The Advent is Here!

Time really flies faster in this year than any other year for me. The advent is here already! My precious advent cactus just has started blooming on last Saturday night. It is just amazing how the plant knows when it is time to bloom! As I read Rev. Bill's blog last year about the advent cactus, I also felt that God showed His faithfulness through this little plant to let us know about Him. By the way, I have kept Rev. Bill's advent cactus at my home now. Unfortunately, while we moved it got sick a little bit, so all the buds were fell off but it still is alive! The one which is blooming now given two years ago from one of handbell choir members at RHUMC. Thanks Terri!

As I was amazed observing the cactus, I remembered how often I forget about the season. Even though physically I am there at the season and do so many things to fulfill the season at the church, I easily miss the real meaning of the season: waiting patiently with well prepared heart. I even often forget whom I do work for this hard.

I just can't resist not adoring this little cactus which even was not centered in our attention but faithfully bloom to announce that it is time to humble ourselves to prepare our hearts for Jesus.

I have asked myself "what do I have prepared for Jesus?" I could easily say "my heart" but it is too old to use it. I want to prepare to give a whole me this year although I am not pretty, or unusually great. But just like this cactus, I will do my best to lift up myself to the Lord to reflect Him completely through me.

As I learned the word, compunction, I need to have some time for compunction so the Lord accept me as who I am.

David

Lately, I have been enjoying very much a Disciple I group on Thursday morning at our church, Floris. I took the course when I was serving as a missionary candidate long time ago in Korea. So, I feel like that everything comes to me as new even though I read a bible daily. We have been studying the big people in the old tastement last week: Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon. I have thought about various thoughts and point of views about those people while I was reading the chapters, especially, David. He was not abnormally bright or good looking I don't think. He was truly a human. As more I read, I could more understand how much he was a true human who was full of emotion. As we all know, David was a strong leader but a very sensitive man. well.. sadly the sensitivity led him to temptation. However, I think he was still David who had loved, feard, and known God so well.
I was wondering how God loved David more than anybody else or how David feard God so deeply with true love and sincere heart. What made him being like that? As we could see, Saul and Solomon just failed at their glories but David did not. He was humble completely in front of the Lord. He was a dare young man faced to Goliath but he kneeled and wept like a child faced to the Lord. I could hear David's voice through Psalms so vividly. He had the most passionate heart toward the Lord even though he sometimes failed the temptation like most of us.
I want to have the passionate heart like David toward the Lord. Because of the heart, he could overcome those difficult times with praises and thanksgiving. He knew who God was! He trust God with all his heart because he knew what kind God was.
I pray that I could know God truly and love Him with full of confidence like David. David often praises the Lord that God's love endures forever, and trusting His unfailing love. Let's praise the Lord and His unfailing Love everyday.