Through the praise of children and infants...

Today was a good day.

I woke up really early (panicking that I might be late for school - yes, again) and had all the time in the world to scrub/wash my kitchen sink, shower, eat a substantial breakfast, do quiet-time, pray over Friday's prayer list, type out an email, twit and get ready for school. Stopped at the gas station on the way to school too, for a refill.

This morning I meditated on Psalm 8:2-4 (TNIV) :

"Through the praise of children and infants You have established a stronghold against Your enemies to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what are mere mortals that You are mindful of them? Human beings that You care for them?"

Wow, mindblowing - that. Imagine... The praises of kids and babies made into a stronghold against God's enemies? (Parents with lil' ones, this is another good reason to bring up your kids in the ways of the Lord!)

(This is not my kid btw. This is Joel, QY and Ruth's very adorable son, when he was a little younger.)

Similarly, when we sob out from our hearts to God and yet utter praises to Him with childlike faith despite seemingly our hopeless circumstances, things happen. God hears us and comes to our rescue... our defense. The Bible says that He defends the afflicted, the weak, the poor, the orphaned and the oppressed... and reveals to us His original, authentic purpose for each of our lives. What a mystery then, that the One who made the universe and all that is in it should care to lavish such grace and mercy on us, mortal beings - who are as dust!

We had classes with Dr. Matahari-Y again today. I relearned the meaning of 'history'.

I still remember clearly the very first page of buku Sejarah Tingkatan Satu (Form 1 history book) upon which 'History' was defined as 'his story' - i.e the story of mankind. It is a chronological record of past events of the development of civilizations, nations, institutions, etc. While part of it is true - ('History' is unquestionably made up of many of such true and significant stories) - it more essentially means 'His story' - i.e. God's story, defined by the many stories of mankind that fit well into their places. Through such stories, we see the rise and fall of man, learn good values, are devastated at the consequences of war and corruption, and come to understand the present... Yet more importantly, we also see God's hand purposefully at work, steadily accomplishing His great Redemptive Plan - even from the days of the Abrahamic covenant. You can see now, why I love history lessons.

In love He came.

This sobering thought brings me back to King David's Psalm 8:4: "...what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them? Human beings that you care for them?"

Also, today... in class, while Dr. Matahari-Y was talking about another thing, I had a sudden thought in my head - an idea of what I could do someday for God - when Dr. Matahari-Y suddenly called my name, voiced out exactly what I was thinking and said, "... this could be some people's calling... Right, Grace?" I raised my eyebrows at him, half-amused and half-shocked.

How can this be a coincidence? How can the stories of our lives be mere coincidences?

No, they fit into God's ultimate Story.