May I Live by Byron Lim

This song is very personal as it seeks to evaluate a person's life. At the start of the song, the person is acknowledging that He can only live because God allows it and that he'll try to live for Him. At the end, he's saying that hopefully, all his actions, thoughts, words - life - brought God the glory and pleased Him.

Verse 1:

Another day is here, another day brand new.
So I praise You for the work that I’ll do.
Another day is dawning, another day to live.
Whatever You choose to give me I’ll gladly receive.

Chorus:

And may I live my life according to Your will.
And may my thoughts be pleasing Lord to You.
And may my words reflect the beauty of Your presence.
May my actions bring glory to You.

Verse 2:

Another day is through, another day is gone.
And I thank You Lord for what You have done.
Another day is over, another day has passed.
Only what is done for Christ will truly last.

Ending:

O have I lived my life according to Your will?
And are my thoughts all pleasing Lord to You?
And do my words reflect the beauty of Your presence?
Did my actions bring glory to You?
Do my words bring glory to You?
Are my thoughts all pleasing to You, O Lord?
Is my life bringing glory to You?

How am I living daily as a Christian?

Lamb Over Me by Byron Lim

The idea of this song came from the Chinese word for righteous (義). Literally speaking, it is the Chinese character for Lamb (羊) on top of the Chinese word for Me (我). This word has a powerful message indeed. Jesus died for us as a Sacrificial Lamb, but He rose again and reigns on high. Now and forever, He will be the one who makes my day, the Lamb over me!

I am blessed that God used this song... that God used someone like me who doesn't even know much about music... to save someone after hearing it during Shalom G2's evangelistic concert. All praise be to God!

Verse 1:
Jesus, You are God’s precious Son
You came to earth for me
Jesus, You are the Sacrifice –
Who bore my sins,
Who took my place,
Who died on the cross for me.

Chorus:
You’re the Lamb who paid the price
Yet you are holy and without sin
You're the Love sent from above
To cleanse us wholly within.
So I ask you now…
be the Lamb over me.

Verse 2:
Jesus, You are better than gold
Your worth is greater to me.
Jesus, You are the morning star –
Who brightens my day,
Who brings me to say,
“I’ll be devoted to You!”

Chorus: 

Ending:
Jesus, You are God’s precious Son
Jesus, You are the Sacrifice
Jesus, You are better than gold
Jesus, you are the morning star
Jesus, You are the Lamb over me.

Here's the mp3 version:



By the way, that's me singing solo with our church's acapella group Shalom G2. This was arranged by our very own Pastor Hensie Reyes. We will be doing a proper recording of this song for our church's 40th anniversary!

O Christmas by Byron Lim

It has been 5 years since I wrote this song and I believe the message is still as meaningful as before if not more endearing. Thanks Wenslyn for transcribing this onto a music sheet for me.

The beauty of this song is in its internal message. (Clue: something to do with the bold verbs) The melody of the song is purposely written not to be melancholic but to be very solemn and reflective. Christmas is not only a time to be merry but also a time to be silent as we remember the purpose of the blessed event. 

Christmas, O Christmas
A time to care for the people around
A time to hope in the newborn Son
A time to remember of what has been done
Christmas, O Christmas

Christmas, O Christmas
A time to invite someone to the Lord
A time to spread the good news everywhere
A time for thanksgiving and kneeling in pray’r
Christmas, O Christmas

Christmas, O Christmas
A time to make joyful music to Him
A time to allow for God’s work to begin
A time to surrender and turn from our sin!
Christmas, O Christmas

Need a clue? Get the first letters of all the verbs...

Life Without You by Byron Lim

This song came after I read the first chapter of Max Lucado's God Came Near. Isn't it a wonder that we could miss such a big event like the birth of Christ in the midst of our everyday chores. This song reminds me that all we do - our life - is meaningless, incomplete, empty even lost WITHOUT God's grace in our lives. This is my prayer today that I might truly see Him in my life.

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Verse 1:
As a page is empty without words or paint,
My life is hollow without You.
As a quilt has holes without its bright patches,
My life is incomplete without You!

Chorus:
O Lord, let me see You, open my eyes.
Lord, let me see Your majesty.
Lord, let me catch a glimpse of Your face.
May I experience Your overflowing grace.

Verse 2:
Like a boat that cannot turn left or right,
My life is lost without You.
As music goes wrong without its harmony,
My life is meaningless without You!

Chorus:
O Lord, let me see You, open my eyes.
Lord, let me see Your majesty.
Lord, let me catch a glimpse of Your face.
May I experience Your overflowing grace.

Ending:
My life is nothing Lord… without You!

Collapse by Byron Lim

Completed September 20, 2006

A true account just happened here in the office and I saw the person on the floor already. This experience motivated me to write this poem. It made me think of "What if I saw her while she was collapsing, what would I do?" Hope you'll really consider the question too.

My friend, I want to ask you a simple question, just something out of the blue.
"If you saw a person just collapsing in front of your eyes, what would you do?"

Honestly speaking, would you have helped that person yourself and just dive right through?
Or would you rather order some people to help maybe someone from your crew?

Would you be the one to call an ambulance even though you don’t have a clue?
Or would you be the first to leave and say to that person, “Bye-bye and adieu!”

Would you disperse the growing crowd and dare say to them a big “Go away! Shoo!”
Or would you call other people, even stay there to see an intriguing view?

Would you be the one to hold that person’s hand to encourage, comfort and coo?
Or would you still act and behave like that person is someone you never knew?

Would you go with that person to the hospital – something done by just a few?
Or would you continue what you’re doing because you’re afraid it’d go past due?

Would you go to the extent of praying for that person – a concern that’s true!
Or would you rather do things awaiting something in return or a thank you?

"If you saw a person just collapsing in front of your eyes, what would you do?"
My friend, please consider another question, “What if all these happen to you?”


Take it easy my friend... or you might collapse!

More To This Life! by Byron Lim

I am reposting some of my earlier works from my previous blog here as I feel it is still a big part of me that I want to share with you guys.

This first poem is my last post there. I feel it is just fitting to be the very first poem that I post here.

In my little space on earth, I try to live my best.
Yet many times I've failed and just went on like the rest.
I've worked and toiled and burned my brow so that I'd fit in.
But still I can't attain that sense of peace from within.

I've done a lot of mistakes that I'd like to forget...
I tell you - thinking of these only makes me upset!
Somehow I knew that living this life should be better...
Like I should live my life for a purpose much greater!

But just like what happened at the road to Damascus,
Something is stirring inside of me that made me muse...
About life, about love, about God and other things -
Something more to this life and what it hopes to bring!

Hope this made you muse as well :)

Psalm 1 - Growing Deeper Together: Friends For Keeps

Ah, to be able to experience the joy and pain of writing devotionals is simply a memorable task. I remember the first time I wrote a devotional, I had a hard time making them simply because I was afraid of the big responsibility at hand (too bad the file was lost). I was really shaking 'cause I was thinking "Why me? There are definitely better writers among my peers so why me?" And yet God was teaching me something that He wants to imprint in my heart... "Do it for me... I want you to try it and trust in me..." I believe He is right because maybe God's servants (the pastoral staff) saw something in me that I have not seen before - that is to write devotionals for His people.

My English is not too great and sometimes I write with the youth or young professional in mind... but that didn't stop me from writing 'cause I believe that He placed around people who are better in English and who could translate what I wrote to audiences of different ages. Such is the case for this current post (by the way, thanks to Pastor Dorie Li for editing and enhancing this 1-day devotional written for our church's youth fellowship.)

Here's my introduction:

As Christians, it is but natural for us to grow and have a deeper understanding of God and His will for our lives. And yet, most of the time, our growth is affected by our outward circumstances and situations (for example by media, trends, etc.) But the most influential factor, I believe, is still people we come in contact with. People can lead us to or away from the Lord. Psalm 1 provides us with wise teachings that can help us grow deeper in love with the Lord and with other Christians.

Click the link below to get the full pdf version of my devotional material:
Psalm 1 - Growing Deeper Together: Friends for Keeps

  

2 Kings 5 - Major Makeover

The first devotional that I'm posting here is about the story of Naaman and Gehazi and how both experienced the miracle of a life change. These changes were brought about by God through certain "small" people and through his servant Elisha. There was a positive change in Naaman even though it took awhile before this change happened. Sadly, there's a negative change in Gehazi's life even after he have been serving the Lord all these years as Elisha's servant. All in all, we see that we can change for the better or for the worse, for God or against Him.

To entice you to read on, here's what I wrote in the introduction section of the devotional:

In a world where outward beauty is more important to a majority of people, one can say that we truly live in a world full of makeovers. Some people even say that with just the right clothes, cosmetics and accessories, we can become new people. An old adage says “it’s the clothes that make the man” and most of the time, this becomes the basis for being “in” or popular or cool whether it be in school, work, or community.

Popular shows in the US like Oprah and Lifestyle channel are a testament to how the world works. They have segments wherein they would take up the challenge of reinventing the image of an unattractive, dull person so that at the end of the show, that person will become transformed into a more attractive person. And these are not limited to the fashion sense of the person! There are even some shows that would make the person undertake certain medical enhancing procedures like plastic surgery and implants which try to make a person younger. In all these, we are led to understand that by undergoing an extreme makeover, we can be radically changed into different and more beautiful people. Well – maybe, if all that is important is on the outside!

Our story for these four days focuses on 2 Kings 5. We will see how Naaman and Gehazi undertake an extreme makeover of sorts. It is the material’s goal that Naaman’s story would challenge us to see God’s makeovers as “transformations” and they are more than skin deep. We will also see that not all makeovers are from bad to good… some are from good to bad!

Click the link below to get the entire pdf version of my devotional material.

2 Kings 5 - Major Makeover