Negeri Tetangga

Bagi yang pernah melihat pemandangan ini, tentulah tidak asing lagi dengan Negeri Tetangga.

Baiklah, mari kita mulai bercerita .. Setelah beberapa kali menulis dalam bentuk essay, Musafir merasa sekali-kali perlu untuk menulis dalam bentuk travel report dalam gaya anak muda karena permintaan beberapa pembaca .. ups .. ;)

Diawali tibanya low season - ehm para petualang jalan atau backpacker atau budget traveller biasa menunggu-nunggu waktu ini ..  dan seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya akan disertai dengan munculnya promo-promo tiket murah dari airline company. Bak gayung bersambut, Musafir pun dengan tidak malu-malu ikut serta dalam kehirukpikukan menyambut promo tersebut. Dengan berjejal dan berkeringat, serta begadang, akhirnya Musafir pun mendapatkan sejumput rumput jelai eh maksudnya tiket murah ..

Footprints Theory

Pandawa Beach June 2015 - taken by samsung note

Some say that if we look at the picture of a landscape or beautiful place, it is not as beautiful as if we ourselves were there. Maybe it was pleasant for our eyes but remains incomplete if we do not feel the breeze, difficult journey to reach it, smell the fragrance of flowers around, or in other words it is not complete if we do not set our foot there.

Footprints - Pandawa Beach - also taken by samsung note

Our presence somewhere gives more meaning than just hear or leave a message. It is simply often we experience that we are more happy if our friend is present in our wedding celebration invitation than simply entrust congratulations. Hence we understand that in the Javanese culture, there is a saying ‘mangan ora mangan sing penting ngumpul’. The presence is more important than food. Footprints are meaningful. We feel that something wrong in our family when the members rarely meet. Especially in modern times (or anyone name it the post-modern era), many are saying that is practically enough if send a greeting via whatsapp or ask somebody just by phone. Is this correct? Our parents are happier if we come to visit their home rather than just asking for news through social media. Online learning is often considered weighs less than a lecture in class?  Also communication by face to face directly gives us more meaning than just through a piece of paper - memo.

Ehm .. so footprints talks more .. I would like to bring this idea to the greater things in life. Often we feel that other people's lives more interesting than our life. Our neighbor’s grass is always greener. The apple in the garden next door, redder than me. Such things make us not wholeheartedly in living. Always compare and do not feel satisfied. We like to imagine or fantasize yourself in the position of others who are more fortunate. I like to be a Cinderella with her handsome prince. I would like to be a rich man who live in a big castle surrounded by the beautiful garden. If we do this, then there is no footprints of yours. All is in your fantasy with the ungrateful heart.

Sound exhausted? Indeed ..

beyond our control

My D90 has fallen into the sea and being washed. Totally damaged and no longer functions.

In our life, increasingly feel that there are many things beyond our control. Maybe we feel that we are able to organize our lives well, but the reality is often what happens is something we do not want at all. 

We want to always be happy and all went well, so that when people ask us how are you, we are with a smile answered all is well. At the time there was a friend's birthday, we gave utterance may longevity. At the moment there are married, we gave utterance may be happy. At the moment there is a school exam, we give utterance may graduate with good grades. Also when there is a long journey, we say hopefully arrive safely.

But what happens is not always in accordance with what we want. It is often the opposite of what is considered good by the human eye. There is sadness, difficulties, failures, broken spirit, a long struggle .. All of this is part of life's journey. Life is not always sweet. Life is fragile.

So this awareness leads us to a hope. Expectations for a strong hand that holds our fragile life is. Hope for a person with whom we walk in the valleys of life that is bleak. Indirectly, if we're honest, inevitably we want God's face shining on our lives, his strong hands direct our steps .. Guided us in the struggle in love. It may not be obvious but feels strong. Like the breeze that are not felt his presence but soothing and give peace on a sunny day.

The beauty of Siak River

Siak River - taken by BB 10

When I flew to Pekanbaru - a city in east of Sumatera Island, I am amazed on beautiful scenery of a river. Then I have a chance to ask somebody, that is Siak River. Was a deepest river in Indonesia - for about 30 metres depth, but due to silting now just about 18 metres.

Still loved, still missed, and very dear

One gloomy morning a week before - San Diego, Cikarang 

Those we love don't go away
They walk beside us every day
Unseen, unheard, but always near
Still loved, still missed and very dear

When reading the poem above, my mind drifted away eight months ago. My friend lying very weak and dying. It was late in the day and knew when I came, she tried to sit down to talk. I helped to carry her down from the bed to the couch on the side. She tried to say something with a hoarse voice barely audible. Finally I just heard a word of thanks. An expression of the most sincere gratitude that I have ever heard. And within two days later my dearest friend had died.

Today I am writing this short article because tomorrow is her forty nine birthday. Be a friend for twenty-four years, I have learned a lot of wisdom in her journey of life. Not always positive things but also about many difficulties. Not always a smooth path but rather in her difficult journey I learned a lot. I can do everything through him who gives me strength, she often said this favorite bible verse.

Our life really a journey that is fragile, short, and like the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown. But like my dearest friend life story, God put the meaning in her life. The meaning of our fragile journey, depends on one question, what are you seek in this life ..

My friend had found what she is looking for. How about us?

(special note for KA, AA, and PA)

sola experientia

Table Talk Ilustration

This month, Musafir thought about Sola Experientia by Martin Luther. In our journey of spiritual life, it is really important to have personal encounter with God. God himself is a living God that willing to walk with us, help us, hear our pray in daily life..

In one of Martin Luther’s Table Talks, he said, “sola experientia facit theologum.”

The use of experience, or in this sense, personal encounter in understanding the Bible as a locus in theology is gaining more supporters of late. The pressure of understanding the Bible in high academic standards can put experientia aside. Luther reminded his students and friends to find the real message, not only through academic training, but also through prayer, meditations and personal encounter with God.

Of course this experiential journey with God - based on the solid the other sola like sola scriptura, sola fide, sola Cristos, sola gracia.

May God have mercy on us ..

The darkest, saddest psalm of all the Psalms - Psalm 88

Today in my devotion, Musafir learned about Psalm 88, which is the pulpit commentary said - This is the darkest, saddest psalm of all the Psalms.

Further Spurgeon gave his comment to Psalm 88 : 4 (quoted from www.spurgeon.org):

"For my soul is full of troubles. I am satiated and nauseated with them. Like a vessel full to the brim with vinegar, my heart is filled up with adversity till it can hold no more. He had his house full and his hands full of sorrow; but, worse than that, he had his heart full of it. Trouble in the soul is the soul of trouble. A little soul trouble is pitiful; what must it be to be sated with it? And how much worse still to have your prayers return empty when your soul remains full of grief. And my life draweth nigh unto the grave. He felt as if he must die, indeed he thought himself half dead already. All his life was going, his spiritual life declined, his mental life decayed, his bodily life flickered; he was nearer dead than alive. Some of us can enter into this experience, for many a time have we traversed this valley of death shade, aye and dwelt in it by the month together. Really to die and be with Christ will be a gala day's enjoyment compared with our misery when a worse than physical death has cast its dreadful shadow over us. Death would be welcomed as a relief by those whose depressed spirits make their existence a living death.

Are good men ever permitted to suffer thus? Indeed they are; and some of them are even all their life time subject to bondage. O Lord, Be pleased to set free thy prisoners of hope! Let, none of thy mourners imagine that a strange thing has happened unto him, but rather rejoice as he sees the footprints of brethren who have trodden this desert before."

Whew .. for me this Psalm like an answer from God himself when we are in lot troubles. Indeed, He may permit good men to suffer in this journey of life.

(A contemplation in deep struggle from a life journey - August 2014)