Philippine Asian News Today Vol 20 No 4 | Page 24

24 RELIGIOUS PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY February 16 - 28 , 2018
Wisdom from the Word
Ben Berto

THE AMAZING PLAN

For when we were still without strength , in due time Christ died for the ungodly . 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die ; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die . 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us , in that while we were still sinners , Christ died for us . Romans 5 : 6-8 NKJV
One many-starred Army general once said , “ Plans are nothing , planning is everything .” In every undertaking , planning is very important . There are Plans A , B , and other contingency plans . God also has many good plans for us and they are for our own good . I have been reading a book by Elizabeth Viera Talbot entitled AMAZING GRACE . I would like to share it with you in a serialized form verbatim and I hope you will enjoy the book . So without much ado let ’ s start with the first chapter THE AMAZING PLAN .
““ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . ( Genesis 1:1 ) The seven Hebrew words that make up the first sentence in the Scriptures foreshadow the seven days of the creation process . God was preparing for a perfect place for His children ; they were the crown of His
creation .
As God was speaking their home into existence , He was also making qualitative statements about how well
things were going . After the second day , “ It was good ” is found at the completion of every day , signifying that God was pleased with how the earth was becoming the ideal home of His babies . Each day starts with “ then God said ” and it ends with “ there was an evening and there was morning ”.
Every day God gave a command , and the narrative highlights the accomplishment of each command as we get closer and closer to the day
when His children would arrive . And then … It was time ! God was about to create His children---His babies . From this moment on , everything would be different . His universe would change forever . Their home was ready , the day has arrived . And God Paused .
A divine council took place
exclusively before creating humankind in the Creation narrative . As God is dialoguing in community , we get a glimpse of the uniqueness and climactic significance of this moment : “ Then God said , ‘ Let Us make man ’” ( Genesis 1 : 26 ) “ Man ” ( adam ) is a collective name for humankind , as will be further explained in Genesis 1 : 27 . God has reflected and decided to have children . You can almost picture in your mind a husband and wife in intimate conversation at the kitchen table , planning the most important decision of their lives : “ Let ’ s have children .” ( To be continued . Itutuloy )
For prayer , questions and Bible study , call Ben at 604- 581-1278 , Junjun at 778-927- 8040 , Stanley at 604-700-3053 and Pastor Leomar Macaraig at 604-928-3579 . You are invited to study the Bible with us every Friday night at 9495- 132 St . Surrey , and worship with us every Sabbath ( Saturday ) at the Abundant Life Seventh-day Adventist Church at 13062-104 Avenue , Surrey . Welcome .

Moments

Time to change

Fr . Jerry M . Orbos , SVD
The story is told about three prisoners who were put on solitary confinement . The first one requested that his room be filled with booze . The second one requested that his room be filled with books . The third one requested that his room be filled with cigarettes . When their rooms were opened six months later , the first one was found to be thin and jaundiced . The second one was calm and happy . The third one was a nervous wreck , and his angry question was : “ Does anyone have a light ?”
What we have or don ’ t have can transform and change us . In today ’ s Gospel ( Mk . 9 , 2-10 ), we hear how the transfiguration of Jesus at the mountaintop forever transformed the disciples Peter , James and John . The presence of the glorified Lord was an experience that changed their lives forever .
Things , people , or events can transfigure or transform us for the
better or for worse . It all depends on how we filter or process these . Let us pray for the grace to be really open to conversion and transformation . Let us not play the game of denial , rationalization , postponement , or manipulation when we are being called to become better persons .
“ This is my beloved Son . Listen to Him .” That ’ s it . We have to listen to the Lord as we go through life in the here and now . There are so many things happening around us at such a fast pace , and in such loud ways . Let us take the time to listen , listen hard , and listen well ; otherwise , we will get lost and confused . Take the time to stop , look , and listen to the Lord . ******* Inspiring people transform us . Last week we said goodbye to Fr . Gino Batongbacal , SVD , who went back to Brazil , his first foreign mission assignment , after his three-month vacation in the Philippines . He is now 72 years old — 43 years as a priest , 42 of which were spent in Brazil . This missionary from Pulilan , Bulacan , just keeps on going , and keeps on inspiring us who come after him . ******* It was with a bit of sadness that I met Tomas and Tessie Hizola and their daughter , Charity , at our Mission House last week . The Hizolas were there to help their son and brother , 33-year-old Father Apiong , pack his things for his first mission assignment , the Netherlands . It was a big letting go for all of them , all done out of love for and commitment to Him who calls us to leave everything that is dearest for the Kingdom of God . ******* My accident last Feb . 7 has transformed me in many ways . More than ever , I know that life is short . When it ’ s game over , then we go , and we carry literally nothing with us . It can happen at any time , and I , too , have realized that the way we live largely determines the way we die . There are no shortcuts . Everything just adds up . Yes , we who have been given the chance to live long , and to live on , must keep saying : “ The rest of my life , the best of my life .”
My hands hurt after my accident , and still do up to now . Imagine how I feel when people shake hands with me or “ make mano .” I always end up saying , “ Ah-ah-ah-men !” People do not know we are hurting . They , too , have enough hurts themselves . ******* Today is the 32nd anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution . What has happened to us as a people and as a nation ? Have we been transformed by the events we went
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM through ? Have we been transformed for the better by the leaders we have elected ? Is the future better for those who will come after us ? Finally , is God happy with what is happening to us ? Questions . Questions . Questions .
Think about this : “ We will not begin to pray without taking time to do so . We cannot take time to pray unless we stop spending time on something else . Until one believes that prayer is the most important thing , we will never find time to pray .” ( Fr . Doms Ramos , SVD ) ******* A moment with the Lord : Lord , remind us that the time to change is now . Amen .