Reflections this morning...

On what do you base your sense of self-worth?

I was thinking through the Isaiah study that the opening question struck me... cos the question(although it is a good one), doesn't seem to link up with the rest of the study.

Then i was wrong...

It is a watch-me-perform world. We hold high esteem of people who have achieve something in life. We worship them. From politicians to entertainers ; from professors to pastors. Often we asked, what can you do for me? ie rephrase: what makes you think you are worthy to come into MY circle? we like to hear stories of people who earn their way to great success; rags to riches stories: eg.from 'too many examples' and now Obama! it fuels our competitiveness. " hey , i am worth more than you!"

i like to present my thoughts in 2 levels: 1. false gods ; and 2. false spirituality

1. false gods.
firstly false gods. we conveniently used false gods to prove our self worth. for eg. which school you come from? what is your grades? what title you hold in your office? where did you go for holiday last year? how much did you earn? what achievements did you have in your previous post? what reputation do you carry? how big is your church? rephrase: body,bucks and buildings. we COMPETE in terms of these things. it makes us feel good if we have them; or more than others. we feel bad if we don't have them. it makes us feel small and powerless.

Israel is sent out into the world to be a WITNESS(repeated) for God in the midst of idol-worshipers. But often not, Christians are being absorbed into the world of idols. Or another extreme: what commissioned by God to be good has now being distorted to be a self-serving agenda. Eg. God tells us to be fruitful and multiply and to advance the world. But now we have taken that command to abuse the earth's resources , and to advance the world of technology , only to serve our own innate needs. Our selfish needs. One can think of environmental pollution to internet pornographic industries. We are supposed to be witness in a dying and decaying world (see matt 5 salt and light illustration). But we end up dying and decaying together with the rest of the world. That explains why our identity in the world is very important; maybe that is why God repeatedly remind us of the convenantal relationship we have with him and how we are being set apart for His work.

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me. isa 43:10

2. so maybe you think you had renounce these idols in your life, and manage to walk the tight rope in the Christian world- shouldn't life be full of high-5s and hallelujahs? here's another danger even among faithful Christians: we easily slip into a mode of false spirituality - a competitiveness so insidious only few spotted it. We now compete in terms of the spirituality of people. not on the outward things, but inward piety. some call this spiritual pride- which i agree. Beware of those who burn offerings for the sake of burning offerings; memorizing scriptures for the sake of memorizing; going to church for the sake of going to church; serving for the sake of serving. in simple words: sacrifices without the heart.

You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored me with your sacrifices. isa 43: 23

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise. ps 51:16-17

i believe both issues i have discussed leads to what we know as spiritual dryness... nothing really satisfies within, and the solution is not to do more to prove our worthiness. It is coming back to our whole identity before God. Learning to accept ourselves as how God would have accepted us. He accepted us based on election, grace and unconditional love; not based on merits and what we can do for God.

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life. isa 43: 4

we have to come back to accept ourselves with who we are,and gratefully accept what God has called us to do. Not everyone will earn the same fame and fortune in life; so stop comparing.

a healthy tree will always be healthy.. so renew, refresh and restore! always go back to the inner life...

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.

They will spring up like grass in a meadow,
like poplar trees by flowing streams. isa 44: 3-4