The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3-10)

虛心的人有福了．因為天國是他們的。
哀慟的人有福了．因為他們必得安慰。
溫柔的人有福了．因為他們必承受地土。
飢渴慕義的人有福了．因為他們必得飽足。
憐恤人的人有福了．因為他們必蒙憐恤。
清心的人有福了．因為他們必得見神。
使人和睦的人有福了．因為他們必稱為神的兒子。
為義受逼迫的人有福了．因為天國是他們的。
(馬太福音5:3-10)


Perhaps after reading these verse, we will ask God to transform our life so that we will possess these character in our heart. This is one interpretation.

However, if you are looking from another angle, Jesus want to encourage those, who have chosen to carry the cross to follow Him, to continue to carry on. Sometimes we may grumble against God, asking why injustice prevails, the evil prospers and the suffering happening to us. Being a follower of Jesus, God has indeed done all the transformation work in our heart; We are poor in spirit and have a sense of spiritual inadequacy in our heart; we will mourn for God's kingdom sake; our attitude are meek; we hunger and thirst for righteousness; we show mecry to others; we try to keep ourselves pure in our heart; we are peacemakers; and we have already expected persecution.

Yet for what? for what is the reason to live like this when you have realised this will lead yourself to be trampled by the others, and fall into a very disadvantage and vulunerable position in this world? To an extreme, some christians may even think that these christian outlook of life would slow down their personal development, and they have decided this is simply an ideal and not workable in the real world. So rather than believing and trust the God's word, they will try to search for another value system that allow them to survive and get success in the world. Rather then following their original nature of poor in spirit,or meek, or so on, they start to get aggressive and become cynical. Sticking to the christian faith and it's derived value system is too simplistic, a bit stupid, and doesn't satisfy their heart. They backslide.

The beauty of the Beatitudes is that though the cost of following Jesus is hight, here are the promises for use who have chosen to continue to carry the cross to follow Him. We will receive kingdom of heaven; we will be comforted; we will inherit the earth.Our heart will be filled; Mercy will show to us; we will see God; and we are called sons of God.

So instead of seeking way to turn away the original nature that God has transformed us when we have accepted Christ, let's appreciate the beauty of this nature and continue to stick to it; to be poor in spirit; to mourn for God's kingdom sake; to be the meek; to hunger and thirst for righteousness; to show mecry to others; to keep ourselves pure in our heart; to be the peacemakers; and to bravely stand firm for the faith when persecution comes. There are our beings once we have Jesus in our heart. No need to feel ashame for it.

生日

最快樂的生日,
不是禮物,不是賀卡,不是蛋糕,
不是豐盛的筵席,不是站在眾人面前的許願.
而是能與一個彼此愛慕的人,
一起共渡生日的時光.
能與親友一起慶祝的,
也是一份祝福.

At the Foot of the Cross

若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。 (马可福音8:34)
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34)

Our early youth is like a flower at dawn with a lovely dewdrop in its cup, harmoniously and pensively reflecting everything that surrounds it. But soon the sun rises over horizon, and the dew drop evaporates; with it vanish the fantasies of life, and now becomes a question whether or not a person is able to produce a drop that may represent the fruit of his life. This requires, above all, that one be allowed to growth in the soil where one really belongs, but that is not always so easy to find. In this respect there exist fortunate creatures who have such a decided inclination in a particular direction that they faithfully follow the path once it is laid out for them without ever prey to the though that perhaps they ought to have followed an entirely different path. There are others who let themselves be influenced so completely by their surroundings that it never becomes clear to them in what direction they are really striving ... but how few there are in the former group, and to the later group I do not wish to belong. (quoted from somewhere)

Our faith in early youth is simple and pure. We are willing to deny ourselves and take up our cross and leave everything to follow Jesus, because we are holding on the promise of salvation that He is the way, the truth and the life. Yet someday, when we have realised that the costs of following Jesus are too much to bear; or when we have realised that perhaps our dreams and visions are too idealistic that it will never be fully realised; or there are certain trials or incidents or sins that has broken our lives and has left us with a scar, our heart will become heavy-ladened and will grow cold, and we want to give up. This is a sign of getting older, where we have gradually lost our dream, our vision and our hope for God. We are wavering, and sometimes we will become a chrisitan cynics.

At the foot of the cross, where I kneel in adoration,
and I lay my burdens down;
I exchange all my sin, for the promise of salvation,
and Your name across my brow.

At the foot of the cross, I give up my vain ambition,
and I leave my selfish pride;
In the peace that is there, will you restore my vision?
In all the places I am blind.

I will wait here at the cross

At the foot of the cross, there is healing for this nation,
there is rest of those wait
And the love that we find is the hope of all creation,
we are stunned by what You gave

We will wait at the cross, a hungry generation,
with our broken hearts and lives;
Will You hear? Will You come? Will You fill our desperation?
O God let this be the time

We will wait here at the cross.

他就稍往前走，俯伏在地祷告说，我父阿，倘若可行，求你叫这杯离开我。然而不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。...第二次又去祷告说，我父阿，这杯若不能离开我，必要我喝，就愿你的意旨成全。(马太福音 26:39, 42)
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will... He went awaya second time and prayed, 'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.' (Matthew 26:39,42)

May He continue to grant us faith to take up the cross and follow Him. May His will be done.