Romans 8

¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

¹⁰And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

¹¹But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

¹⁸For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

²³And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8, King James Version)

The Brokenhearted

Sometimes, for no reason at all, you just feel down, and you don't really know why. Ever felt like that? Not that anything is really wrong, not that someone you loved has just died, not that u failed at something. But u felt so low like everything seems wrong somehow, like everyone you loved dissappeared, like you were a failure.

In those times of human frailty, you feel the most vulnerable, bearing a wound so fresh and tender, yet too painful to touch. In those delicate moments, you wish at least someone was around, someone who cared, someone who wouldn't judge you for feeling the way u did. Someone who would kindly hold you eventhough they didn't know what was going on with you.

Oftentimes, being the strong one gets you in trouble when u need a strong one. People always expect you to understand when they are down, but its not very often that they understand when it is you who needs to be understood. Not always fair I suppose, but I guess we are sometimes the victim of our own success. Michael Jackson wanted to heal the world, but no one offered to heal him.

I have learnt the hard way, that when you are down and out, when you are at the lowest point of your life, when you look for that someone, that someone won't be there. That someone won't understand. That someone will tell you that your situation is not as bad as those in Africa and make u feel worse. That someone will tear apart that wound even further. Isn't it interesting that the one you are hurt by is often the one u seek to help close the wound up?

But I have learnt my lessons well. For insanity is defined as doing the same thing again and again expecting a different result. Never again will I find refuge in another mortal. Can a mother find restoration in a child? Will the sun retreat into the craters of the moon? How can one find refuge in the equal, let alone the lesser. Man can never be a refuge for another.

O' but the temptations to do so are so unbearably great! Who would not want to be loved in their deepest sorrow or even in their shallow tantrums. Man cries out, "Love me, hold me, just say everything will be alright!" We all want the tangible, yet we crave for what is itself fallible. All humanity cry for this, yet all are somehow alone, knowing deep within themselves that no one can heal those deep rooted wounds. We are like trees, needing the hands of a greater being to uproot the weeds of discontent and to bind the boughs of weaknesses. We are like sheep in need of the shepherd to guide to green pastures, to quiet waters. We are like little children, needing to be loved not for what we have done, but for who we are.

There is only One who can, only One.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3

I have found my hiding place, and as difficult as it may be, and as lonely as it may sometimes get, I will be whole again. I am in the presence of a greater being. I will be looked after with tender-loving care. I will be watered, sheltered and guided. I know I am not alone, and eventhough I walk through this valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for I know that you are with me. Amen.

Going Solo

I thought of a new name for my blog for a long time. I thought of something inspirational, or something really cool. In the end, I decided on something realistic. Or maybe not. Dreamers are seldom realistic, they're oftentimes ever-ready optimists.

So why going solo? I thought about it and it's actually inspired from a book from favourite author Roald Dahl. Its a self written autobiography and a continuation from the book 'Boy'. In this second book, Dahl writes the story of his adolescence and subsequent entry into manhood. I was inspired by Dahl's insight into his own life, one of adventure and daring. I liked that he found his life a wild ride of precariousness and exhilaration.

Many people envision their lives to be somewhat mundane. Who can blame them? After all, as George Orwell popularly said that thats what society expects from us. To be a good worker and contribute to the well being of the community. But we live in rather different times from the great author. The world is a different place from the one he knew and grew to discontentment.

If you had read my previous blog, you would have realised that I don't blog for fun. I do it for inspiration. As I have said before, I aspire to inspire, and that has not changed. So what really is going solo all about?

As an avid reader of the bible, I was intrigued by how many heroes had moments in their lives where they, as you put it, went solo. It was a spiritual journey of sorts. David, Abraham, Joseph.. The list goes on. But interestingly, each one had a journey to take, one that demanded total surrender to the Great Being (forgive my apparent lack of intimacy, its just a form of writing). But I found that it was in these moments that these men of the bible found their footing and it was after this period that many went on to do great things.

When you learn to fly a plane, you never do it on your own. First you learn the basics, the terminology. Then when you're done with the theory, you sit next to the instructor, and he shows you how its done. Once he thinks you're ready, you fly the plane, but still not alone, you have to do it with him sitting next to you. Then one day, one fine day, he looks at you and says "you're going solo". You're on your own buddy. No one to look after you. You have to press all the right buttons cause your life depends on it. Over and out?

Its scary, and dangerous. Alone? Can I do this alone? What if I fail. What if I crash? What if I crash the plane and wreck my future. Surely there must be a better way?

But there isn't. This is what sets you apart. And so you get into that aircraft. You have to concentrate and put those fears aside and focus. Everything that you have been taught now becomes tested. You're on the runway, then you start your ascent. Slowly but surely, you're airborne. And suddenly, you're there, flying alone, soaring above the masses, high above the fears you once had. All the fears washed away, because now, you are the Lord of the Skies, the master of your own destiny.

This journey will not be easy. But He is my guide, and I will put my trust in Him alone. And like Dahl, it'll be an adventure. An adventure with Jesus....