I came back not too long ago from the Holy Week service. I hesitated in going for yesterday's session but today's, I anticipated! I was also convicted as I listened to God's Word being preached. Yet again, tonight's sermon is another spot-on! Mainly two areas which I will share in the subsequent paragraphs.
Apart from being challenged once again about the calling to be a missionary, I was also convicted in denouncing the kingdom of comfort in my life. I felt I needed to get out of it because it has become a "me, myself and I" attitude.
I wanted to share something I am struggling with in yesterday's blog but I did not have the courage to but when the sermon on the kingdom of love was brought across to me and those who attended, I felt I needed to share it here.
The guest speaker spoke of the need for Christians to get out of their world and enter into someone else's. Of course not intrusively but sensitively.
This is one of the two areas which hit me. You see, last Friday I had a quarrel with dad over three bottles of Sprite. Yup, you did not read wrongly. :( Three days before that, I recorded a documentary on "Don't Ignore Diabetes" which touched on the elderlies drinking too much fizzy drinks and in the process contracted diabetes. I showed it to dad, hoping that he would stop drinking too much of such sugared water.
Of course, the show did not have an impact on him and he came home with three bottles of these drinks on Friday. Out of frustration but in a gentle tone, I told him that it was obvious the programme did not affect him at all. He kept quiet. I left it as it was but when I saw him open the refrigerator and drinking a glass of Sprite. Again I told him (in a calm manner) he should stop it.
That was when he said something which led me to blow up. He mentioned that what he does is his business and if he should die, it would be his death, not mine. Even if he had to suffer because of diabetes, it would be his struggle. Those words hurt me deep and it escalated to a point where unkind words/statements were used. Since then we have not spoken.
What convicted me both yesterday and today is this - first I need to get out of the "me, myself and I" mode and just do the right thing by apologising (though frankly I felt it was not my fault). I needed to say sorry because I used words which probably had hurt dad as well. I need to bring the kingdom of love into the family and love even when it hurts. I was challenged to get out of my world and enter into dad's world.
Well, I have not had a chance to speak to him yet as he was already asleep when I came home but it will be something I will do as soon as possible. I cannot let anything or anyone to break the family bond which God has given me right from birth. It is an effort especially in the above incident I shared but do it in the correct way, it will strengthen the bond amongst family members. God be my Mediator as I strive to do this. Apart from dad, there are also a couple of my other friends whom I need to seek reconciliation. I shall do it one at a time.
The other area which spoke to me is again on the topic of the kingdom of love. Though I have been the Missions Ministry chairperson in my church for the past 5 years, I have to confess I have not been actively touching lives especially those who have yet to know the love of God. It is not a matter of forcing it into the throats of others but even just living it out, I struggle to do.
Tonight as I prayed, I told God I need a transformation - to be who He has made me to be since the day I knew Him. Basically to testify of what He has done for me and let others also experience it. Of course I need to live it out first and I hope this would be the first step of the renewal process.
Well, I hope I make sense in the above sharing. I just could not stop writing after typing the first word. It is just so amazing that when God speaks so clearly, I have no choice but to act upon it.
To God be the glory!
"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
Apart from being challenged once again about the calling to be a missionary, I was also convicted in denouncing the kingdom of comfort in my life. I felt I needed to get out of it because it has become a "me, myself and I" attitude.
I wanted to share something I am struggling with in yesterday's blog but I did not have the courage to but when the sermon on the kingdom of love was brought across to me and those who attended, I felt I needed to share it here.
The guest speaker spoke of the need for Christians to get out of their world and enter into someone else's. Of course not intrusively but sensitively.
This is one of the two areas which hit me. You see, last Friday I had a quarrel with dad over three bottles of Sprite. Yup, you did not read wrongly. :( Three days before that, I recorded a documentary on "Don't Ignore Diabetes" which touched on the elderlies drinking too much fizzy drinks and in the process contracted diabetes. I showed it to dad, hoping that he would stop drinking too much of such sugared water.
Of course, the show did not have an impact on him and he came home with three bottles of these drinks on Friday. Out of frustration but in a gentle tone, I told him that it was obvious the programme did not affect him at all. He kept quiet. I left it as it was but when I saw him open the refrigerator and drinking a glass of Sprite. Again I told him (in a calm manner) he should stop it.
That was when he said something which led me to blow up. He mentioned that what he does is his business and if he should die, it would be his death, not mine. Even if he had to suffer because of diabetes, it would be his struggle. Those words hurt me deep and it escalated to a point where unkind words/statements were used. Since then we have not spoken.
What convicted me both yesterday and today is this - first I need to get out of the "me, myself and I" mode and just do the right thing by apologising (though frankly I felt it was not my fault). I needed to say sorry because I used words which probably had hurt dad as well. I need to bring the kingdom of love into the family and love even when it hurts. I was challenged to get out of my world and enter into dad's world.
Well, I have not had a chance to speak to him yet as he was already asleep when I came home but it will be something I will do as soon as possible. I cannot let anything or anyone to break the family bond which God has given me right from birth. It is an effort especially in the above incident I shared but do it in the correct way, it will strengthen the bond amongst family members. God be my Mediator as I strive to do this. Apart from dad, there are also a couple of my other friends whom I need to seek reconciliation. I shall do it one at a time.
The other area which spoke to me is again on the topic of the kingdom of love. Though I have been the Missions Ministry chairperson in my church for the past 5 years, I have to confess I have not been actively touching lives especially those who have yet to know the love of God. It is not a matter of forcing it into the throats of others but even just living it out, I struggle to do.
Tonight as I prayed, I told God I need a transformation - to be who He has made me to be since the day I knew Him. Basically to testify of what He has done for me and let others also experience it. Of course I need to live it out first and I hope this would be the first step of the renewal process.
Well, I hope I make sense in the above sharing. I just could not stop writing after typing the first word. It is just so amazing that when God speaks so clearly, I have no choice but to act upon it.
To God be the glory!
"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
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