Dear...
'For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted but the sorrow of the world produces death.'
2 Corinthians 7:10
What is tribulation? My son just asked me as I was pondering my starting sentence for this sharing. And may it be in all brevity for my long suffering readers, just like how we, often in the midst of trials and challenges in our lives, pray that God will bring us out of the fiery crucible soonest, if not now.
Deprivation might bring discomfort, but it is nourishment for our very being, it often brings the best out of us. Would that include the innate goodness that is in all man, for we were made in the likeness of God, till Adam lowered standards by exchanging a personal relationship with God, for a bite of the rotten apple?
For me, it was always in my time of need that brings me running to God. And life moves on, when things are dandy, and we place God back in the neglected recesses of one's life, till the next crisis.
God moved me out of this vicious cycle of self interest and into a desirous relationship with Him, independent of circumstances, when by His sanctifying Spirit, He transformed me from believer(which I was since age 15) to a more than willing follower at age 40. This "upgrade" in my journey with God had its origins again in the midst of tribulations, except difference is on this occasion, I chose to acknowledge His Sovereignty and thank Him for my circumstances, even before sunny days appear again. Quite a sharp contrast to my past modus operandi of thanking God after the fact, and even then, often a quick cursory thanks.
It has been a wonderful decade of following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Powdery white but well sprinkled hair I might now have, which is more wisdom than stress I like to believe and truly believed, in all humility to the grace of God in my life. Joy and peace anchors my very being, much as my imperfect carnality still cause me to sway(but not be swept away into the sea of doubt) like a buoy in the wind swept stormy oceans of life, and about blessings, God truly more than provides bountifully, much as we learn to seek Him and His righteousness.
'And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.'
Romans 5:15
Contrast life which revolves around the temporal and finite things of this world to life as a believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, that in taking time out from the world and taking time in His presence, His very spirit will speak to us, and we will truly fathom not just the very purpose of our existence, but that we will be imbued with this warmth, this peace and joy, that come what may, the grace of God is indeed suffice for the day.
'And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray, and when the evening was come, he was there alone.'
Matthew 14:23
And while this joy and peace is indeed true for me in my blessed life this past decade as a diligent follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet inexplicably, last month in May, I felt like a machine that has been running to its limits for too long, I decided to take time out from running after every opportunity that is offered to me to do the work of God, for it seems that I was feeling the onset of a spiritual burnout. Yet God is good. His Spirit ministered to my very being, allowed me to realize and fine tune the many imperfections that are manifested in my ministry life as a servant of our Lord and in taking time with the Lord our God, He not only refreshed the dis-spirited me, but has brought me to the beginnings of the next monumental (sound better than big) phase in my journey with Him.
'But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit, and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.'
John 4:23-24
And interestingly, with this rejuvenation from Christ, our spring of life, my heart also felt a sense of being able to hear His will with even greater clarity than before, for the Spirit of God speaks to my spirit, much as I know that the faithful following is still a work in progress,. And as always, God knows our every needs, and He again affirms His will for me by His prescience in bringing me to the next topic of my Online Bible course( a word based self study bible course that I have been blessed to do since year 2003) with what else but the very apt topic titled "A God Who Guides"
Does it mean that the time for contemplative reflection is over? Does this mark the end of this 3rd Series titled "Reflections for the moment?' which God has blessed me and enlightened me with many wonderful lessons as I take time in His presence to reflect upon the impressions He placed in my heart. And I pray that it was both edifying and insightful as the Spirit of God speaks to you my fellow journey men and women these past one year plus (since Mar 2009) just as the prior two series, ie Series 1 titled "My walk with Lord" (started July 2004) was a gradual journey with our Lord, followed by His leading me to pick up the tempo in Series 2 "Running the race"?(initiated July 2008)
'Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice.'
John 4:28
Is this the time for a more responsive conviction in our journey with God? I will be going off the airways or more like internet for now, not because I needed a hiatus, but rather it is good to take time out from this wonderful ministry of word as led by the Spirit of God, and take time in to ponder and more importantly to hear the will of God. And much as I believe that God is now moving me to the next phase of my journey with Him, my next upgrade, it is not what I think but what He wills. And God will let us know, at His timing, but one must be willing to spend time in His presence.
Till then, when our good Lord leads me to resume this word based ministry, with Series 4, do visit my blogs(for past sharing but still current if the Spirit of God so wills in your heart) at
http://hieang.blogspot.com
(For series 1 - My walk with the Lord. Series 2- Running the race and Series 3- Reflections for the moment
and
http://sundaysnippets.blogspot.com
'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters.'
Psalms 23:1-2
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(4th July 10)
note
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Interestingly, with the recent announcement of the non believer lady journalist (whose comments on Christianity led to my responding to the Spirit's leading to provide a Christian response to clarify often the narrowly focused and secular views of journalists in the Sunday papers) that she was finally getting married, after many years of single-hood, Sundaysnippets will also be taken off the air, not because I have fallen out of love with my favorite journalist, but rather, it has served its purpose and till our Lord show me otherwise.
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