"Media fast" revisit

I like my one-week "media fast." It was a very modest attempt that limited the frequency of my checking "email" to 3 times/day, and none of them should fall at the start or end of a day.

I could already feel the benefit. Thus, I shall extend this form of "media fast" for another week and maybe longer.

Cheers!

My new plan to study the Bible

About 3 weeks ago, I started to study the Book of Ephesians by reading all 6 chapters in one sitting. I read different translations of it over the next several days, followed by taking notes chapter by chapter. Such repetitive reading allows me to grasp the formal layout of the epistle, plus letting the important ideas sink in.

My new plan is to study the Bible by studying one book at a time.

The internet is really amazing - many English and Chinese translations are readily accessible on line! Exciting!

My form of "media fast"

... would be abstaining from internet- and email- overdose.

For one whole week, I won't check emails more than 3 times a day!

Beautiful lyric

As the bridegroom to his chosen, as the king unto his realm,
As the keeper to the castle, as the pilot to the helm.
As the captain to his soldiers, as the shepherd to his lambs,
So, Lord, art thou to me.

As the fountain in the garden, as the candle in the dark,
As the treasure in the coffer, as the manna in the ark,
As the firelight in the winter,As the sunlight in the spring
So Lord art thou to me.

As the music at the banquet, as the stamp unto the seal,
As refreshment to the fainting, as the winecup at the meal,
As the singing on the feast day, as the amen to the prayer,
So Lord art thou to me.

As the ruby in the setting, as the honey in the comb
As the light within the lantern, as the father in the home,
As the eagle in the mountains, as the sparrow in the nest,
So Lord art thou to me.

As the sunshine in the heavens, as the image in the glass,
As the fruit unto the fig tree, as the dew unto the grass,
As the rainbow on the hilltop, as the river in the plain,
So Lord art thou to me.

John Rutter's contemporary anthem setting brings out the heavenly beauty of E. F. Bevan's English translation of John Tauler's 14th-c. text.

My daily bread

今日(第一次)陪媽媽去她附近的教會崇拜, 不去我平常去的教會. 但神真是很好, 也給我屬靈喂養. 聽到這節經文. 其實, 昨晚為一件事情很擔心, 睡得不好. 這節經文, 一語說到心崁裡. 立時受惠. 第二節經文在剛收到的《中信》讀到.

不要懼怕，因為我與你同在；不要四處張望，因為我是你的　神，我必堅固你，我必幫助你；我必用公義的右手扶持你。

以賽亞書 41:10 《聖經新譯本》

恩待窮人的，等於借錢給耶和華；他所行的，耶和華必償還。

箴言 19:17 《聖經新譯本》

Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

After finishing Endor's Doing Things Right, my latest interest is in Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: what defines a man versus what defines a woman? What defines a successful man versus what defines a successful woman?

Needless to say, I'm more interested in thoughts on womanhood; the study of manhood is only for the sake of "compare and contrast." A couple keywords come to mind: being a helper, nurturing, ...

The website of the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) happened to be my first stop, thanks to google search. Under its Web Resource is posted the PDF version of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper and Wayne Grudem. A friend gave me a hardcopy some 15 years ago. Didn't get through it -- it was too conservative for me back then and I wasn't interested in why women shouldn't be leaders or pastors at church. Just downloaded the PDF version to at least browse through the topics to get some ideas.

My first written response to pornography

Pornography is not something I only recently encounter, but I have not felt the need to say something about it until when some pornographic pictures appear in the blog of one teenager whom I know. Below is my first written attempt to address the issue.  (I'm posting it here, recognizing that we're not immuned to this kind of temptation).

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xx,

Think critically against what’s considered right by your culture, society, or friends. Just because these pictures proliferate in newspaper, magazines, internet, or even on the street -- doesn’t mean that it’s right to view/circulate them.

The name "Art of the Human Body" -- what these pictures are labelled on the internet-- is a lie! The real name is pornography.

Make no mistake. Pornographic activity, whether posting, viewing, or reading them distorts the core value of a human being and reduce it to a mere sexualized object.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23
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Korean hostages in Afghanistan: how to pray?

This verse which uplifted me in the past came to mind when we were praying for the Korean hostages at my church's Wednesday prayer mtg.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:9

I pray that God will demonstrate how His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts than our thoughts through resolving the kidnapping of the Korean hostages. May His name be exalted and glorified, as the whole world is watching.

Moving rhythmically

I'm studying the Book of Ephesians these two weeks, using two English translations: the NIV and the Message.

The language of the latter of Paul's passage about Christ giving each of his believers spiritual gifts to build his church really comes so vividly:

...[Christ] handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ (mine emphasis).

Ephesians 4:7-13 (The Message)

The picture was furthermore imprinted in me when my piano accompaniment was totally out of sync with the song leader last night. We were simply doing the song in two different tempos for the most part. No, we didn't click. We were far, far from clicking.

It doesn't matter who's right and who's wrong. That was a joke! What I took to heart is how much more ridiculous, and even disastrous the picture would look that we claim to serve as one Body, when showing a total of disregard of how other fellow Christians operate. As part of the Body of Christ, it doesn't matter who's more advanced spiritually, who sees the bigger picture, who's liberal, who's more conservative, we coordinate, adjust, and bear with one another in love.

Paul in Ephesians doesn't say we move in the same pace. That would be quite boring. Rather, he says that we work to move "rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful." Now that's a beautiful picture, brothers and sisters!

I35W bridge collapse: how to pray?

In the church prayer meeting last night, our pastor broke the news to us and showed us some pictures on screen, and then asked us to pray in groups of two.

I didn't know how. I find help from John Piper's reflection. The bridge of Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River was within sight from the church he pastors. His family happened to read Luke 13:1-5 (a pre-selected passage) for devotion.

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

I'll leave it up to you to read Piper's thought. The comments from his readers are no less fascinating and thought-provoking.

I also learn how I can pray in response to the bridge collapse after reading Albert Mohler's article, in addition to Piper's reflection.

1. Pray that people wouldn't blame God for not saving those who died but would thank Him for sparing the lives of those who survive.
2. Christians and non-Christians are reminded through sudden calamities like this that "the ways and means of persons suddenly passing out of this world are indeed 'innumerable and inconceivable.'" Pray that we live everyday wisely and seize opportunities to do good.
3. Pray for those with loved ones directly involved in this tragedy.
4. Pray for the churches of Minneapolis to minister grace and truth amidst this tragedy and turmoil.