Matchmaker Fail

That drama between my brother and Joy, which began at a congress, ended before it began. Nothing happened. Something tells me I had more enthusiasm for them to court than both of them combined. Well I have had to stop fanning flames which produce more acrid black smoke than fire, for the lil bro raises all types of objections to Joy, which make no sense whatsoever.

The most disheartening part of this entire shambles is that these two wouldn't need to overcome logistical obstacles like long distance phone tariffs to stay in touch. They could see each other daily if they (only) so wished. Another important plus for them, they both have Adventist background and upbringing which if they stuck to would ground them both.

Perhaps I was even secretly wishing she would soften him up, you know, change him in just a few particulars. If it sounds like I had an agenda, I did. In hindsight however, the fortunate lass probably dodged a bullet - no; the bullet dodged her, though she threw herself right in its path. But if everything had gone to plan and love had tamed the brother, then I could really take pride in my efforts to unite them bearing fruits. So, while hope yet lasted, I asked bro: what's the problem? For Joy on her part was unapologetically enthusiastic as far as I could see.

The sneering answer: "That girl likes me too much."

If he was underage I would knock (knock) into his head the idea that better to stick with the girls who like you more than you like them. The other way round, you go crazy on their account, and they never stick around anyway once they realize what's really up with your constant staring into her eyes like you contemplate drowning in there.

But what do the young'uns know, eh? They chase after the indifferent ones, the spoilt queens, the entitled trophies, for the thrill of the hunt, suffering heart palpitations to no end. Or does the ego reject that which is won without effort, is that it?

Bro has been talking about hooking me up with some "bookish, quiet, religious" girl he knows (she's just like myself, he says), but after seeing his handling of Joy, I do not trust his judgment, therefore I warned him off involving me in those his matchmaking ventures in harsh terms strictly.

Surrender to Overcome

To overcome sin we must surrender to Jesus Christ. We can not do it, not by our selves. We may try, because the mind knows and the heart perceives that something is sin, but the flesh loves sinning. Any effort of ours to overcome sin by our own strength is defeated by our fallen nature, and is corrupted by a desire to establish our own righteousness - a miserable motive with dire results.

But thank GOD the Father for His Son Jesus Christ, who overcomes sin through His Holy Spirit indwelling in us, and lets us take the credit as overcomers! In truth it is not we who overcome, for we merely surrender our lives to One who conquered sin and death: the Lamb of GOD which taketh away the sins of the world. To be born again is to die to the flesh so that Christ may live in us, it is to surrender our lives (our very lives!) to One in whose keeping they are best placed, every day, dying every day, surrendering, because we know by faith that He is coming victorious, and in that Day it will be better to be found His servant than His enemy.

If there is any pride and stubbornness, then the old man of sin yet lives, and yet more dying and surrendering must needs be undergone.