Goal oriented

I was just listening to some songs on YouTube when I was again reminded of the important aspect in life: purpose.

It reminds me of some friends who are very goal oriented. They always plan, in great detail, all the things that they want to do and the maximum age that they want them to get done by.

One thing in particular is marriage. In my circle, 30 is usually the 'cut-off' marriage age for both males and female.

I happen to have a friend who is just short of 30. To cut the story short, he is very 'behind of his schedule' due to one thing and another so as soon as he was introduced to this girl, he immediately expressed his concern with this girl in regards to meeting 'the deadline' for marriage.

Apparently the girl was brought up in the same way of thinking so it was quite easy for them to arrange their marriage, even with very minimal knowledge of one another considering the very limited time and very far distance they have between them.

I really congratulate them for making it 'on-time' for marriage. I really do. After all, we have brains and it is only normal for people to use them to make schedules and stick to it.

I am not one of them. The number 30 is approaching soon and as much as I am quite concerned with 'the norm' to get married before a certain age, I am more concerned with what I might get out of marriage if I force myself to get married before 30 when deep down in my life I know that I am not totally ready to jump into this lifetime commitment wagon.

Yes, it had came across my mind several times that I might have been a commitment phobia. Or that I will never be ready enough to enter a marriage and that I just have to make that leap of faith. And they are, to some degree, reflect the truth. However, last week I was given the chance to stop and restore myself and it is then that I found the answer: Am I going to be a goal-oriented person or am I going to be a God-oriented person?

It might be my fault if I have foolishly spent all these years for things that do not matter the most. However, I believe that there is always another chance, even if it means a major delay to the destination I have been given to achieve. I will be more foolish if I decide to continue building if I know that the foundation is not solid -- and we know that life will only receive more and more tests and sooner or later any less-than-perfect work will not stand.

If I am to be God-oriented, then it doesn't really matter whether or not my goals are achieved -- as long as my relationship with Him is always achieved.

The Offering...

My bible reading this morning covered Leviticus 2 & 3. These chapters cover detailed instructioms on how Israelites should prepare their offerings for when they present grain offerings and peace (animal) offerings.

I was drawn to the difference of 'face value' between grain and animals. In an instant we would definitely put animals in a 'more expensive' category than grain. However, grain was offered alongside an extra ingredient before it is being offered as sacrifice: oil. It is only then that the grain can be of "a pleasing fragrance to God." (Lev 2:1)

It reminded me of the poor widow in Luke 21 who gave two pennies into the offering. For many, the two pennies represent something of less value. Yet, these pennies had an extra ingredient: "she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford - she gave her all!"(Luk 21:4) -- and that was why it was counted as "the largest offering today" (Luk 21:3).


In Levicitus 3, the animal offerings were to be "without any defect" (Lev 3:1, 5). But that is not all. The head had to be slaughtered at the entrance, blood thrown on all sides of the altar (Lev 3:2,8), all the fat removed (Lev 3:3,9) and the kidneys removed (Lev 3:4,10).


Have we been giving extravagantly, with the most significant part of our life (i.e. blood) thrown on "all sides of the altar"? Have we been giving what is pure? The one that is 'without defect' and away from our intelligence (ie. the head)? Are we ready to let go of our 'fat' (our unnecessary baggage) and our kidneys (our 'hard work' which transforms food into something useful to the whole body) and present it as sacrifice for the Lord?


* All verses are taken from The Message translations