the.heart.of.worship

Wednesday, April 8, 2009,12:11 AM
Thanksgiving

"I will boast in the Lord my God, I will boast in the One who's worthy"

I think it has been a busy few weeks for most of us as the semester comes to a close. For me, it was a long, hectic few weeks which started from the planning for networking session.

Taking up the responsibility of hosting was a big thing for me. As I've said before, and I say again, I'm not the kind who is naturally outgoing. Hosting requires me to come out from my comfort zone, and the additional stress of being the freshmen's first point of contact affected me. The whole week was summed up by nightly discussions with crystal over the script, whether it be face-to-face or over the phone. Rehearsal went rather badly, adding to the stress level, but when it finally occurred to me that what I was focusing on was completely wrong, things changed. I'm not charismatic, not engaging, not loud, not eloquent, not dynamic, and it was never about me being all these things.

2 Cor 12:9-10 "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I learnt a little more about what a life that is submitted to Him is about.. its in the "small-ness", weakness and brokenness of me that His "big-ness" really comes out. To Him be the glory.

One challenge over, the major one came along.. which is my design 2 project. Well, I had the idea that the whole of last week I'll be "hibernating" in either E5 or E2 com labs to do the project, of which the report was due yesterday (Monday). To me a week was the realistic time that I need to finish it on time. It turned out that this "realistic time" was challenged.. by guitaring for service last Sat, my 1-week-overdue-polymer-presentation, planning for cg meet, induction dinner with youth transfer group.. the song Friends in high places really summarised my week, with the lyrics "I was going down, but Someone rescued me" and "now in faith I believe, I've got everything I need" particularly meaningful. It all added up when I touched on the topic of living out our faith in CG.. seeing that God is leading in all situations, choosing to keep close to Him, consecrating ourselves and obeying what He wants us to do. My project deadline, together with all the things I had to do, were not totally, fully dependent on me. Yes I gotta put in my part, at the same time I recognised that my competence comes from God (2 Cor 3:4-5), and He is with me.

Some highlights in this process last week:
- A God-enabled presentation in the LT for my polymer module on Wed.. experienced the empowerment and confidence that comes when we set ourselves to honor Him in what we do.
- Productive stayover in E5 com lab on Sat late night. It started with 7 people, and gradually trickled down to just myself in the room at around 3am. Tiredness set in, but after a short prayer I got more and more awake.. wide awake and refreshed at around 5am, took bus home at 6am to sleep and recharge.
- Slept at 3am every night for the whole week.. physically, it took its toll on me, red eyes and all.

One thing I really feel and want to say after the past week is that, even though it was punishing, God was carrying me through. Reminded of the "Footprints" story.. its easy to complain about what I went through, say why this so tough, why that so siong.. but for this past week, God really carried me through. I'm amazed by how I din fall sick from all the lack of sleep and sometimes even food.. amazed at how certain things in other people's life moved even when I'm too weak to do much.. amazed by how I haven gone mad or mel after all the mental strain. It is Him, Him who carried me through. =)

Thank God that even when we struggle, we struggle with all His energy, which works powerfully in us. Col 1:29. Jiayou with all that we are going to do for the weeks ahead!

Carry Me
Hillsong
You lead me in to Your courts
Surround me with Your love
I walk with You
I do not fear

In this place
Dreams are made
In this place
Where You are

Carry me here
In Your arms of love
Draw me close to You
I want to be where You are

You carry me, You are my strength
I've learnt to trust in You
And once again
I'm reaching out

SL

1 Comments:

Hey bro, thanks for sharing this amazing testimony of God's work in your life!

Really encouraged to see His strength and grace carrying you through this hectic period, and also encouraged to see you acting in obedience as well =)

For me, I've been questioning what God is doing in my life, especially about the state of my health. Since my new year resolution this year is to get my health in order, but more than 3 months has passed with little progress. And the more taiji I do, the more health problems God brings to my attention, for me to handle.

But God spoke to me through the same verse 2 Cor 12:9-10, and through this period, I sense myself relying more and more on God's strength. And like Paul, I'm very glad to be weak, for when I am weak, then I am strong. And I also sense God telling me in my heart, through that verse, not to use poor health as an excuse not to carry out what He wants me to do.

That rebuke is really true, since to a certain extent I've been hiding from certain work that God has called me to do because of my poor health, thinking that I'm not capable of doing them, but rather preferring to focus my attention on my health.

Then God said to me not to overly focus my attention there, and trust Him to work in that area, for His Grace is sufficient for me. And I said yes I will obey, and God was fast to test. Out of the blue came 2 more new tuition students, and I accepted both of them. So now I have 7 students! Really need to rely on God's strength to carry me through the year! =)

By john, at April 8, 2009 at 7:40 PM