One Master

Christ and the Rich Young Ruler
by Heinrich Hofmann

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said,
"One thing you lack: Go your way,
sell whatever you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, take up the cross,
and follow Me."

But he was sad at this word
and went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions.

- Mark 10:17-22

The Scripture passage about the rich young ruler will always have a special place in my heart.

It was this passage that gripped my heart thirty-six years ago and eventually led me to the foot of the Cross. One of these days I might be able to do a blog post on that life-changing encounter with the Savior of my soul.

But today, I want to write about something else.

Last Sunday, August 16, was the highlight of the events of the week just ended. Although Sunday is the first day of the week, I tend to look at Sundays as the culmination of my week; for me, Sunday is both an ending and a beginning. It ends the week, and it starts another week.

But it isn't often the case that it is the main event.

Ever since I went to Rasa, Switzerland in 1997 where I gained fresh insights into the importance of contemplation and meditation, I have been very much aware of my location statement, and naming my day as tools for staying close to God and aligning with His purposes for my life. I look at my daily, and weekly, events and try to see if there's a pattern in what God might be trying to communicate to me.

This has really helped me keep my focus, and allows me to be on the right track in my Christian journey. As I have discovered through the years, many distractions stand in the way.

If one is serious about his or her relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then discerning the Shepherd's voice above all the many voices around us is of utmost importance.

The sailing ship that I am on may sometimes be on turbulent seas but I need not fear, Jesus is the anchor Who keeps me from drifting into treacherous waters.


He is the Captain of my ship. He alone knows the way I should go, He alone can calm the raging waters and keep me safe as I journey to my heavenly destination, my eternal abode.

How crucial it is to stay close to Him, and depend on Him alone!


It has been a busy, fully-booked seven months.

Since Ernie's unexpected death nearly nine months ago, I feel like the ship I'm on - my life - has been taking me to very many new places. On this blog I have tried to write about my journey, still there have been so many stops and discoveries which, due to time constraint, I have not been able to put down in writing.

The greatest comfort in it all is the truth of God's word, like a gentle hand that stays my heart. In the most unexpected way, He speaks to me, reassuring me, reminding me, that He is still there.

That He hasn't given up on me.

That He understands... and He cares.

To be honest, I have condemned and judged myself, increasingly so these past weeks. I want to do more to please Him but there have been too many things to attend to. There have been times when I know I've not given Him first place in my daily priorities.

Being without my husband, my best friend, life is understandably more challenging for me.

Not more difficult, but definitely more challenging.

When my husband was still around, I could always count on him. He seemed to always know what to do, and we went through life sharing the burdens, the decision making, and whatever day to day thing needed to be addressed.

I am not discounting the fact that my God is always there for me...but still it is true: having a husband in flesh and blood beside me did make my life a lot easier to go through.

Nevertheless, in this new voyage I find myself in, God has been ever close, and ever so real.

His word once again ministered to me at church last Sunday. The servant through whom He spoke was a close friend, Dan.

Dan and his wife Jing are beloved friends of mine; they have stood close by Ernie and me through all the years of our friendship. We have enjoyed many meals at their lovely home; their beach house in Pontevedra and farmhouse in the outskirts of Abuanan have served as a venue for me and my friends whenever we needed a quiet place to meet with God.

Dan's message was entitled "Heavenly Treasure," about seeking to build our treasure in heaven where moth, rust, and thieves will never reach it.

Much of what Dan said was relevant to the present global situation.

Any religion that's not founded on the true foundation of Jesus Christ will always be accompanied by greed and immorality.

The root cause of this world's economic woes is extreme greed.

Over-indulgence, or finding pleasure in owning, is a serious malady affecting even so-called Christians who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ.

But Dan's message also ministered deeply to my heart.

Jesus calls us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, the only treasure that satisfies. And we are called to serve and pledge our allegiance to a single Master.

The world in which we live has so deified materialism and justified the religion of self, that we no longer recognize how far from our true center we have strayed.

This message strikes my heart because it reminds me once again of Who my Master is.

In my Christian life, I am not entitled to part-time choices, only a full-time commitment to one Master.

This verse says it straight to the point:

No one can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

- Matthew 6:24

For me, the message was two-pronged: remembering where my true riches lie, and remembering who my True Master is.

It was indeed a timely word for my heart.

How I want to be free, and not tied down by earthly concerns, ready to follow my Master wherever He may lead me!

These lines penned by G. Campbell Morgan that Dan used to close his message brought tears to my eyes:

You are to remember with passion burning within you that you are not the child of today.

You are not of the earth, you are more than dust, you are the child of tomorrow, you are of the eternities, you are the offspring of Deity.

The measurements of your lives cannot be circumscribed by the point where the blue sky kisses the green earth.

All the facts of your life cannot be encompassed in the one small sphere upon which you live.

You belong to the infinite.

If you make your fortune on the earth - poor, sorry, silly soul - you have made a fortune and stored it in a place where you cannot hold it.

Make your fortune but store it where it will greet you in the dawning of the new morning.

Last Sunday's sermon at our church was once again used by my heavenly Father as an anchor to make my heart feel secure in Him. He alone is my haven of rest!

--0--

Below are pictures of what has been happening in my life the past week. Posting them is a graphic way of sharing a slice of my life journey with my blog friends.

I arrived in Manila for the pamanhikan Monday evening, August, 3 last week. The following morning, Obedient One and I had breakfast at the McCafe near her office. After she left for work, I stayed for a few more hours at the Cafe.

Both Metro Manila and Bacolod City are urban centers, far from mountains or seas. When I want to have an extended time with the Lord, I have discovered that a quiet (or noisy) coffee shop will do just as well.

I just love spending time with my God in a coffee shop!

My favorite breakfast: pancakes and syrup with a hot chocolate drink

Lunch: Chicken McNuggets, rice, and a tumbler of Coke. Not too healthy, but that day I had a good excuse.

This was taken just before First-Born, Obedient One, Worshiper, and I left for the pamanhikan on Sunday evening.

My gifts of grace for Madorra, Chosen's mom:

Special handicraft products from Bacolod City

A box of really special pastries topped with grated queso de bola (a special kind of Edam cheese)

Home cooked chicken binakol, my specialty!

A picture of Madorra, Chosen (Worshiper's fiancee) and Daniel that I took after the pamanhikan

Saying goodbye to Metro Manila:
On August 10, the day before my return flight to Bacolod City, I once again had breakfast at McCafe together with Obedient One. Below are two of the snapshots I took of Global City on my way to the bus stop.

As I walk, I feel like singing, for these past 8 days that I spent in Manila have given me such a sense of fulfillment. One very important step needed in the forthcoming marriage of Worshiper and Chosen One has been taken. Little hints of joy once again evident in the eyes of Obedient One. The snapshots below show an ultra modern city in the making, tall buildings, drainage pipes...all of which speak of a forward movement in my family's life. Thank you dear Father for the message of hope you are speaking to me in the things I see around me!







Upon arrival in Bacolod City on August 11:
I visited my grandson Matthew who was in hospital, but praise God, when I saw him, he was about to be discharged. This is a picture of this happy baby, on his hospital bed.



In the evening, on the same day that I arrived back in Bacolod City, our ministry team met for our weekly teambuilding meeting at our Family Foundations International-Philasia (FFI) ministry office.

Standing, from left to right: Raffy, Bjorn, Nikki, Trudi, Honey Grace, me, Ruby and William
Sitting, from left to right: Joey, Dennis, Mitch and Jessa (visiting from New Zealand), Tata

From the FFI meeting, Trudi and I went straight to Tina's home for our weekly care group meeting:

At the back: Tina, Linda, me, Rose, Janice, Trudi and Arlene

Lady in front: Melva

On Thursdays we meet at the home of Dan and Jing for our weekly Women of Purpose mentoring sessions under me. The Women of Purpose is the women's group at our church, committed to pursuing a relationship of intimacy with God.

Standing at the back: me, Julie, Elena, Jing, and Trude
Seated: April, Ronalee, Mayang, Indang, and Janice

The weekend just ended, I enjoyed spending with my family, with my pets, and with my plants:

Matthew showing off his new hooded bath towel

Here's a picture of me, gving the grass a badly needed "haircut"!

And below are some pictures that I took this weekend of the new flowers in my garden:












My two pet dogs:

Sammy, my Basset hound and dachshund mix breed about to sleep at her favorite rocking chair

Patches, my black, grey, and brown dachshund resting on our front steps

This picture of Matthew was taken early this morning, when I took him around our village on his stroller. He just loved the cool morning breeze. When he saw my camera, he gave me this sweet smile!