Blessed

(written on the 10th July, sunday)

Today, my mom threw her hands up in the air and waved them about, exclaiming with unbridled emotion. (ok, that was a little over the top, but she DID DO the waving and exclaiming)
All that with her durian smeared gloves on and all.

No, she didn't win the lottery, no, i didn't blow up the kitchen, no, i didn't drop a durian on my foot and no, i most certainly am not pregnant.
(though i've been having a suspiciously voracious appetite. Hmmm...)

Mumsy: "Finally! Something that the daughter and father agree on!"
Dadsy: "Huh? You mean we don't agree on things?"
Mumsy: "I mean, this is something that both daughter and father are talking about so passionately."

To explain why she lapsed into a temporary frenzy of a few seconds...

Yesterday evening, we had a guest speaker in church who came to share the word with us during the Youth Service.
I cannot begin to express HOW MUCH his message spoke so deeply and meaningfully. I don't even know where to start to share!

I brought it up this morning with Dadsy and we, being the critical sort, started bringing up the salient and important points that spoke such truth in the face of so much misleading preaching these days.

Dad and i agree that, we, ("we" collectively being, us the congregation AND leaders), REALLY NEEDED to hear the hard truths about the Christian walk. For too long, we've been hearing all these things about constantly being in victory for Christ. We both felt that we needed to be brought back down to Earth and cease the sensationalizing.

Sensationalizing is one of the most dangerous aspects that take place in the church. It misleads and sows false seeds of faith, in pre-believers and believers alike.

Verses referred to:
- Isaiah 40: 27-31
- 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

First: We will face times when God seems far away. But take heart...

- In our Christian walk, we WILL face dry periods when God "removes" the feelings of His presence from us. But that does NOT mean that he is really gone. In fact, He never left us, will never leave us and He will still continue to walk closely beside us. :-)

He does this, not because He wants to point and laugh to get amusement (maybe the same way you might snigger and take the toilet away from The Sims characters), but it's to teach us: To NOT rely on FEELINGS OF GOD, but rather to rely on GOD HIMSELF. That's who we place our trust in. The Originator.

Second: The Christian walk is NOT a straight line.

Jesus never promised us a bed of roses. Life will always have its challenges, because God wants to REFINE us into the people that He wants us to become. To shine and show the beauty of His character and to be prepared for the things that He wants us to do.

It is in our weakness, when God's strength is seen. Isn't it wonderful? We kinda.. "Win", in both ways. Think about it:

During the good times, we are all happy. Birds sing, snakes dance and monkeys do not fall off the trees. We rejoice.
But in the bad times, we can be equally happy and at peace too. Are we nuts? No.

Because i'd like to share with you, that as we live on this life with God by our side, we know that we will never be left alone and that God takes cares of us, of our every need.
All that we need to do, the attitude to adopt, is to have an unwavering trust in God. And when we put our complete trust in Him, there is no more need to worry about all our tomorrows.

It is during out lowest times of sorrow and suffering, that His Grace will shine through and that's when you see His work being done as well, even in the bad times! I've witnessed it for myself and i have absolutely no doubt about my Lord.

:-) :-D ;-D

These are the first 2 points that i remember from that message he shared. Most of what he shared were the most essential and humbling foundations of the Christian walk that need to be kept in mind all the time.

YAY! I am so blessed by the message, and i hope you will be too.

(to be continued)