That which you have not asked for

By: Gabriela Yareliz

I was studying today in 1 Kings chapter 3, continuing my trek through the old testament. I was looking at how Solomon is establishing his kingdom after his father’s death.

I was impressed by the verse where God asks Solomon what he desires.

In verse 5, God says: At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

Then we see Solomon’s response: (verse 9) Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

We see that Solomon asks for wisdom. God says that whoever lacks wisdom can ask with unwavering faith it shall be given to him liberally (James 1:5).

What impressed me the most was that in verse 10 it says God was well pleased, and after God tells him that he will be wiser than any before him or that will come after him, He adds: (verse 13) And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.

God goes beyond anything we can come up with in our little heads. He can do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. He gives us even what we have not asked for.

Praise God.

Disturbing the Universe

By: Gabriela Yareliz

This should probably go under the “Chronicles of a Law Student” page where I update about things that go on as a 1L, but I found this to be so powerful that I wanted to share generally. Today I watched an excellent documentary on a controversial lawyer who defended civil liberties and fought racism, but He also was seen as a hypocrit and a bit crazy as his days came to a close; William (Bill) Kunstler. His daughters made the documentary in a way vindicating but also discovering the man their father was.

Though ego-centric and though he had questionable ethical reasoning behind his representation of certain clients, I can’t help but really, really respect him. I had read, in the past, cases he litigated, and it wasn’t until now that I found out, oh wow–he was the one who won that case.

I think about many of the people I admire, such as Gandhi and Mandela, all were lawyers. I admire their passion for the people. Though they are icons now, in the past they had to go to prison, sweat it out and get dirt under their nails. They were rejected, hated and mocked. I see this man a bit like them. A man, imperfect like they all were, but a man who in the end I think really connected with people. He personified a justice that doesn’t exist in our legal system. Our definition of justice is skewed when we look at our justice compared to God’s justice toward man.

Anyway, I hope I have sparked your curiosity enough. There are still many injustices in the world. They often get transfered from one group to another. I hope we can all do our part and “disturb the universe” a bit– I leave you with William Kunstler.

February, 1970
Transcript

And that is the terrible myth of organized society, that everything that’s done through the established system is legal  — and that word has a powerful psychological impact. It makes people believe that there is an order to life, and an order to a system, and that a person that goes through this order and is convicted, has gotten all that is due him. And therefore society can turn its conscience off, and look to other things and other times.

And that’s the terrible thing about these past trials, is that they have this aura of legitimacy, this aura of legality. I suspect that better men than the world has known and more of them, have gone to their deaths through a legal system than through all the illegalities in the history of man.

Six million people in Europe during the Third Reich? Legal.

Sacco Vanzetti? Quite legal.

The Haymarket defendants? Legal.

The hundreds of rape trials throughout the South where black men were condemned to death? All legal.

Jesus? Legal.

Socrates? Legal.

And that is the kaleidoscopic nature of what we live through here and in other places. Because all tyrants learn that it is far better to do this thing through some semblance of legality than to do it without that pretense.

From PBS.

Instructions on prayer

By:Gabriela Yareliz 

“Pray and believe—God does not say, Ask once, and you shall receive. He bids us ask. Unwearyingly persist in prayer. The persistent asking brings the petitioner into a more earnest attitude, and gives him an increased desire to receive the things for which he asks. Christ said to Martha at the grave of Lazarus, “If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God.” John 11:40. – {Pr 98.3}

“We are never called upon to make a real sacrifice for God. Many things He asks us to yield to Him, but in doing this we are but giving up that which hinders us in the heavenward way. Even when called upon to surrender those things which in themselves are good, we may be sure that God is thus working out for us some higher good.” – {Pr 112.3}

Ellen G. White

Overcome for today

By: Gabriela Yareliz

I wanted to share this thought from my devotional today.

“The truth of God received into the heart is able to make you wise unto salvation. In believing and obeying it you will receive grace sufficient for the duties and trials of today. Grace for tomorrow you do not need. You should feel that you have only to do with today. Overcome for today; deny self for today; watch and pray for today; obtain victories in God for today.“—(Testimonies for the Church 3:333.) – {Pr 93.4} Ellen G. White

Athletic

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Olympics are gone and out. I love the Olympics. It isn’t even about the athletes competing and doing their amazing things specifically; what gets me the most is how it is so patriotic. I am a sucker for patriotism and doing things to honor your flag and country. I like the idea of representing something.

The second thing that gets me the most are the athletes and everything they go through for that one moment. That ONE moment. There are so many factors they can’t control in that one moment, but they have done the best they can to prepare for it. Life is a one-time shot. No one has proven otherwise.

Athletes have an incredible abstinence and endurance. They give up and sacrifice things for something better; something that has more worth to them in their eyes.

This reminds me of our spiritual  lives.

Paul compares us in his writings to soldiers and athletes. Athletes give up a lot even if they aren’t on a team. They have incredible discipline. What would happen if we each had this kind of discipline? No fear to give up anything, if it was demanded from us. we would often rather listen to our friends, family or man in general. Tradition and desire end up winning against obedience and instruction from God.

This reminds me of Daniel.  He was someone, who gave it all, as in Daniel 1:8 says: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the
portion of the king’s food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Daniel stood up alone for his principles. He endured and stood the test.

What we do spiritually and how we mold our characters is not necessarily a thing about representing our countries or flags. It isn’t even to win a medal, cup or trophy.

It is deeper than that– it is a matter of life or death. a matter of representation; of taking one for the team; of being part of the body of Christ.

We aren’t saved at our convenience or with whatever we decide in our minds is good enough. It isn’t about doing things our way…

We have a coach, and to win we’ve got to play like a team. It takes sacrifice, obedience, discpline, lots of prayer, loving all who surround us–it will be worth it. Unity has done revolutionary things.

“People are raising their expectations; This is your moment, don’t hesitate; When you fall, get up–the pressure is on, believe it.”

New York

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Hello world. What can I say? It has been an action packed set of days including driving; my car going up in smoke (RIP Paolo); hens and looking for pliers at Wacahoota, while coolant makes a lake under my car; packing; praying; stuffing duffle bags until they were about to explode; thinking about NYC;

not sleeping; buying school supplies for my awesome brothers with my mum; saying good bye to my choti kutta (aka: dog)…I cried, I admit it; driving to the airport; restuffing bags so they wouldn’t be overweight (huge blessing he was– my little boarding ticketing man who cut us some slack); dealing with bitter TSA officers who hate their jobs; boarding a plane that was cold; meeting a nice flight attendant named Thuy;

arriving to NYC; nice oriental man leads us to the SuperShuttle (which I highly recommend!) for us to be dropped off at my dorm’s doorstep; we ride SuperShuttle with the kind non-hispanic, but hispanic, bald man and go through the excitement of the Queens tunnel; arrive; nice hispanic guys take my luggage up to my room; I discover I have no bed–actually, my mother discovered I had no bed; I get a bed; we explore and buy groceries in the rain; we rest; the sun comes out; we go exploring again and eat– today was filled with so many kind people and big and little miracles along the way. This is a thank you to God. He answers our prayers and has plans for us that we can’t even imagine. Right now I am trying to figure out His plan and path for me. It looks exciting… I will tell you that.

New York isn’t as scary as I imagined… it is like any other metropolitan area on the planet, go figure; except it is filled with a more ecclectic bunch. Anyway, it has been great. I have enjoyed every second of it.

Today, while trying to figure out what direction to walk in, my mother and I ran into a fine, elegant woman who offered us her help. She chatted with us excitedly and smiled through her red lipstick. When I told her I was an incoming law student, she grinned and exclaimed, “That is wonderful! It really is!”

India Against Corruption: the foundation of a movement from decades ago

Thoughts and compilation by: Gabriela Yareliz

Below are some of my favorite quotes by M. Gandhi from his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

I first came across this book while doing a series of interviews for the India Against Corruption movement last fall at the University of Florida. In my time with Akshay Kumar, the one who told me all about the movement and a true leader here at the UF and U.S. branch of the movement, he showed me the book with much pride and he shared with me the opening quote, in the forward:

“I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills.” (xiii)

Akshay shared with me his vegetarian progress, and all about this powerful movement protesting wide-spread corruption in India. The movement of course is rooted in the principles practiced and advocated by this one man.

I have been reading a lot about Indian Politics and India’s history this summer. Right now I am reading a book on Nehru, by Shashi Tharoor, whom I love (note: this doesn’t mean I always agree with him). I read maybe three or four of his books this summer… Anyway, then the Gandhi autobiography came to mind, and I requested it from the library. When I saw the cover, I smiled and thought of Akshay.

Gandhi is a brilliant mind. I say is because through his writing he is still with us today sharing his wisdom. I won’t lie– I think it would have sucked, big time, to have been his wife. She spent a lot of time alone and self-sacrificing. Gandhi was also one that practiced celibacy after a certain point in his life, I won’t comment further. Of course, I think all of this can be blamed on the fact that they had a child-marriage. I get it. He reminds me of Paul in the Bible… Anyway, I liked his writings. They made my head feel that “I-learned-something-today” feeling after reading.

India has produced some of the most fascinating people in history; this includes those who weren’t Indian but were adopted by the land and its people.

Here is to Gandhi; here is to the wisdom he shared, that I now share with you; And finally, here is to a country whose people I love, who continually fight peacefully for a better tomorrow.

 

 

 

Heart Searchings by: M. Gandhi

“Man is man because he is capable of, and only in so far as he exercises, self-restraint.” (317)

“If I was to be their real teacher and guardian, I must touch their hearts. I must share their joys and sorrows, I must help them to solve the problems that faced them, and I must take along the right channel the surging aspirations of their youth.” (342)

“A devotee of Truth may not do anything in deference to convention. He must always hold himself open to correction, and whenever he discovers himself to be wrong he must confess it at all costs and atone for it.” (350)

“As a student I had heard that the lawyer’s profession was a liar’s profession. But this did not influence me, as I had no intention of earning either position or money by lying.” (361)

“…it was also my habit never to conceal my ignorance from my clients…This frankness earned me the unbounded affection and trust of my clients.” (366)

“No reform is possible unless some of the educated and the rich voluntarily accept the status of the poor, travel third, refuse to enjoy the amenities denied to the poor and, instead of taking avoidable hardships, discourtesies and injustice as a matter of course, fight for their removal.” (379)

“Spiritual relationship is far more precious than physical. Physical relationship divorced from spiritual is body without soul.” (386-387)

“A Satyagrahi obeys the laws of society intelligently and of his own free will, because he considers it to be his sacred duty to do so. It is only when a person has thus obeyed the laws of society scrupulously that he is in a position to judge as to which particular rules are good and just and which unjust and iniquitous.” (470)