I Want to Live Like That: 2

Often times, we are faced with challenging decisions which could lead us to unprecedented consequences. These consequences may have a positive or a negative impact in our lives

One night, my Darling and I watched a movie which stirred my thought to ask, should the couple decided to do the right thing, would the husband still be alive?

I guess that is the biggest question we should always ask ourselves, what is the next best thing to do?

During my schooling days, we nearly couldn’t survive our schooling needs, because we, as a family, had trouble making ends meet. The decision we made was to wake up at 3AM and help our parents. We sell bread and steamed muffins along the sidewalk so that we can have money to go to school. I remember taking a bath at the early hours of the morning when all the rest of the other children were asleep. I was already wearing my school uniform as I accompany my parents to go to work then. During those days, yes, it also touched my mind to ask , “What if we had money?” maybe then, we don’t have to sell in that polluted sidewalk every morning, Maybe, we’d be in a private school and sent by a driver ,on time, to never miss the flag ceremony. Maybe, I could treat my friends for pudding during recess time, because then, I would have the money. It made me think that I also want to live like that – one time in my life to be rich, free of financial burdens, free of debts and free from the rush to work, have plenty to eat and free to go to school.

But, our financial challenges had it’s bonuses. I get to eat a warm bowl of “arrozcaldo” every morning when we get to make our sales. I always like sitting next to the basket while I sip from the warm bowl of rice porridge with chicken, boiled egg and topped with fried garlic, onion leaves and pepper. I remember selling Yakult too, when I was in 3rd grade. My teacher went pass our cart one weekend and I hid myself. Since a huge drug store was behind us, the timing was embarrassing. A gentleman was about to buy a pack of Yakult with 5 bottles each pack. I had no choice but to sell to the gentleman. That was the time when my teacher saw me, selling on that street. The shame! But, I received otherwise. I was complimented by my teacher and the next day, during our class, she shared that she saw me. She said that a student in the star section who helps her parents to make ends meet, that is really nice. Since then, I have always tried to help my parents and I had been doing so until I finished high school. I also never missed a flag ceremony because we always arrived in school at 6:30AM in time before our flag ceremony at 6:45AM.

Should my what ifs be made real, I wouldn’t be as diligent at work as I am today. I wouldn’t be as determined to help my family in the demands for self sustenance. Above all of my capabilities and inabilities is a God who equipped, provided and completed me, because, If I was not in need, I wouldn’t find the strength to ask God to come into my life and save me from all the temptations which are pushing me to make bad choices. This challenge I experienced when I was younger, paved the way to my deliverance from death.

Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death.

Prayer

Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came before him, into his ears.

Adonai, Father God Almighty, and one true King, we hallow your name today because you are Holy.

We are grateful to You for creating us and loving us first. Thank You for the many different ways that You had been mindful of us. We are indebted to You, for allowing us this lifetime that we may encounter You, that You invited us to have a relationship with You. Thank You that You made this life according to Your plans and according to Your will. We honor You today because You are the great I am.

We count ourselves bearers of the good news that Your one and only Son had been born and that the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful: Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace – His name is Jesus.

We acknowledge Your very presence in our midst. This time that we are gathered here today is all because of You. You said in Your Word that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans – and so, we submit ourselves and our thoughts to You to stand in the gap and pray for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all goodness and reverence because this is good and acceptable in Your sight, God Our Savior.

We raise You as our banner Jehovah Nissi, we declare victory because Your will is what we delight. Your plans for us are for our welfare and not for calamity and to give us a future and a hope. Elohim, our Creator, Mighty and Strong, teach us to do Your will, because You are our God and may Your good Spirit lead us on level ground.

We declare Your Kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Jehovah Tsidkenu, You are our righteousness,. to You alone comes the provision of righteousness, ultimately in the person of Your Son, Jesus, who became sin for us “that we might become the Righteous of You through Him”.

May Your righteousness reign over the coming generation – the youth of today. May Your righteousness reign over every homes. Over every marriage. Over every father and mother. Over every men and women. Over every government, private and volunteer workers. Over every neighbors, barangay and community. Over our church, KKM -LSFI from every homecell, every district, every outreaches locally and internationally. Over our government. Over the country Philippines. Over Israel and other countries.

Thank You for giving us what is good and may our land yield it’s produce. A produce of younger generations who will worship You in Spirit and in Truth, obedient to Your Word and submitted to Your will in prayer. A produce of homes, having You as the center of their relationship. A produce of marriages yielding to Your leading and standing in the truth that You who promised is faithful to prosper every marriages. A produce of intentional fathers and mothers who will train every children in the way they should go – the way of the Lord. A produce of men and women who are ready to answer Your call and reply, “here I am Lord, send me”. A produce of government, private and volunteer workers who finds their efficiency in the place where You have lead them to and to look at their job as a ministry. A produce of peace loving neighbors, disciplined barangays and a community that will put You first above all else. A produce of a church built on the Rock that is higher than ours, united as one body, lead by the Holy Spirit and connected to Your Word. A produce of a government fully submitted to Your statutes as the absolute frame of every decisions made, laws written and decree to follow. A produce of a country who will war against the enemy not by might, not by power, but by Your Spirit.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, we thank You for blessing us with Godly leaders like Pastor Mike and Sister Lydia. Thank you for the vision You placed in their hearts. Thank you for instructing them to “Write the vision And to make it plain on tablets, That we may run who read it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. May each of us exercise our gifts accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

In behalf of our nation, we ask for forgiveness from all our adulterous acts and disobedience. We have hurt You and we greatly apologize in controlling things with all our humanly effort just so things could go our way. You said that whenever we stand praying, forgive, if we have anything against anyone, so that You, our Father who is in heaven will also forgive us our transgressions and so, we release forgiveness to those who have hurt us directly or indirectly.

Deliver us from the whiles of the enemy. The lust of our eyes, the lust of our flesh and the pride which so quickly consumes us, because, not only will You deliver us but You also will restore us. Send revival into this dying land and bring life into this thirsty soul. As for You, our God, Your way is blameless; Your word is tried; You are a shield to all who take refuge in You.

For Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory now and forever. In Jesus Name, Amen.