Identity

Dear readers,

Warning: this could potentially be a sensitive post in which you may disagree with the contents but as a Christian, I am just awed whilst reading this book- Ecclesiastes! My goal is not to offend but to instil thoughts.

Comments are welcome but please keep them sophisticated.

I have just started to read Ecclesiastes after finishing reading Daniel (Helen told me it was a great book but I didn't really believe her so I read it for myself with the help of my AMAZING life applications study bible and I must say it was pretty amazing!)

I was really struck whilst reading the introduction to the chapter - there is always a bit which tells you the common themes of this book and a general overview of what it was about. Let me share a bit with you.

With reference to Life Application Study Bible - NIV version:

"The chocolate bunny lies in the basket surrounded by green paper 'grass.' With Easter morning eyes wide with anticipation, the little boy carefully lifts the candy figure and bites into one of the long ears. But the sweet tastes fades quickly and the child looks again at the candy in his hand. It's hollow! 


Empty, futile, hollow, nothing - the words have a ring of disappointment and disillusionment . Yet this is the life experience of many. Grasping the sweet things - possessions, experience, power and pleasure - they find nothing inside. Life is empty, meaningless - and they sink into despair."

In summary, Ecclesiastes is about the wisest king on earth Solomon (this dude had it all - intellect, power, wealth, women) and how he finds it pointless at the end of the day because life is empty without God.

This made me think about how society portrays our identity - is it by the person we marry, the house we live in, the job we have, the friends we have, the achievements we have listed on our CV, the number of chanel bags we can afford to buy, how many drinks we've managed to down in one go, how many one night stands we've had, <insert your own> etc

Having a 'may i say - prestigious' label of being a medic, I have certain expectations.
I am expected to be professional, to keep on top of my coursework, work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, respect those around me and much more.
I must say that many medics say that MEDICINE is their life. And it is pretty much their life.

For me, medicine plays a part of my life but it is not what defines me distinctly. Just as I'm part of York Elim, Canadian, Chinese, likes wearing dresses and looking at wedding blogs, that is not WHO I am, it is only a shell of me. My core is my identity in Christ - that should be what discerns the way I live & see life and handle life situations.

I know there are many out there who see Christianity as just a religion - it technically is defined as a religion but it is much more than a religion. It is my reason to live. Deep eh?
If you have time, I'd greatly encourage you to listen to Graham's preach yesterday: my reference here is from 10:45minutes - 15:40. I promise you won't be bored!!

This is quite a cliche statement but what will we be thinking about on our deathbed?
'hmm.. I wonder if my paper will get published.'
'darn, I never got to meet the Queen.'

probably not.

here's just a guess of what mine will be (because I'm not lying on my deathbed, am sitting on a bed though):
'have I done or said anything that I regret and not apologised?'
'Will God say 'well done, good and faithful servant?'
'have I looked at enough wedding blogs - JOKES.'

That's probably enough for today. I hope this has been thought-provoking and encouraging.

Carmen