting only in pictures. I related to the "If it meets it meets" statement. I had those moments last year. There are ups and downs in a relationship. And in a relationship with an invisible God, there are seasons. But I remember the lyrics of another worship song "Forever Grateful"... "You did not wait for me to draw near to you but you clothed yourself with frail humanity / You did not wait for me to cry out to you but you let me hear your voice calling me... I'm forever grateful to you". I wondered like Job: "What is man that you are mindful of him?" or in a personal tone, "Why do you love me?"
I found out another perspective in the most popular question (I guess!) -- "why me?" Most people ask this question when something bad happens in their lives... thinking they don't deserve it. I guess it should also be the same question to ask when something good happens. "Why me, Lord?" -- a person who is unfaithful to my commitment to You; ungrateful one; forgetful one (for all the wonderful things God has done in my life); proud person and disobedient child (most of the time, "I did it my way!" ΓΌ); etc., etc., etc.
I can feel God's love whenever I see the stars, moon, sun, clouds, the lacrimal duct in my eyes and feel the borborygmy in my stomach. How great is our God! :)
*Jazz appreciation*
After a season of being a "rockista" (my brother called me "rockista" when I started to appreciate Christian rock music lately!), I'm now into classical music and jazz.
Actually, since there's no Christian FM radio station yet in Manila, I feel kinda "safe" to listen to FM radio stations that plays jazz and classical music (with less talk and commercial breaks) when driving or during my free time. I had a great treat last Christmas eve because one of the two jazz FM radio stations played non-stop jazz Christmas songs. yipee! weeh! :)
I was hoping that there would be Christian jazz music. Last Sunday, I got a treat! God is good! I was surprised when the usual country-music-style God Is Good All The Time by Paul Overstreet (popularized by Don Moen) was given a little jazz feel by the worship band. I was in total delight when they played a jazz version of one of my favorite hymns, Because He Lives. Super thank God! Not only that, the postlude song was also in jazz, a Kid's Praise favorite song of mine -- 1 John 4:7&8! Awesome God! :)
Because He Lives is a memorable song for me. God reminded me of this song when I was in my last semester of senior year in college. I was in a "panicking" mode because of so many deadlines and exams that I wish I wouldn't wake up the next morning. What a comfort to know that... "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone, and because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives." I slept peacefully that night and faced tomorrow full of hope. :)
It's a good "theme" song this 2007. :)
A blessed new year to us all! May God bless us even more this 2007! :)