Salamat po.

(Tagalog for “thank you.”)

After being the only healthy one in the family for the past few months, I finally caught the ugly cold bug that’s been going around.  I heard it goes through several different phases.  I’ve been through the sore throat and fever stages; now I’m in the sniffles stage.  What’s next?  I mean, besides finals next week.

Before I start grumbling grumble any more, maybe it’s time for another thank You post (haha).

Thank You …

1. For my parents’ 49th birthdays.

I remember Superbowl Sundays used to be a big deal at my house (back in the 49er’s glory days).  Our house would be packed with people.  My dad taught my mom how to watch football, so I would hear her cheering and groaning amidst the din.  She used to leave the room when the Niners were playing a close game and announce that she was too nervous to watch anymore.  I often wondered how special my parents’ 49th birthdays would be, especially since they’d share the same number as their favorite team.  Well, they somewhat proved to be bandwagon fans in more recent years, so you won’t hear the Niners mentioned too often in this house anymore, but it’s been sweet reflecting on the years between my anticipation and its realization … not because they’re finally 49, but because God has shown me glimpses of His invisible hand in their lives (individually and together) through all those years since.  Such a great God.

2.  For the Andaya and Avila family, baby Nathan’s family.

I’ve had several opportunities to hang out with them and their extended family, and what can I say?  I love them.  When all of them are in the same room, some will be laughing together, one will begin grieving in the arms of another, the little ones will be romping around, there’ll be enough food and drink to freely invite more friends and family, and one of the mothers will spontaneously begin humming or singing a hymn or children’s praise song.  As I’ve watched this family rejoice, grieve, and broken-heartedly (yet wholeheartedly) trust God together, He’s blessed me and taught me through them.

3. For inspiring John 3:16.

To my shame, I have to admit that for several years, this verse got “old” for me.  I’d quickly brush over it, searching instead for verses that read more freshly.  But John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life,” is the truth at which angels marvel.  They see the holy, holy, holy One.  They see a sinful world desiring nothing of God.  They see the love of the Father for His Son — a love as eternal and infinite and glorious as the One who gives it, that only pretenders of knowledge can even begin to call this love “vast.”  Then they see that same love demonstrated to those rebels dead in sin and see wrath poured out on the Son, heaven’s glory.  What is going on?! Then they see the holy One, the One before whom legions tremble, heaping mercy and grace on those who once defied Him and declared themselves gods.  Then they see these same ones being adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High, raised with God’s only Son, and eliciting His affections.  Amazing.  Glorious. Things into which angels long to look.  John 3:16 is a window into a world of truth.  Thank You.

Gratias.

(Latin for “thank you.”)

It’s been a while since my last “thank You” (note the capital “Y”) post.  So, without any further ado, thank You …

1. For the sweet truth that Jesus is better.

In the midst of all the busyness lately, the one recurring theme in everything seems to be: Jesus is better.

Our girls’ Bible study has been going through the book of Hebrews, and the whole refrain of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ.  Jesus is better — not just better in measure, but better in kind; not just because of what He did or does, but because of who He is.  It’s been one thing to know this in the abstract.  It’s been another thing to know this and see this in the day to day.  Jesus is better!

And thanks to Stephen, I’ve been listening through Mark Driscoll’s sermon series through Philippians, The Rebel’s Guide to Joy.  At the end of his first sermon, Driscoll talks about how we are enslaved to sin, enslaved to the opinions of people, and enslaved to other masters (self included).  And then he asks, “Are these better masters than Jesus?”  The clear answer, of course, is, “No, they aren’t.”  Yet, I still run after these idols, these masters, as though they are better than Jesus.  But Jesus is better!

Compared to anything, anyone, anywhere, Jesus is better!

2. For my coworkers.

The longer I work at CityTeam, the more I thank God that it was His good pleasure to place me there.  Let me tell you about some of my coworkers …

One man in his sixties has no children (though he’s the kind of man that would adore and be adored by children), and he and his wife have given their lives to inner-city ministry.  Though he has a weak heart, he pours his heart and life and energy out in service for Christ.

Another man has limited control of his limbs and speech production, but I can see him walking around the office sometimes.  Most often, however, he can be found sitting on his chair, praying.  He’s known as the corporate prayer warrior.

One of my coworkers is a 97-year old man who drives himself to work every day and works for no pay.  He’s a volunteer, and at 97, he’s still going strong for the Lord.

My coworkers challenge me — to pour out my whole life for Christ, to pray without losing heart, to run strong for Christ even to my old age …

3. For Leslie Miller’s successful surgery.

Leslie is one of the girls in our church’s youth group.  She was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.  She underwent surgery yesterday, and the surgeon was able to remove all of the tumor!

She will continue to undergo treatment afterward.  (But what a trooper.  She’s waiting for her pink wig to arrive in the mail!)

4. That whatever You ordain is right.

That I can trust Him — His sovereignty — in anything and everything, because it is all from His loving hand.  And though what comes from His hand may seem bitter to me, I would rather have what He gives than what I sinfully take.

Whatever my God ordains is right
In His love I am abiding
I will be still in all He does
And follow where He is guiding
He is my God, though dark my road
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him I leave it all.

Whatever my God ordains is right
Though this cup in drinking
Bitter it seems to my faint heart
I take it all unshrinking
My God is true; each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whatever my God ordains is right
He never will deceive me
He leads me by the proper path
I know He will not leave me
I take content, what He has sent
His hand can turn my griefs away
And patiently I wait His day.

Whatever my God ordains is right
Here shall my stand be taken
Though sorrow, or need, or death be mine
Yet I am not forsaken
My Father’s care circles me there
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him I leave it all.

(Samuel Rodigast, 1663)

Tángeyoo (Part 2).

(In continuation)

Thank You for . . .

2. Not Giving Me All My Heart Desires

Sometimes, my desires become idols in my life. Most of them are “good” desires, but my grasping, clutching, & discontentment reveal what place they really have in my heart — first place, rather than Christ being in first place with all these things in subordination to Him.

But while they have such a hold on my heart, I’m thankful He never gives them at the cost of “leanness” in my soul. I’m thankful that He does not give me the gifts as long as they are given preference in my heart over Christ.

It’s been difficult but good to pray that He would never give me material for idolatry (i.e., the giving of His gifts while they are idols in my heart) & that He would give only when Christ is first & preeminent in my decisions & affections. When Christ alone is worshiped.

I read this excerpt from John Piper a few years ago, but I was sweetly reminded of it via Courtney recently (thanks, sis):

Until your soul has a thirst for Christ as the bread of life & the living water, you will use Christ for what your soul thirsts after. Many people who claim to have saving faith simply use Christ to get what they really want, which is not Christ but His gifts . . . Is He or His gifts your treasure?
(John Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad!)

God is not capricious, giving & withholding based on mood or other arbitrary fluctuations. (He is not like us.) He is good & “God only wise.”

Knowing that, I’m to cling to Christ alone & the truths He’s revealed in His Word (note: my circumstances are not exactly comparable to the ones described below, at least in context of the verses, but the truths of God & the heart attitudes revealed in them are truths to hide in my heart):

“Salvation belongs to the LORD . . .” (Psalm 3:8 )

“But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hands . . .” (Psalm 31:14-15)

“Oh, taste & see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him have no lack! The young lions suffer want & hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:8-10)

“Delight yourself in the LORD, & He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, & He will act.” (Psalm 37:4-5)

“For the LORD God is a sun & shield; the LORD bestows favor & honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You!” (Psalm 84:11-12)

“Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3)

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:33)

“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He will.” (Proverbs 21:1)

“‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’ The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:24-26)

“For the Gentiles seek after all these things, & your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness, & all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:32-33)

“& we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 )

“He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31)

“So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (Romans 9:16)

“To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (I Peter 5:11, emphasis added)

He knows what He is doing, & He will do all His good pleasure. I thank Him He loves me enough not to give me everything I want when I want it. It reminds me He is God, my good Father & King, not a “goods” vending machine or a means to my own ends.

One of my favorite songs:
All I once held dear, built my life upon,
All this world reveres & wars to own,
All I once thought gain, I have counted loss,
Spent & worthless now, compared to this:
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,
There is no greater thing.

Lesser gifts may be withheld or never given, but let me bow as He defines what is “good” in my life.
Lesser gifts may be withheld or never given, but Christ — never. Praise God.

Tángeyoo (Part 1).

That’s “Thank you” in Enga of Papua New Guinea :]

Thank You for . . .

1. Salvation

A few days ago, I was thinking about some of the friends I used to attend church with as a kid. I was the one who boasted the most boldly in my defiance against God; they worried about me because I said I would have “nothing to do with God” until He changed certain circumstances in my life.

Today, of those friends, the only one walking with Him is me . . . & it’s not because of me. In my humanness, I don’t understand, but truly, truly, salvation has nothing to do with “the will of the flesh nor of the will of man.” It is ever, only “of God.” (Knowing this brings hope as I pray, now, for them.)

Can I ever, ever praise & glorify Him enough . . . for saving such a wretched, defiant sinner . . .

“Certain conditions were set before the Mediator [Christ]. He was to be made in the likeness of sin’s flesh; He was to magnify the law & make it honorable; He was to bear all the sins of all God’s people in His own body on the tree; He was to make full atonement for them; He was to endure the outpoured wrath of God; He was to die & be buried . . . Blessed be His name forever, He fulfilled those conditions, & because He did so, the Father stand pledged, on solemn oath, to preserve through time & bless throughout eternity every one of those for whom His incarnate Son mediated. Because He took their place, they now share His. His righteousness is theirs, His standing before God is theirs, His life is theirs. There is not a single condition for them to meet, not a single responsibility for them to discharge in order to attain their eternal bliss.”
(A.W. Pink, The Attributes of God)

& seeing other loved ones being saved — “of God” & not their own willing or working — makes me to just wonder at the love & grace of God. Is there anything more joyous or shout-worthy or moving than to see a holy God covering blasphemers, rebels, infidels, sinners with the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ?

One of Sovereign Grace’s songs puts it well: “Grace upon grace flows down, flows down, through the precious blood of Christ.” Grace upon grace!!

Mantiox chawe.

That’s Achí (of Guatemala) for “thank you” :]

Here’s what I hope is the first of many such posts — posts giving thanks to God.

Reflecting on the past week, I’m thankful for . . .

1. Lessons from Bare Trees

The last time I took a walk in my neighborhood, the trees were just beginning to give up their leaves. Yesterday, I started to feel really restless. I thought it was because I’d spent the whole day studying & needed some fresh air. So, right before sunset (the best time of day to walk, by the way), I headed for the neighborhood park.

Above, the sky was making its colorful transition to dusk, & the bare trees were darkly silhouetted against the sky. The trees were completely bare except for an occasional nub here & there. Fingertips of spring. Pregnant with life.

I began to wonder if the trees ever grew restless between winter & spring. Waiting, waiting. Waiting for the nubs to turn to buds. Waiting for the buds to blossom. Waiting for the blossoms to give way to fruit.

The trees didn’t surrender their dying leaves in the autumn in vain. There was the faithful promise of spring. But I wondered, Why all the months of bareness in between? Why not give the promise immediately after the surrender occurs? Is the waiting necessary? Are the months of seeming dormancy necessary?

I don’t know. Months of no sign of fulfilled promise — not even a nub until the very cusp of the new season.

But those months are not wasted. The Creator knows what He is doing within the tree, in preparation for spring, through all those winter months.

How much more, then, in me? How much more, then, in one He loved from before the foundation of the world?

2. Boyce Bang

“Boyce” is my roommate from college. Her real name is Joyce, but all the roommates called her “Boyce” (I think Kelly started it).

When I first met her, she was just beginning to walk with the Lord. Watching her transform over the past handful of years has been encouraging beyond words. I can’t help but rejoice (& be so challenged) when I see her quiet fortitude & trust, even in spite of persistent thorns.

What a faith He is forging. ♥

3. Waveboarding

A couple months ago, I was given a waveboard as a gift. It’s become quite the ministry tool with a couple of my younger cousins.

It’s cost me a couple of scrapes & a bump on the knee, but it’s been a fun means of spending time with them.

I rode it to get to the bank today, & as I was crossing the street, I thought I saw my old pediatrician on the road (I used to be scared of him). When I looked to see if it was him, I hit a crack, fell, & put a hole in my pants.

Good one.