Grocery Freebies, Salvation and Commitment

Today, I had a bag full of free groceries from a grand re-opening of a store.
And the picture below is the result of running to the store at 8am , leaving my husband to attend my daughter before she went to school
Thanks Hubby.

While driving back home from the store, I was thinking, why would I go there. I went there because I love freebies. Then another freebies came up in my mind. Salvation !

Salvation is a freebie from God. I neither deserve it nor pay for it.What I need to do is receive it. How to receive it ? By faith. 

I drove my car to go to the store to get my freebie. I use my faith to go to Jesus to get my salvation. With a little effort, I get the most important freebie in this whole wide world. 

The Store gave me something free, so that I will be interested to be their loyal customer. They try to get my commitment, and for this I have to pay . Buying groceries from them, I need to pay with my hard earned dollars.

To be a follower of Christ, I need to pay with self denial. My flesh wants to do A, but Christ said to do B. I want to hate the people that make me miserable, but Christ asks me to forgive them. I want to be a great leader, but Christ says a great leader serve like a servant. So many contradictions between my flesh and Christ's commands. 

Actually, I don't need freebies. There are food in my fridge and pantry. I went there for fun. In my spiritual life, though, I terribly need the freebie from God. Without his salvation, I will be empty. Life will have no meaning. Receiving the salvation is a start of a wonderful relationship I have with my Source. 

Thanks Abba, for giving me the most expensive freebie ever, salvation from your Son. Amen. 

Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourself, it is the gift of God.

Here Came The Consequences

In the cool of the day, Adam and Eve heard that God came.
They hid themselves. God, already knew what happened,
yet he still called their names and asked where they were.
Adam answered God. They hid because they were afraid and naked.

God was not surprised.
He asked Adam who had told him about the nakedness.
He asked whether they had eaten the fruit from the forbidden tree ?

Instead of confessing, Adam blamed Eve.
Instead of asking forgiveness he inderectly blamed God
on giving him a wife.

God could judge them right away.
He could have just killed them and started another creation.
But no, He kept the investigation going.
Now it was Eve's turn.
Eve kept the blaming game going.
Of course it was the snake's mistake.
The snake was silent before God, the Creator.
After all it was only an animal.
It did not have a right to communicate with God.

It's time for everyone and everthing to face the consequences.
The snake lost its feet.
The ground lost its fertility
Adam lost his freedom to work leisurely and his immortality
Eve lost her effortlessness in creating another life
The relationship between Adam's and Eve would also be flawed
Eve wanted to be dominant over Adam
But Adam would rule over Eve

God, the Creator, did not give ONLY consequences
He also give a second chance
He had a plan B for the Adam's family
There would be a fighting, an open hostility,
a war between the Snake and Eve's descendants
Eve's descendants would dominate the Snake

God also made leather clothing for Adam and Eve
He did not have a heart to let them dressed
in shabby, prickly fig leaves

Adam and Eve were sent out of Eden to work for their life
The garden of Eden was closed
But God's heart was not closed for Adam's family
He still loved them until eternity
He guided them and communicated with them
He's always be their God

Although the Adam's family made mistakes
God never made mistakes
He is always the perfect God ever.

Here Came the Fruit

She looked at the fruit. It looked very nice and smell delicious.

Should she ask Adam about eating the fruit ? Oh no. Adam was busy chatting with the animals. Naming them one by one, probably.

Should she ask God? Oh no, would not want to disturb the All Mighty. He had hidden some facts from her anyway. Better not to offend God by asking more detailed information about His command.

What about the fruit then ? Should she eat it ? Would she die ? She already touched it, and she was still breathing.

She decided to take her chances. Life was about taking risks after all.
She closed her eyes and took a bite. She held her breath.

Was she still alive. YES ! Alive, alive, alive forever more ! She took a deep breath. Now, she could enjoy the fruit.

Fantastic taste. Sweeter than Persimmon. Tangier than lemon. Nuttier than fig. Fresher than strawberry. More fragrant than mango. More watery than watermelon. Softer than kiwi, yet crisper than Jicama. How could that be ?
This fruit perfectly blended all the opposites in nature. This fruit was wonderful. Adam must try it.

Then she called her husband.Eve showed him the fruit. She told him that she'd eaten it.

Adam was very shocked. No way. Eve would die from eating the fruit. Eve asked Adam to look at her. She was still breathing. God was hiding some facts from them. Eve handed the fruit to Adam, and asked him to take a bite.

Looking at Eve's beautiful face. Adam gave in. He wanted to please his wife.
He ate the fruit.

One second later, something peculiar happened. They felt terrible and nasty. It was as if they had been given a second pair of eyes which made them realize that they were naked. Adam and Eve were ashamed of themselves.

Here Came the Snake

Here came the snake, the trickiest animal ever.
He asked if Eve could not eat 
from any trees in the garden.
Eve started a conversation with the snake.
Eve's not aware that she did not get her facts right.

She said that she should neither eat nor touch the fruit
from the tree in the middle of garden.
Otherwise she would die.

Now, the snake took its turn to correct Eve.

It said Eve would not die.
In fact the moment she ate it, she would be like God,
knowing the difference between good and evil.

After listening what the snake said,
Eve looked at the tree. A seed of doubt began to sprout in her heart.
A doubt about God's good intention.

She evaluated the tree, its value and her options.
Then she took the initiative.
She picked the forbidden fruit.

Life in Eden

The Adam's family lived in Eden, the perfect garden ever.
Every fruit and vegetable were given to be their food.
Except one, the fruit from the tree of good and evil.
Only one had no eat sign

In the cool of the day, God walked in the garden.
He stopped by. He would chat with Adam and Eve
about many many things.

One important thing that He said was about dominating.
He told them they should fill the earth and rule over it.
They should dominate the fish in the sea,
the birds in the sky and over every living creatures
that moved on the ground.

God gave them the authority to dominate the earth.
He did not give them the authority to dominate each other.

It's such a perfect life.  Much freedom and tiny limitations.

The Adam's Family

There was a man. His name was Adam. 

He’s all alone in the whole wide world.

Every animal that He saw had a pair but him. 

He wondered where his partner was

Then God anesthetized and operated Adam.

He took a rib from him and closed the wound back. 

What a great surgeon God was !

Carefully God fashioned Adam’s partner out of that rib. 

What a great artist God was !

When Adam woke up, God brought Adam’s partner to him. 

An equal partner who was his helper. 

Adam loved her at the moment he saw her. 

What a great matchmaker God was !

Adam named her Eve. God blessed them.

That was the very first family in the whole wide world, the Adam’s family.

A man named Adam, a woman named Eve, blessed by God.  

Genesis 1:27-28

Genesis 2: 20-23

Oleh Oleh Retreat 2016

Hello semua...
Sebelum beritanya keburu basi karena disimpan terlalu lama,
Mari kita buka buka lagi kenangan retreat akhir Agustus kemaren

Retreat kali ini diadakan di musim panas
Tahun tahun sebelumnya selalu di musim dingin
Tahun ini mau yang berbeda
Walaupun tempatnya masih sama dengan yang dulu
Di Beulah Beach tentunya

Pembicaranya ialah Pak Pendeta Jonathan Pattiasina
dan Ibu Marlina Pattiasina
Setelah kita sok akrab dengan beliau beliau,
panggilannya berubah menjadi Bang Jo and Kak Ina

Mereka berdua bicara tentang Family at War...
Seru kan... serem kan... saat tenang tenang begini malah bicara perang
Tapi seluruh peserta retreat menjiwai bahan pembicaraan
Nih... bahkan sudah siap bertempur

Kegiatannya banyak outdoor kali ini
Jetski, renang, panah-panahan, berjemur di terik matahari,
api unggun sambil bakar marshmellow
dan tak lupa foto foto tentunya

Kegiatan indoor-nya pun tak kalah banyak
Praise and Worship, dengar kotbah, diskusi,
cerita Alkitab dan prakarya untuk adik adik

Makanan dan minumanpun berlimpah
Bacang, arem arem, Mie sedap, Maruchan Instant ramen, kue bolu, kue brownies, chips, kopi, jus, air es, teh tawar, teh manis

Peserta sungguh diberkati dan dilengkapi lewat retreat ini
Sekarang kenangan manis dalam retreat itu, tidak cukup hanya jadi kenangan
Namun jadi tantangan untuk hidup lebih dekat Tuhan

Amin