This whole week has been a thought-provoking one - challenging me to do a lot of things and humbling me in a couple of ways. Many of these lessons I have known and learnt in all these years of being a Christian but still the reminders were just so refreshing in the past four nights of purely listening to the Word of God.
On Monday God taught me to love, regardless of people and/or circumstances. In loving, He also taught me to forgive those who had wronged me and to continue giving to all.
On Tuesday I was challenged to let God use me to do His work, no matter how tough they may be at times. I was also reminded to use the gifts He has given me not for personal glorification but for the edification of the people around me.
Yesterday I was warned not to do things in my own strength but to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me. I was challenged also to keep on praying for the people around me and for myself because of the devil's constant warfare against God's disciples. I have lost a couple of brothers and sisters-in-Christ in my journey simply because I did not pray for them. I do not wish to commit this same mistake of being complacent anymore. I will intercede for them regularly; I will plead for God to guard the hearts of my siblings-in-Christ and to bring back those who have left the faith.
At the Maundy Thursday service just now I was urged to humble myself before God and the people around me, be it young or old. As His disciple, I should not think of myself higher than those around me but instead it should be the opposite - to learn to look at others higher than I am.
I was basically challenged to wash the feet of others - fundamentally putting aside pride and humbling myself to be a servant to others. Rev. Wee Boon Hup mentioned that pride is the root of rebellion and rebellion is a trademark of the devil.
It is indeed true. In my interaction with my non-Christian friends and fellowship with my siblings-in-Christ, there were many occasions where I allowed pride to come into play. In so doing, I believe I have put several people off. Tonight I was prompted to be careful so that I do not stumble anyone else. I was also moved to put a stop to it - though it is easier said than done.
Well, I will keep trying to do things right in the eyes of God and also in the eyes of man. I know my human shortcomings will fail God and the people around me at times but I will try my best, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to change to be a better friend and brother to another.
I hope those I have stumbled will forgive me and allow me to learn from my weaknesses.
When I went forward to partake the Holy Communion, I surrendered all of the above-mentioned to Him. I left the service renewed and rejuvenated. Hallelujah!
Well, so much for that. Tomorrow will be the day Jesus Christ would be crucified. What does it mean to me? How will this impact me? Am I going to be indifferent since this has been carried out year and year?
I shall let the Lord speak to me as I go along.
To God be the glory for this day and the past few.
"It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:1-17
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35
"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:17-21
On Monday God taught me to love, regardless of people and/or circumstances. In loving, He also taught me to forgive those who had wronged me and to continue giving to all.
On Tuesday I was challenged to let God use me to do His work, no matter how tough they may be at times. I was also reminded to use the gifts He has given me not for personal glorification but for the edification of the people around me.
Yesterday I was warned not to do things in my own strength but to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me. I was challenged also to keep on praying for the people around me and for myself because of the devil's constant warfare against God's disciples. I have lost a couple of brothers and sisters-in-Christ in my journey simply because I did not pray for them. I do not wish to commit this same mistake of being complacent anymore. I will intercede for them regularly; I will plead for God to guard the hearts of my siblings-in-Christ and to bring back those who have left the faith.
At the Maundy Thursday service just now I was urged to humble myself before God and the people around me, be it young or old. As His disciple, I should not think of myself higher than those around me but instead it should be the opposite - to learn to look at others higher than I am.
I was basically challenged to wash the feet of others - fundamentally putting aside pride and humbling myself to be a servant to others. Rev. Wee Boon Hup mentioned that pride is the root of rebellion and rebellion is a trademark of the devil.
It is indeed true. In my interaction with my non-Christian friends and fellowship with my siblings-in-Christ, there were many occasions where I allowed pride to come into play. In so doing, I believe I have put several people off. Tonight I was prompted to be careful so that I do not stumble anyone else. I was also moved to put a stop to it - though it is easier said than done.
Well, I will keep trying to do things right in the eyes of God and also in the eyes of man. I know my human shortcomings will fail God and the people around me at times but I will try my best, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to change to be a better friend and brother to another.
I hope those I have stumbled will forgive me and allow me to learn from my weaknesses.
When I went forward to partake the Holy Communion, I surrendered all of the above-mentioned to Him. I left the service renewed and rejuvenated. Hallelujah!
Well, so much for that. Tomorrow will be the day Jesus Christ would be crucified. What does it mean to me? How will this impact me? Am I going to be indifferent since this has been carried out year and year?
I shall let the Lord speak to me as I go along.
To God be the glory for this day and the past few.
"It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:1-17
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35
"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:17-21
No comments:
Post a Comment