Be alarmed!

Saw this signboard in my neighborhood this morning and I felt rather intrigued by it. The common construction signboards that you and I would normally see is “Danger. Keep away” but this signboard is saying “Do not be alarmed. Steaming in progress.”

For a moment, it seems as if the signboard is saying to me, “Do not be alarmed! Whatever you are going through is normal and it is part of what you need to experience…” But then, another thought came into my mind. In the recent months, many people has also implied to me, “Do not be alarmed. We are all work in progress (going through a process of sanctification).”

I clearly understand that all of us are not perfect due to our fallen nature and all Christians are going through a process of sanctification. By sanctification, it means that there is a continued transformation of the moral and spiritual character so that the believer’s life actually comes to mirror the standing he or she already has in God’s sight. Yet I am thinking and believing too many people have misunderstood what this process really means.

While God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us and to convict us of our sins, but I also believe we must do our part in obedience to what He has revealed to us. This certainly do not mean we should sit around and do nothing and wait for God to zap our sins away and that He would miraculously transform us to be more and more like Jesus.

Paul said in Philippians 2:12 (NLT),”Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” Similarly, John Piper puts it, ‘When it comes to killing my sin, I don’t wait passively for the miracle of sin-killing to be worked on me, I act the miracle.'” Yet there are many people who feels that there isn’t a need for us to do anything, continues living the same way, and thinks that it is okay. The Bible also says in Romans 1:32, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practise them.” Similarly as Matt Chandler preaches in his sermon, “This is…we know we’re breaking God’s divine law, but we don’t care. Not only will we do them, but we will approve of others who do of those also.”

Personally, I felt that we should not be too comfortable to always term it as, “Do not be alarmed. We are work in progress”, instead it should be “Be alarmed/Wake up your idea! Disobedience to God is in progress.” Unfortunately, some people have taken it that I may be too direct in my speech and may hurt others. However deep down, I seriously think this person will not gain anything more if he or she does not hear the real thing. If we ‘sugar-coats all our words’ and ‘be nice’ just to please the person, tell me…how would it help him or her? Think about it…doesn’t it seem like we are being direct by sending the person to hell instead?

And so…let us all be alarmed and wake up! Let us not be caught up with the idea that we are always “a work in progress” and doesn’t change in the way we think and do things.

Love Never Fails…

Around 7am this morning, my dad came into my room to ask if I wanted any breakfast. Knowing that he is going to fetch my grandmother to the clinic for a check-up in the morning, I said to him that I could settle breakfast on my own. But when he started to repeat himself and mentioned he will be going to the market anyway and so, I said, “Ok! The coffee from the market, please!”

Feeling blessed and loved, I know this is the way my dad express his love for me. I remembered that one of my birthdays when he called to ask if I wanted a cake, but when I told him not to buy, he still bought it anyway. I also recalled the time when I broke off with my boyfriend, came home late and slept till about noontime. But when I woke up, everybody has gone out and nobody was in the house but I found a pack of my favourite nasi lemak left on the dining table. And then I cried. Knowing that no matter what I go through, my parents will always be there for me.

I am thankful to have loving parents. When I told them that I will be going back to studies and will no longer hold a job with a stable income, they did not question me much. Even though my mother is not yet a believer of Christ, whenever I leave home for any mission or ministry trips, she never forgets to tell me “to stay safe and God bless you.”

Though my parents were very strict towards me in my younger days and there were lotsa expectations set on me. Their love for me has never failed, even more so, God’s love never fails.

Earlier this week, I was at my mentor’s place for a discussion and was happily eating the super delicious home cooked meal that his wife had prepared. When the food is running low, I suddenly realised and asked what will his wife be eating then? But their response was, “its okay, let the children eat first, if there is not enough we will find food later.” Immediately, I could sense the kind of sacrificial love that they had for their children and it also reminded me of my parents that they had been working through their lives to support the family.

My parents do not hold high status jobs. We do not live in a big house or own any cars. Yet in this small little 3-room flat (though a little cramp), there is unity and love in the family. No doubt, we do have squabbles and arguments here and there but life is as simple as it is.

Well…my heart in writing this post is that we do not take our parents for granted. Let us always remember what our parents have done for us, and that we love and appreciate them and forgiving them even though there may be areas that they may not have done right.

My greatest desire and prayer for them is that they come to know and receive the Lord, Jesus Christ in their lives. I would love to and I also want to walk with them in this journey as well.

On the coming Monday, I’ve asked my mom if she would want to come along with me to watch an evangelistic Christmas musical. And she has agreed. I’m praying that nothing will cropped up that day and more importantly that the gospel message will touch her heart.

Do pray with me if you are reading this…

Review…

The past few months have been kinda challenging for me as there were so many changes that I had to go through. Looking back the working days in the corporate world, I thought I’ve somewhat learn and understood what it meant to deal with all kinda people. However in the recent months, I realised I was wrong. I felt that it has reached to another level of learning how to work with people of very different working styles(or the lack of), cultures and attitudes which I have never faced before and yet I’ve been told that this is just normal.

As normal as it can be to others…I find myself in a state of limbo. Yet…at the back of my head, I know there must be MORE THAN THIS. And I can’t helped but ask myself if this is what God wants me to do and what it would be like after I have graduated.

I still have 4 school terms and that will take another 1.5 years till completion to graduate in October 2015. While it seems like there’s a long way to go, but I felt I should already start praying and seeking God on what’s next! Of course, I have received various comments when I shared this with a few people around me. But the one upsetting comment received was not to plan or think so much or being so task-oriented and let God do His job by planning for you. While I understand that our paths are already orchestrated by Him, yet I do not just want to sit and wait and do nothing about it. And sOOoooOoooo! No matter how enthusiastic or eager I am, but what I can only do in the meantime is to be like an extra strong sponge, to absorb as much I can. And when the right time comes…God willing…I want to be able to pour into the lives of others and also to draw them closer to Him.

Last night, I am thankful and blessed to have attended “Jesus Culture’s One night of Worship & Ministry”. No doubt they are my favourite band and I wanted to hear them live. But the one thing that I’ve got out from the evening is “All He wants is a willing heart” and I felt convicted to recommit my life once again to serving Him wholeheartedly. Though I am not sure of what it is to come, be it missions or teaching or whatsoever…but I just want to be where You are…dwelling in Your presence…being & serving in Your kingdom!

Let God be God…

I took a long ride down the TPE expressway today after my lesson and ended up in IKEA. I figure I should take a break or rather take time out to be on my own. Thankfully at around 10-ish kinda timing, the road is quite empty and there were only a few people still shopping at IKEA which makes the entire place very quiet.

I enjoy such kinda time particularly when I ride down the ECP or TPE expressways as these are the “me time with the Lord on the go”. And this week, I really needed that. There seems to be lotsa things running through my mind after I came back from Cambodia. And it feels like there was a super huge rock in my heart after knowing more details to what had happened to Ps Wendy. I sighed…I asked God why…I sang…I prayed throughout the time when I was traveling before I stopped at IKEA.

Initially I did not have anything in mind to purchase. But as I was walking around the store and came to stand in front of a shelf that has a whole stack of food containers, I thought it will be ideal to get another lunch box (as I have been cooking & bringing food from home to work).

Long time back, I had bought a lunch box and it melted within seconds in the microwave. So this time round, I’m not going to let the same mistake happen again. I started scrutinizing how to use the lunch box, bearing in mind that there should be a opening where the vapor will be coming out. I pressed on all sides of the box; I tried to pull out one of the lids with my fingernails; I turned the lunch box upside down to see if the lid can be opened that way. But no matter what I did, the lid stays shut! And it was only until I have given up trying and turned to look at the shelves, I realised how silly I have been. The instructions on how to open the lid were actually written beside the price tag!!! Duh, isn’t it?!!!

While I was laughing to myself at my own silly acts, I began to realise that  God is revealing to me on a few things. First of all is that God has given us a life manual – The Bible. While the life instruction manual has already been written, many of us has taken it for granted. Just like when I was at IKEA, the instructions is already given but I failed to read it before I started prying open the lunch box. I believe God is also telling me that no matter what happens….go back to the Bible. Stand strong on His word. And that He never fails…

Secondly, people are striving too hard in their flesh to accomplish things or solve issues on their own. They would usually think that their ways are usually right. I must admit that I am one of them and many times I have failed to realise that I am weak and God is strong. And certainly He knows better than all of us do! And in regards to what had happened…… I realised also that just because we love the Lord and we are doing our best to follow Him…that does not guarantee that we will go through life without facing really tough times. But one thing for sure is that we can believe and trust in Jesus Christ, that He is always there with us to deliver us from those tough times. Our only action is to always seek Him, and let God be God…