Prequel to Saving Private Ryan

On the way back home last Saturday, Austin was singing happily the song “I am in Lord’s army” along with his brother Anson in the car. It was such a joy to hear the children sing. Their mom casually commented while driving, “It is quite strange to hear this kid, not yet two, saying he is in Lord’s army. Image him in the Lord’s army.”

If I were the Lord, I would take him in! I didn’t need him to fight; I would fight for him. He just needed to be willing to be in, as he would be the very reason for me to fight. There and then I started to realize what God was trying to tell us when He said He would fight for us. Who are we that fit to be in His celestial army? To animate it, we would be just as childish, feeble and untrained to Him as Austin to the adults. If we are encouraged and proud for the kids making the bold steps out, I trust God will all the more feel the same way when we make every attempt to please Him and take each step of faith for Him. At that moment, I almost could see the Lord smiling as the kids singing louder and louder, “Ai-m-e-laws-ah-me, yea-s-sir! Ai-m-ei-laws-ah-me….”

Will you be my "George"?

As I was reading the book Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, I have noted this important person in Taylor's life and in the CIM ministry. I have been praying to God for sending a similar person in my life too. (No, no, not a spouse.) In term of worldly possession, he was described as one "with no more resources than the birds of the air or lilies of the field". Yet, on George Muller's shoulder, there were two thousand orphan children to support. All the challenges in life didn't stop him from praying for the people and work in China. In one of his letters to Hudson Taylor, George wrote:

"My chief objective is to tell you that I love you in the Lord; that I feel deeply interested about the Lord's work in China, and that I pray daily for you. I thought it might be a little encouragement to you in your difficulties, trials, hardships, and disappointments to hear of one more who feels for you and who remembers you before the Lord. But were it otherwise, had you even no one to care for you--or did you at least seem to be in a position as if no one cared for you--you will always have the Lord to be with you. Remember Paul's case at Rome (2 Tim. 4:16-18)." (p.170)

I am both excited and anxious about the future. I know that only with prayers and submission to His guidance would anything meaningful be accomplished. I would like to invite you be "George" in my life. Would you please pray about sharing this journey of faith with me together.

What is enough?

At work, we are in the last quarter of the fiscal year, and are in the heat of finalizing the next fiscal year’s budget. The worldwide financial turmoil is only making the budgeting exercise more challenging than ever. It is not surprising that we need to tighten up our belt to ride through the situation. While working with leaner and stringent constraints, I see something good can be emerged out from it. Working with limitations and constraints forces us to look for waste cycles to improve efficiency, compels us to be creative in solutions, and encourages us to share resources to reduce overheads. As I have brought it up to some of the management, “even if we were given more, there would still be limits.” At the end of the day, what is enough? The best I want to see is that we all can be more accountable—to our shareholders who have invested on us, to our colleague who have given up some convenience and resources for the greater good, to our own conscience, and ultimately, to God.

There was a business opportunity that might help me raise my own support while I am in full-time ministry. I am deeply in debt to even the thought of the offer driven by love. However, I had to pass it, knowing that I would likely become conceited. I am still in my sinful fresh that constraints and accountability are actually do me good. Thus, I willfully want to be held accountable to the church, communities and those who love me. There will be challenges to manage multiple “bosses” and expectations of many “stakeholders”. But my great example is the Son giving up his flexibility, power, wealth and glory to become man with many limitations. In faith, I trust “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” (Ps 16:6)

Seeing beyond

Often, I would wonder, "What's God's will for me?" I would pray, seek, look for guidance, identify confirmation etc etc. At times, "me" can be a big deal--"what's God's will for ME?"

Last Sunday, Sherman shared a chapter from Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Blackaby and King. In it, there is a paragraph:

At the time God was about to deliver the children of Israel, the important factor was not what the will of God was for Moses. The important factor was what the will of God was for Israel. God was at work with Israel, and He was preparing to bring Moses into the mainstream of His activity. (p.53)

What a reminder! God's will is not about just me. God's will is beyond any individual and yet encompassing all of us whom He loves so much that He sent His only son to die for us. While He is preparing me, He is also orchestrating the others and environment to accomplish His plan according to His good pleasure. Lord, open my eyes to see your awesome work in the grand scheme of things, and engrave me to the mainstream of your activity and plan.

Enligthenment from Evan Almighty

Thanks to Alex who tactfully made me watch the movie. Here are some interesting conversations:

(G)od: I love that story, Noah and the Ark. You know, a lot of people miss the point of that story. They think about God's wrath and anger. They love it when God gets angry.

(W)oman: What is the story about, then? The ark?

G: Well, I think it's a love story about believing in each other. You know, the animals showed up in pairs. They stood by each other, side by side, just like Noah and his family. Everybody entered the ark side by side.

W: But my husband said God told him to do it. What do you do with that?

G: Sounds like an opportunity.

(W looked puzzled.)

G: Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or, does he give them opportunity to be patient? If they pray for courage, does God give them courage, or does he give them opportunities to be courageous? If some prayed for their family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm, fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

(W gasped quietly)

G: Well, I got to run. A lot of people to serve. Enjoy. (G disappeared among the people in the restaurant)

Earlier on here is a conversation between Evan and his wife:

W: ...And Jordan is very precise. He prayed for good visibility, good weather on the hiking trip tomorrow.

(E)van: The hiking trip? Oh, right. Yeah, the hiking trip. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

W: You wanna know what I prayed for.

E: Yeah. What did you pray for?

W: I prayed we would become closer as a family.

E: Honey, you don't need to pray for that to happen. I will make that happen.

W: What would you pray for?

E: Me? I don't know. Praying just...

W: Honey, you are the one who said you wanted to change the world. It's a pretty big job. If it were me, I would take all the help I could get.

Hope of a watchman

What is it like to wait for the sun rise in the dark silent night? And, who would and why would they wait for the morning? What is more certain to happen as a day-break to a watchman waiting in the dark?

Yesterday's worship at "Yung Fok" was a divine moment. God spoke as soon as we were called to worship from Psalm 130:5-6:

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

God's greatness continued to expand that I couldn't sing but were afraid tears would pour out if I opened my mouth. To God be the glory and praise.

Our times are in your hands

It will be hard to not missing Robert. Ever since he has been confirmed his cancer has recurred, I have been praying his remaining times on earth will be easy and blessed, and his departure will be painless...like what he has said, "It is a blessing to die in a sleep."

Last night, it raised an alarm to us as he mentioned Dr Chan has scheduled numerous tests for him to diagnose the cause of his lose of 10 lbs in 3 months. Am I not worry for him and Diana who is so used to be with Robert for the last 44+ years? Haven't I ever wondered and blamed the urologist has not been doing anything since a year ago when the sign of recurring was first shown?

A song based on Psalm 31 came to me this morning,

14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
...
21 Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.

Our times are in His hands. We trust everything is in God's hands.