With This Suffering

The premise of this blog is ultimately to encourage me to live a life that expresses Philippians 4:8. However, in the wake of suffering, how do we live lives that are submerged in things which are noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. Moreover, how do we believe a God who is all these things in the midst of the kind of suffering that exposes our inability to be all these things.

I must say, this post on suffering emanates from a plethora of writing by DesiringGod as well as the stories of Wendy Alsup and Vaneeth Rendall Risner. With that Hebrews 11 faith, these two women share their daily pursuit of Gods heart though they are in a stew of suffering.

While reading Romans last year I remember just beginning to appreciate hardship. I recall just sitting for sessions on Romans 8 and reading it in as many translations as I could. This scripture really affirmed what I had known for many years. All my losses and all my suffering drove me to Gods throne. My suffering was indirectly the reason why I chose Jesus Christ. The phrase 'working for the good' was familiar but was relevant. I was assured and knew that the Maker is a Master. I read Romans 8 and believed it.

Honestly, in this season of suffering I really do not appreciate hardship and I do not always believe that it is working for my good. The life of Joseph and the story of the two disciples praising and praying in a Roman prison cell are formidable but Psalm 71:20 & 21 has been a treat. Hope is never a scarcity and so with this suffering I will hope.

Though you have made me see troubles,
many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.

You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again - Psalm 71:20&21

Signed
Rapt.

Revisiting 8 Giants in Philippians 4:8

Allow me to ask a question. Why can we never read the Bible enough? This is because our human bodies and specifically our brains can not host or cognitively digest the depth and infinite wealth that is in the Bible. Simply put: our finite brains and the infinite revelation and enlightenment that is in Biblical scripture do not have a symbiotic relationship. This became real to me after recently revisiting Philippians 4:8.

Read it and read it again
'Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.'

I had read this text a couple times but something happened recently when I read it and re-read it. I sat myself down and asked myself, 'what in my surrounding or in me is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and/or praise worthy?'

The Greatest of and/or
Follow me on this.. When trying to follow the direct instruction given in Philippians 4:8 it is important to know or find the eight giants named in this passage. There are many humans (arguably), books, tangibles, philosophies and phenomenon that are perceived as true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous or praise worthy. However, I am convinced and certain that the the Trinity and the Bible are the only things that possess all eight of these characteristics. The writer of Philippians is ultimately instructing and urging you and I to gravitate towards the Trinity and the Bible because in them there you will find all eight giants co-existing.

Read it and re-read it again
So let me ask the question again. Why can we never read the Bible enough? This is because the Bible is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praise worthy, and we are not.

Signed

Rapt'nRuminant

Making Blogging My Conduit

I have been away from the webisphere doing what I would otherwise do when not fiddling on here. This however does not include the extensive hours I have spent on YouTube, and all the other countless social media avenues which I have failed to keep up with. I have certainly seen, heard, experienced and learnt a lot since my last post. This is what brings me back to Rapt'nRuminant.

Rapt'nRuminant is and was for me a personal space to record and relay my thoughts. I need to add that this does not mean that my thoughts are: not evolving, infallible (yes, I appreciate some gentle correction), always coherent and conclusive. However, my reason for recording and relaying my thoughts is to encourage renewed and redeemed thinking, to perpetuate coherent views on Biblical text, to highlight the inerrant word of God and, it's conclusive nature.

I will admit that this second attempt at making Rapt'nRuminant a fruit bearer is purely for selfish reasons. I can not stress enough that fundamentally, Rapt'nRuminant is a one square meter space that I occupy at the back of the vast acred internet classroom. This blog is a sermon that I am preaching to myself and the reader is unashamedly eavesdropping. My growth is primary and the audience is secondary.

So this is my prodigal return to sewing on the internet's fertile soil. Here's to another attempt at making blogging my conduit.

Signed

Rapt'nRuminant

We Have Joy

It's been one of those months where I have had to search at the end of everyday. At the end of each day, effortlessly search. Search for a reason to laugh. The kind of laughter that will have my stomach in a knot. The kind of laughter that has streams of tears running down my cheeks. Laugh so hard I have no time to determine how loud or how embarrassing my laugh can be. That kind of laughter.

Sitting now thinking about it is great cause every night I have gone to bed authentically joyful with a good dose of that kind of laughter. It's true. I won't be boastful any further but I'll be honest rather.

So in the last past weeks, somewhere in my subconscious mind, I've been haunted by the meaning of my first name. My mother named me Sinovuyo, which is isiXhosa, meaning: we have joy.

To prevent any further unanticipated rambling on my behalf; I will just say that I will do anything to be joyful. I mean that beaming-smile, genuine-laugh, free-spirited, whole-hearted, self-content, Cross-embracing and Christ-satisfied kind of joy.

The thing is when I get trapped in the buzzy busy of my very very little world it becomes almost so easy for me to let 'things' sabotage my joy, my esteem, my strength, my walk. It is not till I opened a page in my journal earlier this month and read, "The joy of the Lord is your strength - Nehemiah 8:10." As I turned the page it read, "Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord comforts His people - Isaiah 49:13"

So there I was: in song, shouting for my joy. Hhey now don't deem me crazy. I told you I will do anything for my joy. Also, do know that being in song and shouting (literally) are not necessarily actions I'd like to have in parallel to one another - otherwise I wouldn't be my dad's daughter though I am my Father's child. However, it is just that I am willing to go to war for my joy.

Now this is not because I got given this duty cause my name suggests joyfulness. Neither is this because I am on this planet to walk on rainbows and pursue self-indulging pleasures for my life.

It's because I have come to know that sometimes joy is the only strength that I have. I am talking about the beaming-smile, genuine-laugh, free-spirited, whole-hearted, self-content, Cross-embracing and Christ-satisfied kind of joy.

#WhyILoveGod

The beauty of conventional social media leaves my face gleaming.

I was nominated by my sister, Tawonga, on Facebook to participate on the #WhyILoveGodChallenge. 

This is what my words can bear on this:

I love God because He loved me first. He has loved me always. In the fullest and definite meaning of the word love. He goes all out to show me that He is inlove with me. His love is not concerned about reciprocity or my consistency. He loved me before I took breathe and has never stopped. I love God because He first, unconditionally, loved me.

Signed
rapt'nruminant

14 Promises from John 14

I took on the challenge, or rather the delight, to try find and meditate on all the promises God makes to His people in His Word. Well, trying would just be the beginning of me finding out that there are too many thousands of promises made.

A friend of mine reminded me of the flacidity of ones heart and mind in not being captivated by atleast five of His promises. I think I would be disregarding the ineffable beauty of the detail in which the Bible is written.

With there being too many promises to discover, I realised that this would be life long discovery.

14 Promises from John 14:

1) Jesus has prepared a place for me in His Father's house. v2

2) Jesus come again to fetch me to be with Him. v3

3) If I go to Him He will take me to the Father. v6

4) I get to know Jesus He will get to know/see His Father. v7

5) If I believe in Jesus I will get to do the things He did and greater things. v12

6) If I ask anything in Jesus' Name He will do it. v14

7) If I love Jesus and keep His commandments, He will pray to His Father to give me a Helper, the Holy Spirit, that will dwell with me and be in me. v17

8) Jesus will not leave me an orphan, He will come to me. v18

9) I will see Jesus because He lives and I will live as well. v19

10) I will know that Jesus is in His Father, I am in Him and Jesus in me. v20

11) If I have/keep Jesus' commandments and therefore love Him, I will be loved by the Father and Him and, He will manifest/show Himself to me. v21

12) If I love Jesus and keep His word, the Father will love me, come to me and make His home with me. v23

13) The Father will send, in Jesus', the Holy Spirit to help me, to teach me all things, to remind me of things Jesus said. v26

14) Jesus has left/given me peace. v27

What a blessing.. ..

Signed

rapt

Don't Forget Your Manners

I was walking from campus, steadily pacing for the midday bus. This was just me doing my every Wednesday business. Now my thing with catching a bus or train is: I just can't do it without my earphones. A bus or train ride can be dreadful when you've got the possibility of cheap, ignorant and careless conversation sparked in the seat behind yours. I am just not willing to let my ears pay homage to such but that's not what I'm on about today.

As I approach the queue for my bus, with Mali Music playing in my ears, I feel a sudden weight fall on my left foot just as I enter the station. I rapidly turn to see a fragile elderly lady laying on the dirty concrete floor with her pale face kissing my shoes.

My heart racing slightly, I quickly remove my earphones, throw my bag on the floor and reach down to help her. Wondering whether this was a medical emergency, I hear the lady saying, "Help! Help me. Help me" in the most breathless and minute voice. Struggling to get the lady standing, a man walks towards us and assists. Before I could decide if we needed any medical assistance or even finish asking the lady if she was fine, the old lady was steadily making her way towards her bus. As if her being on the floor asking for help just now was a dream.

I felt cheated. No regard for what had just happened. Like I was stupid for helping.

No I'm not writing this because "Woe is he who doesn't say thank you to me or acknowledge what I do for them." I am just reminded of the day this happened because of my gran lately constantly saying to me, "We can not afford to forget to say thank You. We prayed very hard about it and He has answered our prayers. Thank Him."

It's easy to get up and carry on after you've received what you asked for. However, if and when you become an advocate for: Matthew 21:22, John 14:13&14, Luke 11:9-13 and the likes.. Don't forget your manners.

Signed

ruminant