187. Wala ka sa Lolo ko. For him, let us come near to God and purify our hearts.

24 August 2021

“Purify the house.”

Leviticus 14

51 “Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 

52 He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn.”

Purify your hearts.

James 4

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Today, 24 August marks the day last year 2020 that I started writing the blog series "Wala ka sa Lolo ko" Bible devotional.

It just did spring up, after I had written my tribute to my wife Marlou on her 60th birthday on July 17.

I have been prodded a few years back by Ate Becks Perez, my benefactor in Christ, to write about my spiritual journey in coming to Lord Jesus in 2004 at my age 44.

In 2017 we had the 90 days challenge at our church, Proclaim His Name Christian Fellowship, which included reading two chapters of the Bible a day starting with the Book of John and journaling personal reflection.

By 2019, I was in my second cycle going through the whole Bible at two chapters a day.

The Bible has 1189 chapters meaning it took me about 595 days or 1 year and 8 months to read and reflect on the whole Bible.

In 2017 I became a bonafide grandfather or Lolo when my first granddaughter was born to my eldest daughter. By that year, my two daughters and my son were all married, and in 2020 by the first month of the quarantine, my wife and I have five grandchildren, 2 girls and 3 boys, with 2 boys by my son.

Why I am writing this, the blog series title became appropriate only in recent years, and then I have also built up material for the blog in recent years. Then the quarantine gave me the momentum for writing the blog.

At the start, Ate Becks encouraged me to write at least 30 blogs. December last year I compiled the first 30 blogs into an electronic Bible devotional which my wife and I made into a token to family and friends to commemorate our wedding anniversary.

Today's blog is number 187; I did not imagine I can go this far.

That time that I came up with blog #1, I was reflecting on Luke 7 particularly verses 36 to 43, the story of two men owing money to a lender who decided to cancel the debts. The man who owed the bigger amount owed the bigger gratitude to the lender.

That man is me, I owe the Lord Jesus about a million pesos. My two daughters attended Ateneo on free tuition at a time I had no stable employment, I had no money and lots of debt, my midlife crisis during the period 2000 - 2005. No doubt, the Lord worked a miracle in my life.

The joke is, wala ka sa Lolo ko, dalawa ang anak na nasa Ateneo, ang isa nagtitinda ng mani, ang isa nagtitinda ng mais.

In my case it was no joke, wala ka sa Lolo ko, walang pera at walang trabaho, dalawa ang anak na nag graduate ng college sa Ateneo. This my children's children will say one day. You can read the blog as originally written, and as I have updated it to include graphics and references.

What has this got to do with today's key verses?

Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Our body is God's house.

From the heart the mouth speaks.

Luke 6

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

The Lord has put His laws in our hearts.

Hebrews 10

16 “This is the covenant I will make with them

    after that time, says the Lord.

I will put my laws in their hearts,

    and I will write them on their minds.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts

    I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)

What a generous and forgiving God!

I have been guilty of speaking filth because my heart was filthy. I was a sinner and was double-minded (James 4:8). Until I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.

I came near to God and He came near to me, and with the blood of Jesus Christ I wash my hands and purify my heart.

I have been blessed that the quarantine has caused me to come near to God by way of spending time reflecting on His Word and sharing it with others. 

And then it is a special privilege in Christ to write about God's goodness and faithfulness in my life and to my family and my children's own families, all these years. And the bonus, my children's children will in the future read what I have written.

What a great blessing indeed.

Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Psalm 2:11

""Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves (Psalm 127:1-2). I will be careful to lead a blameless life - when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart (Psalm 101:2). Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever (2 Samuel 7:29). This by Your grace, Lord, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

16 January 2018"

Wala ka sa Lolo ko; for him, let us come near to God and purify our hearts, this my children's children will utter someday.

May you be blessed with God's Word.

Maraming salamat.