Day Thirteen
Saturday, December 9
Psalm 34:1-7
"The Lion of Judah shall break every chain, and give to us the victory again and again".
The words of this song from my youth immediately came to my mind as I reflected on Psalm 34 and the accompanying lines from C. S. Lewis.
Truly, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus himself, has broken every chain in my life: guilt, sin, temptation, rebellion, pain, struggles, suffering, debt, fear. The list goes on and on. And He continues to give me, us, who faithfully look to Him, the victory, over and over again.
Because of Him, I have experienced such radiant "joy unspeakable and full of glory," a "peace that passeth all understanding," such that people around me cannot comprehend.
"Why does she act so joyfully? She does not have many material things, she lives with strangers. Why does she exhibit exceeding peace and contentment, despite having gone through so many struggles: raising four kids as a single mother, being in a toxic marriage, and then, widowed. Then, moving to a foreign land.”
Why? Why? Why? People wonder. Too many "whys".
Only One answer: JESUS! The Lord who delivers the righteous. The Lion of Judah who gives victory again and again. Am I righteous? Jesus says I am.
I call myself victorious. I am not a survivor. I am a VICTOR!
I am the daughter of the King! And His praise will always be on my lips.
The words of this song from my youth immediately came to my mind as I reflected on Psalm 34 and the accompanying lines from C. S. Lewis.
Truly, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus himself, has broken every chain in my life: guilt, sin, temptation, rebellion, pain, struggles, suffering, debt, fear. The list goes on and on. And He continues to give me, us, who faithfully look to Him, the victory, over and over again.
Because of Him, I have experienced such radiant "joy unspeakable and full of glory," a "peace that passeth all understanding," such that people around me cannot comprehend.
"Why does she act so joyfully? She does not have many material things, she lives with strangers. Why does she exhibit exceeding peace and contentment, despite having gone through so many struggles: raising four kids as a single mother, being in a toxic marriage, and then, widowed. Then, moving to a foreign land.”
Why? Why? Why? People wonder. Too many "whys".
Only One answer: JESUS! The Lord who delivers the righteous. The Lion of Judah who gives victory again and again. Am I righteous? Jesus says I am.
I call myself victorious. I am not a survivor. I am a VICTOR!
I am the daughter of the King! And His praise will always be on my lips.
Tagalog version
"Ang Leon ng Judah ay pumuputol ng bawat kadena, at nagbibigay ng tagumpay nang paulit ulit."
Ang mga letra ng awiting ito mula sa aking kabataan ay agad pumasok sa aking isipan nang ako ay nagmuni-muni ng Salmo 34 at ng kaagapay mga titik mula kay C.S. Lewis.
Tunay nga, ang Leon ng Judah, si Hesukristo mismo, ang pumutol ng mga kadena sa aking buhay: pagkakasala, tukso, paghihimagsik, sakit, pakikibaka, paghihirap, pagkakautang, takot. At marami pang iba.
At patuloy nyang binibigay sa akin, sa ating lahat na nagtitiwala sa kanya, ang tagumpay. Paulit ulit.
Dahil sa kanya, ako ay nakaranas ng nagliliwanag na " walang hanggang kasiyahan at kaluwalhatian", at "kapayapaan na hindi maunawaan", kaya't maraming tao sa paligid ay hindi makapaniwala.
"Bakit kaya sya palaging masaya? Bakit sya mukhang palaging kalmado at kuntento, samantalang marami sya pinagdaanang hirap sa buhay, pinalaki ang apat na anak nang mag-isa, nagdaan sa isang magulong buhay mag-asawa,naghiwalay, tapos ay nabiyuda. Pagkatapos ay lumipat sa ibang bansa."
Bakit? Bakit? Bakit?
Napakaraming tanong ang ibang tao.
Iisa ang kasagutan: si HESUS!
Ang Panginoon na nagliligtas ng mga matuwid. Ang Leon ng Judah na nagbibigay ng tagumpay nang paulit-ulit. Ako ba ay matuwid? Yan ang sabi ni Hesus.
Tinatawag ko ang sarili kong Matagumpay. Hindi ako nakaligtas lamang. Ako ay nagtagumpay. At ang papuri kay Hesus ay mananatili sa aking mga labi.
"Ang Leon ng Judah ay pumuputol ng bawat kadena, at nagbibigay ng tagumpay nang paulit ulit."
Ang mga letra ng awiting ito mula sa aking kabataan ay agad pumasok sa aking isipan nang ako ay nagmuni-muni ng Salmo 34 at ng kaagapay mga titik mula kay C.S. Lewis.
Tunay nga, ang Leon ng Judah, si Hesukristo mismo, ang pumutol ng mga kadena sa aking buhay: pagkakasala, tukso, paghihimagsik, sakit, pakikibaka, paghihirap, pagkakautang, takot. At marami pang iba.
At patuloy nyang binibigay sa akin, sa ating lahat na nagtitiwala sa kanya, ang tagumpay. Paulit ulit.
Dahil sa kanya, ako ay nakaranas ng nagliliwanag na " walang hanggang kasiyahan at kaluwalhatian", at "kapayapaan na hindi maunawaan", kaya't maraming tao sa paligid ay hindi makapaniwala.
"Bakit kaya sya palaging masaya? Bakit sya mukhang palaging kalmado at kuntento, samantalang marami sya pinagdaanang hirap sa buhay, pinalaki ang apat na anak nang mag-isa, nagdaan sa isang magulong buhay mag-asawa,naghiwalay, tapos ay nabiyuda. Pagkatapos ay lumipat sa ibang bansa."
Bakit? Bakit? Bakit?
Napakaraming tanong ang ibang tao.
Iisa ang kasagutan: si HESUS!
Ang Panginoon na nagliligtas ng mga matuwid. Ang Leon ng Judah na nagbibigay ng tagumpay nang paulit-ulit. Ako ba ay matuwid? Yan ang sabi ni Hesus.
Tinatawag ko ang sarili kong Matagumpay. Hindi ako nakaligtas lamang. Ako ay nagtagumpay. At ang papuri kay Hesus ay mananatili sa aking mga labi.
Daisy Angeline Panganiban- daughter of the King, ESL teacher, language interpreter, textbook author, proud mother, loving Glam-ma, grateful and blessed.