Thursday

Had trouble sleeping last night... because my brain was in active mode OVERTIME - and refused to stop working, even after I had put down my work early and gotten into bed! @_@ Ideas kept coming in (was preparing to lead a Bible study), but they were kinda muddled up - and my brain chose to try to untangle the thoughts at such weird hours. Couldn't get it to stop *sigh*, even though I tried all kinds of techniques! Jia lat. So well, well, well... Guess what? I ended up falling asleep at 3am! Now, I'm having a headache from lack of sleep.

Missions team meeting at school today. I don't know why, but I look forward to the meetings all the time.

Spent the rest of the day reading Book of Isaiah, and trying to shop for some necessities.

Book of Isaiah. AMAZING.

You see, before this, I always read it in bits and pieces...usually more to the second half of the book, where everything's a little more 'comforting' to read :P But today, somehow I felt that the Lord was urging me to read the beginning half of the book. I did, and it practically gripped me to read about how God's people really fell, sinned and rebelled against God - which got them into captivity. Although God had to allow it, in order that His people would be purged - then He would be able to restore them by His grace and all would be reconciled to Him, my goodness! I thought...what a love story! I mean, can you imagine? God, who was angry and grieved that those He so loved would turn against Him like that again and again (and I tell you, He must have TRULY loved them to be so angry), still had mercy on them in the end and spoke words of comfort to His people.

Sobered me to think of that redeeming grace. Now, I understand even more, how significant God's faithfulness is to us. If He can be so unconditionally faithful to a People who kept betraying Him like that, what more those who earnestly cry out to Him in repentance and in need of mercy + grace? Today, I finally understand the weight of the words He spoke in Isaiah 40:27-31. If it was just for the well-behaved ones who willingly went through all kinds of suffering for His sake, then many of us would fall short of that reassurance. But the Lord also spoke it to His people who had forsaken Him and were going through all kinds of suffering as a consequence of their own sins - with no exceptions. Reading the Book of Isaiah, it has made me even more thankful for my salvation through Christ.

O God! Dare I sin against You knowing the price You paid? Forgive my inconsistencies, unfaithfulness and unbelief! How I need Your grace each day!

Will quote Isaiah 40:27-31 here:

"Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
'My way is hidden from the Lord'
my cause is disregarded by my God'?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary.
they will walk and not be faint."