Pastor’s Corner Mrs. Liu July 2010
PGC’s bible reading movement has reached the book of Exodus in June. One day while I was reading chapter 35 and 36, I was captivated by how the whole Israel nation was involved by their willingness to offer many different kinds of gifts for the making of the Tabernacle until Moses gave an order to stop, for it was more than enough (36:5)! I also noticed how the words “willing”, “willing and whose heart moved”, “skilled” (wisdom in his heart) are repeating all the time! These words all point to our hearts. Our hearts and our passion motivate us to offer, to give, to achieve what God has planned, but they can also destroy and ruin everything we own.
We care about our appearance, but God cares about our heart. When Mary brought an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume to offer to Jesus, the disciples were indignant and gave her a hard time! Only Jesus told them it was a beautiful thing! While everyone admired how the rich man offered, Jesus praised the widow’s offering of her two small coins. While Cain offered some fruits faithfully to God, God looked more with favour for Abel’s offering because they were the best from his flock. How they reminded us relationship with God is not just finishing a task, but how our passion to give God the best.
While I was a young Christian, someone reminded me, “A responsible person finishes his job, but a person with passion makes his work beautiful!”
It’s such a great reminder for me from time to time as I face my family, meet different people, and in ministry and so on. If heart our generator of life, what is inside our hearts? Is it fatigue? Is it serenity? Strength? Or do we allow sadness, anger, withdrawal and critical spirit to control us? If we don’t have fellowship time with God each day in quietness, how can we façade ourselves with strength and stability? If we don’t have time to reflect and adjust our lives, our lives can never be beautiful! Furthermore, how can we finish the tasks God has assigned to us and make them beautiful?
While I attended Charis’ dance school recital in June, she admiringly told me, “Mom, a few girls danced so brilliantly!” I answered, “Yes, because not only did they dance, but they danced with joy and passion! Listen! There are indeed a lot of great performers in all disciplines, but there may be only a few worshippers you can find among them! Mom wants you to be a worshipper in whatever God has placed you.”
A noble heart can turn ordinary tasks to be a channel of love and blessing to others. Back in May 2008, William and I took our children back to Hong Kong to visit my ailing mom-in-law. We were so grateful that my friend in Hong Kong offered us to stay with her family. I will never forget how they spared their own master bedroom for us, while 3 of her family joyfully slept in the living room! At the end of my trip, we gave her some money as a token of thanks. On our way back, we were surprised to find an envelope in our luggage! On the envelop she printed, “Everything was from my heart.” When I opened it, I found the whole sum of money that I gave her. I still could not hold me tears as I write this.
May we always treasure our relationship with Jesus, and keep our hearts clean to be a fountain of blessings to others.
The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23