God's Timing

Exodus 13:17-22
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For the past week, I went to Salt Lake City, Utah in order to participate in the Internationals Careers Development Conference for DECA. Even though my judges loved me and praised me a lot, I didn't make finals and well...it kind of sucked. But, before I went on the trip, I wrote in my friend's baptism card, "Let's make it our goal to talk to at least one person about Christ."


Needless to say, that goal became an afterthought in the back of my head. Sure, I met a lot of new people, a few that were Christians, I didn't feel the urge to suddenly talk about Christ. And lo and behold, halfway through the trip, I remembered my promise to God. I didn't urgently try to find someone to talk about Christ; I just didn't. I couldn't explain it.


On the last night, during our semi-formal, while everyone was dancing, I was sitting down. I hated these kind of clubbing environments. I never danced with a guy before and that kind of dancing was really not what I had in mind. I started talking to someone whom I recognized throughout the trip and we finally introduced each other. Due to the loudness of the room, he invited me outside to talk and we did. And, as the title says, God's timing worked perfectly. The last night, I talked to someone who really hadn't heard the story of Christ before. 


Sometimes, we want to rush things. Everything is so instant now. Microwaves, heaters, cars, wi-fi -there's really no end to things that are fast. And things are being built to be faster and faster. But just as Israelites left  Egypt according to God's timing, we have to trust in his timing. At the moment, there are a lot of things in my life where I ask God, why can't it happen sooner. But I must trust in God's timing wholeheartedly. Our life is barely a fleck of dust in his eyes, so how much do you think a few days is to him?

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God’s timetable may move slowly, but it does move surely.

Believe.

One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service. According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chose by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went to the Temple of the Lord, while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was being burned. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar where the incense was burned. When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid. But the angel said to him, " Do not be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John. How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born! John will be in the Lord's sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him."

Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall i know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also."

"I am Gabriel," the angel answered. "I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news. But you have not believed my message, which will come true at the right time. Because you have not believed, you will be unable to speak you will remain silent until the day my promise to you comes true."

opportunity awaits.

its frustrating when you work hard and you plan something just to see it not be appreciated. Tonight at AGAPE, we had careers night, and it was planned, the guests were there and the sessions were going about it, but it was a bit disappointing to see people just sitting and loafting. I tried to get them to move along, but why would they listen to me anyways. Eventually i gave up. I realized that i've done all I can. I've prepared and presented them with the opportunities to look, to learn, to experience, but its up to them to take and size the opportunity or not.

Its the same with our Lord. He presents us with opportunities and chances all the time, its up to us to firstly see it and acknowledge it, and second take it in and seize it. God has so much planned for us, so many blessings and gifts for us, but we have to learn to take it and accept it. Will you take it?

¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:10 

Reign In Us.

" We're offering up our lives, a living sacrifice"
-Reign In Us  [Starfield]

This line just stood out to me and i think it made me realize we are sent down to this earth to be living sacrifices. God didn't live a life that was temptation free. He also suffered from temptation. We must give our lives up to him. To offer it all to him and rely on what he has got in store for us. We may not like it sometimes but it's through God's will that we must follow him and go through all the troubles and challenges he gives to us. We must sacrifice ourselves 100% and follow our word for it.

ducklings!

The past few days on the way to and from school, i've noticed little goslings twaddling across the field with their mother goose. But it was today that i stopped, i watched, and observed life, as spring has finally sprung (with the most outrageous weather i must say). I noticed the protective parents as i walked by, i noticed how curious and how ignorant the ducks were. As they stumbled towards the pond, i noticed one was left behind, checking out the plants or something.

I really took it in, this was life. You start off as a child, always thinking, and living in the moment. Then later on, you grow, you learn and you become a parent, to the point where you're thinking ahead, there are more things that bother you, from the people watching and glaring by, to the struggles you deal with everyday.

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. 

Mark 10:13-16

Receive the kingdom of God as a little child. What does that mean? What do children have that don't that will help them receive this kingdom better than us? I think when we reflect and compare, we think too much. When a child is presented with a lollipop or any gift, what do they do? They jump right in and take it. Where as an adult would consider the benefits, the reasoning, the purpose, what it is, if its dangerous, but the Kingdom of God is the greatest gift, and you don't need to question it. Go right for it. Its sitting there on the table, on a silver platter with your name on it. Are you going to sit there, doubt it and question, or accept it.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

 Matthew 19:14

In The Beginning.

In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him. The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.

God sent his messenger, a man named John, who came to tell people about the light; he himself was not the light. He only came to tell about the light. This was the real light - the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.

The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children. They  did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their father.

The Playground.

Galatians 4:1-7

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.  So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.  But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

The games we played as a child had many rules which determined who was the winner. Your daily activities have changed since childhood. 


Do rules still guide you the same way? Think about the boundaries that God has set for you. The Holy Spirit serves as an internal rule book and teacher, reminding you of the rules and inclining your heart to follow. 


God gave us laws to help us learn how to live, like children learning to play fair. But at the right time, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to be our guide, to fulfill the laws. 


Thank God for sending the Spirit into our hearts to be our guide. 

role modelling.

Role model. As followers of Christ, we need to be good representatives of him, constantly reflecting Him. I've never really looked at myself as a role model, but the past year, there have been people that have told me that they look up to me. It was a shock. Why would you look up to me out of all people? What is it about that you admire? Why me?

Although i continue to question myself, over and over, knowing that there are people that look up to me, its different. Because there are people looking up to me, i have to put on my A-game like never before. I try my best to set that good example for them, in hopes that those who look up to me will learn and be influenced to do the same.

But it was today when I felt the pressure of being this role model. I want to set that example for others, especially for those younger than me, but today i felt like, for me to do that, i had to be perfect and have no flaws. I love it when I have people that support me, and that i can support, where there's a two way accountability, but sometimes its hard when you tell others to not give up (for instance), and then the next second talk about giving up. We can't be two faced, and we can't go against our word. But at the same time, you are dealing with your own struggles and you want to give up, yet today i felt like i couldn't share with anyone because it would make me look bad as a role model. So how do you balance that?

I do realize that being a role model doesn't mean perfection, but its hard to set a good example when you don't live up to what you say/do? Does that make sense?

Christ is the perfect example we should all be looking up to. We are humans, we fail and we stumble. There isn't anything wrong with looking up to one another, but we have to know that none of us are perfect. Set your eyes on Christ, the greatest example.

¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 

1 Timothy 4:12 

Balloon.

Imagine a balloon that's deflated, sitting at the palm of your hand. What can it do, this flat, disappointing piece of lifeless rubber? Then, add the magic ingredient. Lift it to your lips and slowly breathe your life into this balloon. Feel is expand under your fingers. Once you let go it'll fly, bounce, float, and fall. It's a journey to new places, new possibilities. 


Genesis 2:7

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

God breathed life into dust and created a person. Throughout history, God has continued to breathe life into his people, awakening, creating, and restoring. But those who receive the breath of God need to be ready to go where the Spirit takes them. You never know where God's going to take you. We have to learn to be flexible and rely on him 100%. 

under construction.

Are there any days where everything is just perfect and ideal? I doubt it, we're going to always be going through something, a struggle, or a challenge, with a friend, or with yourself. But life can never be perfect as disappointing as it sounds.

Because we are work in progress. God is constantly working on us, crafting and moulding us into something greater and something stronger. Undergoing all these changes brings up mess, everywhere. When you're renovating, making an art piece, working or studying, in the process of something, there is mess. From the dust and wood shavings, the paint and the clay, or the sheets and pencils, there is mess.

I personally hate mess, hate when things are unorganized, it makes the future (near or far) so blurry, and it worries me and i get anxious over it. Many times when things are messy, we forget to look at the big picture, and get pushed to the verge of giving up. We have to keep the final result in mind. We know that after we renovate, there will be a better, and new space. When we finish our art, there will be a beautiful masterpiece, and when we finish studying, we'll be confident for our test, so as God is crafting us, refining us, through all the hurt and pain, know that after all the mess, there will be brilliant, hand-made by the Lord of Lords.

⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6