Paul's prayer...

Today's scripture reading was actually supposedly be about Epaphroditus, about how he almost lost his life for Christ and to help Paul. I'm not sure exactly what he did, but most of what I read was actually still about Paul!!! Anyway, that's cool I guess since Paul is my favorite apostle. ;) I particularly like the prayer Paul prayed for the Philippians starting in chapter1 verse 9: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

I think I'm pretty good at this 'love' thing. Even before knowing Christ, I've always been coined as a 'nice guy'. I think little kids love me because of such quality I have. However, what I lack is knowledge and depth of insight sometimes. This is something my wife can be a very good complement for me! Of course my loving nature can also be good for my wife!!! Hopefully that together, we may be able to discern what is best... and together be pure and blameless until the Day of our Lord.

Wife is still pretty depressed about the fight with her mom... depressed that there's no one in the world who she can really talk to... especially after her best friend Ho-Ching past away... I don't know Ho-Ching that well. Supposedly we've met... and wife said that she's that kind of girl... who makes little or almost no impression on others..., but she's very well read... I think she's exactly the type of person Paul's talking about. Full of love, knowledge and depth of insight. She can talk about anything with my wife and is very good at comforting folks by diverting their attention to something else more interesting...

So I encouraged her to talk to Ho-Ching again! Saying things like... if she were still alive, what would you say? And how would she respond? And interestingly it almost felt as if spirit of Ho-Ching was with us. I think Ho-Ching was actually able to make my wife feel better again! ;) Hopefully the wife can learn to talk to her Lord in a similar way whenever she feels like she has no one to talk to... no one who understands her...

Of course I also reminded her that I'm suppose to be her next 'Ho-Ching'!!! I have to admit I'm not as well read as her... and like I said I often times lacked sufficient knowledge and insight, but I got the love of God baby!!! :D And practice makes perfect! And may God help me to become better than Ho-Ching!!!

Anyway, the love of my life was also kind 'bragging' about her knowledge and insightful ability..., this is why lots of her friends like to talk to her about 'things' they normally wouldn't talk to anyone about! If only I can pump some of my love into her, I really think she can be a powerful instrument for God!!! Anyway Lord, please teach me how... or You pump Your love into her Yourself, okay? ;) What can any one of us do if You don't help us, right? And I do believe You want to help us!

Hope the wife doesn't think that I'm just a positive thinker. ;) Positive or wishful thinking alone is for sure not enough. Paul rejoiced because of God. Whether if a ministry exists because of pure motive or false motive, Paul rejoiced because Gospel is preached. Whether he lives, he's glad to do the work of Christ, whether he dies, he's glad to be back home with the Lord. Paul's positive thinking ability is achieved by focusing on God, by his love for Christ. Paul is also not pretending that he's suffering no pain and all's well... he's pretty clear about his pains in his writings, but of course he never wrote them down as complaints. This is something we must learn from Paul. By focusing on God, I think naturally, even negative thinkers can begin to think positively. I think I'm that way... I'm by nature depressive, confirmed by Pastor Su's test, but I'm able to stay positive nevertheless... I think this is mainly due to my belief in God... belief in love... I dunno, maybe wife thinks that I'm just stupid or easily brainwashed or something! Maybe I'm just a sucker for love and for God! ;) But I really do believe positive thinking ability is just the natural result of focusing on God... and by no means I'm able to completely wipe out my negative thoughts. I just don't allow them to overcome my positive ones! ;)

Optimists and pessimists? Who's right and who's wrong? Who cares? Which is better? The positive thinking original Adam and Eve or the post-forbidden fruit eating Adam and Eve with the new knowledge of good and evil? They were naked before they ate, why did they become shameful after they ate? The circumstances didn't really change, but their mindsets have...

So my prayer is that our minds are being changed to think more and more like Jesus and our hearts are being changed to be able to love more and more like Jesus. I pray in the name of Jesus. Thank you Lord! :)