Now I live among the dead
Fighting voices in my head
Hoping someone hears me crying in the night
And carries me away
Set me free of the chains holding me
Is anybody out there hearing me?
Set me free
That was the condition of the man mentioned in Mark 5:1-20..and as Rev Hock Soon shared with us on this new yr's sunday, the condition that we could be in even as a new year begins. Quite something huh...there's been a similar focal point of the sharings recently(youth camp ministry session & recent sunday sermons.etc), about having a new beginning in Him and surrendering of our past baggages and trash to Him.
Personally it's been something that God seems to be pointing out to me. Even though I had prepared and facilitated the ministry session during the camp, I really needed this reminder myself. Currently in the midst of taking time to reflect through my life and issues gone by for the past 4 yrs, it's been a tremendous period of time, realising & uncovering stuff I've hid aside unknowingly or purposely due to weariness along the way, it's having to first of all acknowledge what's really inside me. I believe you have been through a similar path, & can certainly attest with me that it's a rocky path of pain, hurts, regrets & disappointments to be treading through.
As painful as it was for the man to be chained among tombstones, aren't we actually pretty much in the same predicament as we allow voices of fear, uncertainty, regrets and pain to be the chains that bind us to our past... so much so that it becomes a comfort zone for us to stay status quo rather than respond to His question to us: "Would you want to be free?"
Set us all free Lord.
ps. think i'm wols..but just realised the song "Set Me Free" by Casting Crowns is actually based on this passage from Mark. :)[Set Me Free] - Casting CrownsIt hasn't always been this way
I remember brighter days
Before the dark ones came
Stole my mind
Wrapped my soul in chains
Now I live among the dead
Fighting voices in my head
Hoping someone hears me crying in the night
And carries me away
Chorus:
Set me free of the chains holding me
Is anybody out there hearing me?
Set me free
Morning breaks another day
Finds me crying in the rain
All alone with my demons I am
Who is this man that comes my way?
The darks ones shriek
They scream His name
Is this the One they say will set the captives free?
Jesus, rescue me
As the God man passes by
He looks straight through my eyes
And darkness cannot hide
Chorus 2:
Do you want to be free?
Lift your chains
I hold the key
All Power on Heaven and earth belong to me
You are free
You are free
You are free
A blessed chinese new yr to u all !
Hope you all had a good time with your family over dinner huh?
Had this talk with my uncle over dinner table earlier on. He was lamenting about the distancing of relationships between relatives...esp the people of this our generation. Hmmm...to you whose reading...is that the case? As in your closeness to your cousins and all that.
Guess he hit the nail about my side. Honestly, I'm not really that close to my relatives, even for those around my age. The most vivid memories were from our relating during childhood..but with the passage of time, we distanced from each other. Thinking about it, it's pretty sad, esp when you consider like how things will be like when the older generation passes on, what will happen to us? For now there's still the older generation to bridge us together in a way...but it still depends on us doing our part.
Heh..no this ain't some civics moral education...but if willing...to actually think about our families, God's concept & desire for it, as well as the plan He has for placing us in the family.
Hee okok...that's it for now then...have a blessed time with your family and relatives yeah? Chiong all the new yr goodies you want, but the ang pows can share abit? :D
Ever run away from home before?
Apparently most of us have :D
The following's dedicated to the majority of us who have at one point or another, and ever so prone to, foolishly treaded that path out of home.
RUNNING AWAY FROM HOMEby Max Lucado
When I was seven years old, I ran away from home.
I’d had enough of my father’s rules and decided I could make it on my own, thank you very much. With my clothes in a paper bag, I stormed out the back gate and marched down the alley.
Like the prodigal son, I decided I needed no father. Unlike the prodigal son, I didn’t go far. I got to the end of the alley and remembered I was hungry, so I went back home.
But though the rebellion was brief, it was rebellion nonetheless. And had you stopped me on that prodigal path between the fences and asked me who my father was, I just might have told you how I felt. I just might have said, “I don’t need a father. I’m too big for the rules of my family. It’s just me, myself and my paper bag.”
I don’t remember saying that to anyone, but I remember thinking it. And I also remember rather sheepishly stepping in the back door and taking my seat at the supper table across from the very father I had, only moments before, disowned.
Did he know of my insurrection? I suspect he did. Did he know of my denial? Dads usually do. Was I still his son? Apparently so. (No one else was sitting in my place.)
Had you gone to my father after you had spoken to me and asked, “Mr. Lucado, your son says he has no need of a father. Do you still consider him your son?” What would my dad have said?
I don’t have to guess at his answer. He called himself my father even when I didn’t call myself his son. His commitment to me was greater than my commitment to him.
I didn’t hear the rooster crow like Peter did. I didn’t feel the fish belch like Jonah did. I didn’t get a robe and a ring and sandals like the prodigal did. But I learned from my father on earth what those three learned from their Father in heaven.
Our God is no fair-weather Father. He’s not into this love-’em-and- leave-’em-stuff. I can count on him to be in my corner no matter how I perform. You can, too.
Not an excuse for us to take His grace for granted. But don't we all need a reminder of His faithfulness for the times we find ourselves standing sheepishly outside the house, wondering what to say in the light of what's been done?
I sure do. :)