Psalm 71:18
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
This is my favourite verse of the bible.
Some many years ago as I was in the early years of being a rangers commander, I chanced upon this verse and it spoke volumes to me. Just like the immortal speeches of artistes like shakespeare, the heart felt nobility of this statement made by David awakened my spirit man some many years ago and has since challenged me to constantly press on in my ministry's calling.
Everytime I look at this verse, it challenges me to live a life of faithfulness until the day I finish the call of God upon my life. Its a tall order that inspires me to want to possess the same spirit which David had. To want to declare the things of God to the next generation and press on inspite of painful physical infirmities in my older age.
Daniel 4: 29 onwards records King Nebuchadnezzar as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. As he viewed the city from his position, he marvelled to himself "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
Immediately, the judgement of God struck him and he was made insane. From the all powerful king of the Babylonian empire, he was driven away from people and started living with the wild animals; eating grass like cattle. The bible records that for 7 years, King Nebuchadnezzar lived like a wild monster - with his body drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
As noble and grand are my aspirations to live out a life accordingly to Psalm 71:18, as I was writing, the story of King Nebuchadnezzar stood out and spoke to me as a warning.
There are days where I do look back at the past 12 years of serving in the rangers ministry, the hardships of the early pioneering days encountered and then revel in the present day's achievements. It's been really fulfilling to see little naughty boys grow up to become who they are today. Especially when I perceive that their present lives are but a small tip of the iceberg of what they can and will achieved for God in the coming years. It's always such a nice thing to regale in the past memories of camps, sacrifices and blessing to give myself a pat on the back and tell myself I'm truely pressing onto achieve my desire and eventually be able to say the same thing as David did.
But yet, I personally think it's always better to struggle on in life doing a flagging ministry work for God than to experience the blessings and fruition of a successful ministry. As silly as that earlier sentence sounds, I look at such times of experiencing rich blessings to be times where it's so easy to fall into the trap of pride as King Nebuchadnezzar did.
When I evaluate my life and ministry for the past years, I see lots of good achievements. That is seen through positive statistics, successful programmes and lives touched, personal skills and experience, positive accolades and respect from others and a list of modest acknowledgements that could go on and on to make my head swell enormously. When I start listing down all the works of mine, it results in my achievements and what I've laboured and done and suddenly, God seems to have disappeared from the equation, when He was the key to begin with.
In all our quest to serve God, or live through life studying/working, who wouldn't want to see all the hard effort which we have done come to fruition? We want to have successful ministries, excellent school grades and work performance ratings, live successful abundent lives. But could attaining any/all of this diminish the essential presence of God in our life's achievement, and ultimately result in pride entering?
At the end of 7 years, King Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes toward heaven, and his sanity was restored. The bible records that he then praised the Most High; honored and glorified him who lives forever. King Nebuchadnezzar states "My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."
All that we do in God is never in vain. But all that we do should also not be for vanity. Today, I wish to remind myself that, as I serve God and experience the different seasons of ploughing, sowing, weeding, tending, fertilising, harvesting, feasting and fallowing, my calling is to build into the lives of people, until my generation and the generation to come has seen the blessing of God.
I'm not sure what you are tasked to labour for God or how you are told to live on for God, but may you guard you heart against pride and your eyes be heaven bound at all times, especially in the season where God grants us the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of our labour.
Blessings,
M.
"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
02 November 2006
As You Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labour
Psalm 71:18
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
This is my favourite verse of the bible.
Some many years ago as I was in the early years of being a rangers commander, I chanced upon this verse and it spoke volumes to me. Just like the immortal speeches of artistes like shakespeare, the heart felt nobility of this statement made by David awakened my spirit man some many years ago and has since challenged me to constantly press on in my ministry's calling.
Everytime I look at this verse, it challenges me to live a life of faithfulness until the day I finish the call of God upon my life. Its a tall order that inspires me to want to possess the same spirit which David had. To want to declare the things of God to the next generation and press on inspite of painful physical infirmities in my older age.
Daniel 4: 29 onwards records King Nebuchadnezzar as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. As he viewed the city from his position, he marvelled to himself "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
Immediately, the judgement of God struck him and he was made insane. From the all powerful king of the Babylonian empire, he was driven away from people and started living with the wild animals; eating grass like cattle. The bible records that for 7 years, King Nebuchadnezzar lived like a wild monster - with his body drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
As noble and grand are my aspirations to live out a life accordingly to Psalm 71:18, as I was writing, the story of King Nebuchadnezzar stood out and spoke to me as a warning.
There are days where I do look back at the past 12 years of serving in the rangers ministry, the hardships of the early pioneering days encountered and then revel in the present day's achievements. It's been really fulfilling to see little naughty boys grow up to become who they are today. Especially when I perceive that their present lives are but a small tip of the iceberg of what they can and will achieved for God in the coming years. It's always such a nice thing to regale in the past memories of camps, sacrifices and blessing to give myself a pat on the back and tell myself I'm truely pressing onto achieve my desire and eventually be able to say the same thing as David did.
But yet, I personally think it's always better to struggle on in life doing a flagging ministry work for God than to experience the blessings and fruition of a successful ministry. As silly as that earlier sentence sounds, I look at such times of experiencing rich blessings to be times where it's so easy to fall into the trap of pride as King Nebuchadnezzar did.
When I evaluate my life and ministry for the past years, I see lots of good achievements. That is seen through positive statistics, successful programmes and lives touched, personal skills and experience, positive accolades and respect from others and a list of modest acknowledgements that could go on and on to make my head swell enormously. When I start listing down all the works of mine, it results in my achievements and what I've laboured and done and suddenly, God seems to have disappeared from the equation, when He was the key to begin with.
In all our quest to serve God, or live through life studying/working, who wouldn't want to see all the hard effort which we have done come to fruition? We want to have successful ministries, excellent school grades and work performance ratings, live successful abundent lives. But could attaining any/all of this diminish the essential presence of God in our life's achievement, and ultimately result in pride entering?
At the end of 7 years, King Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes toward heaven, and his sanity was restored. The bible records that he then praised the Most High; honored and glorified him who lives forever. King Nebuchadnezzar states "My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."
All that we do in God is never in vain. But all that we do should also not be for vanity. Today, I wish to remind myself that, as I serve God and experience the different seasons of ploughing, sowing, weeding, tending, fertilising, harvesting, feasting and fallowing, my calling is to build into the lives of people, until my generation and the generation to come has seen the blessing of God.
I'm not sure what you are tasked to labour for God or how you are told to live on for God, but may you guard you heart against pride and your eyes be heaven bound at all times, especially in the season where God grants us the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of our labour.
Blessings,
M.
"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
This is my favourite verse of the bible.
Some many years ago as I was in the early years of being a rangers commander, I chanced upon this verse and it spoke volumes to me. Just like the immortal speeches of artistes like shakespeare, the heart felt nobility of this statement made by David awakened my spirit man some many years ago and has since challenged me to constantly press on in my ministry's calling.
Everytime I look at this verse, it challenges me to live a life of faithfulness until the day I finish the call of God upon my life. Its a tall order that inspires me to want to possess the same spirit which David had. To want to declare the things of God to the next generation and press on inspite of painful physical infirmities in my older age.
Daniel 4: 29 onwards records King Nebuchadnezzar as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. As he viewed the city from his position, he marvelled to himself "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
Immediately, the judgement of God struck him and he was made insane. From the all powerful king of the Babylonian empire, he was driven away from people and started living with the wild animals; eating grass like cattle. The bible records that for 7 years, King Nebuchadnezzar lived like a wild monster - with his body drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
As noble and grand are my aspirations to live out a life accordingly to Psalm 71:18, as I was writing, the story of King Nebuchadnezzar stood out and spoke to me as a warning.
There are days where I do look back at the past 12 years of serving in the rangers ministry, the hardships of the early pioneering days encountered and then revel in the present day's achievements. It's been really fulfilling to see little naughty boys grow up to become who they are today. Especially when I perceive that their present lives are but a small tip of the iceberg of what they can and will achieved for God in the coming years. It's always such a nice thing to regale in the past memories of camps, sacrifices and blessing to give myself a pat on the back and tell myself I'm truely pressing onto achieve my desire and eventually be able to say the same thing as David did.
But yet, I personally think it's always better to struggle on in life doing a flagging ministry work for God than to experience the blessings and fruition of a successful ministry. As silly as that earlier sentence sounds, I look at such times of experiencing rich blessings to be times where it's so easy to fall into the trap of pride as King Nebuchadnezzar did.
When I evaluate my life and ministry for the past years, I see lots of good achievements. That is seen through positive statistics, successful programmes and lives touched, personal skills and experience, positive accolades and respect from others and a list of modest acknowledgements that could go on and on to make my head swell enormously. When I start listing down all the works of mine, it results in my achievements and what I've laboured and done and suddenly, God seems to have disappeared from the equation, when He was the key to begin with.
In all our quest to serve God, or live through life studying/working, who wouldn't want to see all the hard effort which we have done come to fruition? We want to have successful ministries, excellent school grades and work performance ratings, live successful abundent lives. But could attaining any/all of this diminish the essential presence of God in our life's achievement, and ultimately result in pride entering?
At the end of 7 years, King Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes toward heaven, and his sanity was restored. The bible records that he then praised the Most High; honored and glorified him who lives forever. King Nebuchadnezzar states "My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."
All that we do in God is never in vain. But all that we do should also not be for vanity. Today, I wish to remind myself that, as I serve God and experience the different seasons of ploughing, sowing, weeding, tending, fertilising, harvesting, feasting and fallowing, my calling is to build into the lives of people, until my generation and the generation to come has seen the blessing of God.
I'm not sure what you are tasked to labour for God or how you are told to live on for God, but may you guard you heart against pride and your eyes be heaven bound at all times, especially in the season where God grants us the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of our labour.
Blessings,
M.
"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
