Summer is Growth Season: Step 1
"To increasingly submit to HIM who is sovereign."
GOD loves to make a joke of us, apparently. Because HE answers prayers wayyyy too quickly.
Not that HE isn't able to. I guess my picture of GOD is just too small right now, as Hanyi shared from his testimony.
On Sunday, after the youths went for their BS, I headed to Fort Canning alone - no bags, no phones, just me and the clothes on my back. It was a lovely morning, the sky was a brilliant blue, there was a cool breeze coming through the trees, and the big fluffy cumulus clouds gave just the right amount of sunlight. I spent around an hour there, walking around, standing around, sitting in various places - and I couldn't find peace. I couldn't find peace in GOD's creation, so I reasoned that it wasn't peace or quietness that I seeked. I walked and walked, I sat, I stood, I tried to find the best place place and in the last 5 min of my hour-long time-out, the big cement circle under the open sky was finally shaded by the clouds. It's nice and calming to walk in quiet security among the trees or sit at the base of one (like Newton and Gautama) but standing in an open field with only the air between your head and the sky - the sense of openness is liberating. And as I sat there, I had an urge to pray, so I did.
And so on 17 May, around 10:30am, encircled by hunting swallows and butterflies and surrounded by the sounds of Filipinos in their happy conversation, I yielded to GOD. I yielded to GOD that I will trust and have faith that HE is Sovereign, even though I will often feel uncertain and very afraid, even though things don't seem to be going our way. To accept the circumstances HE has placed in my life to direct me, to love and not fear fellow (but more senior) servants of the LORD, to be open to sharing deeply, to have assurance that HE is ever close to me (even physically) for HE is still LORD GOD Almighty.
And at evening service, I was flipping through the hymnal and one hymn caught my eye:
I MUST tell Jesus of my trials.
For HE loves me and will bear them gladly.
I am a wretched man with a close-to-being-wrenched heart.
On a more positive note:
Last night, I prayed that GOD will guide us as Befrienders, that we will be able to set up a Befrienders team. This morning, I woke up to Yani telling the evening group about a new friend Abigail. And then we started on an update session on John, Abigail, Audrey (not sure if two or one), Angie (Angelina or Angelica or Angeline?) and Awan. (:
AMAZING. Thank You GOD. For Your grace and powerful working of hands, hearts, and seating placements. It's amazing. Especially seating placements/locations.
AND AND. Hui Ling re-applied for a full time position. :O Utterly shocked. And a bit sad that she might "lose touch with the secular world". But thank You GOD for calling her again. :D
Now. I shall befriend Awan and Jiaxiu and hopefully Angela. And actively encourage QC and Joshua. (: And attempt to find out what the Bible has to say on Befrienders and Congre Care and Creation Care this week.
GOD loves to make a joke of us, apparently. Because HE answers prayers wayyyy too quickly.
Not that HE isn't able to. I guess my picture of GOD is just too small right now, as Hanyi shared from his testimony.
On Sunday, after the youths went for their BS, I headed to Fort Canning alone - no bags, no phones, just me and the clothes on my back. It was a lovely morning, the sky was a brilliant blue, there was a cool breeze coming through the trees, and the big fluffy cumulus clouds gave just the right amount of sunlight. I spent around an hour there, walking around, standing around, sitting in various places - and I couldn't find peace. I couldn't find peace in GOD's creation, so I reasoned that it wasn't peace or quietness that I seeked. I walked and walked, I sat, I stood, I tried to find the best place place and in the last 5 min of my hour-long time-out, the big cement circle under the open sky was finally shaded by the clouds. It's nice and calming to walk in quiet security among the trees or sit at the base of one (like Newton and Gautama) but standing in an open field with only the air between your head and the sky - the sense of openness is liberating. And as I sat there, I had an urge to pray, so I did.
And so on 17 May, around 10:30am, encircled by hunting swallows and butterflies and surrounded by the sounds of Filipinos in their happy conversation, I yielded to GOD. I yielded to GOD that I will trust and have faith that HE is Sovereign, even though I will often feel uncertain and very afraid, even though things don't seem to be going our way. To accept the circumstances HE has placed in my life to direct me, to love and not fear fellow (but more senior) servants of the LORD, to be open to sharing deeply, to have assurance that HE is ever close to me (even physically) for HE is still LORD GOD Almighty.
And at evening service, I was flipping through the hymnal and one hymn caught my eye:
I MUST tell Jesus of my trials.
For HE loves me and will bear them gladly.
I am a wretched man with a close-to-being-wrenched heart.
On a more positive note:
Last night, I prayed that GOD will guide us as Befrienders, that we will be able to set up a Befrienders team. This morning, I woke up to Yani telling the evening group about a new friend Abigail. And then we started on an update session on John, Abigail, Audrey (not sure if two or one), Angie (Angelina or Angelica or Angeline?) and Awan. (:
AMAZING. Thank You GOD. For Your grace and powerful working of hands, hearts, and seating placements. It's amazing. Especially seating placements/locations.
AND AND. Hui Ling re-applied for a full time position. :O Utterly shocked. And a bit sad that she might "lose touch with the secular world". But thank You GOD for calling her again. :D
Now. I shall befriend Awan and Jiaxiu and hopefully Angela. And actively encourage QC and Joshua. (: And attempt to find out what the Bible has to say on Befrienders and Congre Care and Creation Care this week.