Life

Life is about riches and prosperity
I can accumulate them all
Then what is the profit, after all?
I do not know; Is life then of no use at all?

Life is about wisdom and knowledge
I can acquire them all
Then what is the difference, after all?
I also die; Is life then vanity of vanities?

Life is about pleasure and gratification
I can satisfy all my lusts
Then what is the end-result, after all?
I still feel empty; Is life then truly meaningless?

Life ‘under the heaven’ is but vanity
When only its parts are correctly viewed
Life ‘under the hand of God’ is a gift
When the whole sum of life is viewed

Jesus the Vine

Israel the God-cultivated vine

But turning traitorous and wild

Becoming a degenerate plant

Bearing no fruit in the end

Israel has failed the God its Lord

Jesus the God’s true vine

Thus identifying himself with Israel

Becoming one of us human beings

Bearing our sins on the Cross

Jesus has become the people indeed

Jesus the life giving vine

Turning us into branches

Making us bear fruit in Him

Telling us, He is the ‘I AM’

Jesus is indeed the Yahweh in Flesh

We both the chosen and the grafted

Yielding fruit in abundance

Abiding in Him for nurturing

This we do as one people of God

Sin And I

I lived like a saint self-deceived
Sin was dormant within me
I knew not what sin was like
Until I was taught in the law

I acted like a beast at bay
Sin made me a monster untamed
I crawled hidden to please myself
Until I was taught in the Lord

I struggle like a sheep ensnared
I do what I should not do
I fail to do what I must do
Until I am freed in the end

I pray like a monk on his death bed
That I may be pure like a child
Free of charges of sins of all three kans
Until I am arhat in Christ

I cry like a helpless tramp
“O wretched person that I am”
“Jesus, help me that I may choose You”
Until I am home in Paradise

Glossary
Three kans = kaya-kan(physical acts),wesi-kan(oral acts), and manaw-kan(mental or heart-related
acts)
Arhat = worthy one

TRUE NIBBANA

Rest! God rested on the Sabbath

He is the God of rest

Treasuring and preparing it for us all

Work! Jesus works even on the Sabbath

He is the Lord of Sabbath

Laboring and embodying Divine rest on earth

See! Gotama is not silent

One must see all is empty

Removing and banishing one’s view of self

Toil! Nibbana is within one’s reach

One must become selfless

Abandoning and renouncing all, nibbana is attained

Hear! God speaks to us today

Let us not harden our hearts

Giving up and letting go all our life and selfs

Trust! Jesus gives Himself for us

He truly is our sole Nibbana

Trusting and obeying, we find our life rested in Him

Glossary

Nibbana           = extinction of all sufferings)

Jesus and Sunnata

Sunnata is anything

Sunnata is neither a thing nor a condition

But the ultimate potentiality; thus, begetting and restoring all

Sunnata transcends all

Sunnata is both samsara and nibbana

For the transcendent reality; hence, embracing and filling all

God is sunnataic

God is neither a being nor a non-being

But the ultimate Source of all; thus, begetting and creating all

God is Self-emptying

God is both a three and a one

For the triune God in history; thus, revealing as Father, Son, and Spirit

Jesus empties Himself

Jesus can be neither defined nor formulated

But He is the God Emptied; thus, reconciling and enlightening all

Jesus is sunnataic

Jesus is both divine and human

For He is the God Emptied; hence, embracing and saving all

Glossary

Sunnata           =  emptiness/void

Samsara           = circle of births and rebirths

Nibbana           = extinction of birth (and thus of suffering)

Job and Anatta

Did Job love God for nothing? He did; God knew so well.

Though tried hard, Job would not give in to temptations, or blame others;

But he would keep hanging on to God even in moments of despair.

For he knew he and his possessions were gifts of God;

He did not conceive himself apart from God the Source.

And thus went praying, “Naked I came; naked I go!”

Did God prove Satan wrong at all? He did; Satan was silenced.

While on trials, no cursing of God, no blaming of God, on Job’s lips;

But only a hesitant raising of a hand to God asking ‘why?’

For he was aware neither he nor God had wronged the other;

He saw no match between his kamma and his losses.

And thus continued testifying, “God is right; God is gracious!”

Must all love God for nothing? Yea; This, God expects of us all.

Sincerely one may ask, “How could I truly love God for nothing at all?”

As both Jesus and Gautama affirm atta by abnegating atta,

So I also must seek to abide by their words of wisdom,

Accepting that I am anatta apart from God the Self,

And thus keep loving, “Anatta I was; Divine I become!”

Glossary

Annata            =  no-self/non-self

Kamma           =  deeds

Atta                   =  self/soul