MAY 26, 2025

   " I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life..."

― Henry David Thoreau

1 CHRONICLES 17-19

7“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.(17:7-10)

JOHN 10:1-21

14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

JOURNAL 

I have always resonated deeply with the words of Henry David Thoreau, who wrote, "I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." This powerful sentiment captures the essence of truly living—embracing life's fullness without hesitation or regret.

This spirit of boldness and purpose echoes strongly in the scriptures. In 1 Chronicles 17:7-10, God assures David, reminding him, "I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone...Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth." God's promise to David underscores His continual presence, His commitment to protection, and His vision for a purposeful life filled with significance.

Similarly, Jesus, in John 10:14-18, embodies this assurance of intentional care and sacrifice when He declares, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...I lay down my life for the sheep." Jesus emphasizes that His purpose is clear and intentional—He willingly embraces sacrifice for the benefit of others, calling us into that same clarity of purpose and fearless living.

Reflecting on these verses brings me back to the summer of my senior year in high school when I first watched the film Dead Poets Society. Standing on the edge of uncertainty and apprehension about the future, that film deeply inspired me. It reminded me of the truth that God has intentionally created each of us with unique purpose and significance. My life matters, not by accident but by divine design.

Both scriptural passages reaffirm that we are called not to live timidly but boldly—to dream, to risk, and to seize opportunities courageously. God assures us there is nothing to fear because He is infinitely greater than our struggles or adversaries. He designed us to engage fully with life, to solve problems, and to influence the world positively. Ultimately, He invites us to "seize the day," embracing fully the abundant life He offers rather than letting it pass quietly by.

 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

JOHN 10:10