busy but free

the christian life is full of puzzles and paradoxes.

"But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." - Matthew 19:30 (NIV)

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." - Matthew 23:12 (NIV)

"For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10b (NIV)

chosen but free

"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." - John 7:17 (NIV)

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." - John 15:16 (NIV)

do we choose God? or does God choose us? i would say that God chooses that those who choose Him are chosen for salvation. at the same time, God chooses that those who do not choose Him are not chosen for salvation.

just because those who choose God are chosen by God does not mean that those who do not choose God are not chosen by God. indeed, those who do not choose God are also chosen by God. it is just that those who do not choose God are chosen by God for service and not salvation, while those who choose God are chosen by God for service and salvation.

"You will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John." - C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

busy but free

this coming week will be pretty packed. apart from work (at prison headquarters in changi), i will be going for guys fellowship at howard's house on mon, don carson at st. andrew's cathedral from tue to thu, prayer meeting at kprbc on fri and april's baptism at arpc on sat.

at the end of the day, being free to busy yourself with what you do not want to do is no freedom at all. being free to busy yourself with what you want to do is true freedom.