Psalm 127:1
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
Yes, money can buy a lot of things. Money can buy a comfortable ride on the plane but money is no guarantee of safety. People in business class perish the same way the others do when the plane crash. Money can buy expensive tours but money does not guarantee good weather. Money gives people access to pricey hotels but warm hospitality is not proportionate to the amount of cash given.
This trip taught me many things:
1) God created the earth for man to taste and experience His goodness. Many of his amazing works do not come cheap even though free. This is called grace. Grace for us to enjoy his presence in nature, in sunshine or in rain, in sunrise or sunset. Grace is giving us things we do not deserve. His grace allowed us to witness his power and wisdom leading us to where we do not know, from where we thought we know better.
2) God taught me to remember to be content in all circumstances n be resilient in whatever comes my way.
I need to take my bath with a roomful of strangers in our birthday suits and be grateful for warm clean water. I can learn to dry my body with a thin hand towel same way as I can dry my body with the regular bath towel. I should give thanks that I have a dry warm place to sleep whether in a small room or big, on comfy bed or hard floor. I am glad that I can get up from sitting or sleeping on the floor even if my knees are not used to it. (travelogue from 10/31/2015)
Yesterday, I led our family to pray as we headed out to the mountains to enjoy God’s creation. I asked the Lord help us to be joyful and thankful for family, for time to be together. I prayed the Lord keep us safe and guide each step of our way – that I will not fall. It was physically tiring and a challenge to stand for more than 30 minutes in a crowded bus holding onto the rails as the bus swayed left and right down the slopes. Yet my heart is full and grateful, God hears and answers my prayer. Godliness with contentment is great gain indeed. For we brought nothing in the world and we cannot take anything out of it. (1 Timothy 6:6-7).
3) God graciously let me experience that people living the simple life as fisherman daily depend on his provident hand to keep them safe from the weather elements: the same natural resources that provide their source of income. I realized what it’s like even for a day to live close to the pristine world that God meant it to be. That being close to nature somehow frees me from the distractions of this temporal world, things that constantly feed my carnal desires n keep me from experiencing God for who He really is. (travel journal 10/31/2015)
As I gaze in awesome wonder the mighty works and creation of our God Almighty, the hands that hold the world and keep it revolving around the sun, the same hands that hang the clouds in the skies, that created the mountains and the hills, flowing rivers, streams of living water. A hymn by Cecil Frances Alexander comes to mind:
Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
1 Each little flow’r that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
2 The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset and the morning
that brightens up the sky.
3 The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden:
He made them every one.
4 He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.
The eternal God that transcends time and space taught me that He alone makes everything beautiful in His beautiful perfect time. Money cannot buy snow to fall and rain to stop or sun to shine and rainbow to frame the skies. I am reminded that God is Immanuel.. He Is with us everywhere we go if only we open wide our eyes n listen attentively to his presence.
Paul said to Timothy: those who want to live godly life will be persecuted. Job said are we to only accept the good from God and not the bad? This trip is my fuel and ‘puhunan’ (bank account to withdraw from) to continue my journey on earth, that whatever lies ahead, I should remember that my God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do.
My dear friend, they say a picture paints a thousand words. The pictures taken in all of life journey are beyond words. They remind you and me that our God is an awesome God. They remind me what is man, who is Marlene that God should be so mindful of me. His amazing grace is not free, it is priceless. God alone deserves all glory and honor and praise.
