Being able to drive - for most people, it's no problem at all.
But for me, it's something almost unimaginable for me to do a few years back.
I've always given and believed the excuse that i'm the kinda of person who can't multi-task - having to look front, look back, look side and move my hands and feet at the same time - is something too difficult to do. I can actually remember telling my friends that it's better and safer without me on the road...(something which i would like to retract as of now :))
To even embark on the idea of learning to drive is a faith journey for me. For most, it's a useful skill to pick up...but for me, it seemed that it's more of a God-idea than my own idea - to learn to drive and to learn MANUAL. For what? That i don't know, but for me, there're definitely practical reasons to do that but i know that it's not good enough for me to move myself to do it...knowing it's much more difficult. In fact, more than a few instructors i've met have questioned my decision to learn manual.
But every step of the way, from BTT to FTT to practical lessons, was God's strength and grace with me. I remember days whereby i have to go for driving lessons without sleep during my insomnia nights. Knowing that if this is what God wants me to learn, He'll carry me through...and before every lesson, i always prayed and committed it to Him, simply because i know i won't be able to do it without Him.
Now being able to pass the driving test, though on the second try nonetheless, testifies all the more to His grace and faithfulness. It's totally unexpected, so much so that i still couldn't believe it a few hours later that i actually did it. More than anything, God shows and demonstrates to me His ability, power and grace to bring me through what He wants me to do, no matter how hard it seemed for me to do, as long as i depended on Him. All Glory be to God!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
I'm NOT...
I'm NOT...the clothes i wear, I'm NOT...the photograph, I'm NOT...the music that i hear.
I'm NOT...the bag i carry, I'm NOT...the face you see, I'm NOT...the places that i go.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Thy Word
The closing song for today's service - tunes me back to God from my distractions. Thank you, LORD!
Doulos
The last part of today's sermon struck me. :0)
It's like a drop of water on the parched dry ground of my soul. I guessed i've been dry spiritually for the past 2 or 3 weeks.
Pastor William, during the last part of his sermon, suddenly talked about the word 'doulos' and what it meant.
According to Pastor William and from Wikipedia,
Doulos may refer to:
In ancient Greece, a slave (δοῦλος)
Biblically it is commonly translated as bond-servant or servant, but literally the word meant slave.
And he said that we are slaves to God when we enter His kingdom. This is both a strong and provocative statement. I always sees it as bondservants, but he used the word "slave", which in turns provokes me to think more about my standing with God.
In further search of the definition of "doulos", i realised there's more to it than the meaning of 'slave'. It also depends where it's used (whether in ancient Rome or ancient Greece). From differing political viewpoints (depending on whether it's Athenian democracy or ancient Greek cities eg. Sparta), there also seemed be a disparity in definition of 'doulos'. In Athens, there was a distinction between 'doulos' and 'sklavos' (which is a more accurate translation of slave) but not so in Sparta. There are also different classes of 'duoloi' and treatment of 'duoloi' differed greatly in different places.
The search hasn't ended...but no matter what, i have a feeling that there's no exact pointing of the finger to a single definition. It can have a different meaning at a different place at a different time zone. And even so, i thanked God for the renewed realisation of how wrecked and worthless my status as a 'slave' to the world & myself in the past, but how God has bought me with a price (the great price of His Son) and Jesus (giving His life as payment for my life), so that He can make me not just his slave or servant but His friend, child and co-heir with Christ.
It's like a drop of water on the parched dry ground of my soul. I guessed i've been dry spiritually for the past 2 or 3 weeks.
Pastor William, during the last part of his sermon, suddenly talked about the word 'doulos' and what it meant.
According to Pastor William and from Wikipedia,
Doulos may refer to:
In ancient Greece, a slave (δοῦλος)
Biblically it is commonly translated as bond-servant or servant, but literally the word meant slave.
And he said that we are slaves to God when we enter His kingdom. This is both a strong and provocative statement. I always sees it as bondservants, but he used the word "slave", which in turns provokes me to think more about my standing with God.
In further search of the definition of "doulos", i realised there's more to it than the meaning of 'slave'. It also depends where it's used (whether in ancient Rome or ancient Greece). From differing political viewpoints (depending on whether it's Athenian democracy or ancient Greek cities eg. Sparta), there also seemed be a disparity in definition of 'doulos'. In Athens, there was a distinction between 'doulos' and 'sklavos' (which is a more accurate translation of slave) but not so in Sparta. There are also different classes of 'duoloi' and treatment of 'duoloi' differed greatly in different places.
The search hasn't ended...but no matter what, i have a feeling that there's no exact pointing of the finger to a single definition. It can have a different meaning at a different place at a different time zone. And even so, i thanked God for the renewed realisation of how wrecked and worthless my status as a 'slave' to the world & myself in the past, but how God has bought me with a price (the great price of His Son) and Jesus (giving His life as payment for my life), so that He can make me not just his slave or servant but His friend, child and co-heir with Christ.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Charting 2011
Been wanting to do this some 2-3 weeks ago...Finally, got down to start it...
In 2011,
I want to be 'liberated' from the constraints of age to do what i want to do! :)
I realised that being at 33 should be NO BARRIER at all to do what i want!
To do the things that young ones can do too!
Water-ski-ing? Horse-riding? Golf? (ok, perhaps golf is not just for the young...)
Pass my driving test by Feb 2011. 18 FEB 2011!!!!!!
Serving and ministering to the children in Prisons Fellowship?
I want to do what is IMPORTANT to God: loving God and trusting Him in transforming me to be more and more Christlike. Especially not forgetting the truths He deposited in my heart, and the experiences of journeying in God's Israel. I don't want it to be just another holiday memory. I want it propel me to want to spend even more more time in solitude, building deeper intimacy with God, reading God's Word, praying for missionaries and the lost.
I want to do what is IMPORTANT & LASTING: spending time and building relationships with my school kids whom God has placed in my hands and within my influence. Being there for them to help them and guide them as much as i can instead of doing so many other seemingly important things but actually doesn't matter one bit when this world passes away..
...and perhaps not even the last,
To Take Hold of what God wants me to TAKE HOLD of...and
To Let Go of what God wants me to LET GO of...
In 2011,
I want to be 'liberated' from the constraints of age to do what i want to do! :)
I realised that being at 33 should be NO BARRIER at all to do what i want!
To do the things that young ones can do too!
Water-ski-ing? Horse-riding? Golf? (ok, perhaps golf is not just for the young...)
Pass my driving test by Feb 2011. 18 FEB 2011!!!!!!
Serving and ministering to the children in Prisons Fellowship?
I want to do what is IMPORTANT to God: loving God and trusting Him in transforming me to be more and more Christlike. Especially not forgetting the truths He deposited in my heart, and the experiences of journeying in God's Israel. I don't want it to be just another holiday memory. I want it propel me to want to spend even more more time in solitude, building deeper intimacy with God, reading God's Word, praying for missionaries and the lost.
I want to do what is IMPORTANT & LASTING: spending time and building relationships with my school kids whom God has placed in my hands and within my influence. Being there for them to help them and guide them as much as i can instead of doing so many other seemingly important things but actually doesn't matter one bit when this world passes away..
...and perhaps not even the last,
To Take Hold of what God wants me to TAKE HOLD of...and
To Let Go of what God wants me to LET GO of...
Sunday, January 9, 2011
God's economy vs Man's economy
It's barely 10 days past 2011...already, God has shown me several reminders of God's economy of things is contrary to Man's economy of things. Perhaps this is the theme for 2011...Learning to see things through God's eyes. :)
It started with the Beautitudes reading on 31st Dec 2010...I think there was something else which i forgot...(still trying hard to recall...). Then this week, it was on the issue of weakness inspired by the inspirational calendar on 2 Cor 12:10. It makes me think 'indeed in human terms, when a person is deemed or seen as weak, he is often despised by men because of his weakness or flaw. But God does not laugh or mock at our weakness. Rather there's something in our weakness that He can use to empower us in His strength. It's only when we recognise that we are weak and cease to rely on ourselves and choose to rely on His that His power and strength can be perfected in us.
'For when I am weak, then I am strong.' ~ 2 Cor 12:10
It started with the Beautitudes reading on 31st Dec 2010...I think there was something else which i forgot...(still trying hard to recall...). Then this week, it was on the issue of weakness inspired by the inspirational calendar on 2 Cor 12:10. It makes me think 'indeed in human terms, when a person is deemed or seen as weak, he is often despised by men because of his weakness or flaw. But God does not laugh or mock at our weakness. Rather there's something in our weakness that He can use to empower us in His strength. It's only when we recognise that we are weak and cease to rely on ourselves and choose to rely on His that His power and strength can be perfected in us.
'For when I am weak, then I am strong.' ~ 2 Cor 12:10
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Realisations on the Israel & Jordan trip...
I kept wondering what this Israel & Jordan trip might bring...since there was no peace for going Capetown...and for Israel, somehow in some way, i managed to go.
One very, very, very precious word that God spoke to me on the trip was and is...
"I LOVE YOU, and I CHERISH YOU".
This very basic and simple truth that i should have known so well for the last 14 years is yet something that probably didn't really sink in. These words MELTED me. Deep inside, maybe I must have lacked alot of faith that i'm loved, or that i'm even worthy of any love. Once again, i see this great 'black hole' of emptiness inside of me...how much i have tried to fill it but it's not enough.
But God's words was enough and is enough. Simple as it is. Treading the places and having trod where Jesus used to walk in Jerusalem as He journeyed his way to bear the cross and showed His love for me and all, just simply demonstrates the very words God spoke to me.
Intro:
E2 Esus E2 Esus
Verse 1:
E Esus
You are so beautiful
E G#m7 A2 Bsus A2/C# B/D#
There is none that compares to You
E Esus E2
Who can take my brokenness
G#m7 A2
and make something new?
B A/C# B/D#
Only You
Chorus:
A B2 E2
You're beautiful to me
A2 B2 Esus E
You will be my song for all eternity
A2 B2 C#m B A
You're overtaking every part of me
A2 Bsus B E2 Esus E2 Esus E2
You're beautiful to me
Verse 2:
Merciful Father
There is none that compares to You
Who can take my bitterness
And make something sweet?
Only You
Tag:
A2 B2 E2
And I am left in awe of You (4x)
One very, very, very precious word that God spoke to me on the trip was and is...
"I LOVE YOU, and I CHERISH YOU".
This very basic and simple truth that i should have known so well for the last 14 years is yet something that probably didn't really sink in. These words MELTED me. Deep inside, maybe I must have lacked alot of faith that i'm loved, or that i'm even worthy of any love. Once again, i see this great 'black hole' of emptiness inside of me...how much i have tried to fill it but it's not enough.
But God's words was enough and is enough. Simple as it is. Treading the places and having trod where Jesus used to walk in Jerusalem as He journeyed his way to bear the cross and showed His love for me and all, just simply demonstrates the very words God spoke to me.
Intro:
E2 Esus E2 Esus
Verse 1:
E Esus
You are so beautiful
E G#m7 A2 Bsus A2/C# B/D#
There is none that compares to You
E Esus E2
Who can take my brokenness
G#m7 A2
and make something new?
B A/C# B/D#
Only You
Chorus:
A B2 E2
You're beautiful to me
A2 B2 Esus E
You will be my song for all eternity
A2 B2 C#m B A
You're overtaking every part of me
A2 Bsus B E2 Esus E2 Esus E2
You're beautiful to me
Verse 2:
Merciful Father
There is none that compares to You
Who can take my bitterness
And make something sweet?
Only You
Tag:
A2 B2 E2
And I am left in awe of You (4x)
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