“Me Time,” “Solitude,” “Quiet Time,” “Retreat,” “Soul Searching” or simply going alone somewhere away from work, social media, friends and family; intentionally unplugging or stepping away from constant interpersonal interactions, busyness, technology etc.; disconnecting from the noise of the world.......
I do these, once in a while, as part of my self-care practices.
Taking care of yourself is so important. It is a crucial part of living a full life. While physical and mental health are the most common topic when it comes to self-care, these will not be the focus of this blog.
The demands
of this modern day life can be overwhelming. Admit it, before the Luzon ECQ
(Enhanced Community Quarantine), most of the time we get so caught up in the
day to day tasks that we forget about what we want and who we are. Sometimes,
the problem is that we are fooled into thinking that we need to do all of the
things listed in our things to do list
(and do it all at the same time). At times, we buy into the pressure to maintain
an image of perfection (the “I’m OK” syndrome) or maybe, trying to be
everything to everyone. Because of these, most of us are stressed. Worse, some people
get lost in life. And even today,
where uncertainty is all around us; while we are under ECQ, it is undeniable
that many people around us, around the world, are experiencing pandemic anxiety
and stress. This Holy Week 2020, as we commemorate the suffering, crucifixion
of Jesus and his death at Calvary, and his resurrection, it is good to reflect on the question we
avoid asking— How’s your soul?
Caring for
our soul is a role we cannot delegate. We cannot outsource or entrust it to
someone else. But wait, why our soul
matters? Perhaps, nobody will argue with me when I say this, we take care of what we value. For
instance, if you value your physical health, you will be mindful of your diet
or you will take time to go to the gym. If you value relationships, you will
invest time, energy and sometimes money in them; you make sacrifices. If what you value is your mental health, you
will not ignore your sessions with your counselor/psychologist. Now, how about
our soul? How about your soul?
Let me begin
with this passage from Matthew 16:26 (NLT), “And what do you benefit if you
gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your
soul?” With our non-stop way of
life (before ECQ or maybe even during ECQ), we always forget and ignore this simple truth that nothing—no possession,
no achievement, no social status/position—equals the value of human soul. However,
we tend to overlook its existence and its health.
Our soul matters.
Your soul matters. Your soul is capable of knowing God and enjoying God in whatever circumstances in life. It is
also capable of sinning against God. That’s what makes you different from
animals and other living creatures. You are more than a body. You are a living
soul, which is eternal and forms the very
foundation of who you are—your mind, your emotion, and your will.
Your soul is of great
value because it will last forever. All of us will die. Your life may be ended by sickness or it
may be lost in an accident or you may simply grow old to the point that your
body is no longer able to sustain life. One day you will die and your body will
be laid in the ground. Death takes life from the body, but not from the soul. Your
soul will last forever.
From the
above-mentioned passage, it is clear that a soul can be lost. When you die,
your soul goes either in a place of great joy (heaven) or in a place of great
torment (hell) [Luke 16:19-28]. But
the good news is that your soul can be saved. And this is the message of the
cross; the reason why Good Friday is indeed “good”; the reason why Resurrection
Sunday is important and not just something we celebrate once a year at Easter. Now,
what happened on the cross? Through His death on the cross, Jesus took our
place and our punishment. He exchanged His righteousness for our sin. Jesus
became the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sin. When Jesus cried out “It
is finished,” (John 19:30) it means He successfully completed the work He came
to do. It is the Savior’s final cry of victory. The Greek word translated “it
is finished” is tetelestai, an
accounting term meaning paid in full. Jesus is saying in “it is finished” that
the debt owed by man to his Creator on account of Adam and Eve’s sin is finally and
forever dealt with. Jesus died on the cross so that we could receive forgiveness
for our sins, be reconciled to God, and have eternal life.
The cross
shows us the seriousness of our sin. But from the cross, God declares to the
world, I love you.
Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. Resurrection Sunday marks the completion of the redemption of mankind.
But how can we save our soul? How can we receive salvation? We receive salvation when we stop trusting in ourselves and put our trust in what Jesus did for us on the cross. We are saved by God’s grace when we realize our need for a Savior, turn away from sin, and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Does this sound too simple to be true? Yes, God’s truth is simple.
The
decision is yours, my friend. If you want to be reconciled with God, to begin a
relationship with Him, and receive His free gift of salvation and His peace, you may tell Him
so in this simple prayer from your heart:
Heavenly Father, I acknowledge and confess that I have
sinned and have fallen short of Your glory. I thank You that You sent Your son,
Jesus, to pay the penalty of my sin. I believe that He died on the cross for my
sin and that You raised Him from the dead. I ask You to forgive and cleanse me.
I want to turn away from everything the Bible calls sin. I invite You to come
into my heart and life. I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Help me to love
and obey You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
