Sunday, March 23, 2008

to honour You

"i have no patience for doctors who smoke," said the chest physician to the group of aspiring doctors who all wished they were somewhere else that beautiful saturday morning. "they have no excuse to smoke, not even in a social setting. it's pure hypocrisy."

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two years ago, i wrote about how i was blown away by the awesomeness of God's love on good friday. i ended the post with lyrics from a song, the chorus of which goes like this:

amazing love, how can it be?
that You, my King, would die for me?
amazing love, i know it's true
now it's my joy to honour You
in all i do, i honour You


at that time, it was the first two lines that hit me most. since then, i've kept myself reminded about how unfathomable it is to personally know and love a God who also personally knows and loves me.

this easter, i am struck by the lines about honouring Him.

as i sang the song while driving home after service, memories about the things i do and have done rushed into my head. do my actions honour God? do my thoughts honour Jesus? do i do what i do with joy? how could i possibly be humbled by God's grace yet continue in ways that dishonour Him?

the number of dishonourable things i've done, in just one day, is staggering. some of them are old bondages that have propped up time and again like an unresolved pneumonia (forgive me, i'm a medical student). others are bad habits that can and should be stopped immediately. i didn't repent for all those sins, not at once anyway.

but at the same time, i am exhorting others to live their lives pure, encouraging them to grow in faith and giving advice on how to claim the victory and promises of God.

it's disgraceful, and it's like what the professor said: there is no excuse for hypocrisy.

i stopped singing. it is hardly right to sing in worship when i am no better than a pharisee.

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it isn't easy to quit the things that do not honour God. it includes throwing some things away, changing some habits, constant reminders and, most importantly, a conviction to change.

i am convicted to live a life that honours God. if there's anything that warrants change, that would be it. it means giving up a few things that please me but do not please God.

still, what is that compared to the price He paid for my salvation?

have a blessed easter, everyone. =)

lishun at 12:07 AM

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