It Is Because of His Mercies

I have suffered much because God was angry. 

He chased me into a dark place, where no light could enter. 

I am the only one he punishes over and over again, without ever stopping. 

God caused my skin and flesh to waste away, and he crushed my bones. 

He attacked and surrounded me with hardships and trouble; he forced me to sit in the dark like someone long dead. 

God built a fence around me that I cannot climb over, and he chained me down. 

Even when I shouted and prayed for help, he refused to listen. 

God put big rocks in my way and made me follow a crooked path. 

God was like a bear or a lion waiting in ambush for me; he dragged me from the road, then tore me to shreds. 

God took careful aim and shot his arrows straight through my heart. 

I am a joke to everyone— no one ever stops making fun of me. 

God has turned my life sour. 

He made me eat gravel and rubbed me in the dirt. 

I cannot find peace or remember happiness. 

I tell myself, “I am finished! I can't count on the Lord to do anything for me.” 

These are some of the things that came out of the mouth of the prophet in Lamentations 3. 

Do they sound familiar? Like coming out from our very own lips? Don't we all feel like this sometimes? That God is angry with us and He is the one that's causing our problems.

But just like how the prophet encouraged himself, let us remind ourselves of this:

It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22, 23 AMP)

It because God is merciful that we are not utterly destroyed. It is because He loves us that's why He continues to pursue us, draw us back to Him.

So cheer-up! The God of the Heavens is for you and not against you.

It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. 

                    

Rest, Seriously - Part 3

Isn't it amazing how God always makes people lie down on green grass?

In John 6:10, it is mentioned that "The ground was covered with GRASS, and Jesus told his disciples to tell everyone to sit down.

In one of the most famous psalms, Psalm 23, David confidently declares that "You let me rest in fields of GREEN. You lead me to streams of peaceful water" in verse 2.

While He is doing what needs to be done in our life, Jesus asks us to lie down on green grass.  Isn't this much much better instead of asking us to sit on the hot sand of the dessert or struggle to float on water or hold unto a tree-branch?

This shows that God wants us to go through life resting in His goodness.
So stop struggling and rest in the finished work of Jesus. 

Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. 

Grass green is the most restful color.

Green symbolizes the master healer and the life force. 

It often symbolizes money. It was believed green was healing for the eyes. Egyptians wore green eyeliner. Green eyeshades are still used. You should eat raw green foods for good health.

Rest, Seriously - Part 1

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death. (Exodus 35:2 NLT)

Back in the times of Moses, Sabbath was a day of rest and this rest day was supposed to be dedicated to the Lord. Meaning that the Israelites had to spend their day not in working their ass, toiling in hard labor. But instead, they were to spend that day of rest to go to God, spend time in His presence, worshiping Him and giving thanks for what they have accomplished for the past week. That was how the people rested. Their definition of rest was time with God.

Today, people have come up with a lot of ways to rest and to get revived and re-energized. 

How about you? How do you rest? Do you still go to the very source of life and energy? Do you rest in God's presence?

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.    He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Psalm 23:2-3