God, You Amaze Me: Jesus the Perfect Example.

Hey y’all!

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful time of the year we all gather and remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. That He died and was raised to life according to the scriptures, not only to give us forgiveness of our sins but to also fulfil the prophecy. Jesus suffered as the final sacrifice – a Lamb to the slaughter [Isaiah 53:7].

This week a few things to talk about, but really just one. Firstly, I was sitting on the train waiting for us to leave the station when I looked out my window and saw another train moving quickly past. And then I glanced back inside the train carriage and saw the exit door was still open and instantly felt like something was wrong. Because it’s dangerous to have the doors open while the train is moving. The door is never opened when we are moving.

By me having looked at this train passing by, made my train feel like I was moving also. It’s called Vection, a perceptual illusion. Where you feel the sensation of movement in space soley because you are visualising movement. The visual is clues used to determine motion and trick your brain. And this is exactly what happened to me.

In relation to God and Christianity, we are told not to focus on the things around us. Because as we do, and I have experienced, and still experience because we are not made perfect – is that we must look to God. He can help ground us, so that while the world is moving, we can focus our eyes on Him, not to forget the reality of the world in chaos, but so that our lives as we live it out, can find peace, love and joy – a constant.

Just as our eyes determine our direction, movement and pace – as we behold God and picture Him more clearly in our lives and become the centre, truly we can be those who live out our lives no longer consumed by Satan’s distractions of this temporary life.

Even as it is Easter. Jesus in the Bible, willing died for you and me. Both sinners, all the same, yet He continued to pray and look to God. Even in the separation from Him and the Father, on the cross when He bore our sin and shame.

Where does your help come from? Look to Him today, for the unchanging truth that will guide you throughout the trials, battles and temporary suffering.

Not only that but also this week I went to try a bubble tea place, called Hey Tea. And wow that Supreme Brown Sugar Milk Tea, was both wonderful and sweet. But let me tell you the wait, while was definitely over 50 minutes, was worth it. And you may think “Wow, that’s such a long time.” And don’t get me wrong, of course it was a long time, but even doing other things and multitasking, it wasn’t so bad. Actually it was only once I stepped foot in the building that I realised how quickly everyone was working and how well and efficient they all were. And I realised then, that truly they are doing a great job at getting through the orders, but there was just a lot of orders.

See it brought me back to when I was working in the hospitality industry. Management and training is key. Because two of the same companies can open a bubble tea business for instance, but one can do well – not focusing on the demand, as in this example we can say that they have the same number of customers and everything is the same except for the people. On one side, we have a diligent, hardworking, efficient workers. And on the other side we have slow, tried and disorganised workers.

When demand is risen, and the workers on shift are at the max optimal, which business and workers will do well? The first one. The second one, will focus on the never-ending orders, want to give up, go slower so that maybe less people will come if they see it’s taking forever. But the first one will do their absolute best. These are the people that would focus on the task at hand, rather than the lazy workers who only focus on the hard work and hours left.

See, in all these things. It truly matters what we focus on. Because just as we physically look to things, and even mentally, we also need to be aware of our spiritual eyes. It says in Matthew 6:22-23 that “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Even this week with the bubble tea and ice-cream – guilty pleasure, I am also working on how my physical eyes as I train to desire the healthy foods, can work to building a healthy temple.

Alright, that’s all from me folks. Take care and see you next week.

God, you amaze me!

E

Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.

Matthew 6:22-23

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Jesus at the Centre