Scripture Bites

Planned or Accident?

2008-08-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

"…you knit me together in my mother's womb" -Psalm 139:13b

It was New Year's Eve past one already and my mom hasn't called yet as she usually does. Few minutes later when I was about to sleep my phone rang. It was my mom. She sounded different I knew something was wrong. So I asked. She just said sorry, forgive me, Let. And I thought... for what? Because I already did.

She was reading Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and she read there that even if our parents didn't plan us God did. I wasn't part of my parents plan. I was told when I was a kid that mom wanted to abort me. She drank medicine and jumped but I held on tight. When I was born she was worried I would be handicapped. But I wasn't. God has a plan for me. That's why she said sorry for she almost lost a beautiful and wonderful creation of God--that's me! That night also changed my life. It has brought me a sense of worth. I am loved. I am planned.

I wasn't planned by my parents but God has a plan for me. You, too, are never an accident. God created you. He planned you. He knit you together in your mom's womb… even wonderfully made you (Psalm 139:13, 14).

Prayer:

Father, I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made by you. Help me to live according to Your purpose in my life.

A Father’s Dream

2008-08-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

"I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Let?" asked my dad.

"I want to be a lawyer," I answered.

"So you will be called Atty. Malaluan," he went on smiling.

"No," I said, "I would be Judge Malaluan..."

And we both laughed without knowing that would be our last conversation. He died in a car accident the following day. I was ten years old then. Fearful. Uncertain of my future. I wouldn't hear him say, "Meet my daughter, Judge Malaluan." I didn’t even know if I'd get to college.

Thinking of that time in my life reminded me of God's wonderful promise in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I hold on to that promise.

Do you also worry about your future? Remember the Heavenly Father's promise that He has plans for you. My dad's ambition for me didn't happen but my heavenly Father has the best plan for my life--that I would be the messenger of His Word to the lost world. He has plans for you, too and that plan is a wonderful one.

Prayer:

Father in heaven, help me to trust You for my future knowing that is the best for my life.

Love the Lord, Hate Evil

2008-08-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

Psalm 96:10 says, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked."

This verse reminded me that as Christians we should hate evil things by first of all not entertaining them in our own lives and by not tolerating them in other people's lives. Sin enters our lives when we started entertaining evil thoughts in our minds. It's like a poison that when you swallow it, it will destroy the whole system of your body. In the case of sin, it destroys not only our body but also our thoughts and relationships with other people and most of all with God for He cannot tolerate sin as He is a holy God. I couldn’t' believe how many have I entertained evil in my life as if I am embracing them because it feels good and looks good. That is the deception of Satan. Not everything pleasing in our sight and feelings comes from the Lord. In this we have to be careful. When we programmed our minds to hate evil, we would be sensitive of the evil things and eventually avoid them.

To be able not to entertain evil things in our lives, let us focus on loving the Lord. When we think of God 's love, we will feel love and love also will be the expression of our lives. If we lack love, then evil has space in our lives. Let us love the Lord, and hate evil. I guess it should be automatic that when you love the Lord, you hate evil.

The Lord guards the lives of the faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. This is a promise from the Lord if we remain in loving Him and Him alone in our lives. He will protect us and guard our lives, nothing to worry about anymore.