Destiny, and the book of Hebrews.

Today I have spent an hour visiting Borders and Waterstone, hoping to see if there are anythings worthy buying. There was nothing interesting, but when I was about to leave there was a title that have caught my eyes. It was the autobiography of Benzair Bhutto, a Pakistan former prime minister who was assassinated few weeks ago. I haven't read through the book, but the opening sentence in the first page of the book sound deep.

'I didn't choose life, life has chosen me.'

Destiny is a fancy word. When we fix our thought on the our 'destiny', it gives us a sense of purpose. But, do our destiny exist and are we destined to do something? This is an interesting philosophical questions that perhaps some brighter mind would know the answer.

Yet I believe for Christian, we have our destiny from God that we can't escape. Jonah is an example, so as the prophet and the man of faith listed in Hebrews Ch11. 'These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect' (Hebrews 11.39-40). We are included in God's plan, as same as those people of faith.

The book of Hebrews is my most favorite book in the New Testament. It always reminds me to fixed my eyes on Jesus instead of the material things in the world. There is a lot of encouragement and teaching in this book to strengthen my feeble arms and weak knees so that I can continue to run the race marked out for me in faith.

The following is something that God want us to be when we followed him.

• We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? (2:1-3)

• Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all god's house, testifying to waht would be siad in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are in his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.(3:1-6)

• Therefore since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine with faith. Now we sho ahve believed enter that rest. (4:1-3)

• Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have on who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (4:14-16)

• Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement. And God permitting, we will do so. (6:1-3)

• Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (10:19-25)

• Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witness, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance for the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfect our 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. (12:1-2)

• Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. (12:12-13)

• Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire". (12:28-29)

Sometimes in our life, we cannot choose what to happen in our life. There is no counter-factual or 'what-if' question. We can choose how to live, but there are many imposed settings in the world that we cannot alter. What we know that is if we are a Christian, God has chosen us and we are destined to live a life that is worthy of His calling. So let us fixed our eyes to run with perseverance the race that has marked out for us.