Pursuing God’s Promises

Too many of us as Christians have been in the stage that we specifically question our dream, vision or life purpose. I’m no exception. I know that my life is to glorify God. But the next question is that how do I glorify God? And that’s what I have been thinking of. God’s way in my life, my dreams, my ministry. I asked Him which things in life I should pursue.  Which things does God want me to do? Which things does I myself want to do? The difference between them is a simple fine line, isn’t it?

As I prayed and looked for an answer, I was reminded of one word. P R O M I S E. I shall pursue His promises in my life!

When I first settled into my apartment in Japan, I started with arranging some stuffs that were left behind by the previous owner. The apartment seems to have been reserved specially for exchange students. I suppose there were 2 or 3 people before me having stayed in my current apartment. So I was quite lucky that they left some useful stuffs behind. I didn’t need to buy new ones.

A couple of months after the new semester has started, I was browsing my small bookshelves for a book to read. Unexpectedly, I found some new note books which I had put into the bookshelves last time. I’d forgotten! I didn’t know I had them. Well, I knew I had arranged them, but I forgot! So instead of using the new note books, I had been taking notes in an old used book. Well, I did tear up the first few written pages, and started writing on the blank page, but still it was a book that someone had used it!! (now you know how stingy I am >___<).

See how silly I could be! Those new books had been sitting all along on the bookshelves! And the fact that I stay here only for 1 semester means that I won’t use them at all, if I don’t use them now. Getting so agitated, I plan to rewrite all the notes for half of the semester! For the sake of using a new notebook, why not? My ego really challenged my logical thinking.

Now you might be thinking what God’s promises got to do with a boring story of mine. Well, I simply see that God’s promises are like those new note books.

I remember about Abraham being a father of Israel, Joseph’s dreams about him being a ruler of his own brothers and David’s throne that reigned over Jerusalem. I realized that all started with God’s promises to them. God remembered and fulfilled them. It starts with God’s promise which then works together with man’s obedience and faithfulness, and finally leads to the fulfillment of the promise. Amazing, isn’t it?

Similarly, we can find God’s promises in our life. The very first place would obviously be the Bible.  I do not mean the bible’s functions are like those of tarot card or perhaps Chinese face and palm reading. But what I mean is that the Bible itself contains promises. God’s promises are all written there, and if we simply have a heart that pursues His promises, we will have them. Isn’t it written in the Scripture that if you seek with all your heart, you will find it?

Too often we read the Bible because we feel we have to. Your cell group leader asks you to do so, it’s your daily check list, or perhaps it’s just another a must-to-do routine.

There is also a case where we read verse after verse, chapter after chapter, and yet we don’t see any relation with  your life.

I’ve been through it, and even until now I am struggling and seeing it as a challenge. Why didn’t I ask Holy Spirit to guide me? To help me relate the verse I read to my life. To make me see God’s promises in my daily devotion reading. Isn’t the Spirit my Counselor? He does know which option I should take. And I believe He longs to reveal His ways to me. Doesn’t He help me pray? He knows my prayers before I say them out! He is the One I totally rely on. He Himself even pray for me with groans that words cannot express.

I don’t want to find myself  one day knowing that I have missed God’s promises for me, as I missed out the new note book. I don’t want to find myself keep using the old notebook all along while actually the new note book was provided for me. I don’t want to live in the old “me” while actually I could live in a life of promises.

I don’t want to miss out God’s stored up blessings. Not even one! Especially if I miss it in a place where I’m supposed to know! In an obvious place like the Bible? I wouldn’t want to.

~ by annice on July 21, 2009.