Baggages

During our recent trip to Cebu for the pastors and workers' conference, going back to Iloilo was a learning experience for me. As we went to the pier to get aboard the ship going to Iloilo, security had to inspect all our things for deadly weapons. As I was passing through the metal detector, it kept beeping on me! The guard won't let me pass through until there was no more beep. So I had to remove my cellphone...then my coins and keys...lastly, my belt that had a metal buckle. Finally, the detector went silent after I removed all the metal objects attached to me. The lesson: Don't carry too much metal on my next trip.

Sometimes in our walk with the Lord we carry too much extra baggage. This can come in different forms like bad habits, bitterness, or anxiety. But it can also come in good packaging such as activities that don't really help us stay focused on God's call upon our lives. Sometimes good things become the enemies of the best things that God has for us. Let's seek the Lord for His perfect will for our lives and lay down anything that can hinder us from running our race. - RJ Alobba

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” - Hebrews 12:1

The Juggler

I've read somewhere about how jugglers maintain their juggling. A juggler can juggle items, say balls, and probably as many as seven will keep flying over and over as he juggles them with his hand. He doesn't drop them. The secret? The juggler doesn't focus on just one of the balls. He focuses on the highest point. As high as a ball can reach, that's where he fixes his eyes on. And that's why he doesn't drop the balls.

The Bible commands us Christians, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2, New International Version) What's higher than Jesus? Nothing. Let's keep our eyes on Him, and just when you think you're falling, He catches you.

Our Journey

As Christians, we are sojourners in this world where we temporarily reside. Unless we see life as a journey and not a destination we will never truly enjoy it in in its proper perspective.

I heard of a story of an American missionary to Africa who just came back to the U.S.A. He had been serving in Africa for 20 years. On board the ship where he was riding back to the U.S.A., a politician was also there. When the ship docked in the U.S.A., a band and a big welcome party welcomed the politician home. As for the missionary, there was nobody to meet him there at the dock. He was so sad that he complained to God saying, "Lord, I served you in Africa for 20 years. And You never even sent someone to meet me here just to welcome me back to my country."
The Lord replied, "Son, you're not home yet."

Enjoy the journey. This is the worst it can get. The best is yet to come.

RadX


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