Life Spoken Inspired: November 2005

Sunday, November 27, 2005 

D-R-I-V-E-N

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“4Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.” – James 3:4(NASB)

      The premise of what I write today entails driving. I give my condolences to you youngsters who are too young to drive. I must say, you are missing out. Not only the thrills of incessant Toronto traffic jams, weekend drivers and Chinese parking lots, but also the thrill of being in control. Being in control of a multi-tonne piece of metal, wheels and windshield wipers is much more intense than the old initial d races. We can see how we relate this to our lives. Although we’re not furnished with dent-resistant doors and a set of wheels (unfortunately), we share this one same concept: we are able to choose our destinations and the route(s) we take to get there.

      To break this all down and look at it, I’m going to refer to the verse I mentioned at the beginning of this article. The verse here outlines two main concepts that I want to talk about: driving force and direction. Here, it talks about a boat, driven by winds (the driving force), as well as the rudder, which guides the course of the whole boat giving us direction. Now we can relate this to cars, we have our gas pedal (although there’s much, much more at work than just that, just to simplify things), and we have our steering wheel. When we drive our cars we take for granted the amount of power put into both those parts. The gas pedal, requiring not much force will cause this car to accelerate and move it. But not only do we use the main function of our driving force, but also direction, which comes from the steering wheel. Again we use a small amount of power and we can control and alter the direction of our accelerating vehicle. And now, with these two functions, we have an operating vehicle that can take us from point A to B. The simple question, is where is “point B” and “how” are we going to get there. To avoid a waste of time and money (thankfully, gas is getting cheaper), your average driver would take time to find his destination and plan out a route before even starting the car. After a plan is made, we begin our journey to make ends meet and achieving our goals, whatever they may be.

      Now, departing from the confusing analogies which I love to use, I’m going to relate this to our lives, and how we live. I’m sure most of you have picked up on it already, but first things first; I want to talk about our “point B”. What is it that we want, that we desire, place as the priority of ourselves. I’m not only talking about common goals we may share, but more eternal things. Where do you want to go with your life, where do you believe you are being called, what is it that makes you come alive? I ask these to make you think. Have you spent time to think about this? Do you know where you’re headed? Why? There are an infinite number of answers that people can come up with, but for myself as a devoted Christian, I believe in letting God decide my “point B”. A choice given to Him such that I can work for Him in all the ways he destined me to.

      I talked about two parts that build up the functions of a car. And it also relates when we think about our lives. Living our lives to reach point B entails our own driving force, better known as motivation, and also direction. Without either of these two we would experience similar situations as a car that lacks the steering wheel or gas pedal would. Living without motivation or direction can leave us in very dangerous situations. Motivation lacking direction can cause crashes, whether it may be into pedestrians, other cars or brick walls, none are desirable. Direction lacking motivation can be just as distressing, like a bird without wings, aspirations without action, or a cure with no sickness. Useless.

      Living a life where we want to reach point B requires motivation and direction. How we attain these two things is another story in itself as well. For a car, we need to constantly fill up our gas tanks, and use maps to guide our ventures. So in your life, what is your gas station? And what is your map? Where do your fill yourself up, and what with? A car running on premium will maintain much better than one on regular. This brings up our need for our constant relationship with God. Our need to come to him, to allow him to fill us up and satisfy our appetite, “26 The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.” - Proverbs 16:26(NIV). And when we think about the maps we have in our lives, what are we using to guide and direct ourselves, whether it may be people, media, God or other, how would you rate the quality of your map?

      As confusing as I may have made a simple topic, I’m avoiding giving all the answers. For this I leave it to you, to think, reflect and contemplate on the motivation and direction in your life. What is it that motivates you? That guides you? Think about what has given you motivation and direction in the past, what motivates and guides you now and what you want to motivate and direct you in the future. Summed up in 4 words: What Drives Your Life?

      Extra: I would like to add an irrelevant part to this article, but promoting my friend, Aaron’s xanga, where he too writes about his thoughts and beliefs. Give it a read if you have time, the link to his page is on the right side. And since I’m not a member of xanga and unable to post comments, keep up the faith bro. Keep letting the Holy Spirit work through you and move into those around you. Peace out, thanks for reading.

2:53 AM | |

Tuesday, November 22, 2005 

Daron Meeto

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      Sometimes I find it hard to escape the fact that I'm still a kid at heart when it comes to these things, but I can find no greater joy than when I’m able to just joke around with those closest to me. Above is a drawing I did on a sticky-note, and for those of you still clueless right now, Daron Meeto is a mixture of me and one of my best friends. (Derek Ma + Aaron Szeto = Daron Meeto - "The Cool by day and Superhero by night"). Yup... young and stupid we still are but the friendship I have with him is one of the rarest in the world. I think myself blessed, and thank God everyday, when I look onto the friends and people I confide and take refuge in. On a whole, I suppose my whole life has been a never-ceasing blessing since that day a couple years ago I chose to give my life to God.

      I had the chance this past weekend to finally sit down with Aaron and just talk over some hot bbt. The weirdest part is that even for me to think back on our conversation, it must be one of the least expected talks between two eighteen year old guys that could happen. Before I open up into it, I suppose that shedding a little light onto history is required. So, Aaron and I have been friends for only about a year or so now, but he’s been one of the people I’ve been able to talk to when I need advice, have an urge to blurt something out or just need someone to unload on. Although I know quite a few people have friends like that, Aaron and I differ a bit, where both of us come from the same background. Both of us have a past that were so directionless and crooked that it just broke us down and led us to God. Both of us became Christian a while back and have been able to help each other out, overcoming our past and becoming conquerors of our future. Both of us pretty much share the same past, and very likely will share the same future. Both of us have received a calling from God into Youth Ministry, and don’t even second guess that we’ll be working together to achieve a common goal. Aaron and I have both been raised as non-compromising, give-it-all-up, thinking-of-eternity Christians. This is something I find closest with him in, because I can safely say that there are not many other Men of God that are able to take the calling God has given them and live it without compromise.

      Back to our conversation, we talked about where society was headed. The failure to live up to a moral code for all people has become a daily thought and nothing more. It seems that people everywhere are loosing a sense of integrity and don’t give a second thought about it. We extended this even further into saying that it’s hard to believe that as Christians, we’re following the ‘Risen Lord’ when so many of our brothers and sisters don’t even differ from those who are “without God”. The carnal Christian lifestyle (a Christian who shows no difference with a person who is not of God) is becoming ever-increasingly popular and it is a saddening thing that we, the chosen ones, cannot even live up to a standard which we originally created. We as Christians have been too easy-going with our brothers and sisters that have now changed their focus of life onto living “on one side of the line”. I’m sick and tired of people trying to define what is good and bad. My brothers and sisters, if you truly care for your life as a Christian, please understand that the life we are living is not one of living on the “good” side. It is NOT about getting AS CLOSE to this “line” we have created between good and bad as we can. As a Christian you are called to live as GOOD as you can. This, my friends, means that we are asked to live as far away from a line as we can. Living a Christian life is NOT living a life that is ‘good’, it is living a life that is as good as possible. So many times we get caught up in wondering why God isn’t able to perform miracles any more. Even for myself I sometimes doubt in God’s power on this world because we’ve become a society that sees him as a counselor, nothing more than someone we turn to when we need help, when we need something and when we feel we are lacking. If God really is ruler and king of your life then he is the one you turn to ALWAYS. He is there for your praise, your worship, your love and your sorrows. Everything you have, turn to God and renew, for our lives were never ours to begin with.

      Aaron and I worry about our future, because it’s a pain to think about what we’re going to do as youth pastors when the carnal Christian lifestyle has become one that is a norm for all. This is why God is calling us now, all of us, to reverse the effects of the downfall of society and Christians. No longer can we provide a watered down religion or else we’ll keep on producing watered down Christians with watered down faith. No longer can we sit idle and just watch others stand up and fight alone. It’s time for change, time for God to reign. Now, is the time for revolution.

4:43 PM | |