Avsnitt
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As we come to the final day of the 40-day retreat, let us once again focus our attention on the theme of this retreat: "Finding God in All Things." At the heart of this theme is a relationship, an ultimate relationship with God. If the ultimate goal of Christians in this world is to "inherit eternal life", and if being with God forever is the meaning behind "inheriting eternal life", we need to prepare ourselves well in this life to be united with God eternally in the Heavenly Kingdom.
It is hoped that this retreat experience not only deepens your understanding of God, sensing His presence in your life, but also enables you to feel His profound love for you and His expectations of you. Now, let us learn how to live out the goal of "Finding God in All Things".
"Finding God in All Things" carries the meaning of "Choosing God in All Things". We must first look at things from God's perspective, and then make wise choices in life with His vision. The sacredness of the present moment lies in the fact that we can only make choices in the present. Good choices bring us closer to God, while bad choices lead us away from Him. Therefore, being able to make right decisions or choices in the present is crucial for whether we can ultimately "inherit eternal life"!
To put it simply, the situations we encounter in life can generally be divided into two categories: those with opportunities for choice, and those without. Let's first explore the second scenario. This refers to things that happen to us, which we did not choose but can only accept. If things go our way, of course we gladly accept them. However, if unfortunate events occur, such as suffering or disasters affecting ourselves or our families, in these circumstances, although it seems like we have no choice, we can still choose how to face them.
One thing we need to understand is that God does not actively bring disasters upon us. However, God may allow unfortunate events to happen to us because He knows that He can bring greater good out of these misfortunes. We should see these things that God allows to happen to us as part of God’s will. We must view them with the eyes of faith, helping us to discern the true meaning behind these events, as they are often difficult to understand in the present moment. But we must firmly believe that God, who loves us to the end, always puts our best interests first. When we submit to God's will and guidance, He will provide for all our needs in due time. We just need to patiently wait, knowing that greater good that God will bring will surely come. Moreover, our God desires to accompany us through life's trials, building a closer relationship with us. This explains why Jesus was willing to humbly dwell among humanity and spend thirty-three years with people.
The second type of situation we encounter in life is those where we have the opportunity or space to make choices. As mentioned earlier, everything that God allows to happen to us is part of God's will. From this perspective, we should approach all things with a spirit of indifference, whether they are good or bad, because God has ways to bring blessings to us in any situation. St. Ignatius also pointed out that everything in the world is created out of God's love, and these are gifts from God to help us better know Him. Therefore, we should cooperate with God to make good use of these gifts, glorifying Him and benefiting others. Conversely, if we misuse the gifts God created for us, or prioritize them above God in our lives, they will go against God's original intention, becoming stumbling blocks in our relationship with Him. Therefore, anything that does not lead us closer to God must be firmly rejected or let go of.
If in our lives, any event that happens and anything that appears can help us know and draw closer to God, or can inspire us to use these things to benefit others so as to return love to God, then we truly achieve the state of "Finding God in All Things". With this mentality, we will not be obsessed with desiring health over sickness, wealth over poverty, success over failure, and so on.
The state of the world indeed unsettles us and makes us feel very helpless. In this Lenten retreat, God reminds us that He not only dwells among us but also deeply cares about the suffering and hardships we endure. God hopes that in both good and bad situations, we can recognize Him in all things and draw strength from Him. Only by trusting that God is with us in all circumstances can we find peace amidst the uncertainties and turmoil of this world.
"Finding God in All Things" is a lifelong learning process that requires continuous practice and application in our lives. Let this Lenten retreat open a new chapter in your relationship with the Lord and prepare you to be forever united with Him in the heavenly home!
ReflectionAfter these forty days of retreat, what breakthroughs have you experienced in your relationship with God? Do you feel a greater need for Him? What are your expectations for your relationship with God?
Do you understand and appreciate that God allows some unfortunate things to happen to you, ultimately for your greater good?
How will you implement the goal of "Finding God in All Things" in your daily life? Which aspects do you find most challenging to overcome?
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus Christ, thank You for accompanying me throughout these 40 days of retreat. I am grateful for Your patience and tolerance towards me. I feel Your love for me, passionate and crazy, yet gentle... Please forgive me for being lukewarm towards You, neither fully trusting You nor sincerely desiring to be with You forever.
Yet You have continued to wait for me, patiently...
Please reignite my heart once again, so that I may fully deny myself, die with You on the cross, and be reborn through Your mighty power. I am determined from this day forward to encounter You in prayer every day and to diligently seek, choose, and acknowledge You in all things! I am willing to fully accept Your love for me and to surrender my love entirely to You!
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Fundraising AppealThank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!
The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Project Manager: Michael Lam
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny -
Yesterday we learned that through the examination of consciousness, we can heighten our awareness of God’s blessings in our lives and become more grateful so that we can more easily find God in all things. But how can we be grateful if we find no blessings from God in our lives, but only pain and suffering? How can we find God in all things in such a life?
First, let's challenge our understanding of the theme of this retreat, "Finding God in All Things". Have we romanticized the idea of "finding God in all things"? This means that in our impression, is God only present in things good and beautiful? So, is God present in pain, suffering, even persecution and sin? We need to understand that if God was only present in truth, goodness and beauty, the Son of God would not choose to be born as a human being, live in a world full of ugliness and evil, and choose to live and walk with people. While God cannot tolerate the sinfulness of human nature, He not only did not abandon or flee from us sinners, but willingly took on human nature and lived amidst sinfulness. We need to understand that it is the most unimaginable thing for God to do, for He is holy and perfect, the source of all truth, goodness, and beauty. But not only did He willingly live among sinful people, He even took on our sins and bore their consequences for us! As St. Paul proclaimed in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 21: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Since God is willing to become sin for us, to become our sacrificial lamb, does He have any reason not to be present in our pain, suffering, trauma, humiliation, as well as all the ugliness, evil, natural or man-made disasters in the world?
On this Good Friday, let us learn what it means to "carry the cross". First of all, we need to know that the so-called "crucifixion" was a capital punishment specifically designed by the Roman Empire to punish rebels, intended to make those criminals experience the most painful, cruel, excruciating, and torturous death possible. In addition to the process of dying on the cross, they also subjected the criminals to the most humiliating and helpless mental torment. The cruel requirement of forcing the criminals to "carry the cross" was to make those convicted of rebellion experience the defeat of being completely conquered, that the very last thing they were made to do before being nailed to the cross was to carry the instrument of their own death along a rugged path of suffering to the place of execution. This was done to demonstrate their complete and absolute obedience to the ruling authority. Jesus knew the torture He was about to endure was a form of punishment that was absolutely horrifying to the people under the rule of the Roman Empire, and it was certainly the most cruel means of governance that anyone had witnessed. Yet it was the will of the Heavenly Father that His only begotten Son should bear this torture innocently to pay for the sins of all of us!
Jesus demonstrated complete and absolute submission to the will of the Father with the spirit of obedience demanded by this form of torture. This spirit of surrender is a reflection and hallmark of Jesus' entire life, and it is also through this complete obedience that He reversed the rebellion of our original ancestors against the Father.
So when Jesus asks us, His followers, to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily to follow Him (Luke 9:23), He is asking us to learn from Him, to submit to the will of the Father. Therefore, "following Christ" means giving up our own desires, and instead, following the better arrangements made by the Father for us through faithfulness and imitation of Jesus. The greatest difference between us and the criminals sentenced to crucifixion is that they were coerced, while we can make choices and responses through the free will given to us by God.
When we make a heartfelt choice to be loyal to Jesus, we allow Him to be the Lord and King in our lives. This requires us to give up being our own masters and allow Jesus to have authority over our lives.
If these remarks were presented at the beginning of this Lenten retreat, they might have scared away many participants. But now, as we have a better understanding of the nature of God and the extent of His love for us, I hope this explanation will make it easier for you to accept what Jesus asks of us as Christians! Ultimately, whether we believe that God's demand for us is different from the cruelty of the Roman Empire is something for us to judge for ourselves!
Now let’s answer the question we asked at the beginning, that is, if we cannot find God’s blessings in our lives, but only pain and suffering, how can we be grateful and find God in all things?
If God is already the one you love most in your life, and while you experience pain and suffering, you have God who loves you most by your side, accompanying you and suffering with you, wouldn’t this be considered a sweeter experience and a more complete blessing in life? And most importantly, the focus is no longer the pain itself, but God. This realization becomes the turning point for whether we can "find God in all things."
Isn't it easy to find God in the beautiful creations of nature, or in a perfect life or in festivities? But imagine, when we experience pain or are at the lowest point in life, if we can find God by our side, knowing that He has never left us, like a parent, feeling our pain as if it were His own, willingly enduring being pierced in the side, having His heart pierced for our sake, isn't it most worthy of our gratitude?
God, who loves us the most, would not be the cause of our suffering, but our consolation in our suffering. This is considered a true blessing!
ReflectionHave you ever romanticized the concept of finding God in all things? In what circumstances of your life do you desire to find God? Why?
Have you ever questioned God’s role in the sufferings of your life? Do you think that all the challenges and trials in your life were God’s deliberate arrangements and tests, and that He was only watching from a distance?
Did today’s reflection give you a new appreciation and understanding of the retreat theme of “finding God in all things”, your understanding of blessings, and the role of God?
Today’s PrayerDear Lord Jesus, as I reflect on the suffering You endured for me today and delve deeper into understanding what it means to carry the cross, I feel a heartache I have never experienced before. I asked myself, why haven't I felt this way before? Is my heart so hardened, so numb? Why am I so indifferent to the suffering You endured for me? This shocked me and made me feel terrible about myself...
What made me even more ashamed is that I know that when I am faced with trials in my life that can't be compared to Your suffering, You would be by my side, holding my hand, sharing in my suffering, and bearing my burdens, just like in the "footprints" story, carrying me through the darkest valleys of life. But sadly, I failed to realize this before!
Lord, for You, I will continue to strive to die to myself, to carry and bear my own cross, and to accept Your companionship. No matter what obstacles I may encounter, I am willing to embrace them with a new perspective and seek You in them, leaning on You always...
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Fundraising AppealThank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effo...
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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We had mentioned before that the "present moment" is the only time when we can truly "find God" and "encounter God". When we are fully present in the "here and now", that is the time when we can best experience God’s presence. However, for us to be able to achieve this state of "living in the present" does not happen overnight. Fortunately, we can establish some spiritual habits to help us build and strengthen the spiritual muscles of "living in the present".
St. Ignatius of Loyola developed a prayer practice based on his habit of daily reflection. It helps us recognize God’s presence and footprints in our lives by taking time every day to reflect on our life experiences and the blessings He bestows on us through the people and things we encounter on that day. This prayer method is called the "examination of consciousness", or the Examen, done once or twice a day, usually in the middle of the day and in the evening. St. Ignatius’ intention was to gradually bring the habit of examination of consciousness into our lives through this prayer practice. As we become more aware of and sensitive to God's presence and blessings, we can more easily find God in all things in the present moment.
Jesus once reminded us that the first step in following Him is to "deny ourselves". In an earlier stage of the retreat, we mentioned that we are God's true opponents because we put ourselves and our pursuits and desires first in our lives. If we do not know what attracts and binds us, how can we know what we should renounce or let go of? However, if we have the habit of examining our consciousness every day, taking time to reflect on our desires, motives, and sinful tendencies, we can gradually get to know ourselves better and recognize areas where we are prone to stumble. By seeking God's help early on, we can deny ourselves more easily and overcome issues of pride and self-centeredness.
Besides helping us review and acknowledge our shortcomings, the most important and primary focus of the Ignatian examination of consciousness is giving thanks to God for the blessings, big and small, in our daily lives. We often find ourselves in a state of ingratitude, even though we are not to the point of repaying good with evil. We rarely realize or acknowledge God's blessings in our lives. Instead, we feel that we deserve them, or even think that they are due rewards because of our abilities. Ultimately, we will regard ourselves as the masters of our lives. In this state, our focus is solely on ourselves, and we fail to find God in all things. Over time, we become numb to the various blessings in our lives and take them for granted. When we fail to recognize that the blessings in our lives are gifts from God, it is the same as denying God and His love for us.
According to St. Ignatius, ingratitude is the root of all sins because one definition of sin is misusing the gifts God has given us. If we wish to repay God’s love, learning to express gratitude to Him is an effective way to show our love for Him. It is also a virtue that Christians who desire to "find God in all things" should develop.
When we can recognize that our lives have been blessed by God, it will induce in us a desire to give back to God and to imitate His selfless generosity to bless others. This is the best way for us to "repay God’s love" as He desires!
Just as Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40)
The better we can imitate Christ, the more we can live according to His teachings, the more we will be like Him, and the more we will be able to reveal the face of God to those we encounter.
ReflectionDo you take time for self-examination every day? Did today's reflection give you more motivation to develop or improve the habit of daily examination of consciousness?
Do you recognize the blessings of God in your life easily, and do you express gratitude for these blessings? How can you make yourself a more grateful Christian?
Now, invite the Lord to guide you on how to establish good spiritual habits in your life to help you achieve the goal of denying yourself and becoming more like Christ.
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, thank You for reminding me today to build the habit of daily examen. I realize that I am not sensitive to Your presence and blessings in my life. I often feel that the various gifts You have given me are what I deserve and I take them for granted.
Lord, I apologize for my ungrateful attitude towards You. Please forgive me! Please grant me greater determination to take You more seriously and to fulfill my promises to You through action, so that I do not disappoint You again!
Lord Jesus, I truly desire to find You in all things. Please do not let my self-centeredness replace Your primary position in my life. Teach me to surrender to You every day...
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Fundraising AppealThank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!
The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
During the last ten days of the retreat, we kept mentioning that the relationship God wants to have with us is a marriage relationship. The concept of marriage originates from God Himself. Since we perceive God as a father figure and Jesus Christ also embodies a male identity, when we talk about our relationship with God being a marital one, it's easy for us to associate it with the imagery of the Church being the bride of Christ, with us, as the Church, being the body of Christ, assuming a female identity. Yes, from this perspective, the Church, which is us, indeed represents the bride, having a female identity in the context of marriage. Undoubtedly, many male believers may find this concept difficult to accept. The thought of being in a romantic relationship with Jesus Christ while assuming a "female" identity is indeed unsettling! No wonder men may find it challenging to fully engage in a relationship with God. However, whether you are female or male, please accept this reality. We should not confine our understanding of God based on gender when we consider accepting Him and His love for us. Compared to other more important aspects of our relationship with God, gender is relatively less significant. Therefore, please do not miss the point by focusing our attention on the lesser thing.
In fact, we need to acknowledge that as creations of God, we do not have a "say" in the design scheme of God’s love towards us. Although God has given us free will to choose to accept or reject Him, once we choose to follow Him, we need to accept God's "relationship model". How God wishes to connect with us is part of His perfect design. He does not seek to coerce us into compliance because that is not the definition of God's love. In God's eyes, everything revolves around putting us first and foremost. Therefore, in the relationships He designs, everything is premised on what is best for us, rather than on God's own preferences.
I believe many of us, when attending weddings, have asked the couple how their relationship started. Out of curiosity, we asked, "Who made the first move?" This question tends to be the most embarrassing question for the couple, especially if it was the woman who took the initiative, as it may seem she lacked dignity!
Let's take a look at our relationship with God and see who takes the initiative, and who is more dignified. God, as the Lord of Hosts, should be exalted, but we can see that whether it is God in the Old Testament or Jesus in the New Testament, it is God who takes the initiative. From this perspective, in the eyes of God, we are precious, and this is something no one can deny. If by now we still do not believe that God puts us first among all else, then we are truly hopeless!
Recall on the 26th day of our retreat, when Jesus comforted His disciples with these parting words: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3) Please picture this in your mind. These are the heartfelt words Jesus spoke to His beloved when He knew He was about to face suffering and death, when He was about to leave. And as you carefully ponder the words of Jesus, you will find that these are not just heartfelt words, but the most delicate, thoughtful, and sweet parting words, the solemn promises from the depths of Jesus’ soul.
Jesus wants to comfort us, His beloved, when He briefly departs. He urges us not to panic, or mistakenly think that He will leave us forever. Instead, just like the custom of Jewish weddings at that time, Jesus wants to propose to us first. Then He will go to prepare a place for us and come back to marry us! This is indeed the attitude of our Saviour, not to save us with an army, but to redeem us in the most humiliating way, on the cross, showing His willingness to give everything for us!
Even in His own time of great trial, not only did Jesus humble Himself to wash our feet, but He also pursues us and proposes to us to show that we are precious in His eyes. We have such a God who, out of love for us, is willing to humble Himself to this extent. What excuses or reasons do we have to reject this love from God?
This indeed also tells us that it is not we who choose God, but God who chooses us!
ReflectionIn your relationship with God, are there any feelings of discomfort or awkwardness that hinder you from further establishing a closer relationship with God? Can you trace the reasons for this, or perhaps some misunderstandings you have about this relationship?
Have you ever deeply pondered the thoughts that God has put into pursuing you? Now, please try to look at your relationship with God from a different perspective and find evidence of God's love for you from past experiences.
Do you believe that Jesus is serious and faithful to you? Do you believe that He is carefully preparing for you the details of your future dwelling in heaven? Take a moment to feel how precious you are!
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, I can no longer tell whether You came to this world to save humanity or to save me personally; whether You came to spread the Good News of salvation or to pursue me, to propose to me! You have made me begin to blur the lines, whether You are my Creator, my Saviour, my Teacher, my Friend, or... or... my Lover...
I believe that today, as I hear You gently say, all these relationship patterns I have had with You are aimed at guiding me, step by step, to get closer to You. Ultimately, what You want is not just for me to be a faithful disciple, not for me to do great things for You. What You want is me, who is useless and broken; it's my heart, a heart that doesn't know how to love; it's my choice, to accept Your love, to choose You as my inseparable other half...
Today, I deeply feel that having You is truly having everything... I feel a satisfaction like never before, a satisfaction of being deeply loved by You without regrets...
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Fundraising AppealThank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!
The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Project Manager: Michael Lam
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Water... -
Yesterday we reflected on God's love, that is too much for us to bear. Do you have any new insights into the love that God has poured on you? Have you been touched by this overwhelming and inexplicable love? Did it pull your heart strings? Do you feel compelled to respond in some way? Or perhaps you think that you have already done your best to repay God's love, that you have already done everything you can to love God back and have given yourself fully?
God's love for us is both endless and bottomless, something we can never fully repay, no matter how hard we try. So, to what extent should we love God? What does God require of us?
I believe that from yesterday's reflection, you would have realized that God loves you, is willing to invest so much time and effort on you and to sacrifice His life and everything for you not because you possess any special qualities or outstanding merits. His love for you is unconditional. It is just because He loves you.
If God loves us not because of our merits, we cannot earn greater love from God through our actions and behaviour. Similarly, we cannot repay God's love simply by responding to God's call to spread the Good News, or dedicating time to serve the Church, as these are not only our responsibilities but also natural expressions of genuine faith. These should not be seen as methods to "love God back". Otherwise, these will be like tasks or to-do lists that we try to fulfill or become transactional love. This is not the true essence of love, nor is it the kind of love that God desires from us.
The ideal way to "love God back" is to spend time in prayer, encountering the Lord, getting to know this God who loves us unconditionally, and having heartfelt conversations with Him. If lovers would spend time getting to know each other and connecting emotionally to express their deep affection for each other, how much more should we invest time and effort in cultivating our eternal, intimate relationship with God? Shouldn't we put more thoughts and time on seeking opportunities to express our inner feelings, in order to deepen our mutual understanding, and genuinely admire each other?
God has given us free will, ultimately hoping that we will freely choose Him, choose to love Him and love Him completely, choose to be with Him forever — not out of obligation, coercion, or helplessness from not having a choice. This is the essence of love, and it is also the essence of God, precisely because "God is love"!
If prayer is an opportunity to have a heart-to-heart conversation with God, we cannot simply recite prayers mechanically; rather, we need to find a quiet environment to encounter God in solitude and silence. We shouldn't limit our communication with God through a human-to-God relationship, as God doesn't wish to interact with us from a distant, superior position. The depth of our conversation with the Lord should not be inferior to emotional exchanges between lovers; it shouldn't be superficial or apathetic, as that would show disrespect to God, and we would not be able to genuinely "love Him back" as a result.
Just like all relationships in the world need time to nurture and cannot be rushed, a relationship that is meant to last for eternity requires even more time to nurture. God doesn't want us to force ourselves, nor does He want us to blame ourselves for not being able to emotionally connect with Him at the moment. Having said that, it doesn't mean that we shouldn’t be determined and take action to prove that we are serious about Him.
We should start building a relationship with God on earth as soon as possible because we do not know how much time we have left to prepare our body, mind, and soul to commit ourselves eternally to the God who loves us unconditionally.
God knows very well that we are unable to love Him the way He loves us. In fact, what God desires most is not for us to love Him back but for us to accept His love more fully. Many believers have yet to fully embrace their brokenness, as well as their dark and unlovable sides, which inadvertently or unintentionally prevent Jesus from entering the innermost chambers of their hearts. This is the same as not accepting God, and refusing His unconditional love for us. Unfortunately, this is one of the most difficult barriers for many believers to overcome.
ReflectionDo you feel that you have already done your best to love God back, and that you have given everything you can for the Lord?
Do you still find it difficult to accept God's love for you? Please seek the reasons for this in your meditation.
After today's reflection, do you feel more motivated to seek ways and spend more time meeting with God in silence, and to engage in deeper conversations with Him?
Today’s PrayerMy God, I always thought I was a believer that is up to par. I not only strive to obey the Ten Commandments but also try my best to serve the Church. I believed that I had done everything I possibly could. I had a clear conscience and didn’t feel like I was lacking anything.
But today, You made me realize that fulfilling my duties as a Christian does not mean I have a relationship with You, nor does it mean I don't need to establish an intimate relationship with You through prayer. What's even more surprising is that I realized I have reservations about Your love and haven't fully accepted You into my life, hiding some concealed parts of myself that I'm unwilling to reveal.
Lord, from this day forward, I desire to establish a renewed relationship with You. I promise to be more open with You, facing You with honesty. Grant me the courage to surrender myself to You, and to accept and embrace more fully Your love for me, letting Your love heal me, and perfect me...
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Fundraising AppealThank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!
The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
The question we asked ourselves in the previous day’s retreat about why we wish to enter heaven is one we really need to face. Reflecting on this question helps us understand the relationship between "heaven" and "earth", the connection between "eternity" and "the present moment". Our answers will become our life goals, helping us live each moment well to prepare ourselves to "inherit eternal life". If we constantly keep the goal of entering heaven in sight so as to live each "present moment" well, our worldview will be drastically different, and the choices we make that shape the trajectory of our lives will also be drastically different. This naturally affects the fruit we bear in our lives and ultimately whether we can enter heaven. This question is more important than many of the "life events” that we ponder on in this world because the successes and failures in this world are really insignificant compared to whether we can "inherit eternal life"!
We probably all have had the experience of attending someone's wedding and asking the newlyweds what attracted them to each other, which ultimately led them to get married with each other. As someone beloved by God, what do you think attracts Him to you, leading God to choose you to be with Him forever? What outstanding qualities and exceptional merits do you possess that make God favour you? Looking at it from another perspective, do you think you deserve Jesus to sacrifice so much for you?
As objects of God's love, we should be extremely amazed by God's actions, and we should also feel deeply ashamed. We should be amazed because this supreme and almighty God, who can create all things with His words and give us life with a breath, has lowered Himself and poured out His entire being, even His own life, just to love us, ungrateful creatures as we are. In the eyes of the Creator, we should be lowly insignificant beings. How could we humans be worthy of receiving such love from God and be regarded as treasures by Him? We should examine ourselves and ask, what is it about us that warrants God's humility, even to the point of begging for our love for Him? Seeing this pitiful God, we should cry out to the heavens: "What good do we have that makes you so unwaveringly devoted to us? Are you truly insane, or is there something that we fail to see clearly? Please tell us!"
This kind of almost crazy and irrational love is something the world cannot understand or bear! Yet, this crazy lover continues to silently and helplessly knock on the door of our hearts, begging for our pity. God waits patiently for us, hoping that we will finally open the door and accept Him, accept His lavish love for us! What's even crazier is that we, creatures originally created from dust, shamelessly assume the role of masters instead of servants, as we should be, and treat our Creator with an attitude of arrogance and indifference! Shouldn't we feel utterly ashamed? How insane it is!
Jesus once used this parable in Matthew 13:44 to describe the kingdom of heaven, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." When we think that Jesus' description in this parable depicts an absurd and irrational behaviour, little do we realize that He, in an even more irrational and crazier manner, demonstrated that His actions indeed matched His words! Jesus took pity on us, these "treasures" buried in the ground, people enslaved by sin and deprived of freedom. He resolutely "sold" His own life to redeem us from sin and death!
Now, would you be moved by God's crazy love for you? Are you brave enough to face your unloveliness, to open the door and accept God's pursuit of you, and to accept His unconditional and unreserved love for you?
ReflectionDo you believe that God is attracted to you by some of your exceptional merits or outstanding qualities? Why do you think He loves you so much?
If you desire to "inherit eternal life", can you bear God's infinite and unreasoned love? Can you accept your own unloveliness and embrace God's unconditional love?
How do you feel about God's crazy and irrational love for you? Now, I invite you to face Him and express your feelings to Him!
Today’s PrayerLord, facing You and Your crazy love for me, I truly don't know what to say! Do You really have nothing else more meaningful to do or handle? As the King of kings, as the Lord of lords, do You really have no greater plans to accomplish? Why have You spent so much time, so much thought, so much attention, such unconditional and unreserved love, such complete sacrifice on me...
Do You really want to completely lose Yourself for me? Who am I? Am I worthy? Am I worth it? Why...
How can I repay Your love for me? How can I give back to You? What do You want? Please tell me!
Lord, facing You, I really can’t help but surrender. I am willing to open the door and let You in, to be conquered by Your love. Please fill me with Your boundless love! Don't let me have any more space to doubt You, doubt Your love, doubt Your love for me...
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
As we enter the final seven days of the retreat, it's time to ask ourselves some very serious questions about life, especially those concerning life and death. These are the questions we often avoid or are afraid to face. However, it's only when we seriously face these core, essential, and ultimate questions in life that we can truly confront ourselves, understand our true needs, and get to know ourselves better.
Now is the time to ask ourselves once again, why do we want to enter heaven? Why do you desire to enter the heavenly home? As the name suggests, heaven is our eternal home, our eternal dwelling place. For those of us who have faith, this place is a continuation of our earthly lives, an eternal abode beyond our imagination, the happiest, most perfect dwelling place. And Jesus is preparing a place for us, preparing for the day we return to the Father's house. But what God has prepared for us is not just a place, but a relationship that we shall enter into — an eternal relationship with God. This is the reason why we long to enter heaven.
The relationship that God most desires to establish with us is not the relationship between the Creator and His creation, the relationship between the Savior and the mankind He has redeemed, or the relationship between the master and the servant. This relationship even goes beyond friends, beyond family, and beyond the relationship between father and child. It is a marital relationship, an eternal union, an eternal vow, a bond that once formed cannot be separated!
The sanctity of marriage lies in the willingness of spouses to surrender themselves to each other unconditionally and regard each other as the most important person in their lives. God desires to have a marriage-like relationship with us, a perfect relationship that transcends this earthly marriage. Our life on earth is not only a time for us to prepare for eternal life, but it is also a time for us to prepare for this eternal ultimate relationship.
If God must be our first priority in eternity, our earthly life is a journey of preparing ourselves to put God first in our lives. Just as all couples on earth need time to get to know each other, build intimacy, and eventually recognize each other as lifelong partners and enter into a sacred marital relationship; similarly, we only get to know and understand our God in this earthly life, build an intimate relationship with Him, and recognize God as the first priority in our lives and our eternal partner.
Therefore, we cannot wait until we enter our heavenly home and participate in the heavenly banquet prepared for us before we begin to know and recognize our lifelong partner. In fact, our most important purpose on earth is to prepare for our own wedding banquet in heaven. God, who has been waiting by our side all along, is ready to establish this intimate relationship with us in our earthly lives. And the space where we can most intimately encounter God in our earthly lives is the "here and now". Therefore, "living in the present" and finding God and encountering Him in the present moment becomes the best preparation for us to enter the kingdom of heaven, and enter the most perfect relationship, a marriage relationship with God in which we will never be separated. This is something we cannot afford to miss out on!
ReflectionNow, please take a moment in silence to reflect once again on why you desire to enter heaven.
What is the most important relationship in your earthly life? Are you willing to put God first among all your relationships?
How will you make good use of your "here and now"? Are you willing to invest time to seek God and encounter Him in the present moment, in order to prepare for your eternal relationship with Him?
Today’s PrayerDear God, thank You for inviting me today to contemplate the ultimate questions in life: why do I desire to enter heaven; what is the primary purpose of my life on earth, and how can I make the most out of every moment in this world. I understand it is for my benefit, to let me know and understand as soon as possible the eternal significance of why I am created, so that I may seize every moment You have given me to prepare for my eternal life and my eternal relationship with You.
Lord, I feel how serious You are about me. I sincerely hope I can also be more serious about You, more willing to spend time building an intimate relationship with You, in order to prepare my body, mind, and soul for the wedding banquet with You in heaven.
Please grant me a more steadfast love, to love You every moment of my life!
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
We used the term "Unlimited Connection Plan" yesterday to describe the most ideal mode of communication between us and God. This “Unlimited Connection Plan” does not require signing any contract, does not charge any fees, does not have any unfavourable terms and fine prints, and is entirely user-driven. It is applicable for life, remaining eternally unchanged. I believe there is no calling plan in the entire world that can compete with this plan!
The only thing users need to be mindful of is the features of this plan and how to utilize it to achieve the best results and maximize the benefits for users.
First, this plan offers the best support and after-sales service: The party waiting on the other side of the line will definitely not be a robot, but the person in charge of this connection plan — God! He is absolutely loyal and responsible to every customer using this plan. He will wholeheartedly answer any questions and is willing to accompany the users until they are satisfied.
Second, the communication line is not shared but dedicated. This means that the line will never be affected by multiple users using it at the same time. You always have a dedicated line to connect with God. When you converse with Him, you are His only focus. He will be entirely attentive to you without distraction. What you are most concerned about right now is also what God is most concerned about.
Third, the more ample the time of each call, the faster the download speed and the less network congestion there is. Consequently, you will receive more messages, and the messages you receive will be more applicable. This is one of the greatest strengths of this plan!
Fourth, the more frequently and extensively this plan is used, the more functions it will have. One of the main features of this plan is its hidden functionalities, which can only be activated through regular use. For example, the more often the communication line is used, the clearer it will become, leading to better information reception and less noise interference. Think of it like tuning into a radio station; the more frequently you tune in, the easier it becomes to accurately tune into the desired channel.
Fifth, there are numerous ways to use this plan, all at your convenience. You can “talk infinitely”, and the responsible party for this plan, that is God, has infinite patience. He is absolutely willing to be the best listener, without interrupting or making judgments. Without your consent, He won't offer personal opinions and will totally respect your communication style. But having said that, God’s favourite mode of communication is when the user enters “listen and receive” mode. For users, this is the most beneficial communication mode for them.
Sixth, what sets this plan apart from other calling plans and the main reason it easily stands out from its competitors is its unique reception method: the signal is guaranteed to be the strongest and most ideal. Users don't need to search for the strongest signal reception points; wherever users are located, that's where the signal is the strongest. This refers to what we've constantly mentioned before as "the present moment", or the "here and now"! There is no place in the universe that is more conducive to connecting with God than "here and now", with 100% guarantee of uninterrupted signal. This is why this plan has always been advertised as an "Unlimited Connection Plan"!
Finally, there are two points to note when using this plan. Firstly, the less you use this plan, the more difficult it becomes to use! This is because some hidden features need to be discovered and utilized by the user. Although no special skills are required, the principle of “practice makes perfect” applies here. Secondly, there's a psychological barrier. Users shouldn't question whether "here and now" is the best place to communicate with God. If users rely on their own wisdom to judge and attempt to receive elsewhere, they will end up being counterproductive. This is something that this "Unlimited Connection Plan" does not advocate! All users please pay attention!
ReflectionDo you believe that when you converse with God, you are His most important focus, and He will be entirely attentive to you without distraction?
When communicating with God, do you tend to keep talking without listening enough? Have you reserved space for God to respond, or actively sought His opinion?
Do you believe that the "here and now" is the ideal time and space for communicating with God? Have you started striving to find God and communicate with Him in the "here and now"?
Today’s PrayerDear God, thank You for showing me today in a new way some areas where I need to pay attention to when communicating with You, prompting me to reflect on and examine the way I've been connecting with You.
Indeed, I must admit that I've had some misunderstandings about how to communicate with You, which has led to a distance between us, a barrier that sometimes even led me to misunderstand that You didn't want to hear from me, or didn't want to answer my prayers.
Thank You for giving me the correct understanding today. Please grant me perseverance to improve my communication with You and a greater willingness to listen to You and heed Your counsel.
Oh God, I earnestly desire to have a better and more intimate relationship with You beginning today.
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
Yesterday, one of the reflection questions we asked was: "Do you have difficulty receiving God's messages?" I wonder what your answer was. I remember someone once asked me this: "You said you received messages from God. How did you receive them? Did you really hear His voice, or was it just a feeling? Under what circumstances did you receive these messages? Please tell me and describe it to me.” The person who asked the question had a deep desire to hear God’s voice and His will. However, behind these questions, there are some misunderstandings about the nature of God and some confusion about how to receive messages from Him.
Firstly, one thing is certain: God is delighted to see the curiosity of the questioner and his desire to know how to receive messages from God. Why are we sure that God is pleased? Because we have previously discussed the nature of God in this retreat, that is, God is willing to do anything out of love for us. How could such a God not want us to desire to know His thoughts? God is eager to pour out His heart to us.
The questioner then went on to say, "I am not as holy as you are. The power of your prayer must be greater than mine, so God will speak to you and not directly to me. Please pray to God to answer my prayers, as I am sure God will listen to your prayers!"
This questioner has two serious obstacles. The first is that he believes that receiving messages from God involves very complex techniques. The second is that he believes God is closer to certain people He loves, especially those who are more holy. To put it simply, God is biased in how He loves His children. Is that true?
Let's look at the second obstacle first. According to our understanding of the nature of God, when we were still sinners, God had already decided to sacrifice His life to save us. (cf. Roman 5:8) From this point alone, we can be sure that since we are all sinners, there is no difference between each of us in His eyes. God is willing to die for this one sinner, and He will also die for another sinner. If we insist that the Father is closer to some of His children and distant from others, it is really unfair to this God who loves us to the utmost! God loves us regardless if we are holy or even obedient to Him. God not only loves the disciples who accept His invitation to follow Him but also deeply loves the rich young man who chooses not to follow Him. Let’s look at how Mark 10:21 describes Jesus' feelings towards the rich young man: "Jesus looked at him and loved him." Have you seen anywhere else in the Gospel where Jesus expressed the same depth of affection for those who immediately followed Him? Please, let's not misunderstand our fair and merciful God! Jesus loves not only St. Peter and St. Paul but also the prodigal son, regardless of whether he returns or not!
As for the first obstacle, which is God’s communication with us, does it require us to receive professional training or master some complex skills in order to successfully receive His messages?
Remember, our God is a God who cannot wait to encounter us in the "here and now"! If we are still “alive”, we all have equal access to encountering our loving God. A God who has infinite "depth" and "capacity" of love will never hesitate to generously bestow His boundless love upon us, nor will He require us to overcome numerous obstacles in order to receive His messages. So, please do not second guess God’s love to us any longer. Even if we are unfaithful to God, He remains always faithful to us!
On the contrary, let us imagine that when God is eager to meet us in the present moment, but we are distracted and have not “tuned into the channel” to receive His messages. When God desires to communicate with us and give us His messages, He finds us preoccupied and distracted by our surrounding noises. If you were God, how would you feel?
ReflectionDo you have questions similar to those of the inquirer in this meditation? Do you have any new insights now or have you discovered any aspects that can be adjusted?
Do you think God's love for us is fair? If you feel that the Father favours some of His children, are you willing to get to know your Heavenly Father again?
Do you find it difficult or even complicated to receive God’s messages? What insights have you got from today's reflection?
Today’s PrayerLord, in today's reflection, You have enlightened me that I have misunderstood You all along. I have always felt that communicating with You is difficult, and hearing Your voice and messages is even more challenging. In the past, I thought You were distant and that to communicate with You, I had to use sophisticated techniques. Now I realize how much You long to confide in me and connect with me.
I have been using the wrong methods and mindset to understand You and communicate with You, and I haven't been earnestly seeking You in the "here and now", nor have I been making efforts to create a quiet environment to commune with You.
Please help me once again, Lord, that with simplicity and sincerity, I will learn to enter into the space that belongs only to You and me, so that I can fully immerse in the warmth and affection You have for me!
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Maria Bai
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
Based on yesterday's meditation, we understand that we are truly "alive" only when we are in a state of "whole-person presence", meaning that our body, heart, spirit, and mind are all present together. The only time we can truly "find God" and "encounter God" is in the "present moment"! This is an evidence of being "wholly alive" as Christians and is also the Christian version of "living in the present moment".
Today, we will continue to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and learn how to "live in the present moment". Firstly, we need to understand what the "present moment" is. It means "here and now". We know that we are bound by time and space, so we can only live in a single point of time, which is "now"; and at this moment, we can only exist within a specific space, which is "here." For each one of us, there is no other "here and now" in this world. This time and space imply the idea of "once the time is gone, it never comes back", and which is "once in a lifetime", as we said before. Therefore, the "present moment" holds a unique and sacred significance. It is only within this sacred time and space that we can encounter other people, events, and things. Most importantly, we can only truly "encounter God" in the "present moment" because we do not exist in yesterday or tomorrow but in the “present moment". Therefore, what we have missed in the "present moment" is lost forever, and opportunities lost in this moment will never return.
Next, we need to understand what it means to "live". This is equivalent to what we describe as "alive", which requires our "whole-person presence". When we are fully and wholly present in the “here and now”, it is when we are most capable of experiencing God. This is the state of "living in the present moment" that we speak of here.
In this sacred space, we are sure to find God, and God is eager to meet us in the here and now. This state is like tuning into a radio channel; when we tune in most accurately, the reception is clearest! When we connect with God in the here and now, we can receive His messages most clearly. The "present moment" becomes a bridge between a person that is “alive” and the God that “exists eternally", a sacred and inviolable intersection. Therefore, as we mentioned earlier, our ability to "live in the present moment" becomes a prerequisite for whether we can find God in all things.
In the process of “tuning in to God”, we need to create a "quiet" environment so that we can receive God's messages clearly and unmistakably. Achieving a state of tranquility involves many techniques, including minimizing the noise around us. One of the biggest sources of noise in our lives does not come from outside, but comes from ourselves!
I am sure we have all watched movies in the theatre. When we watch a gripping movie, we are 100% focused, which is rare in our daily lives! When you're anxiously anticipating the next development in the plot, if someone starts talking nearby, you'll become impatient, or even angry. If it's a phone ringing, you'd want to rush over and turn off that person's phone!
When we live well in the present moment, we ourselves are the "temple of God", sacred and inviolable. Therefore, when you are focused on receiving the message that God is giving you at this moment, if there are external or internal disturbances, you should be angry. This is your righteous anger! Just as Jesus displayed indignation when He saw the sacred temple defiled by people, as followers of Jesus, we need to learn to defend the sacred “present moment” and the “temple of God”!
ReflectionIs your life filled with noises? Where do these noises come from?
Do you have trouble receiving God's messages? Can you find some clues in today's meditation to address this issue?
When you notice external or internal noises interfering with your ability to receive God's messages, how do you feel? Do you also experience righteous anger like Jesus did?
Today’s PrayerDear God, today I finally understand on a deeper level why "living in the present moment" is so important, and why You want to meet me in the "here and now" to give me messages.
Today, You have enlightened me on why I need to be fully alive; why I need to draw near to You in silence; why I need to be fully focused on You; why I should be angry at the evil forces that harass me when I get close to You; why I need to invite Jesus into my inner room if the evil forces come from within me, so that Jesus can take charge and command.
Lord Jesus, I allow You to enter my inner room, to cleanse me thoroughly, to root out the evil forces living within me, those thoughts that do not align with Your holy will, those evil spirits that hinder Your reign over my life. Lord, I am willing to surrender to You!
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Maria Bai
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
Yesterday we talked about the importance of "living in the present moment" which is the prerequisite for us to find God in all things. Although God is not bound by time and space, we cannot live outside of the "here and now". Therefore, the only time we can truly "find God" and "encounter God" is in "this moment"! This concept is important for Christians who want to "live in the present moment" and a reminder that we must keep in mind if we want to find God in all things!
If you enjoy taking pictures, you may have had the following experience. When you were reviewing some photos taken during your travels, you were surprised to find that you were at a certain tourist attraction, but you have no recollection of it! This discovery can be quite startling! "Did I really visit this place?" "I am in the photo, but how could I not remember being there?" Sounds familiar? We may find excuses for ourselves, saying that our memory is really poor. But it could be because in our efforts to capture beautiful memories through taking pictures, our so-called "memories" end up only existing in the photos, rather than in our minds and emotional experiences.
We often get carried away and are preoccupied with planning for the future, such as in the example above, where we hope to leave behind beautiful memories for the future. Ironically, the busy modern lifestyle leaves us with very few opportunities to reminisce about the good times of the past. Even if we have such opportunities, our memories of the good times would be very vague, or even non-existent, because we were "physically present but mentally absent" at the time of taking photos or for other reasons.
The purpose of photos is to help us remember and relive the good times of the past, but for those times that left no memories, the photos lose much of their value. The result is that we only have "records" but no "memories". If the entire experience is devoid of experience or content, what good memories are there to relive? Such photographic records are not very helpful to us because they not only fail to bring back good memories but also deprive us of the precious experience of enjoying the good times then and there, an experience that cannot be replicated. If our goal is to capture some beautiful photos, aren't there plenty of more beautiful photos on the internet?
There are many examples of this in life. The most concerning area is not the relationship between people and events or places, but between people themselves. In the relationship between people, the most important "recording" is not the pictures, but the interaction between people at the moment, the eye contact, spiritual dialogue, and heart to heart connection. These opportunities for physical interaction between people are often irreplaceable, and cannot be replaced by any new technology or artificial intelligence. What is needed is not external help, but our full commitment "with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind". Jesus is waiting for us, to get to know and meet us. But when we are not "living in the present moment", we cannot listen attentively, and it is even harder for us to sincerely care for the person we are attending to, making it difficult for us to find God in others, let alone serve Jesus in the least of our brothers! (Ref. Matthew 25)
A person can only be considered truly "alive" when they are both “physically and mentally present", consciously living according to the intention with which God created us, rather than merely existing as a body without a soul. As long as we are still breathing, we should strive to live in the "here and now", to be a real person, serving Jesus in the present moment, thereby also accumulating meaningful memories for ourselves.
So, whether we are focusing on photos that are of little use, or temptations that can distract us from the present moment, we must make a resolute decision to let it go. When we live to this day and find ourselves with an amazing photo library and various unnecessary or even excessive accumulations, but because we do not live well in the present, we find our "relationship bank account" with God and others empty. How regrettable it is!
This example illustrates how terrible it is not to "live in the present moment" because such a life is like we have never lived at all! Life merely hovers between the "past" and the "future", but does not linger in the "now", nor does it "save up" in the present moment! This is also the pitiful state of us who primarily live our lives through our "minds" and "work". Do we really want to waste our lives like this? On the contrary, our "hearts" instill in us a desire to experience what the “present moment” holds for us, so that as we face the person, the situation, and the environment before us, we are willing to be fully engaged, and to offer up completely this “present moment” of ours. What is more beautiful than to become fully human by living with our hearts, which is also how God wants us to find Him in our lives?
ReflectionHave you ever made mistakes similar to the one mentioned in the meditation? Now I invite you to carefully examine the impact these habits have on you.
When you interact with others, are you able to be fully present and fully engaged in the conversation with the person in front of you?
Have you ever missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because you were distracted or not being fully present?
Today’s PrayerDear God, in today's reflection, I've discovered I have many bad habits, which have caused me to often fail to "live in the present moment", thus missing out on numerous opportunities to communicate with others, care for them, and find and serve You among others.
In fact, I know that even in my interactions with You, I often find myself distracted, being physically present but mentally absent, failing to engage and converse with You with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. I am sure I have missed many messages You intended for me.
Please help me not to constantly focus only on my own concerns, and teach me to be like You, to be present and attentive to the people I love, and willing to sacrifice myself for those I love.
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Teresa Ma
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
At this stage of the retreat, it’s time to ask about your current status. If you've been following along with the retreat, you may find yourself in one of two states, with two distinctly different mindsets. The first is that you're thoroughly enjoying the content of the retreat and the opportunity for meditation, to the point where you may have even forgotten the theme of the retreat. The second possibility is that you have been eager to learn more practical skills to help you more easily find God in your daily life. No matter which category you belong to, or if you find yourself experiencing both thoughts and emotions at the same time, I am grateful for your continued participation in this retreat. Together with “farmers of hearts” from around the world, you have been tilling the soil of your heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you to encounter Jesus and learn to find Him in prayer and meditation.
Indeed, even if you do not feel that you can find God in all things, if you follow this retreat seriously, you have actually encountered Jesus in meditation, which is equivalent to finding Him. Therefore, even if the retreat were to end today, your harvest should be rich. Even if you cannot immediately find God in the things right before your eyes, you will find Him in prayer more easily than before.
If you have the first mindset, you should thank God because you are "present" in the retreat, let Jesus who is present touch you, and enjoy the time of "encountering God". If you have the second mindset, you may be someone who focuses on "doing things", valuing "fruitfulness and effectiveness" and measuring the value and benefits of work or tasks with tangible results. This is understandable. However, the drawback of this mentality is that it will take you away from the "present" and into the "future" state because the expected results are not in the present moment but in the future.
When we depart from the "present" and live in the "future", we cannot encounter Christ in the here and now or find God in our surroundings and circumstances. So, if we live or operate in this way, even if we learn more techniques to find God in all things, we won't be able to live out what we've learned. Therefore, the techniques we will introduce later in this retreat will be of no use if we live like this.
In fact, “farmers of hearts” with the first mindset have also experienced, within these short twenty-plus days, noticeable changes in their thinking. They’ve found themselves more capable of finding and experiencing God in all things, and life has become more substantial and peaceful.
There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, their "presence" enables them to absorb and comprehend the content of the retreat more easily, making it easier to encounter God in meditation and receive His messages. Secondly, the insights and messages they have received bring about changes in their awareness and mindset, making it easier for them to sense and identify the presence of God and recognize Him in all things. This solid foundation will help them more effectively find God in all things as they acquire more skills.
Please note that this doesn't mean that if you have the second mindset, which focuses more on efficiency, you are hopeless. The key is that we must first "be present" before we can "work" effectively. Without "being present", our efforts will be less fruitful. We are usually "present" with our hearts and "work" with our minds. Your heart must lead your mind, as the heart can help us stay in the present moment, while the mind may not. In order to live well, we cannot rely solely on our minds. A person who lives with the heart is more grounded and can live in the present moment more easily than someone who lives with the mind. This is also the key to whether you can get the maximum benefit from this retreat. Its importance cannot be underestimated!
As we enter the final stage of this retreat, that is the last two weeks, I invite you to revisit any topics that you may have had difficulty understanding, accepting, or implementing during the retreat. Give yourself the opportunity to spend more time reviewing those topics, clarify, and incorporate the essence into your thinking and daily living, making them a part of your life and actions. More importantly, for those retreat contents that you find challenging to digest or accept, humbly seek the help of Jesus to release you from the things that are holding you back and to seek His will in them.
ReflectionAre you someone who can "live in the moment"? What are the obstacles that prevent you from living in the present more easily? How will you help yourself?
Do you tend to live more with your mind or with your heart? How would you make improvements to better "live in the moment"?
Have you benefited from this retreat and found it easier to find God in all things? How would you adjust yourself to gain even greater benefits from this retreat?
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, in today's reflection, You have urged me to pay attention to whether I am living with my heart or with my mind. Am I communicating and interacting with You with my heart, or am I doing so with my mind?
No wonder I sometimes feel distracted and am unable to live in the present moment. I know I should engage with You more deeply from my heart and live more attentively. Yet, I often focus on efficiency and rely on my own abilities, neglecting Your presence and that You alone are the Mighty One.
Please, don't let me be deceived by my own abilities and pride, replacing You with my own mind and Your infinite power with my limited self. Lord, please help me learn to be more humble, to love You more humbly, and to be loved by You!
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Maria Bai
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
Most of you are probably familiar with the concept of "life planning". There are many courses available that cater to this strong demand, especially among the younger generation. They are full of aspirations for the future, hoping not only to "get ahead of the starting line" but also to grasp sufficient information and skills to plan for and establish a better future and a perfect life. This is reasonable and also a hallmark of those who are idealistic.
Why is the concept of “life planning” so attractive and so motivating that people will implement it regardless of the cost? For example, some people, having got off after a day of hard work, continue to study tirelessly to obtain certain degrees, qualifications, professional certifications, or licenses, etc. The biggest driving force behind all this is that they are all chasing dreams, dreams that require planning to be realized, dreams that fascinate them.
Dreams have no age limit; every "living" person needs to have dreams. Those without dreams and direction in life can only be said to be surviving, not truly "living." Dreams can be divided into two levels: one for oneself and one for others. One cannot live solely for oneself, so pursuing dreams for oneself is of a lower level. Since the "Christian spirit" is about living for others, it is naturally the direction every Christian should embrace. And Christ's dream should also be our dream.
What is "Christ's dream"? Christ's dream is the highest level of dreams. He looks after our personal good and the good of others. In terms of fulfilling each of our own good, Jesus hopes that we can receive and preserve the salvation He freely gives us. In terms of fulfilling others, Jesus hopes that through our response and participation, the Good News of salvation He has given us will be widely spread, so that the greatest number of people can benefit from it together with us. And through everyone's participation, Jesus hopes that we can all sanctify ourselves, so that we can gradually become like God and restore ourselves to the way we were created. When all of us can become more and more like God, we can forever be in communion with the perfect God and fulfill the Heavenly Father’s ultimate dream, which is to be united with His beloved children forever and enjoy eternal happiness!
From the moment we were born, what lies before us is a road to "return to our Father's house". This path will not only fulfill God’s dream, but also fulfill our own dreams. The more closely our dreams match God’s dreams, the smoother our journey “back to the Father’s house” will be. And God's dream is to ultimately achieve unity between Himself and His people through the ultimate relationship He has with us, a marital relationship in which each person would become selfless for each other, and is willing to offer up oneself completely to the other person. This is the dream we should strive for throughout our lives!
Our life on earth is like a drop of water in a vast ocean compared to our eternal life. If we are willing to spend our whole life making "life plans" for our transient life on earth, shouldn't we start investing more time and effort as early as possible to plan for our eternal life?
ReflectionHow did you make a “life plan” for your life? Have you taken the time to make similar plans for your eternal life? Why?
What is your life's dream? Is this dream about yourself or others? Have you dreamed about your eternal life?
Now I invite you to come before God and ask Him to give you a Kingdom dream and give you direction to start planning for it.
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, thank You for inviting me to examine my own perspective today, making me realize that I have been short-sighted and self-centered, failing to include You and the others You love in my dreams.
Thank You for giving me Your vision today, allowing me to begin to understand Your dreams and the differences between Your dreams and mine.
Please instill in me a humble heart and fill me with Your spirit, so that I may gradually make Your dreams my own and spend time planning for my eternal life, for our future together, and for our ultimate relationship.
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Mel Lo
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
In yesterday's reflection, Jesus made a promise to you that He will hold a wedding feast with you in the Kingdom of Heaven, and He has already begun preparing for this wedding. What about you? Have you started? How will you prepare?
We often use the term "the wedding of the century" to describe those wedding banquets where the brides and grooms spare no effort and time to make their wedding a celebration that impresses their relatives and friends and leaves unforgettable memories for themselves. Isn't the wedding banquet in heaven between Jesus and us more than just a wedding of the century? Jesus, the groom-to-be, has begun to prepare for the wedding banquet, so we shall not slack off!
Apart from the arrangements for the wedding banquet, spiritual preparation is even more crucial. The Church requires couples preparing for the sacrament of matrimony to attend marriage preparation courses and undergo a final evaluation by the clergy before they are considered ready for the sacrament. Those who do not participate or have poor attendance cannot receive the sacrament of matrimony within the Church. Imagine if either the bride or groom-to-be were absent from the course, can they get away with it?
If we must prepare for earthly, temporal marriages so seriously, how much more should we prepare for our eternal marriage? Can we afford to be absent from the "marriage preparation course" that our Heavenly Father has prepared for us? Of course, preparing our hearts for the wedding with Jesus isn't about going through a course, but rather through private sharing and communication with Him to deepen our personal relationship with Him.
The focus of many marriage preparation courses is to enhance the understanding between the engaged couple, especially concerning their views on marriage and ways of interacting with each other. These preparations are extremely important for promoting communication, reducing conflicts, and increasing mutual acceptance and understanding. Many couples fall into the trap of not understanding each other's thoughts and emotions, harbouring hidden resentments or frustrations. These suppressed emotions can easily lead to mutual distrust, which cannot be ignored!
Have you ever had the experience of being misunderstood or misunderstanding others? The feeling of being misunderstood is quite unpleasant, isn't it? The feeling of not being understood and feeling wronged is not something others can understand! And this misunderstanding can cause varying degrees of wounds for both parties involved. What's even more unfortunate is that these misunderstandings, which may seem small at first, can have significant and far-reaching negative effects, even leading to relationship breakdowns, and should not be taken lightly.
Because Jesus cannot physically converse with us, we should imitate how He communicates with the Father, to encounter and know Him in prayer, especially listening attentively to the love messages that the Lord wants to tell us. While our God listens to our grumbles and complaints, He doesn't actively express His own hardships to us. Thus, if we are unaware of the difficulties He faces, we won't know how to empathize with and treat Him. This can easily lead to misunderstandings in our relationship, which in turn can lead to the negative conditions we have discussed in this retreat.
As we mentioned before, if we don't understand the nature of God, there will be a significant gap between our expectations and demands of each other. Understanding the pain that God experiences for the sake of loving and saving us and His unspeakable hardships is crucial for us to understand God and His nature! This further illustrates how important it is for us to spend sufficient time in prayer every day, to listen to and meditate on the messages God wants to give us and attend to His feelings, in order to better prepare us for the heavenly feast He has promised us!
These foundations also pave the way for us to more easily find God in all things!
ReflectionHave you ever thought that returning to the Father's house is like a marriage, an eternal union with God and never to be separated from Him? Now, I invite you to experience this scene in meditation.
Are you ready to enter into a covenant with God, to be united forever? Do you think you know God well enough? What will you do to better prepare yourself?
Do you feel you have given God enough time to express His love for you, His feelings, and His sorrows? I invite you now to welcome God into your heart and let Him speak to you.
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, I've always seen You as my God, or as the Master whom I follow, or at best, a friend, according to Your wish. But when I learned that You desire to be my other half, and that You are sincere and serious about it, it really surprised me. Frankly, I'm not used to it...
Please give me some more time to adjust. I know I need to prepare myself. When the appointed time comes, in the Father's house, at the banquet You have prepared for me, I will promise to be united with You for eternity, never to be separated from You.
Grant me a heart that longs for You more. Make me willing to spend more time with You every day, to get to know You more, and to love You more...
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Mel Lo
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
Our theme for yesterday's retreat was: When “Selfless Love” Meets “Senseless Love”. If this situation occurs between a man and a woman, it is not hard to predict how the story will unfold. This "encounter" will not have a positive outcome. Unfortunately, for believers in general, the description is quite fitting when it comes to their relationship with God.
Our understanding of how much God loves us and how He loves us is usually limited to head knowledge and quite superficial. When asked, it's not difficult for us to say that God loves us. But how deep is the love of the Lord, how much has He secretly sacrificed for us behind the scene, how has He faced dilemmas and struggles, encountered difficulties that no one would be able to comprehend, and things that can never be shared, stories that are left untold… for all these, how much do we really know? And if we know, how deeply do we feel it? Faced with our Father’s selfless and almost "blind love" for us, do we really want to respond with our selfish and senseless love? If such a state occurs in temporal human relationships, for sure that relationship will not last. Why do we believe that our eternal relationship with God can develop in this way? Shouldn't we take some time to reflect on how we can break this unequal relationship? Let's consider it from another perspective.
In Jesus' farewell discourse, in the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 1 to 3, He said to His disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14: 1-3)
Here, Jesus clearly expressed His and the Father's desire. He eagerly looks forward to living with as many children as possible in the Heavenly home. How can we tell that God is excited? Let us first imagine that if we want to invite a good friend to our home for a gathering, we would certainly clean our house thoroughly. This is not just being polite to our friend but also to provide the best hospitality, making them feel at home! Isn't Jesus making similar arrangements for us? Hmmm... Is the heavenly home really so messy and dirty that it would require Jesus to spend so much time preparing a place for us?
If we believe that Jesus is not lying, and with His serious attitude, He must be extremely excited, and looking forward to our arrival in the future, and thus meticulously preparing everything for us. We would prepare pleasant surprises for important guests to delight them. Similarly, can we imagine that Jesus' excitement and the degree of importance He places on us far exceed our ways of entertaining important guests here on earth?
After saying that He is preparing a place, Jesus also states that He will come again to take us to Him! This is no longer a simple welcoming of guests but a gesture of welcoming one’s bride! (cf. John 14: 3) It is obvious that God wants to prepare a wedding feast for each one of us in the Heavenly home, to solemnly receive us and have a grand celebration of our union. Jesus further declares, "where I am, there you may be also." (John 14: 3) This is a clear proclamation of His love for us!
Are you flattered? Are you nervous? Are you starting to feel excited too? Would you doubt that the person whom Jesus is eagerly looking forward to welcoming and marrying is not you but someone else? However, Jesus assures us, "In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places." (John 14: 2) He takes each of us equally seriously! Do you understand?
ReflectionDo you feel that your current relationship with God is an equal relationship? What areas in this relationship do you want to improve?
Imagine that Jesus is in front of you, solemnly saying to you the words He said to his beloved disciples in His farewell discourse. Can you feel the deep affection He has for you?
Have you noticed a stark contrast between the seriousness and affection you have for God and the seriousness and affection He has for you? What feelings do you have in your heart that you want to tell Jesus?
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, the words You spoke to me today personally have truly left me astounded! Are You serious? Have You thought it through? Do You really want me? You must know my heart! How I have treated You over the years, You must be well aware... Are You out of Your mind? Why... I just don't understand.
You clearly know that my affection for You is far less than Your love for me! I know Your wisdom is way higher than mine. But I truly can't comprehend why You have loved me to this extent. Aren't You being a bit impulsive?
I really don't know how to face You, how to respond to Your inexplicable love for me. What do You want me to do?
Lord Jesus, please tell me...
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Mel Lo
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
I hope that at this stage of the retreat, you will better understand God’s feelings and His helplessness. If we had not sinned, betrayed Him, or deviated from His righteousness and teachings, Jesus would not need to endure the crucifixion for us, and the Heavenly Father would not have to agonize and be torn in seeking a way to save us, given His own nature of justice and mercy. There is absolutely no parent in the world who suffers more miserably than our Heavenly Father!
The contradiction between our sinful nature and God’s nature makes it extremely difficult for our Heavenly Father to discipline us, and extremely difficult for us to accept His discipline. Although we are created in the image of God, our selfish desires and sinful nature cause us to drift further and further away from this perfect image. Originally, as we make decisions based on our free choice, all consequences are supposed to be borne by us alone and have nothing to do with God. However, because of God’s nature of "loving us to the end", He innocently bears the consequences of our choices! And because our sins create an immense gap between us and the perfect nature of God, this endless chasm and debt of sin make it impossible for us to overcome and repay. Ultimately, this God who loves us to the utmost but is also absolutely just by nature takes the most inconceivable step – by personally assuming human nature. In the most humble and lowly manner, He has endured humiliation and suffering, dying on the cross to bear and redeem all debts of sin for us. The Lord's suffering and death not only secure for us complete absolution of our sins which deserve death, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we also regain freedom, no longer imprisoned and enslaved by sin. Yet, our Heavenly Father, who loves us to the end, watches with anguish as His beloved only begotten Son is shamefully insulted and crucified on the cross.
But the story has not come to an end! Because God cannot bear to see us lose the salvation earned by Jesus for us because we continue to sin, He does not hesitate to use all means, including sending the Holy Spirit into our midst, establishing the sacraments and the Church that administers the sacraments, entrusting the Church to the protection and companionship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and most importantly, continuing to be present among us through the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. All of this is to fulfill Jesus' promise to us: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20). Everything that God has done is to enable us to preserve salvation and not lose the eternal life He has promised us.
Can we see that God, out of love for us, first created us, then died for us to redeem us from sins, and finally, exhausted every means to ensure that we can ultimately attain salvation? In short, for you and me, God spared no effort, in ways imaginable and unimaginable.
What baffles us the most is that God is well aware of the ugliness and weakness of human nature, as well as our sinful nature. He knew early on that not only would we fail to learn from Jesus to obey the Father, but we would continue to betray and forsake Him. Yet, He continues to silently endure our indifference and rebellion, tolerating our heartlessness and unrighteousness. He even bestows upon us the title of adopted sons and daughters, desiring to be with us forever in our heavenly home!
In the face of such a God, can we still be so heartless as to not accept His love and continue to hurt Him cruelly? Will we continue to disregard God's passion, approaching this relationship with a utilitarian mindset and responding to Jesus' requests and invitations with indifference, causing God more distress and pain?
ReflectionHave you ever taken the time to meditate on everything that God has done for you? Why? At this moment, are you willing to savour everything that God has done and all the sacrifices He has made for you?
Can you feel the sentiment of God, who, out of love for you, spared no cost? Can you find any love on earth that can compare to the love God has for you?
Now, I invite you to stand before God, experience His feeling of not being understood, feeling the grievances He endures out of love for you, and witness all His struggles.
Today’s PrayerHeavenly Father, I have always tried to understand Your love for me in my head, but I have failed to fully appreciate Your indescribable selfless love with my heart. Today I really feel the hardness of my heart. How heartless and callous I am towards You! I feel really sad, guilty and ashamed.
Faced with Your love and my heartlessness, I cannot fathom how I have allowed myself to deviate so far from Your goodness, from the plans You have intended for me. I thought to myself, am I not created in Your image? Why have I become like this?
Father, I implore You to transform me. Give me a tender heart. Let me feel what You feel, and truly experience Your love for me. Just as You have chosen me, I also desire to choose you!
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Mel Lo
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
Yesterday, I invited you to explore why you follow God. In the reflection, I also asked about your ultimate desire in life: is it the joy of eternal life or the Father Himself? You might wonder, aren't they the same? If there's the Father, there's eternal life, and vice versa, right? Yes, but that's not the crux of the question.
The crucial point lies in whether there are correct motives and attitudes behind this desire. The focus of our reflection yesterday was to rectify or purify the "utilitarian" mindset within us – the impure attitude that focuses on our own interests.
Our focus and goals should be centered on God Himself, rather than the benefits He brings to us. Only when our focus is on God can we have the correct motives and drive to establish a relationship with Him. Otherwise, our attention remains on how to meet the basic requirements of being a Christian using our own abilities, without focusing on cultivating a relationship with God, or simply establishing a superficial relationship. This is a common pitfall that many Christians easily fall into.
Therefore, when setting life goals, we need to figure out what we truly desire in our hearts. Is it the relationship itself, or the benefits gained through the relationship? If our ultimate goal is to attain eternal life instead of longing to be with our Heavenly Father, not only is it unfair to God, but our original intention is also misguided and somewhat selfish. This mindset will lead us away from God's will and His teachings, and will ultimately harm or even destroy our relationship with God. In serious cases, our choices will cause us to lose the eternal life that God desires to give us.
In the eternal kingdom, we have only one ultimate relationship, and that is with God. The establishment and cultivation of this relationship must begin in the present life. If we have no relationship with our Heavenly Father, why would we have a reason to return to the Father's house? When we understand that eternal life means being with the Father forever, it becomes easier to comprehend that we should not wait until our return to our heavenly home to build a relationship with God. Instead, we should strive to establish an intimate relationship with God in this life, preparing ourselves well to dwell with the Father in the eternal heavenly home after our brief existence in this temporary world comes to an end.
I believe no one will deny that there is no shortcut to building relationships between people. Time, patience and selfless love are the most basic and important elements. Since God wants us to put Him first, He certainly wants us to have a closer relationship with Him than any other relationship between humans. Therefore, we should understand that if fleeting relationships in the earthly realm require a substantial effort to cultivate, how much more does the eternal relationship between God and each one of us require our attention and tender loving care?
ReflectionIs your relationship with God the centre of your faith and spiritual life? Why?
Now, please take a moment before the Lord to examine the motives behind your relationship with Him. Are there areas that need correction or purification?
In your communication with God, besides various requests, do you engage in inner dialogues with Him? How would you go about deepening your relationship with God?
Today’s PrayerAbba Father, thank You for giving me the opportunity today to examine my relationship with You. Whether it's my motives or expectations of You, I realize I have many impure intentions that seriously deviate from Your will. I feel ashamed of my selfishness and ask for your forgiveness for all my trespasses.
Please, once again, help me purify my thoughts and motives, so that I won't only consider my own interests but also be mindful of Your feelings. Grant me a new perspective and mindset, so that I may be more willing to set aside time and space to encounter and commune with You in prayer, preparing myself to live with You forever in the heavenly home.
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Mel Lo
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
We acknowledge that the reflections of these past few days have been challenging, much like the challenging requirements Jesus sets for being His disciples. Jesus wants us to face our relationship with Him, to understand who He truly is for us, and not just establish a relationship based on hearsay or imitation of others’ relationships with God. He also prompts us to reflect on our identity as His followers, so as not to waste our precious Christian life. While the opportunity to be a Christian is an honour, we must ask ourselves: do we genuinely feel honoured, or do we feel reluctant, or even burdened?
Let’s recall why the rich young man ran up to Jesus to seek counsel from the one whom he called "Good Teacher". He seemed clear about what he needed – he earnestly sought salvation, to "inherit eternal life". What about you? Why do you run up to Jesus and follow Him? Is it a thirst for divine blessings? A desire based on a fear of missing out? Seeking inner peace, and peace of mind? Pursuing the joy and the reward of eternal life? Or perhaps specific and individual reasons? Regardless of your original purpose or intentions, now is the time to dig deeper into your motivations and goals.
Without a clear and convincing goal, life lacks direction, let alone any motivation to move towards a worthwhile life goal. Such a life becomes a mere routine, surviving day by day, dealing with challenges as they come, or spending a lifetime constantly pursuing the next achievement or opportunity for pleasure. Without goals or ideals, life becomes mere existence, devoid of meaning and value. If the goal of life is limited to the present world, the efforts to accumulate our "treasures" will also have an "expiration date". Therefore, it is worth spending time reflecting on why we choose to be Christians and why we exist in this world.
As Christians, if we don't know what goals we are striving for, it is impossible to understand why Jesus has such high expectations of us. Without understanding, there is no trust, and we cannot have a good relationship with the Lord, let alone enjoy the life and identity of being a Christian! Everything becomes futile and dull, and even painful and bitter. Do you have such feelings or experiences?
Suppose we also share the rich young man's desire, earnestly hoping to "inherit eternal life". We need to further ask ourselves, why do we wish to attain eternal life? Is it the same as longing for “eternal happiness”? We need to be honest with ourselves and with God. If we desire to "inherit eternal life", the only way is that we long to return to the Father's house. This "Father's house" is the dwelling place that Jesus promised to prepare for us, where we can eternally "dwell with the Lord".
On the contrary, if what we long for is not eternal communion with God but the "eternal joy" and "eternal abode" that God promises to bestow upon us, then our hearts will focus solely on pursuing those gifts and rewards, disregarding and neglecting the God who gives us these gifts out of love.
If this is the case, no wonder we feel puzzled, frustrated, and even disgusted by the requirements of our Lord Jesus, who has given us great gifts! It’s no wonder that we don’t take these demands seriously, and even feel that Jesus is harsh and unreasonable and intentionally making things difficult for us, without realizing the painstaking efforts of Jesus and the deep love behind it all.
At this moment, we need to ask ourselves: is our eternal goal the gift itself, or the One who gives the gift? If it is the former, shall we re-examine this intention? Is it fair to our God, who gives us gifts and loves us deeply? How would our Heavenly Father feel?
ReflectionBeing a Christian should be an honour. Now, please ask yourself honestly, do you feel honoured? Or do you feel a sense of reluctance and helplessness, or that it is a burden?
The rich young man ran up to Jesus, seeking salvation with an expectation to "inherit eternal life." What about you? Why do you run to Jesus and desire to follow Him?
Now, in the presence of the Lord, sincerely face and examine yourself: Is your eternal goal the gift of "eternal life", or is it the God in front of you, the One who "created you, loves you, and saves you" and presents you with gifts?
Today’s PrayerFather in heaven, how have You endured my contempt, indifference, and even disrespectful treatment towards You? How could You bear it? I have consistently approached You with the wrong mindset and attitude, insulting You as my God and even as a gift-giver! I have never taken the time to truly understand or appreciate how much You have given me and how deeply You love me. Before You, I have been incessantly demanding this and asking for that, like a creditor seeking repayment from a debtor! How on earth did You endure it?
From today onwards, I hope You will feel a little better! Thank You for Your tolerance and boundless patience, enduring my rudeness, selfishness, pride, and my abuse of the freedom You gave me, constantly hurting You!
I pray that You enlighten me to use the free will You have given me to choose to approach You every day, to ask about and understand Your feelings. I am determined to rectify my mindset and behaviour, and to learn to focus on You, but not just on the gifts You have given me!
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
In yesterday's reflection, we realized that the image of God in our hearts is also influenced by how we understand His requirements for us as disciples. If we misunderstand the underlying reasons for these requirements, it will greatly affect the image of God in our hearts, as well as our mutual identities and roles in our relationship with God. In serious cases, this can become an obstacle in our relationship with God and a stumbling block to becoming a disciple that is up to Jesus’s standard. It is evident that having a correct understanding of this aspect holds great significance for a Christian who takes their relationship with God and the fulfillment of the disciple's mission seriously!
In the process of establishing a relationship with us, God's focus is not only on forming an emotional bond or attempting to win our favour by any means, as this is not the focus of His love for us. God's greatest desire is that we can receive salvation. This involves how we make good use of our time on earth, how we live according to the teachings of Jesus, how we actively respond to the evangelizing mission that He has entrusted to us, and the individual callings from the Father. Throughout the process, God hopes that we continually sanctify ourselves, becoming more and more like Christ, ultimately entering heaven in a state of holiness, forever united with God and never to be separated from Him.
In the process of establishing a relationship and obtaining salvation, our responses and actions play a crucial role. Whether it is faith or our relationship with the Lord, it is not merely about intellectual knowledge or the cultivation of emotional bond, but it also takes practical actions for the manifestation of a faith that is both genuine and mature.
Therefore, to fully live out one’s faith, it is not enough to meet the minimum requirements of being a Christian. Avoiding sinning or strictly adhering to rules and creeds alone cannot fulfill the conditions and requirements set by Jesus for us as Christians. We also need to understand that "Christian" and "disciple" are synonymous. As Christians, we cannot deny that we also play the role of disciples. All followers of Christ are His disciples.
Therefore, in the Gospel that we reflected upon yesterday, when Jesus presented the conditions for being His disciple to the crowd, He was speaking to each of us as His followers. In Luke 14:28-32, Jesus continued His teaching on this topic, saying: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it. Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.” (Luke 14:28-32)
Here, Jesus painstakingly gives us two examples to illustrate that, just as in any undertaking, we must first calculate the cost and be aware of the sacrifices needed to achieve our goals. Similarly, as Christians, we need to earnestly understand and practice the various requirements that Jesus commands, being prepared to make the necessary effort and pay the cost. The prerequisite is that we must possess an unwavering spirit of sacrifice to consistently implement Jesus's demands without giving up halfway.
We can sense the seriousness of Jesus, which is equivalent to cautioning us not to take on the role of a Christian lightly. The meaning between the lines is: "If you want to follow me, don't do things halfway without completing it wholeheartedly! If you're not going to do it seriously, you might as well not do it!" It's that clear.
This aligns with the description of God’s sentiments in Revelation 3:15-16:
“I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)Let us all take this to heart, and understand that the nature of God's love for us is not to condone our complacency but rather to express a sentiment of a Chinese saying “One who loves deeply rebukes earnestly.”
ReflectionIn your relationship with God, do you tend to focus on pursuing knowledge, emotional connection, or do you also earnestly take action to fulfill the requirements Jesus has for you as a disciple?
Do you find Jesus's requirements for disciples reasonable? Why?
Now, I invite you to open your heart before the Lord and feel God’s genuine love for you once again.
Today's PrayerLord Jesus, today You've allowed me to sense the fatherly affection You share with the Father, and it truly makes me understand the challenges You face. While You desire emotional closeness with me, You also hope that through Your gentle guidance and discipline, I can thrive and grow amidst life's difficulties and constant trials. May my faith and spiritual life mature so that I can effectively use my life, striving to fulfill Your requirements for me as Your disciple. I aim to gradually become more like You and align with Your heart's desires.
I acknowledge that I've consistently disappointed You in the past and misunderstood You in various ways, making You sad. Now, I sincerely invite You to enter my life as the Lord, and reveal to me Your deep love and all the hardships within it.
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya -
From yesterday's reflection, we learned that God, who seeks our greatest good, knows very well how we can obtain the greatest strength and grace from Him. He has graciously given us two pieces of divine wisdom, assisting us in fulfilling the mission of being Christians, so that God's plan may be fully realized in us.
The first wisdom teaches us to "seek heavenly things first," entrusting other matters and worries to God for Him to take over and care for on our behalf. The second wisdom instructs us not to rely solely on our own abilities to follow God and fulfill our God-given mission, recognizing our own weaknesses. We must live within the Church and partake in the sacraments administered in the Church, especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in order to obtain heavenly strength and spiritual nourishment. This is essential for us to have the heart, strength, and endurance needed to faithfully follow Christ.
With this foundation, we can further understand the conditions and attitudes required to be a disciple in the eyes of Jesus. In Luke 14:25-27 and 33, it is recorded:
“Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple... So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.’ “(Luke 14:25-27, 33).
Let's try to imagine that Jesus needed to "recruit and enlist" for the Church He was establishing. He was like an employer, and the passage above was His public recruitment advertisement, the method of attracting disciples! In this Gospel passage, Jesus outlines the conditions and costs of being His disciples. To put it simply, you must be absolutely loyal to God, possess a spirit of generosity and total dedication, and be willing to sacrifice everything in order to qualify! Jesus wants us to clearly understand and agree to these terms before we "sign the contract" and begin working! In this regard, Jesus, as an employer, is indeed very fair and even-handed!
However, let us not forget that "this job" does not come with wages, at least not wages on earth. If you were an applicant, would you choose this job? By earthly standards, Jesus could be considered the worst employer in the world. But God's standards are not earthly standards. The followers He seeks are not petty, or even workers who seek reasonable compensation. But we know that such workers do not exist! Therefore, we cannot view this relationship with an employer-employee perspective, nor should there be conditional exchanges or expectations of any reward. We should not even treat the conditions outlined by Jesus in light of Him recruiting His disciples.
After all, unless we admit from the bottom of our hearts that we are recipients of God's immense favour and we desire to do everything we can to repay the favour, no one in the world would be so foolish as to willingly follow Jesus according to the conditions listed by Him! No?
In the face of the demands from Jesus, a more appropriate attitude for us, besides repaying love with love, is to willingly and sincerely acknowledge that those conditions are definitely not for the benefit of God but are reminders given by Jesus for our greatest good. If we confess that God's plans for us are the best, then the path He guides us on is the only way for us to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17), to embark on the journey to holiness, and to open the door to receiving God's power and grace!
Our attitude adjustment in this regard is crucial for whether we can successfully become a disciple that is up to par or, more simply, become a child willing to reciprocate love to our Heavenly Father.
ReflectionIn what perspective and mindset have you adopted to understand the conditions for being His disciples that Jesus laid out in the Gospels? Have you ever wished, in turn, to receive reasonable rewards when following the Lord?
In your journey of following Jesus, do you tend to focus solely on your own benefits, such as the reward of eternal life or inner peace, without considering how much you are willing to give to meet the requirements set by Jesus?
Now, I invite you to examine your relationship with the Lord in the presence of God. Do you acknowledge yourself as someone who has received immense favour from God and is deeply loved by the Lord?
Today’s PrayerLord Jesus, I acknowledge that in my journey of following You, I indeed had selfish desires, hoping to gain certain benefits. In my heart, I thought that was understandable!
I've held an attitude, even unnoticed by myself, viewing my relationship with You as a reasonable exchange of conditions. I never realized that, in reality, You owe me nothing. On the contrary, You bore the countless debts of my sins. The conditions You outlined for me are not meant for me to repay my debts, but are for my greatest good.
I thank You for helping me understand these truths today, enabling me to reposition myself to rectify and restore my relationship with You.
I look forward to this new relationship bringing me closer to You and fostering a deeper love for You, and… bringing a bit of comfort to You…
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The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.Project Manager: Michael Lam
★ Support this podcast ★
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya - Visa fler
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