As January Ends

A parting shot to Jan 08 which has been extremely eventful indeed. This year has heralded new opportunities in both ministry and my career and things have been pretty rosy to date.

I wondered through '07 why my ministry was ineffective and my influence remained small. Why I had roles with little significance and that God was definitely not leveraging on my gifts and strengths haha. But I went along anyway, without a clue.

This year i had an epiphany. Well not so dua zhong (big deal) la, just a realisation of the reason behind it all. I realised that 2007 was a year of preparation, in moulding and shaping my character. God is indeed wise. Without the bedrock of character, our gifts and successes in ministry can so easily cause us to fall flat.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."

God enabled me to love and to care for the people around me. I couldn't do it on my own and he deposited within me a compassion and a care for others, especially for those who are outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Once I only cared about myself. When I was in ministry, it was more about using my strengths and exercising my gifts than about loving people. Its redefined my life, attitudes and the way i relate to others.

As I began to obey and be faithful with the little, God opened many opportunities this year for service. It was no longer about programs and doing stuff, but to serve others in love and to reach the lost. Furthermore, the things lined up are incredibly daunting and I know that apart from Christ that I wont be able to succeed. It has caused my faith to rise to a new level. Its been a really long time since I lived on the cutting edge, depending on God to see me through each step of the way and its humbling and exciting.

Ive also learnt about the call to discipleship that everyone of us is called to be a disciple and to disciple others. It is the essence of our being as we model ourselves after our Lord and obey Him in everything. It is a call to leave behind a saved by the Sinners Prayer lifestyle and to come into active fellowship and obedience to God, living a life of abundance that God promised.

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"

This is a verse that has impacted my life and priorities. Every time i read it I "hear" God calling out to me afresh to follow Him. Each time I am tempted, it calls out to me to take a stand or deny my Lord. It makes living a life of discipleship, real and dynamic. It humbles me to know that I cannot do anything apart from Him. Everyday is a choice to either live for myself or God and it take a conscious effort to do the latter.

So these are some of the few things God has been doing in my life. If you are reading and you do not know Jesus, I hope this gives you a glimpse into the relationship that I have with God. Through this, life has purpose and meaning and salvation for our sins. i hope you would consider exploring about who Jesus is and to heed His call to turn from our sinful ways and follow Him.