Verses I read today:
1:4 耶利米说，耶和华的话临到我说：
1:5 "我未将你造在腹中，我已晓得你；你未出母胎，我已分别你为圣；我已派你作列国的先知。"
The Lord gave me this message: "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations."
1:8 你不要惧怕他们，因为我与你同在，要拯救你。这是耶和华说的。"
And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I the Lord, have spoken!
1:17 所以你当束腰，起来将我所吩咐你的一切话告诉他们。不要因他们惊惶，免得我使你在他们面前惊惶。
"Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say."
1:18 看哪！我今日使你成为坚城、铁柱、铜墙，与全地和犹大的君王、首领、祭司，并地上的众民反对。
1:19 他们要攻击你，却不能胜你，因为我与你同在，要拯救你。"这是耶和华说的。
For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land – the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the Lord, have spoken!
My Day:
Two days ago, we had a wonderful afternoon at Flora Inn. The inn is owned by a Christian couple. The husband is a painter and the wife is working at an international shipping company. That's why when you walk into this cozy place, you will immediately see that every particle in the air is coated with an artistic sweater, warm and colorful, yet the orderliness which is displayed everywhere make you have to praise the hostess's gifts which is given by The Father for the purpose of compensating and helping her Adam. Just as a mountain will turn into life with a living water, the 7 years old son makes this place alive and make you want to play with it the whole day.
At this inn, we had two intense but I would also describe it as wonderful conversation. The first conversation we had was with an American grandpa, who called himself as a recovering Catholics. Apparently he is an intellectual and was raised in the Catholic environment. Later on after he studies the history of church and some other unsure reasons, he forsook his belief. Right now he believes god exists, but everything is god, including himself. The purpose for his life is to live and to die. We didn't know if it was because his chair was obviously higher than ours, but almost all of us felt his pride flowing around this whole garden. I still remembered one question he raised to challenge us, the four Christians. "What happens to those who don't have a chance to know Jesus?" he interviewed us. The first answer jumped out was "go to hell". I almost shouted out "No!, Bible didn't teach us like that." However before I had the chance to speak, he repeated the answer with a mocking tone. Then it's my turn. I said in Rome2 12:15, God will not judge those who don't know the law with the law, instead with their conscience. He didn't add any comments and turned to another one of us. He agreed with what I said but also noticed that this grandpa was playing the games, so he throw out a funny answer. After the last answer, the fourth answer was given by another brother, our topic shifted to universal truth and absolute truth. He was arguing that the universal truth exists but subject. For example we had four different answers albeit four of us serve at the same fellowship.
Probably this grandpa got tired with playing with us after another two hours discussion like this, he excused himself. The first conversation ended. I only felt sorry for him because he only paid attention to what the church did in the middle ages but failed to experience the love of Jesus. In the evening, I prayed for him to have a humble spirit which can allow him to experience the goodness of God. Also I felt an urgency of reading the bible for a believer. Through studying the scripture I think the embarrassment could be avoided.
Right before dinner, we met a young man who has a Jehovah Witness' background. He is the younger brother of the host and our assignment was to discuss with him about the concept of trinity. After he quoted a verse from Bible and make an illustration to support his argument, I started to sense a great panic in my heart. Normally I shares my understanding with someone who don't know about God or the Bible. So I get used to quote verses to prove there is one God. But now in front of me, someone was also quoting verses and also believe the God is Jehovah. My verse inventory run alarmed and the red lights turned on. I knew I can not neither listen nor discuss any more if I didn't have my living Bible dictionary beside me. I went and woke up Philip. He gladly offered his help and sat beside me. My heart stopped beating irrationally and smiles started to climb up to my face again.
Philip showed me three verses to prove the concept of trinity. John10:30-39, Ephesians4:30, Ezekiel34.
But when this young man wanted to respond to us, every time he was referring to a little hand-book. I leaned forward and saw the verses we quoted were in this book. Now I understood. Someone in his organization had already provided the argument for their believers to defend their believing system.
Dinner time approached us. We stopped and ate. I was worrying about him during the whole dinner. Not everyone has the sensitive and humble heart to receive God and Jesus. This young man must experienced a lot of struggles and doubts before he believed the only one God, the scripture and a fearing heart to God. But he regarded Jesus only as an angel, not as a God. I haven't studied the significance of this misunderstanding. I only know that he admitted by himself that he could not go to heaven after he dies. How sad!!
After dinner, I asked Philip how we could help him to walk away from his misunderstanding. Philip said that arguing won't solve the problem because when a person is in a defensive position, he would never rationally think. The better approach is to love him and let himself to experiences the Love from Jesus, from Christian brothers and sisters. When he is bathed in Love, when his defensive attitude goes away, he will start to understand. I think it is very wise and I decided to stop arguing with him at that night. Instead I chatted with him a little bit about his family and his son.
Around 9:30pm, we left the Flora Inn. The hospitable host and the hostess saw us out the door. On my way back, I desperately felt the need for myself to read the Bible. I will never forget how panic I was when someone quoted the verse to prove to me that Jesus was not God. At that moment, it seems to me that I was naked and fully exposed to the attack. In 2008, I will diligently read the Bible and pray that God gives me the understanding of his words. I want an suit of armor from God that I don't need to be naked any more.
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