What is magical about Christmas?
I thought it was the rekindling of good friendships
I thought it was the exciting buzz of the great scenes of edinburgh
I thought it was the opportunity to chill and get a break from the hectic demands of work
I thought it was the carols, church service and the sales
I thought it was that fantabulous time of indulging in good food and some pretty decent wine
All this was what I was anticipating Christmas would be for me this 2006...
But all this.....everything didn't go as planned.
Instead this Christmas, I find myself wanting ..and hungry for God to fill that empty space in my heart. It was a whirlwind of a month - alot of frustration and discontenment and all I wanted was for Christmas to come so I can indulge in those expectations listed above. I have always had a pretty celebrative festive Christmas. This Christmas was really quiet for me, real quiet without the buzz of any partying or festivity. More so, it dawned on me that the what is magical about Christmas is to celebrate life, the life of Christ and my own life. And to see that magical restoration of our hearts and lives with Him was beautiful.
As the year also makes it mark to the next 365 days of 2007, I find God deeply opening my eyes and heart to see just how much I have actually grown. I thank Him for discernment, protection and covering over my life - to make certain important decisions and the strength to walk away from the complexities of some things in my own life. I know 2007 is going to be a great year ahead, and this restedness of ending 2006 totally surrendered to Him, and leaving all that external stresses and disillusionment I was totally blinded to - I can truly say Lord, You have been so good to me.
Loving and caring is never a competition, neither is serving God...and the bible is clear about what love is. And that love is truly experienced when we experience Christ, if not we will never know how to give it. Love is patient and kind. It does not demand its own way. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
Love endures to the greatest circumstance, and the magic of Christmas is to realise that Christmas always has to be special because it reminds us, and me in particular of this love. And to be able to share and give it to those around me...and I thank God for opportunities to be able to do that this year with A & J.
I pray as much as 2006 is a year of many hiccups, it is ending with many personal breakthroughs thanks to those hiccups, and I am entering 2007 with a restedness of being able to relentlessly pursue God with no external stress, and with a freedom of joy in Him.
My mentor spoke to me today from Spain, and I am thankful for him and for the Lord's guidance in matters of opening my spiritual eyes to finally see the frailty of my naiveness. He is one of the most compassionate and giving person I know, and is someone who is so full of grace. And he teaches me the art of surrendering, and points me to the cross of Christ.
And I thank God for godly parents who never fail to pray for me each day, for the Lord's covering and His spirit to open my eyes to sneeze out what it was that totally blinded me..
I am resurrecting my dream, a dream which I have never shared with anyone - and I am thankful to God that this dream is not dependent on people but wholly just a dream dependent on God. And I am learning that resurrecting one's dream is found in that desperation for God to work in one's life, and for me - it is that sense of desperation for God to work in MY life and I by His grace He will lead me back that true theology of who He is as the source.
The dawn of Christmas for me was experiencing the reality of Christ so deeply and to live life with that joy in Him daily. And today, back in London I am thankful for tonight's time of reflection because it helps me know that I am no longer going to be affected or let certain things affected. Radical discipleship is only about Christ alone, and the way we live our lives. And obedience is always about doing the right thing to please God, not men. Bill Crowder got it right on the spot when he said that when faced with the choice between doing good and failing to do anything at all, we must always choose to do what's right. Religious activity in itself has no value.
As Pastor Ong has rightly guided me for next year, my prayer is that I will be able to be a channel of God's goodness and grace as I embrace 2007.
I am rested.
I am so rested.
See ya on this blog in 2007...
I thought it was the rekindling of good friendships
I thought it was the exciting buzz of the great scenes of edinburgh
I thought it was the opportunity to chill and get a break from the hectic demands of work
I thought it was the carols, church service and the sales
I thought it was that fantabulous time of indulging in good food and some pretty decent wine
All this was what I was anticipating Christmas would be for me this 2006...
But all this.....everything didn't go as planned.
Instead this Christmas, I find myself wanting ..and hungry for God to fill that empty space in my heart. It was a whirlwind of a month - alot of frustration and discontenment and all I wanted was for Christmas to come so I can indulge in those expectations listed above. I have always had a pretty celebrative festive Christmas. This Christmas was really quiet for me, real quiet without the buzz of any partying or festivity. More so, it dawned on me that the what is magical about Christmas is to celebrate life, the life of Christ and my own life. And to see that magical restoration of our hearts and lives with Him was beautiful.
As the year also makes it mark to the next 365 days of 2007, I find God deeply opening my eyes and heart to see just how much I have actually grown. I thank Him for discernment, protection and covering over my life - to make certain important decisions and the strength to walk away from the complexities of some things in my own life. I know 2007 is going to be a great year ahead, and this restedness of ending 2006 totally surrendered to Him, and leaving all that external stresses and disillusionment I was totally blinded to - I can truly say Lord, You have been so good to me.
Loving and caring is never a competition, neither is serving God...and the bible is clear about what love is. And that love is truly experienced when we experience Christ, if not we will never know how to give it. Love is patient and kind. It does not demand its own way. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
Love endures to the greatest circumstance, and the magic of Christmas is to realise that Christmas always has to be special because it reminds us, and me in particular of this love. And to be able to share and give it to those around me...and I thank God for opportunities to be able to do that this year with A & J.
I pray as much as 2006 is a year of many hiccups, it is ending with many personal breakthroughs thanks to those hiccups, and I am entering 2007 with a restedness of being able to relentlessly pursue God with no external stress, and with a freedom of joy in Him.
My mentor spoke to me today from Spain, and I am thankful for him and for the Lord's guidance in matters of opening my spiritual eyes to finally see the frailty of my naiveness. He is one of the most compassionate and giving person I know, and is someone who is so full of grace. And he teaches me the art of surrendering, and points me to the cross of Christ.
And I thank God for godly parents who never fail to pray for me each day, for the Lord's covering and His spirit to open my eyes to sneeze out what it was that totally blinded me..
I am resurrecting my dream, a dream which I have never shared with anyone - and I am thankful to God that this dream is not dependent on people but wholly just a dream dependent on God. And I am learning that resurrecting one's dream is found in that desperation for God to work in one's life, and for me - it is that sense of desperation for God to work in MY life and I by His grace He will lead me back that true theology of who He is as the source.
The dawn of Christmas for me was experiencing the reality of Christ so deeply and to live life with that joy in Him daily. And today, back in London I am thankful for tonight's time of reflection because it helps me know that I am no longer going to be affected or let certain things affected. Radical discipleship is only about Christ alone, and the way we live our lives. And obedience is always about doing the right thing to please God, not men. Bill Crowder got it right on the spot when he said that when faced with the choice between doing good and failing to do anything at all, we must always choose to do what's right. Religious activity in itself has no value.
As Pastor Ong has rightly guided me for next year, my prayer is that I will be able to be a channel of God's goodness and grace as I embrace 2007.
I am rested.
I am so rested.
See ya on this blog in 2007...
0 comments:
Post a Comment