Personal Blather!

Apt name I should think. Pastor Ulf preached today about our calling in God, and he made it pretty clear; We are called NOT to activities, although activities are important too. Here's what I got out of his sermon.

We, as children of God, are called to three things:
1) We are called to be like Jesus
2) We are called to bear fruits for Him
3) We are called to heaven!

Keeping this in mind, it is important to focus on the important things in life; namely to maintain an 'Eternity Perspective'. Philippians 3:7-14 tells us that Paul too came to this realisation and encouraged the church to keep the main thing, the main thing. We run for God, true, but it would be a waste to simply do the activities without fulfilling the calling, if you get what I mean.

Ask yourself this question whem making decisions: Does this take me closer to or further from my Eternal Calling? If the answer is that it takes you further, then perhaps you ought to consider that it might be wise not to pick it up. Note that we have to fulfill all three callings above: which means we have to constantly walk with the Holy Spirit that He may shape us to be like Christ everyday, to reach out to people (through activities and our lives) and to multiply the things God has given to us, and also to live a life that prepares us for eternity! If you have the desire to live for Him, then you have to get your mind and spirit focussed on heaven.

I also learned something which really encouraged me (Talk about God's perfect timing). Sometimes, God speaks, and you know it's from God, but then He later tells you something seemingly contradictory to what He initially told you... and you get stuck in a situation... so you ask God: What did I do wrong? Where did I make a mistake? But sometimes, you didn't do anything wrong... you just have to learn to trust in Him and in His promises! Perhaps, as it was in Pastor Ulf's case, God just wanted him to obey, and to lead him to his calling through a different channel, or in a different way from what he originally thought. When we're called, it doesn't mean that it is an IMMEDIATE call, sometimes God wants us to go through certain things to build our character that we may be worthy of that call. Pastor Ulf finally DID fulfill the calling God placed on him to go to Bangladesh, but he first obeyed God to go to America, even though it seemed like it was something way off from his calling.

God promises us this: He will help us form our character, and in due time, we will come to our calling! It takes time, but the Holy Spirit is there to help us! So don't fight Jesus, follow Him!

Truly a word in season, and as I decide to be heaven minded, may God help me to achieve my calling!

On a seperate note, I've been 'lobsterfied', thanks to the irritating weather on Saturday that made me (and some other hall mates) move in and out of comm hall to avoid the rain (which didn't come). It was SO HOT, and then so cloudy, and then drizzling... still, thank God we managed to finish painting the wall on that day itself. It looks really cool now. Which wall? Oh, well, the huge mural displaying in big bold letters, "Raffles Hall" to every passerby. It's the one facing YIH outside the comm hall and I think we did a very good job restoring it. It looks darn cool now... But I'm so 'lobsterfied' that I've been labelled the 'inverted Singapore flag'... hope it heals well enough...