LIFE GOAL: Make God smile at you

Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. Psalm 119:135.

               We invest too much time, money and effort on our most ambitious goals here on earth but all of those things are temporary. We often feel poisoned by stress because of the things that seem valuable to us but as we enter the gates of heaven and meet God for the final judgement, we will wish that we can turn back the time to do God's command. Every moment that we go to church, I often observe that people are writing for more prayer requests than expressing thanks to God. I remember a message shared in one of our church activities which was to offer God 3 T's: T-ime, T-alent and T-reasure.

               God needs our total surrender. There are three barriers that block our total surrender to God: fear, pride and confusion. We don't realize how much God loves us, we want to control our own lives and we misunderstand the meaning of surrender. One way to make God smile at us is to offer our T-I-M-E to him. Whenever we give our time, we are making a sacrifice and the essence of our sacrifice can be spelled out as L-O-V-E for GOD. 

               God is the source of our talents. God has a purpose for every ability and interest that we possess. More than gaining popularity or impressing someone by our talents, God wants us to use them to honor and glorify His name. A true mark of being God's servant is by showcasing and delivering our talents not just with excellence but with love. God smiles when He sees our heart and full commitment towards Him.

               God is our creator and everything we see are all part of His creation. As the Bible says in Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it". All of our treasures are not ours but belongs to Him so every time we give generously to the church, His kingdom on earth will prosper.

Let's Pray:

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

Jesus, how sweet is the very thought of you! You fill my heart with joy. The sweetness of your love surpasses the sweetness of honey. Nothing sweeter than you can be described; no words can express the joy of your love. Only those who have tasted your love for themselves can comprehend it. In your love you listen to all my prayers, even when my wishes are childish, my words confused, and my thoughts foolish. And you answer my prayers, not according to my own misdirected desires, which would bring only bitter misery; but according to my real needs, which brings me sweet joy. Thank you, Jesus, for giving yourself to me.

Kathrine Joy Sayam is currently working at the Office of the Vice President for the Loyola School as an office staff.