DM 2017 July 8
Sarah Lim – Batch 43
Gospel: Matthew 9:14-17
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Reflection:
Last 2013, my previous work surprised me with a 6 months labor ban even if I finished my 2 years contract. During that time, I cried hard to my family about my situation. I had hopes to find a new job but in every interview I attend to, I always get rejected because of that ban. Still, I tried to be optimistic and continued to serve Him. Oftentimes I would ask him why did this happen and it made me struggle more just to hold on.
Last 2013, my previous work surprised me with a 6 months labor ban even if I finished my 2 years contract. During that time, I cried hard to my family about my situation. I had hopes to find a new job but in every interview I attend to, I always get rejected because of that ban. Still, I tried to be optimistic and continued to serve Him. Oftentimes I would ask him why did this happen and it made me struggle more just to hold on.
At that darkest time last January 2014, I met a guy at the Church while serving at the festival. He was nice and we instantly clicked. Everything went fast and I realized I started to like him and we dated. He gave me strength and I became dependent on him. He supported me, he pushed me to believe and he motivated me to find a job despite the ban. For some reasons I became overly dependent on him and I started acting childish maybe because I needed attention.
There were situations that created conflicts and that may have been the reason why he stopped. Again, I was struck with another more painful rejection. I admit I had expectations so I became depressed and I was unable to accept what happened. I had a lot of questions that I wanted to ask. There’s a big WHY? in my head and somehow I kept blaming myself. I lost hope and I was ready to give up and go home but there was one voice telling me to keep going. I convinced myself and I tried hard to pull up a strong front but I know deep inside me, I was very sad and hurting.
I never thought I would overcome that darkest time and indeed God hears our prayer. At the last minute before my visa expired, I was hired in a free zone company and my ban was lifted. Everything went well since I was able to cope up and adjust with my new work. God has given back what he has taken away with something better. I felt relieved but in my heart there’s still pain and in my head there were questions left unanswered. I was fired up to keep going and that experience changed me completely. It taught me how to be strong, to be independent and not to trust easily. It also allowed me to build walls to protect myself because I do not want to go through that pain again.
Our God knows everything and he knew I needed help and so he sent someone to show me and reveal to me that he has greater plans for me. And so I met George. At first he reminded me of that guy but as I got to know him, he was totally different. He was patient, understanding, loving, sweet, caring, and he respected me. We became a couple though there were some struggles since we had a lot of differences. It was a challenge for us to meet halfway to make ends meet. There were times we fight and we don’t talk to each other but then we learned from our mistakes. Sometimes we argue at the smallest and senseless things but it is by the grace of God why we keep holding on to our relationship. Yes, it is not just by our love for each other but by the grace of God why we’re going strong and why we’re still together. And by next year, we’re getting married!
Back then meeting George was God’s way of redirecting me and through him I was able to be happy and I am claiming to be healed of my past hurts. I am still in the process and I have realized that I am no longer the old me but perhaps I am the better me and will be striving to be the best me for God.
Indeed the Lord loves me despite and in spite of what I have done and what I will become and the Lord continues to remind me of the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17 saying “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
