Ah, so my first week of clinic placements have gone by (and tomorrow, my second week will start again, heheh)! Me, being the enthusiastic person that I am, signed up to be the FIRST on placement (well, to be honest, I'm terrified of it, that's why I wanted to be first so I could get it over and done with, instead of dreading it). The weird thing is, I worked my butt off to get into this program - and now I'm super terrified about the practical side of it even though it was the very thing I was so passionate about doing?!
These are a few lessons I hold quite close to my heart after studying why God responded so differently to Cain and Abel's offerings in Genesis 4. Helped me a lot through my first week too. :)
1. It's not about how things appear to others (achievements/actions look alike outwardly and man may accept both to be equal, but God who sees not as man sees, does not), it's about my heart and how it appears before God.
2. Abel did not give God leftovers - he gave God the best he had, and the "fat portions from some of the firstborn flock" i.e. the best of the best. He set a super high standard, that every thing that is done for God must be the goodliest (this IS a word!) and best. It is fit that He who is the first and best should have the first and best of our time, strength and service.
3. Offer sacrifices to God in faith - keeping my eyes on God's will and God's glory as my end; in dependence upon my Redeemer's promises; serve God in humility and repentance (in contrast to Cane who glorified himself and whose confidence was in himself).
On a side note, experienced my first earthquake today - magnitude of 3.9! Woohoo! Ha, so what did it feel like? I felt like the carpeted floor under me decided to pull a Mexican wave on me. Like the ground was going up and down and up. Pretty weird but rather fascinating sensation. I think it's amazing that my Father who has the power to make the ground tremble, shake and swallow itself up actually "gathers all our tears in a bottle" (Psalm 56) and loves to hear (and answer!) our prayers. Faith in God, the size of a mustard seed - can grow to immense proportions and even move mountains. What really struck me from something I read somewhere is that it's not usually your faith, but your doubt (Mark 11:23) or your unbelief (Matthew 21:21, Matthew 17:20), that causes a faith failure. Hmm I always thought it was my lack of faith - it just didn't occur to me to ask God to give me pure faith, one clear of doubt and unbelief; kept on asking for more faith instead. hmmm :)
These are a few lessons I hold quite close to my heart after studying why God responded so differently to Cain and Abel's offerings in Genesis 4. Helped me a lot through my first week too. :)
1. It's not about how things appear to others (achievements/actions look alike outwardly and man may accept both to be equal, but God who sees not as man sees, does not), it's about my heart and how it appears before God.
2. Abel did not give God leftovers - he gave God the best he had, and the "fat portions from some of the firstborn flock" i.e. the best of the best. He set a super high standard, that every thing that is done for God must be the goodliest (this IS a word!) and best. It is fit that He who is the first and best should have the first and best of our time, strength and service.
3. Offer sacrifices to God in faith - keeping my eyes on God's will and God's glory as my end; in dependence upon my Redeemer's promises; serve God in humility and repentance (in contrast to Cane who glorified himself and whose confidence was in himself).
On a side note, experienced my first earthquake today - magnitude of 3.9! Woohoo! Ha, so what did it feel like? I felt like the carpeted floor under me decided to pull a Mexican wave on me. Like the ground was going up and down and up. Pretty weird but rather fascinating sensation. I think it's amazing that my Father who has the power to make the ground tremble, shake and swallow itself up actually "gathers all our tears in a bottle" (Psalm 56) and loves to hear (and answer!) our prayers. Faith in God, the size of a mustard seed - can grow to immense proportions and even move mountains. What really struck me from something I read somewhere is that it's not usually your faith, but your doubt (Mark 11:23) or your unbelief (Matthew 21:21, Matthew 17:20), that causes a faith failure. Hmm I always thought it was my lack of faith - it just didn't occur to me to ask God to give me pure faith, one clear of doubt and unbelief; kept on asking for more faith instead. hmmm :)
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