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CFCFFL
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is the CFCFFL?
The
Movement for Restoration Our
Covenant
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Mission and Vision
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Core Values
Family Ministries Kids
for Family and Life (KFL) Youth
for Family and Life (YFL)
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for Family and Life (SFL)
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for Family and Life (HFL)
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for Family and Life (SvFL)
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The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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LESSONS FROM
LAMENTATIONS
(Part 1)
ON CRISES AND CROSSES
Many of our brethren
today are undergoing intense suffering. There are those who are
seriously ill, those who no longer know how to meet their financial
needs, those who are seeing a loved one seriously going astray, those
who continue to be maligned and attacked even by brethren.
It is acceptable for them to ask the Lord for relief, even to beg to let
their cups pass from them. But in the meantime that they carry crosses,
they are to embrace them and rejoice, for God is fulfilling a purpose.
God is purifying them. God is teaching them. And God is preparing the
way to glory.
The way of the cross is God’s way. The gospel of the cross is the
authentic gospel. If God then wants us on the right path, why would He
withhold the cross?
But many reject the cross. Certainly the secular world does. The world
is preoccupied with comfort, pleasure, success. But are these not the
very things that can draw us away from God?
So we must decide. Do we want to be formed by the world or by Christ? Do
we want the wide paths of the world that lead to destruction, or the
narrow path of God that leads to abundant life? How do we see abundant
life anyway? Is it a life of wealth, power and pleasure? God certainly
can give you those. But the abundant life, a life lived to the full, is
a life in Christ, a life of holiness, a life of obedience to God’s
will.
How do you achieve such a life? It is only by way of the cross.
In this Lenten season, I bring you to one of the many lessons of
Lamentations (from Forty Days of Lamentations).
Lamentations 116
– Crises in life are necessary for deeper faith, love and hope.
Crises in life can be our crosses. God allows crosses in life in
order to purify us, draw us closer to Himself, and deepen our faith.
When we go through the fire, the impurities are burned away. When we are
pruned, which is painful, we bear more fruit (Jn 15:2). When we are
disciplined or reproved by God, that is when we are loved as His sons
and we are able to grow in holiness (Hb 12:5-8,10-11).
If we had a comfortable life, we would not learn endurance and
sacrifice. If we all had agreeable friends and brethren, we would not
learn forbearance and forgiveness and unconditional love. If God
answered all of our prayers at once, we would not learn perseverance and
persistence. If inviting others to a renewal program was easy and always
fruitful, we would not spend as much time in prayer and in doing
spiritual warfare. If life went smoothly, we would not have as much need
for God. If there were no deep crises in life, we would not have to look
to hope in God.
Crosses, occasioned by crises, are God’s blessing for us. And so Jesus
tells us to take up our cross daily, if we are to follow him (Lk 9:23).
For our part, we can rejoice and like Paul aver, “may I never boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14).
Our lesson: Embrace the cross.
Living out this lesson will take a lifetime. But it starts with
understanding. Then with acceptance, even just intellectually. And here
you have to cope with a human mind formed by a secular world. But you
are already in Christ, are you not? Jesus then desires to form your mind
and your heart. But you need to be willing.
Go now before the crucifix. Meditate on the great love of God in sending
His very own Son to the cross. Hear Jesus say, “Come follow me.”
Ask Jesus for grace and strength. Kiss the crucifix. Then go on your
way.
(March 23, 2009)
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