Return to give thanks.

Luke 17: 15-18

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

When someone does something nice for me, I am grateful. When I receive a gift, I treat it as a bonus.  If a life grows up well, I'm blessed, but I take no credit for it. Over the years, I've hardened myself to recognise that there will never be nine others who will return out of the ten helped. Honestly, people don't owe me an iota of thanks because lives rarely turn out exactly the way I've dreamt it to be. Moreover, all that transpires is by the very grace and blessings of God. 

I've been brokenhearted too much to expect much and therefore, I do not bother to cling onto beautiful dreams. I've witnessed enough people who are disillusioned/bitter with God or their life and decide to give up on doing what was right because what they hoped and assumed never came to pass. When what doesn’t appear, disappointment sets in. frustrations and anger emerges. Then, it is often left in a feeling of bitterness and offense. God and anything Godly is discarded because it serves no purpose. With lesser expectations, I've learnt self-preservation, even though it inevitably makes me colder and distanced. 

However, as I stand by in the sidelines more often than not broken and spent, I encourage myself to cling to hope, a hope in how God's grace will always be more than I ever imagine. I trust in God not just because I have to, but because I need to. Faith is more than what I feel and know. Therefore, I commit myself, like a blind man with nothing to rely on but his stick, I trust in an unseen God that I've professed to trust and will follow. 

Life has often taken its toll on me, but I continue to do what I must do to handle those in my charge. I know that, even though people will eventually stumble, drop out and break the exposed parts of my heart, they possess some good inside of them that must be nurtured and influenced. Even if none return, I must continue to do what my God will expect of me till the day I see Him and be accountable for the breathe that I was given.I pray you will do likewise too. 

M.

What will people say of you

Luke 23:47
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."

The Roman centurion never knew Jesus, all he witness was how He suffered and died.  But that was enough for him to declare that He was a righteous man. That really says a lot of our Saviour.

People often say that genuineness and character are unveiled in misfortune. When crisis hits us and we are crushed in spirit, how many of us can look upwards towards God and still live in obedience? How many of us can live in the turbulence that life brings us and reflect a sober, kind countenance that would make those around acknowledge that God is present  in our lives?

M.   

Seeing fulfillment

Psalms 27:13 (NIV)

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Psalms 27:13 (NASB)

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

Ps Rick Warren's devotional sharing today ended off with this statement; "A God-given vision will always be fulfilled." My daily psalm calendar has Psalms 27:13 and it sits staring at me as I work today.

The NASB version of this verse is a song I know well and love to sing as it will go on to declare about the testimony of my faithful God. I know that I find my rest in the faithfulness of God, even when I'm unable to be as faithful to He would like or have the faith that would drive me on like an duracell bunny.

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart for we will see the fulfillment of God's goodness.

M.

Leaving a legacy

Judges 2:10

After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

A leader pointed out this to me; The difference between Moses and Joshua is Joshua did not mentor someone and leave behind a legacy of a disciple with right values and standards to lead the next generation onwards with God. 

From Exodus to Deuteronomy, we read of many accounts of how Moses walked with Joshua closely behind him. Indeed, bold as Moses was, every Moses needs a Joshua. Especially during the moments of battles where the arms are weary and discouragement abounds. To have a protege support the arms or stand out to defend the cause of God would make a significant difference to any leader who is pushing ahead to do things for God.

Joshua was an amazing man of God. There's no doubt about this fact and the many powerful miracles and victories he had. He possessed great compelling faith and was talented in his leadership as we witness the battles fought and his drive to get the people to claim what God had promised them. Even in his last words to the people, he kept the people focused on God and challenged them to faithfully serving Him.

But we all know that our hearts are not as steadfast as we like it to be. I know because one moment I'm on a powerful high having accomplished much, but when the next season of my life comes, my emotions can get the better of me. Promises and determination often wane, more so as living a life that is easily distracted by wants and needs, it all takes it toll on us. That is why, it takes more than death to make a difference in many of us. The only thing that drives us strong in our conviction is the values which we learn and choose to have it take root in us.

The generation following Joshua’s generation grew up and the bible states that they neither knew the Lord, nor knew what God had done for Israel. The result was the Israelites did evil in the eyes of God and served Baals! In just one generation people had turned away from God.

Where was Joshua’s successor, just like Moses had Joshua to mentor and succeed him? I'm sure Joshua spend a lot of time with the people since he was warring all the time. However, as a leader, it wasn't just about going after a goal and getting the full promises of God upon the land. What good is that if there isn't the next generation who will be personally influenced to know God fully.

Our life will come and go. I look around and know some people will have more people mourn them and lament about how they are missed because they were nice people or they had done much great stuff. But what good is that legacy left behind where people remember us for what we did and how godly we were and it end there? Without developing and empowering those that would come after us to have deep rooted values and relationship with God, years after our passing, no one can guarantee those left behind will follow God.

We need to find people to intentionally encourage, equip, develop and empower. Mentoring takes a lot of time, effort and sacrifice. What we must do in our life must affect the next generation and they to the next generation. The legacy we leave behind must be of strong individuals who will stand firm when the storms of life hit, they must be amazing conquerors who will advance the kingdom of God and importantly, they must also leave their own legacy of godly individuals whom they have imparted all they had. 

M. 

My portion

Joshua 14:12

"Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."

Of the 12 spies of Israel, only 2 were able to enter the land of Canaan and see the promise of God fulfilled. 

Numbers 13 records that from each ancestral tribe, each sent one of its leaders to explore the land of Canaan. So the 12 were elite men at the prime age of around 40 years old, not young, unproven individuals. However, something must have occurred in the hearts of the other 10 spies to bring back a bad report and because of what they said, the people did not want to enter the promised land. As a result, the Israelites stayed another 37 years in the desert before entering the promised land.

Yet, Caleb stood up in faith and challenged the people to take what was before them because he saw through the eyes of faith how it was achievable. The bible records that Caleb followed God wholeheartedly and even at the age of 85, he claimed what was portioned to him and his tribe.

I've nothing but marked respect for a man who dares to see what is promised and fights tooth and nail until what is promised comes into fruition. Those who live by faith value that which is given by God's promise, far above what is given by His providence only.

M. 

The ordained days ahead

Psalms 139:16

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book  before one of them came to be.

Where will you be in 5 to 10 years time? 

Its time to take stock of your present position and recognise that if the next 5 years of our life can be a whole lot greater than we imagine if we recognise the gravity of not ramping up what we are doing today.

Firstly we need to assess where we are and have a moment to be honest to come face-to-face with God. Everything starts when we dare to stand before God and take stock of our current life. Even if you are heading nowhere or just going downhill, you aren't in a resigned position that is past the point of no return. 

Don’t let your weaknesses be an excuse to stay on where you are. God's calling on our life isn't only on the move when we are in a perfect condition. We will never get to perfection, so stop procrastinating or beating yourself. In the brokenness and soiled state we are in, as we willingly submit to God and the people he leads us under, we will find grace as we stand before God.   

The bible says all the days before us are ordained and we are destined to move with God in greatness. However we can always choose to do nothing and go round and round in circle. To avoid this from happening we need to frankly ask God to reinstil in us the vision and purpose for our lives. I'm not talking about secular plans and dreams, but the plans of God which are centered on us achieving greatness for His kingdom.  

As we spend time to fuel up by God, I'm sure that there are lives which we need to touch, personal sacrifices that need to be made, changes we need to made in our lives, but all that we will choose to do will accomplish more than we can ever dream of when it is powered by the Holy Spirit.

Focus! Focus! Focus! Let God inspire us to move ahead of ourselves.

M.  

At God's command

Hebrews 11:3

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

This fact hit me yesterday as the US national comdr shared. At the very of "be' the universe was created, formed and fashioned. However up to today, the universe continues to expand outwards as NASA scientist have discovered.

The very fact is, at God's word of creation, the power of His very word is limitless. It's not a one time, limited statement, but the very essence of power in His command that our limited mind can never fathom.

How is it that we who are made to worship Him can swing in our emotions and constantly waver in our faith when God has time and again given us clear commands to obey. By grace, we are not stuck down by God's might when He gives commands for our lives. However, we must come to a point of obedience to do what God would expect of us, not what we desire or stubbornly hold onto.

As the very word of God, the heavens and the earth were created. Why then do we struggle to obey the word of God that we read or hear. Just as the universe is still being formed by God's rema power, we who have ears need to also hear and be transformed. For it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

M.

Keep ourselves in God's love.

Jude 1:21

Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Is this a contradiction? No. It is merely two sides of the same coin. The Bible is teaching that God will keep us, but at the same time, we must keep ourselves in His love. We don't keep ourselves saved, but we keep ourselves safe.
 

There are things we must do on a daily basis to keep ourselves in a place where God can actively bless us, and to keep ourselves away from all that is unlike Him, and those things that would drag us down spiritually. As I witness this emotional ER of a fellow commander and even as I chart my own feelings these past few weeks, I can indeed testify of how our moods goes up and down more often than a roller-coaster ride's journey.
 

Attacks will come our way. Were it not for the preserving grace of God, none of us would make it. Clearly, we are preserved, protected, and kept by the power of God. But the battle ground of our mind is one place that we need to actively guard.

M.

Careful attention

Proverbs 27:23-24

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.  

The older I get, the more I learn that it takes so much more that what I already know and do to look after those under me.

Just when I think I can comfortably release a youth into adulthood, I realise that I do not know how to strike a balance between letting one be fully independent or to keep constant hand-hold supervision. I struggle with trying to being there to instruct and dictate versus not doing anything and letting consequences take their course.

It's very typical of me to not let go. I'm one who drive myself to having things fully in control. Doesn't help that I'm unwilling to see mistakes be repeated in the lives of those under me and can come across to be controlling. I guess, being unmarried and with lesser commitments helps too in how I'm willing to devote my time in the same way a workaholic single person is at the corporate world.

In the last couple of years, I thought I was learning how to relax the way that I oversee the RAs. I called it "remote supervision" as I thought it was about a journey of life that each would take and that each will always make a right decision. Yet, with every stumble and fall that I witness, I reeled in shock and pain when I found out about it - often too late, since I'm not very well informed in a timely sense. Yet, I know I'm not God and can never prevent bad things from happening to all those I once lead. Even God respects the will and choices of mankind- even if they are horrid ones.

I wished I knew of this verse when I first stepped out and decided on my "remote supervision" modus operadi. An empire never lasts forever and I should never have relaxed till I assumed too much. 

God arm me with devotion, strength and wisdom that I will always pay careful attention to those I'm called to influence and lead all the days of my life.

M.

     

Teach a child

Proverbs 22:6

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Happy teachers day to the teachers and comdrs who inspired me to continue to serve as a leader for these 18 years. 

Every year, I've faithfully received a thank you 'teacher's day' message from one of my dearest kid who is now an adult. It's really heart-moving and rewarding to be thanked despite the fact that I am no longer teaching him and really makes my day when I wake up to receive his message. 

This verse has had an impact on me as a young comdr when I was taught how a young child was impressionable under the age of 12 and all effort spent has a lasting effect in their lives. I recall being excited at the promise of seeing the children I taught be steadfast into their old age. I told myself that I would teach and instruct all the kids to the best of my ability since I was then teaching a group of boys under the age of 11 years old.

Today, many of the kids of yesterday are above the age of 20 and I sometimes struggle to make light of this truth when I see them live their lives. Yet, I also know this bible verse is true by looking at myself that I have values and thinking shaped by the educators who taught and imparted much into my life. 

The KJV version of this scripture says "Train up a child", it connotes effort and much repeated exercises. Today, I can't help but agree at the importance of needing to subject children to proper training of Godly values because they will be strengthened to make a stand in their adult lives. Wherever we are, teaching children in church, do stay on course in life so we can make an impact to the next generation and live to see them steadfast even as adults.

M.