This afternoon I had lunch with a friend who called me last night to say he needed to talk to me about something. We met near his workplace and after we've ordered our food, he broke the news to me that last night his girlfriend of three years broke up with him.
It was a surprise to me because all these while I thought things are going well between them. He shared with me the reasons his girlfriend cited for her decision. I will not share all of them on this blog but one puzzled me - my friend does not have a car. Wow! I did not know that can be one of the reasons for a break-up.
Since when in love, there need to have certain conditions pegged to it - one needs to have a car, a condominium, a credit card (at least), certain amount of cash, country club membership. Maybe another 'c' needs to be added here - a coffin! Because if that one person does not own some of the above-mentioned and it drives him to strive for all of them and cannot attain them, it will probably lead him to his grave!
It is so sad to know that nowadays love has become so complicated and insecure. Whatever happened to the love God first insituted to man?
It is true certain things are real needs but does it mean that love cannot function without them? Whatever happened to our trust in God to provide? Whatever happened to being contented with the little we have?
My friend is a God-fearing man. He loves his ex-girlfriend lots. He was devastated because they thought of marriage before and they even appointed me in advance to be their wedding planner.
He is also a practical person - he felt that he does not need a car now as the public transport system in Singapore is good enough for him to commute from one place to another. Perhaps next time when he and his wife have a child, a car would be more convenient then.
Anyway, I spent the time listening to him as he poured out his woes. He is two years younger than me and he fears that he might not be able to find another person to begin another relationship. I told him there is no point pressuring himself with that and if he so desires to have a life-partner, God will provide one for him eventually.
I felt sad for him. We prayed together before we departed.
As I was on my way home, I thought about my own love-life. Is it because I do not have a car that I am still a single? Is it because I am fat? Is it because I have been medically unfit? Is it because I am balding? Is it because I have certain shortcomings?
These are real reasons. I cannot deny I am not affected by my imperfections but so be it. Life still goes on, I guess. I mean, I have to go on, right? God has seen me through many other obstacles and I believe His plans for me are never bad. He also knows my desires and if they so pleases Him, I believe He will honour them in His time.
I used to feel pressured because of grandma, parents, relatives, friends and even strangers but like I told my friend, at the end of the day if God knows my heart's desire, He will answer my prayer one day.
But it still saddens me that a car was one consideration a person can include for a break-up.
Just when I was about to reach my block, I met a sister-in-Christ from church at the bus-stop. When I asked her what she was going to do when she reached home, she told me she is going to study. She said she remembered her promise she made with God and last year's mission team - that though it may be 'O' level year for her, she is going to put her heart and soul in studying hard for Him and at the same time prepare for the mission trip so that when she is done with the exam, she will go to Cambodia again to fellowship with her Khmer siblings-in-Christ.
When I heard that, I know God will honour her desire - I have this confidence that she will definitely be going to Cambodia though she may have to juggle her time revising for the exam and preparing for the trip. I also have this assurance that she will do well for her exam because she chose to honour God first.
It is always very encouraging to see a sibling-in-Christ being focused and getting her priorities right. Thanks be to God for that. I sure hope the rest of the team members have remembered the promise they have made with God and one another.
Anyway, my surigcal wound is still not healing well. Tomorrow I have another medical appointment. I shall ask the doctor to advise accordingly.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." John 15:4-7
It was a surprise to me because all these while I thought things are going well between them. He shared with me the reasons his girlfriend cited for her decision. I will not share all of them on this blog but one puzzled me - my friend does not have a car. Wow! I did not know that can be one of the reasons for a break-up.
Since when in love, there need to have certain conditions pegged to it - one needs to have a car, a condominium, a credit card (at least), certain amount of cash, country club membership. Maybe another 'c' needs to be added here - a coffin! Because if that one person does not own some of the above-mentioned and it drives him to strive for all of them and cannot attain them, it will probably lead him to his grave!
It is so sad to know that nowadays love has become so complicated and insecure. Whatever happened to the love God first insituted to man?
It is true certain things are real needs but does it mean that love cannot function without them? Whatever happened to our trust in God to provide? Whatever happened to being contented with the little we have?
My friend is a God-fearing man. He loves his ex-girlfriend lots. He was devastated because they thought of marriage before and they even appointed me in advance to be their wedding planner.
He is also a practical person - he felt that he does not need a car now as the public transport system in Singapore is good enough for him to commute from one place to another. Perhaps next time when he and his wife have a child, a car would be more convenient then.
Anyway, I spent the time listening to him as he poured out his woes. He is two years younger than me and he fears that he might not be able to find another person to begin another relationship. I told him there is no point pressuring himself with that and if he so desires to have a life-partner, God will provide one for him eventually.
I felt sad for him. We prayed together before we departed.
As I was on my way home, I thought about my own love-life. Is it because I do not have a car that I am still a single? Is it because I am fat? Is it because I have been medically unfit? Is it because I am balding? Is it because I have certain shortcomings?
These are real reasons. I cannot deny I am not affected by my imperfections but so be it. Life still goes on, I guess. I mean, I have to go on, right? God has seen me through many other obstacles and I believe His plans for me are never bad. He also knows my desires and if they so pleases Him, I believe He will honour them in His time.
I used to feel pressured because of grandma, parents, relatives, friends and even strangers but like I told my friend, at the end of the day if God knows my heart's desire, He will answer my prayer one day.
But it still saddens me that a car was one consideration a person can include for a break-up.
Just when I was about to reach my block, I met a sister-in-Christ from church at the bus-stop. When I asked her what she was going to do when she reached home, she told me she is going to study. She said she remembered her promise she made with God and last year's mission team - that though it may be 'O' level year for her, she is going to put her heart and soul in studying hard for Him and at the same time prepare for the mission trip so that when she is done with the exam, she will go to Cambodia again to fellowship with her Khmer siblings-in-Christ.
When I heard that, I know God will honour her desire - I have this confidence that she will definitely be going to Cambodia though she may have to juggle her time revising for the exam and preparing for the trip. I also have this assurance that she will do well for her exam because she chose to honour God first.
It is always very encouraging to see a sibling-in-Christ being focused and getting her priorities right. Thanks be to God for that. I sure hope the rest of the team members have remembered the promise they have made with God and one another.
Anyway, my surigcal wound is still not healing well. Tomorrow I have another medical appointment. I shall ask the doctor to advise accordingly.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." John 15:4-7
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