Mercy In The Mess

06 Sep Mercy In The Mess

Posted at 22:58h in English Service by

Deacon Hui Zhen - 16 April 2015

Apart From God, We Have No Good Thing

All English Service

It’s plain truth that everyone has needs or desire. While we don’t find ourselves lacking of money to buy the bare necessities, lacking of place to sleep, or lacking of clothes to wear; sometimes we do feel the need to have something else: - we desire to be happy in life, in our work, in our family and among our friends. Sometimes it just doesn't come to us, and we’re troubled by them instead - we want to be freed of troubles and challenges, because they cause us a lot of inconveniences, making us having to do something outside of our comfort zone, or potentially shortchange us. Sometimes we wish certain things never happen, so that we can go ahead with our planned schedules, but it just aren’t like this in real life - and it is also true that we desire to love and be loved by people — but sometimes, when facing this real issue of the heart affair, we do not know if we should heed it, or reject it. we sense that we need it, but we do not know if it is correct to need it - sometimes, we desire to be understood by others - especially our family, our good friends and our co-workers, especially when we do or haven't done certain things - some people, and i believe a lot of people who are serving God, desire to serve God and bear fruits of their serving, so that they can be encouraged to go on. - we need to quit doing certain bad habits - it could be smoking, it could be drinking, gaming, or some sorts of bad habits, but sometimes knowing this need is good, we still can’t bring ourselves into doing it. Sometimes, having certain desires met, for eg, you’ve gotten the recognition.. you thought you need it, but while you’re happy for a shortwhile, very quickly, you realise that you are trapped in another cycle of struggling to keep up with that need… and eventually, finding ourselves losing all our joy and in a discontented state. And have you ever asked yourself, your heartfelt need today (whether is the desire to be recognised by your bosses & colleagues, the desire to have a spouse, the list goes on…) is it truly what you need today?

Related Topics: Regeneration & Sanctification | More Messages from Deacon Hui Zhen

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1 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”

7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.

14 During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.

22 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24 She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”

 

Messy families abound in a sinful world.

1) A trend observed in the Bible.

  • Polygamy
  • Sibling rivalry
  • Deception
  • Murder
  • Adultery
  • God blessed His people not because they were perfect, but because He loved them.

 

2) Brokenness persists today.

 

3) Sinful humans cannot be completely harmonious and loving.

 

Thankfully, God is at work in this mess.

  • To draw us to His gospel.
  • Mess >>> Mercy
  • Pain >>> Praise
  • Those whom God blesses and uses are not those who are perfect, but those who need Christ.

 

Not perfect but redeemable.

* How to be healed from a messy family?

  • Christ heals brokenness.
  • If already know it is fragile, take extra care to cling to God.
  • Repent of sins that contribute to the mess.
  • Be healed by God’s love and live out His word.
  • Persevere!

 

Lessons from Jacob’s messy family.

1) The marriage pleasing to God is that between one man and one woman.

 

2) Jealousy is destructive.

  • Only desire what others have but not appreciate what we have.
  • Can lead to more serious sins and extend beyond generations.
  • Hidden >>> dangerous
  • Tend to spoil relationships closer to us.
  • Makes us more bitter.
  • Solutions:
    • Find back our worth in God.
    • Learn to give thanks.
    • Love others sincerely.

 

3) Insistence on one’s desire(s) can be detrimental.

  • Jacob’s problem: Only loved Rachel, but did not confirm how valuable Leah was too.
  • We tend to love the obvious good, but do not see value in the lowly, despised, foolish, and the weak who are chosen by God <1 Co 1:27-28>.
  • Learn to appreciate blessings hidden in the “Leahs” of our lives.
  • Submit to God’s plan even if it is not of our choice.
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Preacher Hui Jun
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Huijun serves as Secretary of The Blessed RUN Ministries. She is also the Preacher at The Life Church and Missions (Singapore). She graduated from Singapore Bible College and currently lives in Singapore with her husband, Chengji.

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