Valerie Chang

O God, fill my soul with so entire a love of Thee that I may love nothing but for Thy sake and in subordination to Thy love.

Give me grace to study Thy knowledge daily that the more I know Thee, the more I may love Thee.

Create in me a zealous obedience to all Thy commands, a cheerful patience under all Thy chastisements, and a thankful resignation to all Thy disposals. 

Let it be the one business of my life to glorify Thee by every word of my tongue, by every work of my hand, by professing Thy truth, and by engaging all men, so far as in me lies, to glorify and love Thee.

written by John Wesley

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life (A); but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury (B). There will be tribulation and distress (B) for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor (A) and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” Romans 2:6-11

You can easily read through these five verses, and sum it up by saying that God rewards the good and punishes the wicked since he “shows no partiality.”

There is so much more here.

Take a look at this pattern:

1. positive reward (A)

2.negative consequence (B)

3. negative consequence (B)

4. positive reward (A)

This pattern is a chiastic structure. A chiastic structure consists of an ABBA pattern, and this literary device is used to stress the middle part of the text (hence, X marks the spot). (Or if you remember from your biology class: two chromatids forming a chiasma during meiosis?) Notice also how (A) is spoken in the active voice, whereas (B) is spoken in the passive voice. Isn’t this interesting…

Paul is stressing this part: “… there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress…” Taking this phrase into context, Paul’s theme in Romans 2 has consistently been highlighting God’s role as a judge on the “ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” Essentially, I believe the purpose of Paul’s letter to the Romans is to target these group of people… which is all of us, including myself. Paul leaves the two good rewards on the outside of the chiastic structure because none fall under this category. Even in the next chapter, Paul labels none as “… righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.”  

Paul not only points out this problem, but he also gives a resolution: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (3:23-4).

He is a generous AND an impartial judge. Two contradictions, seemingly. 

Today’s schedule:

8:30 am -9:15 Finish up homework for English

9:30-12:20 pm Ballet & English Class

12:20-1 Change clothes, eat a quick lunch while walking to Jenn’s car, drive to internship, thanks to Jenn. :)

1-5 Internship at Consumers’ Law Group

5-5:15 Drive back to campus, thanks to Raymond. :)

5:15-7 Chiptole dinner with Michelle, Kristen, and Bethel!

7-11 Office Work at Student Center

And now I’m home!

Thank you so much, God, for giving me so many opportunities.

I don’t like spiders, but I am thankful for them.

As I was brushing my teeth in my bathroom, I saw a huge, brown daddy long legs in the sink. Disgusted by this sight, I instantly drowned it with water, turning the hot water knob to its fullest.

I feel so bad now. I wish I showed mercy to this poor spider. I wonder, did I deny the spider’s right to live in my bathroom? Does a spider even have rights?

I am so thankful that God does not act in the same manner. Instead of drowning me in the lake of hell, He shows mercy towards me: He refrains from touching that hot water knob… even though He absolutely abhorred my sinful nature. Jesus, thank you for coming down to save a spider like me. 

Sorry spider, I’ll be kinder to your brothers and sisters next time. Your unfortunate death did not go down the drain in vain!

November 24, 2011

by John Piper

Thank you, Father, for my life.
Thank you for my precious wife.

Thank you, Father, for my girl.
Thank you for this deep-sea pearl.

Thank you, Father, for my sons,
Fathers, wives, the little ones.

Thank you for the church I serve,
Staff and friends I don’t deserve.

Thank you, Father, for my birth,
Who can measure parents’ worth?

Thank you, Father, for the schools,
Mental tools, and passion fuels.

Thank you, Father, for my eyes,
Wonders of the earth and skies.

Thank you, Father, for my ears,
Priceless music through the years.

Thank you, Father, for my friends,
Comrades, care, and common ends.

Thank you, Father, for the books,
Deeper currents, distant looks.

Thank you, Father, for my home,
Sweetest pocket of shalom.

Thank you for the maple tree,
The swing, the yellow canopy.

Thank you for the neighborhood,
The interwoven bad and good.

Thank you, Father, for the tears,
Dying darkness yet appears.

Thank you, Father, for your word 
Silver, honey, eaten, heard.

Thank you, Father, for your Son,
Stripes, the bruise, the mission done.

Thank you for the Spirit too,
Wak’ning, filling, giving—You.

Father, Father, can it be?
Thank you for adopting me.

Today, my brother in Christ shared the Gospel to me.

I can paraphrase a few lines from different places in our conversation. Bear with my horrible memory! It goes something like this:

—————————

him: If I didn’t check my blind spot, and if you didn’t check my blind spot, and if I crashed into a car, and if you were to die today, are you so sure God would let you into Heaven?

me: [pause…] Yes…

him: Why?

—————————

him: Have you lied before?

me: Yes.

him: Have you stolen anything before?

me: Yes. I stole chopsticks from the supermarket once when I was little.

him: Were you angry at anyone before?

me: Yes.

him: In Matthew 5, you are a murderer if you’re angry at your brother.

me: Really? [looks up Matthew 5.]

—————————

him: Have you lusted before?

me: Yes.

—————————

him: God is faced with a dilemna - He judges a case, the sinner stands before Him, He looks down, and realizes that He’s not only the judge of the sinner, but also the father of the sinner: “Valerie?!”

————————

him: “What would you say to God then?”

me: I wouldn’t say anything…. I can’t say anything to Him. I am not righteous in His eyes, but I have faith that Jesus’ righteousness will cover my transgressions. 

————————-

Now that I think back, I am assured that I am His daughter. I know for a fact that He has permanently marked and branded me as His sheep for eternity: it’s a set-in-stone seal. There is absolutely no way I’m turning back.

If I do not have this “assurance”, then my life is a complete and utter waste. All this sanctification for nothing. Paul is so right that Christians should be called fools if Jesus Christ never existed.

Please do not hesitate to expose my sins and to (joyfully) tell me about Jesus Christ’s atonement. I pray that the Gospel refreshes my soul daily.