Faith in God, a simple and hard truth

I learnt today that having faith and trusting God is the simplest yet most difficult thing to do because it sounds too unbelievably simple for such a complex thing to be handed and put to God.

Example: in the way we live our life, complexity in the way we are faced with problems... Can I simply trust God, and believe that he will provide?

I guess the more simple we hope to be, the harder the challenge to simplify!

When should i Test God

I started this morning with Isaiah 7, and in v.12 I learnt that there are times in our lives that we ought to test God.

Considering the fact that Jesus, during the dessert-days, said that we shall not test God, I'd think twice these days about seeing myself testing God.

Yet the old testament is filled with different people testing God isn't it? From Moses and the burning bush, Elijah and the prophets of baal, and Gideon with the dew, I guess there are many more examples as well.

Question is, when is testing God valid?
I'd like to think that when an element of faith is at stake, and where faith is to be increased, testing God may seem quite scary. Scary not because of the result, but how my responses should be with those results.
On the other extreme, we may be testing God daily in our lives...
Eg. When waiting for public transport, we'd say: God please, 1 taxi or get the bus here soon. I'll promise to be holy and do my quiet time longer tomorrow. Or things like our jobs or praying for health...

I will think through what test do I want God to prove to me, for the increment of my faith...soon!

Getting to know God deeper

I realized how lacking in depth my relationship with God has been. Being stagnant in knowledge of God's character really doesn't help...

I see my faith dwindling away as imaginations and emotions start taking over reasons and belief. Perhaps it's time to re-discover new characteristics about God which I have overlooked.

I was taught by a visiting preacher that the book of psalms was written from man to God, depicting the passion and emotions of the people in those days towards God. Therefore, I'd safely assume that the prophets would be the book that God would be saying to the people! If I read and meditate on the book of the prophets, I guess I would then be able to know God's heart and character better!

I'd be starting with Isaiah.. Then Minor prophets...

Evolution and intelligent design

Didn't know there such a term till recently. Intelligent design, apparently, doesn't necessarily mean creationism.

Definition I've learnt is that when we are intelligently designed, there is a specific purpose or reason why certain thing is created. Especially in the context of life.

I never knew that nobody can for certain answer the source of life. Mankind in all it's technological splendor still is unable to grasp the meaning of existence scientifically. Strange but true... Could we be focusing too much on the unnecessary details than we should?

Evolution is another term which I learnt today!
Evolution can be known as a change over time. While that may be agreeable, a lot of people also define evolution as a change of species from a common descent of a single cell organism. That fact, many people couldn't agree. however, that's the definition of evolution in neo-darwinism theory.

I have never read the origin of species... And I don't think I belong in the circle of intellect where the micro-biologist or evolutionary-biologist reign. Having said that, I do feel that since there is no firm answer in science on how and where life began on earth, I'd say that the most improbable and truth, will be the truth!

In any case, if the world revolves around Darwinism theory, the saddistic part of mankind where cruelty is applied to the less fortunate and disabled, will prevail...

Hmm, I do hope i can visit the mizpah museum one day in Germany.

Learning to live while being tired

Christmas eve gift wrapping exercise spanned till an ungodly christmas day - 4.30am...
On Christmas morning, I woke up a zombie.
I realized my temper became so-so short with lack of sleep that I have to watch my own interactions with other people or I might injure people!!

No more late night-early morning gift wrapping!!

Forgiveness, then reconcilliation. Next, resolution

An incident occurred a while back about how a friend reacted with another friend's response to an event. While both of them were striving to do what is right, and none of them sees themselves in the wrong, I guess the goal wouldn't be to point out who is right or wrong. Not to figure out who is more wrong either.

Wouldn't it be wiser to look at whether I can be more Christlike-thus be more merciful?

Because the goal isn't to be more right, rather to be more Christlike. That's why we strive to do what is right in the 1st place!

So we may have forgiveness.. Reconciliation may take place; but resolution... None whatsoever. Will life necessarily always turn out to be better when resolution happens? I guess it depends...

Lesson learnt! :)

Learning not to repeat my mistakes in running a half-marathon

I just completed by 21KM run this morning and I was really disappointed due to finishing the run 2-mins slower than last-year. It's my second time running this half-marathon, and I realized that I made much more good moves last year as compared to a more 'seasoned' me right now.

Mistakes I made: (which I really hope that I won't repeat them...)

1. Not eating bananas before the run... (it's really important.. I ran out energy!)
   
2. Eating only 2 pieces of bread and milo (well, if I had bananas... and 3pcs of bread....Hmm!)
3. Being late... I started the run at 6.50am, when everyone started at 6.30am!
   
4. Because I was late, I didn't spend sufficient time doing warm-ups... Duh!
5. I dropped my heat-rub tube. (I didn't check, and it was too late when I really needed it.)
   
6. Always drink 100-plus at every drink-points (water is good, but I already had water!)
   
7. Go to the toilet BEFORE the run... not during the run! (slows me down, and lost my momentum..)
   
8. Do NOT run 10-KM 3-days before the run... (I paid my price... my calf was so-so painful!)
9. Sleep at least 8-hours every-day in the week for the run. (Thank God weather was merciful...otherwise, I might have had fever!)
10. Practice-Practice-Practice for 3-months before the event... (My training was inconsistent!)
11. Prepare my iPOD... I was jogging halfway when I realized I ran out of songs + the songs were jumbled up! When I needed to speed-up, I hear some sleepy songs and I got distracted....
12. Concentrate on the run.. Remind myself why I am running the race!
13. Breathe consistently (I didn't and I was so easily out of breath!)
    

Good things I did: (As opposed to last-year...)

1. finding a suitable pacer during the run (keep looking around for people)
   
2. get a good pair of socks (I invested in 20 bucks for a new-technology socks)
   
3. wear a proper sized attire (last year, I wore everything XL...)
4. I ate breakfast...
   
5. I drank water more consistently... (I was properly hydrated) Had a gulp everytime I was slowed down by people.

With these, I think I will not join Standard Chartered Marathon for the next 1 to 2 years until they change their logistics and organizing team.. They are quite bad in my opinion. They really need to find someone more qualified to handle the management of the event and put some social sciences and planning into practice!