“You have set your glory above the heavens.” Psalm 8:1b The Camp Bato in Sibonga, Cebu is a favorite campsite. For many years it served as a venue for our annual Kawayan Camp for college students. Set about two thousand meters above sea level, it overlooks a beautiful and vast expanse of land and sea capped by a clear-blue sky. The sky at Camp Bato is lovely both day and night. During the day, flocks of wooly clouds appear in ancient patterns and designs. Birds soar high in different directions,... Read the rest of this entry »

“… offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 The workplace has a dwindling number of employees who would go beyond their call of duty and take an extra mile without thinking of repayment. Most workers demand pay for extra effort and time. Sometimes we also think that the Christian life is like that, that God deserves only a portion of ourselves, of our time and money. But the apostle Paul is clear in his call... Read the rest of this entry »

“Love never fails.” – I Corinthians 13:8a We profess undying love to our beloved. Some of us even offer celestial elements as a kind of collateral. But when harsh times come we easily give up on the people we supposedly love. Instead of the moon and the stars we throw them our tantrums. We also profess love for our neighbors. But when they throw tirades at us, gossip about us behind our backs, or ignore us, we drop them from our social registry and from our prayer list. The Apostle... Read the rest of this entry »

Jacob’s encounter with God is none of this. Instead of coming to him in friendliest term, God comes to him in hostility. God takes on him. Out of the ordinary, God engages Jacob in a wrestling match. A wrestling match is what Jacob needs the least in his time of crisis, in his solitude at night, totally vulnerable. He is exhausted by the ordeals of the day, devising plans to survive an impending threat to his life, family and entire belongings. Alone in the night, unprotected, what Jacob needs... Read the rest of this entry »

The Teacher is not ascetic nor a killjoy. He does not see the Christian life as the end of all pleasures, as the curtailment of enjoyment and satisfaction. But more than sensual indulgence and careless lifestyle, the Teacher instructs us to see enjoyment and satisfaction not as end in themselves. He instructs us to revere God, to acknowledge that our celebration of life is only possible because God willingly and delightfully allows it. It is our lot, a gift from God. lifes_fulfillment_full.jpgOur... Read the rest of this entry »

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-20 We live frenetic lives because of the many demands of work, ministry, family, and other relationships. We are adversely affected by the economic crunch, by soaring commodity prices, by fare hikes, and by other financial obligations and challenges.... Read the rest of this entry »

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 God put into place natural processes to sustain the created order. A slimy caterpillar metamorphoses into a colorful butterfly. A dead seed buried in the soil sprouts and grows into a tree. A painful wound, although it usually leaves a scar, heals over time. A baby stays at its mother’s womb for nine months before it pushes itself out. The Teacher in Ecclesiastes mentions the different seasons... Read the rest of this entry »

“Cast your bread upon the waters, For many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight, For you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” - Ecc. 11:1-2 We do not always take risks and in the rare times we do, we make calculated risks. There are various reasons we don’t take risks. Some of us have yet to allow room for mistakes in our lives. The thought of failing simply terrifies us. We are afraid of appearing vulnerable, weak, helpless, and hapless. Some of us... Read the rest of this entry »

“The whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him.” Haggai 1:12 The Israelites are back to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon. Once more, they are a free people. The horrors of war and their harrowing experience as prisoners of war can now be forgotten as they start to rebuild their lives. But there is a problem. No matter how hard they try, they fail. They do not succeed or progress. They... Read the rest of this entry »

Jesus explains what the woman does by washing His feet with her tears and pouring perfume on them: she is demonstrating her love and devotion to Him. She does what Simon exactly fails to do: welcome Jesus. She welcomes Jesus as the One most significant person in her life, as the One who can give her what she desperately lacks. At the end she gets what she needs when Jesus accepts her, forgives her, and gives her His shalom. Because she chooses to come to Jesus in public, she is also restored... Read the rest of this entry »