don't stay in home in vain

when I was walking to the toilet I saw the sink full of dishes from the morning.
Dishes which my mum left behind in a hurry as she rushed out of house this morning.

I felt the impulse to wash them... and so I did.
I think I've been telling people that my mission to live with my mum has more or less completed... I think I thought wrong.

There's still so much I didn't do, in a way you can say I made life easy for myself.
There's much more diligence for me to have...
Time for school and time for church. Time for friends and time for chores. Time for hobbies, time for thinking.

There are so many things I want to do. Dear God, help me to live my life diligently.

time to shake it all up

The timing made a difference

Getting a sore throat before or after arriving at Cambodia makes a difference.

The way I see it now, getting it before is far better.
For one, it means that you'll be on the route to recovery and that is very encouraging. Rather than seeing yourself gradually fall sick, you see yourself gradually recovering. That is better.

On a related note, it is also better because you find your heart in a posture of reliance and gratefulness. If you were to contract it during the trip itself you may instead experience bitterness with questions of "why now?" coming right in.

And so I thank You Lord, although I was previously bewildered. I thank You for the impeccable timing and what it has done for my heart on this trip.

what it means to be right in the heart.

We were asked to pray for the right hearts as we prepare and eventually embark on the commando mission.

We were then split into groups to pray. Not knowing how to start, I blurted the question:
What does it mean to be right in the heart?
What is a heart that is right before God? One which wants to see all the commandos fall on their knees and confess Christ is Lord?

At this moment someone suggested that a heart that is right is one that loves the commandos, that intends to bring the message of Christmas to them. But really, what does a heart which loves the commandos look?

I suppose someone who remotely loves them would at least pray for them, would ask Kenneth if they can pray in anyway for them or any particular individuals.
Certainly the task is hard, performing for them. I can already see that at this rate I'm likely to just perform to my best and then hope to close it like a chapter in a book, concluded. Closed, never to be explored again. I feel my sinful heart desiring that, desiring the easy way out.

To be of the right heart is to ask for a lot. Is to ask not only that we practice and perform our best but also that we are willing to let this mission extend beyond the performance itself.
At this juncture it becomes clear that "praying for a right heart" is not something you can or should quickly say yes to. Do we know what we're signing up for?

That said, I choose to obey. After all, if we're talking about the spirit of Christmas, we're talking about God who came to earth (we're talking about Christians who go to the commando camp), we're talking about God who died for man (we're talking about Christians who would put up a performance and share the gospel), we're talking about the God who abides with man forever (we're talking about Christians who never quit praying for commandos who are not saved), then certainly we cannot stop at the performance.

the adversary gives glory

Studying for philosophy of religion paper on Friday.

As much as I dislike Hume, I think that his diligent refutation of many arguments for the existence of God actually gives glory to God.

In showing that the arguments cannot prove the existence of God, Hume cleared the stage for the necessity of Jesus, the revelation of God, a solid proof to which even empiricists must bow.
It'll take nothing short of divine revelation to prove His own existence.