The cell phone must be one of the greatest inventions of all time. It helps me avoid getting lost on the way to a friend's house. It helps me call for help in case I need it. I can even text, thereby able to communicate well without having to search for words to say at the spur of the moment. it is one of those inventions that is hard to live without. Technology makes our lives easier and God does want us to harness the powers of nature for the benefit of humanity. He wants us to make advances that will help us live more comfortably.

    However, if we are not in touch with our hearts, technology can leave a damaging impact on our souls. In the movie "Click", the main character found a remote control that could stop moments in his life that is unpleasant (e.g. arguments with his wife). The result was that this man missed important things in life- his kids growing up, his father dying, being known, etc.  Could it be that in our desire to get things done faster and faster, that we are missing out on times of introspection when we can listen to our hearts and sort out what we are truly to do with the moments of our life? Could it be that in our desire for speed, we are missing out on developing wisdom for navigating through life, the same wisdom that will help the future generations navigate their lives, wisdom that is a product of experiencing life fully? 

     Talking about experiencing life fully. Dating on-line helps singles pick out mates that they match up well with. Personality tests could help us pick out careers that are a "good fit" for us. Most sinister of all, discoveries in genetics may enable us to weed out "undesirables", characteristics that does not conform to our image of perfection. Although using these technologies can help us avoid future suffering, aren't we trying to skip the process of soul-building? A perfectly matched couple won't have to deal with the pain of deep conflict, where the couple must struggle with loving each other in the midst of nagging differences. Although painful, the process of building a deep sense of faithfulness to our promises makes us more and more like God, who is faithful to his promises. Genetic engineering is sinister in that it gives sinful humans the ability to weed out what they think is "inferior". The soul does not have to develop that Godlike grace that caused Jesus to die for the "unacceptable".     

     We think that having revelations about ourself that will lead us to the perfect career will make us happy people. However, God shapes the person through life, opening and closing doors, leading him through the emotional ups and downs in all areas of life, including our vocations. We try to avoid disappointment and regret, instead of living by faith in God who will lead us through disappointements and regrets into the full life that he can provide.

     What we think of as technology is sometimes subtle. Our fascination for magic is related to our desire to avoid the pain of want, a desire that darkens our souls, making us bitter and covetous, using people for our own purposes instead of valuing them. The use of the power of words and the imagination to get what we desire, prevalent in the mind sciences and the word-faith movement, is a form of technology akin to magic. Leaning on it will lead to disappointment as it fails to deliver peace for our souls, just like the other technologies in our lives. Instead of trusting God as a father who cares for our needs and wants the full life for us, we want what we want. We stubbornly insist on our image of the full life, instead of learning contentment and walking humbly with God. In walking with Jesus, we find real peace.

     Technology helps us be in better control of our lives. God created us to build technology, but he did not want technology to damage our souls- making us disconnected, unfaithful, ungracious, discontented people. Enjoy technology but more importantly, watch your souls, that it is moving towards its goal of becoming more and more like God- engaged, faithful, gracious, compassionate. Christ came ultimately to save our souls because that is the most precious thing. He cleansed the soul marred with sin and made it glorious. He united himself to that damaged soul, putting it to death in his body, and raised that soul to a new life, as he rose from the dead. He leads that soul into becoming more and more the precious jewel it was meant to be.    

     John Macarthur recently wrote a book that puts in the forefront the Christian's identity as slave. He observes that this truth is rarely preached in American pulpits. Why is this so? Here are my thoughts.

     When we hear the word slavery, our minds hearken back to the tragic slave trade that Europe and America engaged in for a long time, a practice that have demeaned groups of people, making them property instead of human beings who has inherent dignity as creatures made in the image of God. Slavery still exists in our world today, sometimes in the form of sexual slavery, where girls and women are sold as objects to satisfy the lusts of men. We rightly see slavery today as a social ill that needs to be corrected. 

     Another reason I believe that there is an aversion to the word "slave" is our respect for individual rights. Although it is good to respect individual rights, I believe it has taken a ridiculous and dangerous turn. The forces of political correctness seek to silence voices that criticize their favored people's lifestyles and beliefs. Tolerance has become so much of a value that if some people get their way, we will have a world where every lifestyle or belief will be acceptable, and criticism will never be tolerated.

    The validation of the individual to the point of violating common sense is seen in some judge's decision to include international law in their judgments. They don't see the absurdity in this. A husband can legally say that it is fine to beat his wife because in his country's law, it is fine for a husband to beat his wife for some reasons. This reminds me of Star Trek where the explorers are told not to interfere with the practices of the creatures they will encounter. That makes some sense because they are outsiders coming into another environment. However, community standards have to be maintained to produce a peaceful and predictable environment. The outsider has to live within those standards. If we seek to have a society were women are valued as much as men, we cannot tolerate men beating their wives, sisters, or daughters, even though it is tolerated in their society. If we do, then we might as well have no standards, then we create a chaotic and unpredictable community, a community not fit for human beings.

     The slave surrenders his hopes and dreams and lifestyle, and everything to his master. It is tragic when humans are forced to surrender himself completely to another. However, in reality, we are all slaves to something or someone. We make decisions based on what is important to us at the moment. In a way, slaves are not really slaves to their masters. They may be prevented from escaping by the master's threat of death. The slave thinks of his life as the most important thing, therefore, he will not leave his master.

     What does this whole discussion have to do with being a slave of Christ? If the Christian is a slave, then he is owned by Christ- his hopes, his dreams, his lifestyle, his mind, his body, etc. This goes beyond being considerate or cooperative (mutual submission), where a person is free to maintain disagreement while walking or living life with the other. This kind of surrender cannot be done by human effort. We can look obedient to Christ (not cheating on a spouse) but our heart may not be conformed to Christ (being unforgiving towards a spouse). All of us (hearts, minds, bodies) have a tendency to rebel against God's standards. We may fool the world but God knows what is inside of us.

    Christian faith requires the Christian to be conformed to the mind and heart of Christ. Only God the Holy Spirit can transform everything in the Christian to be conformed to Christ. He works in the Christian to overcome the sinful tendencies within him. The Christian prays, "Lord, I don't have the same mind and heart as you do, please transform my mind and heart so it will be conformed to your mind and heart."           

     A few days ago, I heard a prominent Christian woman leader on the radio talk about this generation (within 40 years) being the time when Jesus comes. This is because of the frequent natural disasters that is happening upon the earth, and the geo-political events (widespread recession, falls of rulers, etc). Many people rejoice at this thought, because the Lord will come and take us away from this hard world. I understand the feeling of joy and I have a few thoughts on this.

     First, this destroys the idea of the imminence of Christ's coming. He can come at any time and if we obsess about reading the signs, we may be caught unprepared, not putting effort into making sure the Lord will see us doing his work when he comes again. The world probably has always been inundated with natural calamities and political turmoil, but in this time when our technology easily allows us to become acquainted with what is happening around the world, it seems like calamities are becoming more rampant.

     Regardless of our escathological position (how we believe the end times will pan out), we should not forget the background to Jesus' proclamation about the end times. Jesus proclaimed that the temple will be destroyed. What is the significance of the temple? It was the pride and heart of the Jewish nation. It was their source of hope and the symbol of their identity as God's chosen people. Therefore, its destruction is a symbol of God's bringing down the source of their hope. This was because they have rejected their salvation, Jesus who is the true temple whom they must come to find forgiveness and restoration.  

     Just like all the sufferings in the world (like the destruction of the twin towers on 9/11), the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem is God's sign that if we don't repent and turn to God, who has revealed himself in Jesus, judgment will also befall us. Whoever we are and despite our apparent righteousness or religiosity, we are not immune from this great judgment, when God will destroy all our hopes and dreams, unless we come to the true temple Jesus, where salvation can be found. This does not mean that those who trust in Jesus will not suffer, but that after the suffering they will experience there is resurrection, when hopes and dreams will find its fulfillment.

      As for Christians, we must not put our hopes in political power, our righteousness, or our orthodoxy, to keep us safe from evil. We must renew our hearts, getting rid of all idolatry, and putting our hopes and dreams in the hands of Christ alone.   

     As a chaplain, I pray a lot with people. People ask others to pray for them. Prayer seems to have become commonplace that I suspect that many don't understand the privelege inherent in Prayer. I want to reflect on the privelege inherent in approaching God, which is prayer. I am coming from a theistic worldview, which sees God as a separate person, not a force within or without that can be manipulated.

     How can man approach this person called God (the creator of the universe)? Just like any other person, God makes himself known by coming into relationships called covenants. No person can be fully known apart from relationship. God does not have equal relationship with all peoples. God chose the people of Israel to have a relationship with. This should dispel any thought that all views of God (religion) leads to God. To be in relationship with a person requires us to enter into that relationship.

     God "camped" in the midst of Israel. The tabernacle and the temple is the presence of God in the midst of Israel in the Old Testament. God could only be approached through the priest, and only the High Priest can approach his symbolic throne. Then, if you are not of the people of Israel, you must go through the Israelite "camps". This does not mean that God does not love those outside of the people of Israel. Being a father to your children does not mean hating other children. God does honor the non-Isaelites who pray to him in hopes that their prayers would be answered. However, they are still separated and don't enjoy the full blessings of the Israelites- God's special presence in their lives.

     As Christians, we believe that Jesus has superseded the temple. Jesus is the presence of God in the midst of all peoples. The church, the people who are in relationship or covenant with Jesus, stands before him. Everyone who wants to come to God, must come to Jesus. There are no more special class of people that are allowed to approach God, like how many people see the pastors and priests of today, as if somehow they are "closer" to the God of the universe. However, those who enter into relationship with Jesus, trusting him for a full life, stands in God's presence. Those who do not have a relationship with Jesus, although Jesus listens with compassion, still stands afar from God, whose presence is in Jesus.

     What's the point then? If you are someone who trusts Jesus for your life, you stand before him. Therefore, count it as a privelege that your prayers are a direct communication with God. For those outside of this relationship, Jesus listens to your prayers and invites you to his inner circle where a full life is found by walking with him in faith. This brings me to a comment about the practice of interfaith prayer. Interfaith prayer assumes that all people stand equally before God. I believe that is an error. The ones who stand directly before God are those who look at Jesus in faith. Those who do not entrust their lives to Jesus stand far off, separated from the benefits of living a full life God intends. Isn't that what we ultimately want? Not just answered prayers but a life lived with meaning, purpose, and an eternal connection.  

     Many years ago, my family went to America in search of a "better" life. Just like many immigrants, my Mom looked at America as a promised land, a land where we could have a "better" future than what we could have had. One question people have asked me is "Is your life better here in America or is the Philippines better?" This question makes me reflect on what a "better" life means.

     On the one hand, this question really could not be answered. First, I had no choice about it, I was a minor and I go where my family goes. Second, there is no way I could really know what life would have been like if I stayed in the Philippines. There is no way to know what circumstances would have shaped my "now".

     Circumstances have shaped my life in a certain direction. In America is where I found a deeper faith which led to my conversion to Protestantism. In America is where I found my beloved wife and daughter, an experience I would not give up for anything. I can say that I am grateful for the life God has given me in America. However, I don't know how I would have been perceiving my life right now if I was in the Philippines.

     This led me to the question "What is the real promised land?", the land of human flourishing. Just like many immigrants, my mother saw this land as a promised land. However, just like my mother, there are many immigrants who are disgruntled. Theydid not have the life they dreamed of for different reasons. This reminds me of the Israelites who also envisioned the perfect life. Their life in the promised land was not a picture of perfection. There was still suffering and death.

     This makes me think that the Promised land is not just a destination but a process. The land becomes the promised land as we walk with the Lord in rightrousness, not in idolatry and selfishness. Most Christians see the promise of the gospel as a destination. Because of our faith in Jesus, we will someday be in a "land" where there will be no more pain and tears. However, Jesus says that he wants his disciples to have life to the fullest, what the promised land gives. Then he proceeded to tell his disciples to follow him and carry their cross. This seems to imply that the promise of abundant life lies in walking in the way of the cross, in the way of humility before God and man.

     What is the promised land for me? It is not America, and it would not have been the Philippines or anywhere else either. Jesus is my promised land. Wherever I walk with him is my promised land, the place where I want to be, where I find his way to be good. Wherever I follow the way of the cross, humbling mysef before God and man, I share in the abundant life. The world and the flesh fights against this, wanting us to go for number one. However, faith tells me that it is in his presence that I will find peace in the midst of the inevitable storms of life, and it is in his presence that death loses its sting. May you also find the true promised land, where you can live life to the fullest.

     "Why do I get bubus" My daughter told me as she saw the scratch on her leg. What seemed to be a simple statement from a child made me ponder a question asked by humans as they experience the world. Why are there times of prosperity and times of hardship? This may be true financially, relationally, etc. Why are there good times and bad times? Why can't the good times last forever?

      In the Field Museum in the Egyptian section stands a statue of Sekhmet the lionness. Sekhmet is the destructive aspect of the kindly cat Bastet. In ancient Egyptian lore, Bastet/Sekhmet represents nurture and destruction, the two sides of providence. This is how they interpret the duality of man's life- why there are prosperous times and there are hard times.

     In Judeo-Christian theology, the one God is not represented as two aspects. This one God is characterized by faithfulness and mercy, even towards those who hate him. Prosperity, in its many manifestations, comes from him. How then does destruction come into the picture? This theological system also posits a creation under the same God's judgment. Hardship comes because of God's judgment on his creation.

     Does this mean that every disaster or tragedy is a specific judgment on certain people? (i.e. Did the earthquake in Japan come because of the sins of the Japanese people?). No, the earthquake in Japan does not mean that the Japanese are somehow worse than others (all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). It is a reminder to all peoples that the earth is under God's judgment. It is a reminder that there is a destructive fate that awaits those who hate God. 

     On the other hand, the good things that may have come out of this disaster, and the good things that come to our lives everyday, should remind us that there is a faithful and merciful God who can deliver us out of a miserable life, and a hellish life after death. He can bring us to a place of rest to wipe away our tears and turn our tears into dancing. May this reality bring comfort to those facing hardship. 

    There is a cycle of judgment and restoration in God's creation, not because of specific sins, but because God wants to build into our psyche the reality of heaven and hell. Some of you may be in a time of prosperity- feeling strong and happy. Remember that this time of prosperity will pass and there will be a time of hardship- you will become weaker and things that make you happy will disappear. Life has its ups and downs and will eventually end in death. This is not because of specific sinfulness but because of cycles in God's providence- his built in reminder of heaven and hell. May this reality make us humble. May this cycle drive us to repentance, towards the one who is able to deliver us out of misery into hope. 

     I like professional football. My heart is filled with excitement when August comes and the season is about to start. There is an anticipation for that day when players would dazzle us with their passing, running, and tackling skills.

     This anticipation reminds me of the periods the chuch has called Advent and Lent. Those times were supposed to be periods when Christians are called to an attitude of anticipation. It is an anticipation for God's coming to us to save us from our greatest enemies, sin and death. Those times of anticipation culminates on Christmas and Easter, days that are supposed to fill Christians with joy and hope. Joy that God loved us so much that he sent his only son to die in our place, thereby securing eternal life for those who believe in his son. Hope that someday God would again come to us to wipe away our tears and heal the wounds from our sufferings in life.

     It is a sad fact that the football season brings more joy for many than Christmas and Easter. People talk about the things they give up on lent, taking pride in fulfilling their duries, instead of reflecting on the new life that God gives to those who follow Jesus and his way of the cross. People become excited about the gifts they will get for Christmas, instead of finding joy in the gift that God gave the world, the presence of his son.

     I think about my daughter and her experience of Christmas and Easter. Many years from now, she will remember time with her mom and dad and the rest of her family, and how she was showered with gifts on Christmas. She will remember the traditions of Easter, the egg-hunts and the re-telling of the passion and resurrection of Jesus.

     My prayer is that Christmas may not just be a time for nostalgia, and the joys and stresses of the gift-giving season, but a time to reflect on the greatest gift God gave human beings. My prayer is that the story of Easter may not just be a remembrance of an old story that happened many years ago, but a time to remember and find joy in what her Savior and Lord has done. May the celebrations of the great Christian salvation events (Christmas and Easter) be a constant anchor for her soul, giving her hope amidst the joys and sufferings of life.                      

     "Karma will get you", I hear some people say as they look upon a person who was doing something morally wrong. Karma is a tool that some religious thinkers have used to solve the problem of justice. Karma is a natural law that enforces moral justice. Karma could manifest itself in life, where a person suffers for an evil he has done. Karma could also manifest itself in a later life, where the deceased person who has done evil gets reincarnated as a lower life form or in a miserable estate. Karma is basically the concept of reaping and sowing, or the statement "what goes around comes around".

     Human experience seems to validate this concept, at least in life. Evil people do fall, sometimes violently. However, human experience seem to also invalidate this concept. Evil people sometimes prosper. Karma contradicts the Christian view of the nature of the moral law. Karma posits an impersonal moral law that is inviolable. In Christian theology, the moral lawgiver is a personal being and the moral law is a reflection of his moral nature. This personal being is gracious, giving good things to both those who are good and those who are evil.  He is merciful, not dealing with us as our sins deserve. Because this personal being is gracious, we live in a gracious universe. 

     I have heard a friend say that looking at his little daughter makes him feel that he has been granted an undeserved favor. Despite all the wrongs he has done, the joy he feels with his daughter makes it seem that God has provided him more good than he deserves.

     As I reflect on my friend's feelings, I get a glimpse of what it means to live in a gracious universe. Is it an impersonal law that guarantees payback for wrongs we have done the regulator of our moral universe? Or is it a gracious God who provides us with good things, notwithstanding the wrong things we do? What kind of people are we to be then? Are we to be a people who pat ourselves in the back, telling ourselves that we have these good things in our life because we have been good? Or are we to be a people of gratitude, bowing our heads and our hearts to the one who gives us the good we do not deserve?

     The story of the Magi intrigues me. These astrologers (Astrology is forbidden for God's people) found Jesus through their reading of the heavenly bodies. We don't know what the Magi thought about Jesus, only that they thought there was something special with him. Maybe they are following a prophecy from their own religion? The star that the magi saw points to the true light of the world, the one who shows us the truth about ourselves and about God. However, the Magi may have seen the stars as the source of truth. That would dishonor the creator, the light of the world, who made the stars.  However, God was gracious to them, not letting them die in the hands of Herod.

     What does this have to do with Karma? Despite the differing worldview, Karma points to the reality of the God of justice behind the universe. However, this God of justice is not an impersonal force. This God of justice sent his son Jesus to fulfill the demands of his justice. Jesus died in place of those who will believe in him. This sacrifice is the greatest evidence that the universe is filled with the grace of God, not ruled by an impersonal moral law. When we think about it, an impersonal moral law is scary. It will punish us because we have not done right perfectly and our hearts pull us towards evil. Thank God that he is a God who shows mercy.

     It's been a long time since the death of Osama Bin Laden. Many people saw that event as justice vindicated, and they are right. A man who kills with impunity needs to be called into account for his crimes. I would like to comment on two reactions to the news of Bin Laden's death. 

     The hypocrisy of many people was revealed. A radio station host characterized Bin Laden's death as the death of the worst person in the world. That reaction runs counter to the apostle Paul's humility. The apostle Paul called himself the worst of sinners, who is desperately in need of God's mercy. Do we see ourselves in that light- sinners in desperate need of God's mercy? Or do we see ourselves as basically good, who makes mistakes once in a while?

     On the one hand, we are made in the image of God who shows his goodness towards everyone- giving food, clothing, etc. It is not helpful to call ourselves pure sinners. There are forces within us that want to get along with others, to be helpful. We see that in children and if a person completely does not care about what others think, we would label that person mentally ill. We develop bonds with our families and friends, bonds that may cause us to sacrifice our interests, including our lives, for others.

     On the other hand, God requires us to love him above everything else. However, human love for God is not something we can work in ourselves, just like we cannot fall in love by choice. Biblical teaching seems to indicate that human beings don't love God naturally, and they love people and/or things more than God. Love so strong it causes a person to become willing to give up everything else, happens through a spiritual transformation. A person is drawn by the object of his love. If we love God, its not because we made a choice to love God but because we are drawn to God by God himself. Also, God's will is that love for others would not stop with those whom we have affinity with- family and friends whom we get along with. Jesus calls us to love even our enemies, those who harm us. That is how stringent God's standard is for us, and it is not the natural human tendency to love his enemies. The natural human tendency is to desire the harm of his enemies. 

     The apostle Paul must have called himself the worst of sinners because he discovered that he could not reach God's standard of righteousness. He caused the murder of the followers of Jesus, who was God incarnate. He changed his ways not by choice but through an encounter with Jesus. He probably looked at himself and became aware of the prejudices and hatred in him, and that without God's Spirit, he could not love those who oppose him. May we be so self-aware that we realize that we don't just sin by mistake once in a while, but we sin because our natural tendency is to hate God and hate our neighbor.  

    The death of Bin Laden also resulted in celebration on the streets, as if a war has been won. It is true that a terrorist leader was killed. However, the battle against terrorism is not over because the ultimate enemy is not flesh and blood but spiritual powers. Ideology is a spiritual power that blinds people to God and other people. Ideologues care only for their agenda, even though they may have started off caring about other people. Many communists probably started off sincere in their desire to alleviate poverty. However, when communists have taken power, there was oppression and massive killings. How could this be? This happened because ideologues are blinded by their ideology, the suffering it causes the people they purport to help.

     I was reading in a book the account of a man who abandoned terrorism for more peaceful political solution. His reasoning was that terrorism does not work. I was angered by this statement. This man did not show remorse or sorrow for all the people who were killed. He was so focused on his agenda that he does not seem to care about the suffering he has caused- families who have to mourn the sudden loss of their fathers, mothers, and children. 

     Jesus chastised the Pharisees for putting law above people to the point of being upset with him for healing a man on the sabbath. Jesus chastises us today for being so focused on our ideologies, on how we believe the world should be, that we ignore the needs of people. May God develop in us compassion for everyone and humility towards him that we strive to look after everyone's interests, not the victory of our ideology. Soli Deo Gloria. 

      One incident that broke my heart was witnessing my daughter cry so hard because another child would not play with her, and was even avoiding her. I held her in my arms as she cried that the other child does not like her. As a father, there is a part of me that wanted to protect her from painful experiences. However, I also know that there is no way to completely protect my child from all physical and emotional pain. It will be a part of her life. 

     This incident reminded me of a statement in the TV show "House". The main character (Dr. House) refused to allow a dying man to give up treatment. Instead of honoring the man's wish, Dr. House sedated the man and performed the treatment he wished to perform. One of the doctors asked Dr. House why they could not just help the man live his last days in peace. Dr. House commented "You either help a man live or you help him die".

     As I thought about this statement, I realized that all life will end in death. There are ways we try to hold death at bay- cosmetic surgery, working so hard to leave a legacy. The truth is, we who are living are marching towards death. Our bodies that do not work as well as it used to, the transitions of our lives, the relationships that have fizzled through time - these experiences should remind us that life is transitory and it will end in the final loss we will experience, death.

     Since death hangs like a cloud over all of us, it behooves us to prepare for death. How will life be different if we acknowledge this truth?

1. We will teach our children (and ourselves) to live with pain, guiding them through it and preparing them for it. A parent's tendency is to protect our children from pain, maybe by giving them all they want. However, life does not work that way. Many times we could not have what we want, and many times we lose the things that make us happy. This is despite how much money we have or how loving we are.

2. We will not hold on so tightly to the past. It is painful to hear a person reminisce so many times about when their child was four years old, and that child was already twenty. As a Christian, the past is a way to see God's work, making me who I am today and giving me times of happiness. In the past, I see the goodness of the God who is with me today, the great "I am" who walks with me through the transitions of life. It is not productive to desire the past since life is destined to move forward. 

3. We will not hold so tightly to what we have. There will be a modicum of non-attachment to what we have. This is paradoxical since the things we have gives us a sense of security- money, position, relationships. It is helpful to remember that, although things are a gift from God, they will not ultimately stop pain- which is a reminder of our impending death. A counterweight to non-attachment is responsibility. We are responsible to use our resources for the good of our world, and to be committed in our relationships. We need to live with sense of responsibility and the non-attachment that comes through knowing the transitoriness of life. 

4. We will be prepared for death. In one parable of Jesus, a servant was irresponsible in handling his master's money. The master is about to find out his irresponsibility and will most probably throw him out of his house. Therefore, he fudged the books to make friends. He lowered debts of those people who owe his master money. He did this so others may like him and take him in their houses when his master throws him out. I always wondered why Jesus commended this man's sneakiness. However, this story is not about being ethical. This story is about being prepared for judgment, which follows our inevitable death. Are we doing everything we can to be prepared for it? In Christian tradition, a good death depends on our relationship with Jesus. That relationship is one of faith. Do we walk with Jesus in faith that he will lead us to the good life, and take us to be with him after death? To die in faith is to have a good death.