The question we asked ourselves in the previous day’s retreat about why we wish to enter heaven is one we really need to face. Reflecting on this question helps us understand the relationship between “heaven” and “earth”, the connection between “eternity” and “the present moment”. Our answers will become our life goals, helping us live each moment well to prepare ourselves to “inherit eternal life”.

If we constantly keep the goal of entering heaven in sight so as to live each “present moment” well, our worldview will be drastically different, and the choices we make that shape the trajectory of our lives will also be drastically different. This naturally affects the fruit we bear in our lives and ultimately whether we can enter heaven.

This question is more important than many of the “life events” that we ponder on in this world because the successes and failures in this world are really insignificant compared to whether we can “inherit eternal life”!

We probably all have had the experience of attending someone’s wedding and asking the newlyweds what attracted them to each other, which ultimately led them to get married with each other. As someone beloved by God, what do you think attracts Him to you, leading God to choose you to be with Him forever? What outstanding qualities and exceptional merits do you possess that make God favour you? Looking at it from another perspective, do you think you deserve Jesus to sacrifice so much for you?

As objects of God’s love, we should be extremely amazed by God’s actions, and we should also feel deeply ashamed. We should be amazed because this supreme and almighty God, who can create all things with His words and give us life with a breath, has lowered Himself and poured out His entire being, even His own life, just to love us, ungrateful creatures as we are. In the eyes of the Creator, we should be lowly insignificant beings.

How could we humans be worthy of receiving such love from God and be regarded as treasures by Him? We should examine ourselves and ask, what is it about us that warrants God’s humility, even to the point of begging for our love for Him?

Seeing this pitiful God, we should cry out to the heavens: “What good do we have that makes you so unwaveringly devoted to us? Are you truly insane, or is there something that we fail to see clearly? Please tell us!”

This kind of almost crazy and irrational love is something the world cannot understand or bear! Yet, this crazy lover continues to silently and helplessly knock on the door of our hearts, begging for our pity.

God waits patiently for us, hoping that we will finally open the door and accept Him, accept His lavish love for us!

What’s even crazier is that we, creatures originally created from dust, shamelessly assume the role of masters instead of servants, as we should be, and treat our Creator with an attitude of arrogance and indifference! Shouldn’t we feel utterly ashamed? How insane it is!

Jesus once used this parable in Matthew 13:44 to describe the kingdom of heaven, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” When we think that Jesus’ description in this parable depicts an absurd and irrational behaviour, little do we realize that He, in an even more irrational and crazier manner, demonstrated that His actions indeed matched His words!

Jesus took pity on us, these “treasures” buried in the ground, people enslaved by sin and deprived of freedom. He resolutely “sold” His own life to redeem us from sin and death!

Now, would you be moved by God’s crazy love for you? Are you brave enough to face your unloveliness, to open the door and accept God’s pursuit of you, and to accept His unconditional and unreserved love for you?

Reflection

Do you believe that God is attracted to you by some of your exceptional merits or outstanding qualities? Why do you think He loves you so much?

If you desire to “inherit eternal life”, can you bear God’s infinite and unreasoned love? Can you accept your own unloveliness and embrace God’s unconditional love?

How do you feel about God’s crazy and irrational love for you? Now, I invite you to face Him and express your feelings to Him!

Today’s Prayer

Lord, facing You and Your crazy love for me, I truly don’t know what to say! Do You really have nothing else more meaningful to do or handle? As the King of kings, as the Lord of lords, do You really have no greater plans to accomplish? Why have You spent so much time, so much thought, so much attention, such unconditional and unreserved love, such complete sacrifice on me…

Do You really want to completely lose Yourself for me?  Who am I? Am I worthy? Am I worth it? Why…

How can I repay Your love for me? How can I give back to You? What do You want? Please tell me!

Lord, facing You, I really can’t help but surrender. I am willing to open the door and let You in, to be conquered by Your love. Please fill me with Your boundless love! Don’t let me have any more space to doubt You, doubt Your love, doubt Your love for me…

Fundraising Appeal

The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers.
Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Project Manager: Michael Lam
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya