Making the Most of Life God's Way...
Basically, last week was all about coming back on Monday from church camp last week, and spending the next few days contemplating about what I’ve learned from church camp, just doing my reflections i guess on the camp. And, as is evident in my last post, I spent most of the time working on the blog post about the questions I was posed with since coming back from church camp, trying to share the amazing thing that God did for me in and through the camp, to get me spiritually rejuvenated and the way God was so real to me once again. Plus, I got a new laptop on Saturday, the SONY VAIO VGN-Z45GD...yes be jealous, ok jk. And, on Sunday I celebrated Father’s Day by having a lunch with the family. Then, as of this week, so far my bro went for some soccer camp, while my sis just came back from Melbourne, Australia...yes a lot of swine flu cases there, but no panic anw. Spent a lot of time on my new laptop, but could not install some of my chess programs though, and i rmb i had trouble fixing the itunes on my com but when i stopped and read my bible first and came back i found a website we helped me to fix the problem which reminded me to seek God first and the rest will fall in place.. And, as for good news, I finally got selected again for the Asean Para Games Chess, ok basically, I got unselected after I was selected and now after the appeal I’m finally definitely playing. It’s funny, how the Lord works, I think by giving and taking away, He made me appreciate this opportunity. But, one thing i also realised is that the Lord really blesses those who are ready to receive His blessing, like for the Asean Para Games, i initially was not excited about it and not even ready, then it was taken away but when i finally got it back i had done my training and felt passionate about it again.
And, look out I will be appearing in the Today Newspaper on Friday for chess. So that is the summary of stuff I did so far in the past week and start of this week, not very happening I know but there are some thoughts that I had last week and beginning of this week that i want to share, that is the whole point of this post.
Well, the first thing i felt last week was that everything that has happened to me so far seems to be developing patience in me but i know i will also be able to praise God when everything falls into place soon. And, I’m not saying that i cannot praise God even in the midst of a difficult situation, but in that i believe that the Lord will deliver me from my tough circumstances. I guess perhaps, after putting aside the questions i was confronted with after coming back from camp since finding them answers, i was brought back to the reality of my situation, having to wait for so long to have my future settled, uni, Asean Para Games and getting a new computer to replace my faulty one. But, as i type this the Lord is slowly revealing His marvellous plan for my life and has almost completely delivered me...in that as i revealed above I finally got selected again for the Asean Para Games and I got my new laptop which I am using to type this now.
And, the fact that I’ve gain patience through this difficult time and that the Lord delivered me in the end, seems to be so relevant to that second message at the church camp about transformation, i.e. From adversity and abandonment to heartfelt praise. But, as of now the most important deliverance i need has yet to come, but i shall wait in eager anticipation of His deliverance which i know will come, with the impending interview with NUS next Tuesday.
And, as for my life now, I’ve surprisingly felt busier in the past few weeks and my life is much more eventful. But, only in the sense that I’ve had stuff to do did i feel busier. But somehow, i felt a little discontent this week, like I’m still wanting to live life to the fullest and do more stuff with my life, like I haven’t gone out with friends for a long time and I haven’t gone out to do something fun in a long time. All this when i thought that as long as i have a new PC, get to play in the Asean Para Games and get into uni i would be happy enough. So what was wrong, why should i not be happy enough, would that not be achieving what i just wanted. It made me ask myself again what it means to live life to the fullest and make the most of life. And, at the same time, i kept feeling like there was something more i needed to do when in actual fact i had little more to do. That is where i came to chapter 7 and 10 of the Purpose Driven Life which i wanted to quote from in my last post as one of the articles that helped me answer the questions that confronted me after coming back from church camp, but didn’t include due to space and time constraints. But, anw it was related to the questions i had in that, it reminded me that we are just creatures made by God and that God is God and He is the highest authority, and that we don’t just need to believe in Him in faith but also to submit to His authority and will and trust in Him as God over us, cause we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and can never be like God. And, that God’s will for our lives is the best way to live for He loves us and wants the best for us, like a father who wants what is best for His child. And, the purpose we are here on this earth is to bring glory to God, our existence is for God’s glory alone. Now then, as for living life to the fullest, chapter 7 reminded me that we live to glorify God alone, and we do this by worshipping God, loving others, becoming like Christ, serving God with our gifts and telling others about Christ.
And, in fact after coming back from the camp i actually felt so good and fulfilled, and i felt so close to God again, i just felt like i was already living life to the fullest and didn’t need more, and that in God i was completely who i was meant to be and living for the purpose i was put here for. And, i think it was also the camp atmosphere that led me to feel this way and the message on idols in the 21st Century reminded me to put God first and not lose focus in my pursuit of living life to the fullest. So, it was puzzling that i began to feel like i was not living life to the fullest again. But, so anw, i was reminded by chapter 7 in terms of living life to the fullest in that i bring glory to God by having a heart of worship where i do everything as doing it for the Lord, which is to enjoy God and the life He has given to me and love God and give myself to Him. This is probably where i wish i could enjoy my life much more. And, next is to love others, which probably i still need to work on, anw that is what we are here on earth to learn, and also to fellowship with friends which i haven’t done so much of but at least church camp helped me bridge the gap a bit in terms of church people, but now i’m still missing the fellowship i should have with friends inside and outside of church. Also, we are to grow to be more Christ-like, which i feel God is working in me now. And, as for serving others with my gifts, perhaps i could be more involved in church and i’m hoping the Lord will open the way for me to get into uni and do something i’m passionate about which i can allow me to get a degree and in the long term a job which i can do passionately and yet serve the Lord and others bringing glory to God. And, I’m trusting that even though i most probably won’t get into the course i always thought was my number one passion, i trust God will is the best and He wants me to live the best life possible here on earth. And, lastly, of course i need to do more in telling others about Christ.
So basically the learning point for me is not to lose focus and realise that we are living for God’s glory. I guess i was too preoccupied with things that were unresolved in my life like the uni and Asean Para Games thing, and just worrying about the problems and uncertainties in my life, that i forgot about living life. So anw so that is how i believe God wants us to make the most of life. And, I’m not saying we are supposed to enjoy life and do all that we want to do and not bother about what God wants, neither is it to say that we are not to enjoy ourselves by doing only so called spiritual activities, but to put God first and of course we can still enjoy life and do stuff.
Finally, i just want to mention also about how last Sunday’s message at church was so relevant to me and the things i’ve mentioned above, including the questions i was posed with since i came back from church camp. Basically, I think Pastor was doing a summary of the theme of the church camp about growing deep and wide.
Colossians 2:6-7 (New International Version)
Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
How appropriate that it starts with since we have received Christ Jesus as Lord, the questions i had when i came back from church camp were about what i means since we have received Christ as Lord and what it means for spiritual growth. So, it was mentioned then that we are to walk in Christ and follow in His will for our lives because He is now Lord over our lives. Then, Pastor asked if it is possible to accept Christ and walk another path. I think it is possible, coz sometimes we do backslide and stuff. But, it is the next bit that really had an impact on me, about God’s word, faith and Christ, which btw is very much related to what we are currently doing in Youth Sunday school about Romans which of course is about faith and justification. So we need to grow as Christians, by using the word and having faith, also meaning to trust in God and to have Christ in our lives. The interesting part was when pastor asked, can someone have God’s word and faith but have no Christ, well he also asked about having God’s word but no faith, this one though is much clear coz of course you can have bible knowledge and no believe in God, but the other one is not so straightforward. The answer Pastor gave was that yes, a person can have God’s word and faith but no Christ. He gave the example of a person he knew of who studied God’s word and had faith but refused to see a doctor saying that since God is a healing God, he will heal her and in the end she died. My parents had the view that what pastor meant was that one can have the word and faith and not have Christ because one can have faith in many things but may not God. This is true too.
But, in class we were looking at it from the perspective that can someone have God’s word and have a faith in Christ but not have Christ. In this case, it is very important to define what is faith, which is exactly what i didn’t completely understand and asked myself the question what is faith when i came back from church camp, and found the answer from the bible dictionary my parents have at home, it is so old it is almost an antique but somehow God led me to it. If we define faith as just believing in God, it is possible to have the word and faith but no Christ coz we can choose not to submit to God. But, if defined in a very complete sense that is a two-pronged view, that faith is to believe in God and submitting to His will, that it is not possible to have the word and faith but no Christ. Since in Romans, it suggests that, faith will produce all these things by the spirit. But, the learning point for me is that faith means both to believe in God and submit to Him. The rest then is pretty straightforward. We are supposed to be rooted in Christ, built up and established, which then will lead to bearing of fruit and an overflowing thankfulness. So that was how the message spoke to me.
To end, God is king of kings and Lord of Lords and worthy of all praise, honour and glory. And, making the most of life God’s way is doing God’s will which is the best way to live and is about doing all that we do for God’s glory.
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