God has the proper answer

Proverbs 16:1

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.

The start of the new year has been jam packed with weekend meetings and exhausting two and a half week reservist. I've only clock 8 days at work before the month of January disappears. February will also be equally gone with a holiday made during the CNY holiday and a business trip immediately. If things go well, I have a second business trip and that will see off the month of February.

I now find myself in a position with so little time on weekends to still my heart and mind and also accomplish the increasing number of tasks being thrown to me. Quite an ironical position to be in because I thought I'll have so much free time on Saturdays that I would be be bored to tears. 

The issues I now face is the lack of ability to think and work out the next step of what I am to do and how God would want of me. I now try to catch up on lost sleep due to the exhausting reservist days, have to plan for the CNY holiday, and muddled with all of it is the increasing desire to see through some personal plans of growing my personal finance and career. This now creates more things to ponder and pray about and making the spirit troubled. Gone was that ideal situation that I thought I would have time to hide in some mountain cave to work out God's plans for me and for me to peacefully walk in His direction.

Sigh! If only life was so much simpler. All we want is to have the clarity of what to do, when to do, how to do and it is as clear as the cable TV programme guide. 

As I type this, I know that I need to apply what I've worked out in the begining of the year with my mentee and to also quickly evaluate what are the rocks, pebbles and sand of my life. Thereafter to work on the key tasks and only look at the tempting stuff when the important stuff are settled.

Rick Warren advises: "Look at the situation through eyes of faith and you’ll see the big God who goes before you." I know for a fact that it isn't as simple to practice what he says, but at least it is timely reminder to recognise that as many plans as we have, God has the answer we need to hear. 

M. 

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:11-12)

God goes before

Exodus 13:22
Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

The O level results came out today and I've been updated of the #15 ER's results. It's a mixed bag of result and consequently even more mixed bag of emotions. Happy for those who did well and my heart goes out for those who would be very disheartened by what they received.

Ever since I've been involved in the youth age group and there are instances of N, O, A level results, it results in a days where my heart goes out to all the students who need guidance and clarity for the results that they have. How do we help those who are disappointed with the grades and feel that their dreams are dashed and their lives path are now ruined.?

I know my life crumbled the day, some 20 years ago, when I was bitterly disappointed with what I received. Only time can really heal such disappointments. The worst thing is the fact that when one is in the midst of the storm, it's really difficult to console them to say, it's ok, when they clearly feel it's not ok.

I'm no longer helping out in the outpost, but my heart goes out for those who are wondering what to do with their life, now that the results do not seem to match their goals and expectations. But yet, at times like this, I'm thankful that God is always there for His people and though I can only try my best to show concern and advice where it is warranted for, God always goes before His people and will guide them in their lives path. 

For all the emotions that each of the disappointed ER feels, I remind myself of the truth that like the people of Israel, the LORD has gone ahead of them, so that they could be assure the path ahead is not crappy nor away from the Lord's plans for them.

M.

"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." (Psalms 119:50)

When the dusts settles

Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Like all other year beginning celebrations, the welcoming of 2011 has been done with much enthusiasm from everyone I know. Facebook is literally flooded with all the bold claims that 2011 will be a great year and individuals will be a year of greater happenings.

The fact of the matter should be that every year's experience should superceed the year before. However, the reality is our emotions only get stoked when we head towards the end of the year or during the early part when a new dawn awakens. Often, the mid-way journey gets muted once we are knee deep in the midst of the year dealing with problems and issues. Then, whatever we proclaimed in the start of the year is but a fleeting memory.

To ensure a constant journey with appropriate moments to revive the dreams and aspirations set in the start of 2011, it is good to create milestones or evaluation review moments for measuring our progress. It can be a simple quarterly self or accountability group evaluation or planning for a half-yearly retreat to review all we've documented to achieve in this early phase of the year. Failing to measure what we have proclaimed this week, will just result in all talk and no action once we are swamped in life's issues.

During the normadic moments where the people of Israel had no nation to live in. they set up altars of worship at significant points of their lives and everytime one walks past one, it serves as a a reminder of God's intervention in their pass as well as His ability to bring them through if they go through a similar situation. So it's also equally important to see what significant events/occasions exists this year for us to revisit or sign up for to have a moment of encounter with God and rekindle what good we have experienced of God in the past.

You and I have different expectations of 2011. Don't just get all excited to just proclaim the joy for this first week of 2011. We still have 51 more weeks to live through with lots to do and multiple challenges that, I'm sure, will come our way.   

Our Christian journey is not about starting well. It's really about how we remain constant in the marathon of life and most importantly, to end it well. Meanwhile, as the dusts of this new year celebrations begin, may you and I learn to walk humbly before God rather than run ahead in wild abandon to carpe diem.

M.

A Conscious choice

Genesis 28:17

“How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 

Attending 2010's watchnight was a bag of mix emotions. Partly because it felt like a rather aimless program especially when there are always those who go forward and end up babbling instead of giving a testimony. To add to it, one of the RAs did not turn up because he frankly replied that attending was a sheer waste of time. But the conflict of emotions in me was because I was obediently attending watchnight as per my yearly ritual and having the internal struggles of wondering why I was there. Didn't help that just the night before watchnight, I bumped into a few of the living springs young adults and cajoeling them to attend their own watchnight service, as opposed to attending a party outside. 

I must say, that when the program is proper, everything is fine. However, when it's a dull evening with people rambling that I wonder if those who gather are losers with no other things to do and if I'm one of those who are just blindly coming because I'm used to the ritual. Afterall, it isn't a compulsary thing unlike keeping the sabbath holy.

I was honestly struggling with being obedient and trying to ensure I was there for the right motive. It only felt good when the clock struck 12 and as I welcomed the new year with a simple worship song and communion, it felt right to have that first few minutes spent on God. 

As I partook communion, I told myself that I may someday elect to not attend watchnight and just do something else. However, until that day comes, I'm grateful to have made a conscious choice to be found in God's house in the end of 2010 and the first few moments of 2011.

I thank God for all He has done for me in 2010 and I know that 2011 will be a year of obedience for my life.

What about you? What is God's plan for 2011 for you? I hope you have a clear idea of what to expect.

blessings, 

M.

May they be blessed

2 Thessalonians 3:16

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

It has been an emotional Christmas evening as I bid farewell to an outpost of rangers whom I've loved and found a sense of I belonging even though it consumed much of my life on Saturdays. This includes the youth leaders and fellow leaders whom I've worked alongside over the period of time I was in the church.

Parting is never an easy thing when we have invested time and heart into lives and the journey seems short in light of the fact that our life's journey only ends the day we cease to breathe and our spirit goes back to heaven to meet our maker.

I can empathise with Paul how he felt as he left each of the Asia minor churches and left a piece of his heart behind with the individuals whom he nurtured and bonded with.

I know that each individual I've met in the past 3 years in living springs fellowship needs to walk through their own life's journey and learn to stand on their own faith, but still, that feeling of hoping to be with them when they go through the roughest patch of their life is what makes letting go so difficult. 

Yet, I'm not God, and only He can ever be the one who will always walk with our loved ones through their lives. Thus, into the hands of God I list and commit every single one of the folks I know and may the blessing of the above prayer be a hedge around their lives. That they will have the saving grace of God in their lives until the day they meet Him. 

(YongEn, Daniel, Nicholas, Jason Chua, JingWen, Zackarias, Amanda, Crystal Seah, Fion, Jason Zhang, Crystal Teo, Shiyun, Eleanor, Joan, Kaiying, Claudia, KaiFeng, Maverick, Gabriel, Bennett, Ivan, Jerome, Jordan, Joaquin, Norman, KaiZhi, Ah Ping, YueEn, Sandra, Xuan, Tony, Raymund, Louis, Melissa, Xiaoyan & all the leaders & pastors)

M. 

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1:3)

All I want for Christmas.

Luke 2: 11
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

Inspired by this Christmas song which I heard on TV this morning, I thought to myself,"what do I really want for this Christmas?" I've already received an iPAD to much excitement and after the initial happiness, it all wanes. So what other material stuff do I really want for Christmas that could possibly out do that? I'm guessing a car or house but do I really think that could transpire? Instead of my wants, maybe I should think of the stuff I need. But then, those are really so boring to receive as gifts.

That's often the issue with a materialistic inclined Christmas. It'll often be followed by a big post-Christmas letdown because we did not get what you had hoped for. Yet, to shamelessly state what we want, doesn't make getting the gift enjoyable. We always want to have someone present us with something we thought no one but ourselves would know.

The first Christmas was an intimate affair by the manger. It was filled with relief because the Joseph and Mary just wanted a sheltered place so their baby could be born. I'm guessing that the surprise visitors of shepherds and wise men made it more interesting for the new parents who really weren't expecting anything or anyone. After all, who did they know having gone up from the town of Nazareth to Bethlehem?

Well, even though I have expensive or thoughtful stuff that I don't mind getting, all I want this Christmas is to enjoy an intimate time of farewell with the youths that I've been with for most Saturdays of the last three years. I don't need any gifts but I just want to spend whatever moment I have in the church to saying my farewell and remind each of them to live their lives well. Christmas exists because God cared so much that He gave his one and only son just to redeem each of them and all I want for Christmas is for them to know that.

M.

Different perspectives, same direction

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

How interesting that I was introduced to this verse by the same person whom I have a history of email correspondences with and we often end up with multiple email of different perspectives. The last 20 hours involved an exchange of few emails with my youth pastor that really revealed the difference in perspectives and style that we have.

Since young, when we were playmates as our parents served in church, I've always recognised how different we each view things and the style we do things differently. As we grew up, if we were to just spend a moment discussing any point, there's often a difference in the way either of us would consider and react to the matter. She puts her heart into doing things rather than not doing anything, I choose to never do anything unless its clear what and why things must be done. It's really a case of iron sharpening iron and often there would be no conclusion of how each views the matter and the style we do it.

Just as today's long emails went to and fro, what started as my opinion on one matter went into a clumsy comment of my observation and concerns and then seemed to go into an overdrive with me having decreasing interest on subsequent comments. It's quite amazing how the conversation went from dust to storm. I won't agree with every point discussed and necessarily accept how she discusses the matters. What she calls irresponsible talk, I simply label it as a honest opinion that should be critically evaluated because there are the observers and dysfunctional people on the ground have been talking and should never be disregarded. How she states an example of individual, I regard it as a labeling attack that borders as a low blow that I won't ever do. However, likewise, I never expect her to accept what I share and how I raise my considerations based on my perspectives of matters because what she expresses is also correct from her own angles and position. Afterall, in her position whatever I've stated can truly be viewed as extremely errornous and unfair statements without me seeing more than what I presume I know. But it's really not about who is right and who is wrong, but getting thoughts and points across in an exchange without going all personal.

Over time, I've come to realised that in every matter, there are 360' of angles to view it and often there's no one correct statement, style or perspective that can solve a situation. Especially church where every matter involving people can always be drilled down further with many considerations and that would result in never ending discussions or escalated squabbles.  But this is where wisdom kicks in and we need to consider the key fact; that if we are taking a similar direction, then we should never lock horns to make things divisive or destructive. Afterall, it's really not about who is right or wrong, but what we are doing as a body of Christ to move in the same direction for God's glory.

That is the real beauty of church. It comprises humans with different personalities, passions, talents and importantly, are all flawed because we are sinners saved by grace. The church is often fraught with so many issues, no thanks to us humans. So even if we have others of difference in style and opinions, we must eventually arise to a higher level, united in our faith, with a similar direction to recognise the truth of how the Church has a mission to meet human need with ministries of love and compassion.

I do not care about winning arguments and have always believed that I don't serve to please anyone in what I do and will stubbornly hold fast to my convictions and character. Yet, it is exactly at such times where I get moments that sharpen my thought and character. Importantly, I'm reminded that growth comes when we move on back to our service for God after individuals elect to agree to disagree or even pass on in matters that aren't of life and death consequences. After all, who has time to brood or continue endless communications. Talk is cheap and we really have more important things to do.

In church, we may never be aligned or want to work together in close proximity with some people who rub us differently, but does that stop you from going in the same direction?  Hey, even Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, but continued on their mission. So what will you choose to do?

M.