Kumpulan Renungan

Funny how $10 looks so big when we take it to church,
but so small when take it to the store.

Funny how big 60 minutes are serving God,
but how small when shopping, or playing golf, or watching TV.

Funny how laborious it is to read a chapter in the Bible,
but how easy it is to read 200 to 300 pages of a best selling novel.

Funny how we believe what a person or newspaper says,
but question What the Bible says.

Funny how we can’t think of anything to say when we pray,
but don’t have any difficulty thinking of things to gossip about to a friend.

Funny how we need 2 or 3 weeks to fit a church event into our schedule,
but have no problem adjusting for a social event at the last minute.

Funny how we get thrilled when a football game goes extra-time,
But complain when a sermon is longer than the regular time.

Funny how people scramble to get a front seat at any game,
But scramble to get a back seat at church services.

Funny how difficult it is to share the gospel with others,
but how Simple it is to spread gossip.

Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven, provided they don’t have
To believe, think, say, or do anything.

Funny, isn’t it? Or is it funny at all ?

I ran into a stranger as he passed by. “Oh, excuse me please” was my reply.
He said, “Please excuse me too; I wasn’t even watching for you.”
We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said good-bye.

But at home a different story is told, how we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal, my daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned around, I nearly knocked her down. “Move out of the way,”
I said with a frown.

She walked away, her little heart broken. I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.

While I lay awake in bed, The voice of God came to me and said,
“While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the children you love,
you seem to abuse. Look on the kitchen floor, you’ll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers she brought for you. She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.
She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise, and you never saw the tears in her eyes.”

By this time, I felt very small and now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by her bed; “Wake up, little girl, wake up,”

I said. “Are these the flowers you picked for me?”
She smiled, “I found ‘em, out by the tree. I picked ‘em because they’re pretty just like you.
I knew you’d like ‘em, especially the blue.” I said, “Daughter, I’m sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.” She said, “Oh, Mommy, that’s okay. I love you anyway.”
I said, “Daughter, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.”

Are you aware that:
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family - an unwise investment indeed.

So what is behind the story? Do you know what is in the full word of family?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU ?

It is worthwhile to share more time with family. Make balance among all things.

The biggest challenge most of us face in our lives is swallowing our pride and admitting that we were wrong. Gulp! It’s tough duty to summon the courage to admit to others — and to God — that we fall short of our best intentions, that we sometimes make a mess of things.

Confession: More important than self-esteem
It is human nature to miss the mark of perfection. It also is human nature to convince ourselves that we really don’t have to confess our shortcomings to anyone else. After all, our delicate psyches and our self-esteem might be wounded if we focused on such negative matters.

Yet, out of the bad news of sin and separation from God and neighbors emerges the good news of forgiveness and reconciliation. God’s promise, as recorded in Isaiah 1:18 and 1 John 1:7-9, offers to those who truly seek forgiveness a cleansing of the soul, a purging of your personal rap sheet.

Forgiveness: Never in short supply Because people are proud and stubborn, you can go to any library in the English speaking world and check out a book by Dr. Karl Menninger entitled, “Whatever Became of Sin?”
And while you’re browsing, because God is just and full of loving kindness, you can check out the Bible and discover whatever became of forgiveness, too.

I think you’ll find that both sin and forgiveness may fall out of fashion, but they are never in short supply.