1. Following God into the unknown (Session 1): Pastor Lun has really hit the spot when he talked about the shaking of Abram's faith. I totally identified with Abram in this emotional turmoil and I guess it's always way easier to say "Oh you should have faith to give it a shot!", yeah until I had to tell that to myself =S
I guess I have really been well shaken over the past few days. The experiences and the encounters just fell into place for me to go through an emotional roller-coaster. The natural me would have the worst-case-scenario all thought out in my head and it took a toll on me. But at the end of it all, I can only give thanks to Him (as some people pointed out to me that praise and glory ONLY to God), yes I want to give all the praise to Him. Entering into the unknown can actually be exciting!
2. Avoiding Lapses of Faith (Session 2): Pastor Lun talked about the famine in Abram's time (Spiritual attacks) and contrasted Abram's response to situations in Egypt against his actions back in Negev.
It sure is easy to want to take things into my own hands but surely the Lord has greater plans for me. For me to remain in Negev despite the famine is really about trusting Him wholeheartedly.
3. Making Wise Decisions at a Cross Road (Session 3): To seek His Will is to first understand what He is doing. I thought this message was just so apt in its timing for me, to choose by faith and not by sight.
Also being reminded of the non-negotiable in my life is something I took away from this camp, and I saw myself practicing the courage of declining requests for involvement or help. Not in the sense of rejecting but more of asking for time to pray about it. I thought it's about time I took it seriously.
Importance of Relationship and Testimony. Abram had all the reasons and right to tell Lot off and to make the first choice but he chose not to, he chose to give in to Lot.
4. Perfect Love Casts Out Fear (Session 4): Indeed there is really nothing to worry about if my heart is first fully devoted to Him! Also, there is a need for myself to be surrounded by Godly friends and counsel and mentors.
This season He's teaching me to love Him above all as my verse for the year kicks in, just like every past year, the verse always came to pass and how important that I hold onto the verse in spite of all the trial and the change.
As pastor Lun shared on the one-way covenant that God Himself had sealed, I realized Abram had to prepare and position himself for it. He was the one who prepared the animals as he would prepapre a covenant with another man, but God would be the one who established it. He will keep the covenant; and He will not forget His promise.
Since Abram's time, God has already shown His grace and mercy and love ! Jesus, later to come to fulfill all that is prophecied, is the Father's physical demonstration of His Love and Grace for mankind.
Application for me is the motivation to live for the One who first gave all of Himself. The One who decided that He will keep His Word even though there will be heartaches and disappointments. I also discovered that when I overlook His perfect love, I begin to doubt; to fear in situations. But I'm reminded, to give complete trust in Him, who knows better and the best for me is in store.
Rules without Relationship = Rebellion
My Takeaways:
1. Learning to have faith going into the unknown
2. Not resorting to my ways
3. Choose by Faith, not by Sight
4. First, Love God above all else.
--------------------
Sharing for the first time before a congregation isn't exactly what was daunting for me, it was more about preaching His Word without twisting it. It began months back. I thought perhaps I was left out of the arrangement during Good Friday, the email arrived a few weeks later notifying me that I'm scheduled along 3 others to share during Church Camp.
My initial thoughts were quite silly. 10 minutes couldn't be that hard and not much could be shared in that short time right? But I was to be proven wrong. 10 minutes of sharing time is that hard exactly because I have to share straight to the point after filtering what should be preached.
Going through the past weeks of journey has been wearisome at some points but I can only give God the due glory and thanksgiving for seeing me through. Still fresh in the back of my mind, the evaluation session before the camp was quite a setback for me. One part of my mind reminds me that I should not give up and press on while another part is rationalizing if I am cut out for this or should I just give it up.
I figured the message must have been God-empowered and touched lives. Why? Because leading up to the day of sharing it, I went through a constant bombardment of discouragements possibly to a point of giving up. I thought back to the insane training days I had to endure for years. Why am I giving up so easily nowadays in the face of small setbacks and imperfections? Have I become so accustomed to the comfortable lifestyle within the walls of the church that I have no perseverance in the faith?
In the physical trainings I had, giving up was never an option. Particularly the kind of NS training God had planned out for me. I figured that was the season of preparing me for my faith. Unconventional and Unthinkable. If I focused on giving up and that I would not make it, then I wouldn't have pulled through Long Day eventually. Just as the days in secondary school, I remembered being really bad at long distance. Being in the pioneering batch of the team, we were pretty competitive and either you get benched or you get out. I knew deep inside me I had to pay a price.
I started disciplining myself in long distance runs. I remember the days waking up at 5 just to clock the mileage before even heading to school. It was really tiresome and dreadful process when there is the demand from schoolwork and the already crazy scheduled trainings. Paying the price meant more than just clocking the hours, it cost me blisters after blisters; 2 knee surgeries years down the road. But at the finishing line is also the fruits of all the suffering: becoming the eventual fastest runner in the school, being the second fastest man in my NS batch, seems like running became a breeze! Only when we go through the process, we will understand how much it really costs.
Today as I look back, I'm thankful going through that process because the same principle applied to my journey of Faith. I could comprehend running the race, paying the price, knowing the cost. I thank King David for his life sharing. From a shepherd boy to a King who slains by the thousands as God's chosen one, his life has impacted me much. The same for the other Bible characters. But surely the greatest of them all, is Jesus Himself.
This Church Camp has definitely been a very different experience from the ones I have attended. Being tasked to do something for each day of the camp was draining but it was worth it all in the end. The R&R; The icebreaker; The YAY! Games; The Worship leading; The Sermonette. I would never have imagined how each one of these went so well on my own efforts, IT MUST BE GOD. From the R&R I witness His calling of His people to rise up, to the icebreaker and seeing the 40day SF guys rise up and seeing the campers being enthusiastic despite the unreasonable forfeits, to the YAY! Games that I had not expected 50+ people turning up and at the end of it all enjoying themselves knowing one another and doing crazy things like carrying a looong rope playing Chicken-and-Eagle, to the Worship Session that I felt there were so much distractions and songs were just not flowing but how He reminded me to bring the team back to worshipping Him first before leading the congregation and eventually God showing up, to the Sermonette which I felt so badly unprepared and yet God can use it for His glory.
Many tell me good job; great job done. But few reminded me, thank God. Truly be the praise and glory to Him.
And I pray that beyond my desires and concerns and worries, truly all the praise and glory be unto Him who is able to give exceedingly and abundantly, do amazing things for those He love, even to the point of giving His Beloved.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment