God is working even when we sleep

Luke 12: 6 - 7

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Inspired by this verse, I tried counting the hair on my son’s head once. Not the whole lot, just a small fraction of it. It took a lot of patience (he wont sit still), and a sharp eye (the hairs are tiny and come in different lengths). I never did finish the job, as it is painstaking and honestly I feel it’s a waste of time.

What I learn from that mini experience is that the best time to do this is, when my son is sleeping. That is, if I ever want to do it again.

Then I wondered how God our Father does it. Does He just know it all in His database of knowledge, or angels do it for Him or He actually counts it Himself? He actually has to do it everyday as our hairs fall and grow all the time. I believe He counts it himself, and putting it through my own perspective, at the time it is easiest to do, while we are sleeping.

So, don’t worry about being lonely, neglected or feeling far away from God. While you are sleeping, He is near and maybe counting your hair!

Getting answer to your prayers

3 Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."
5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one."
But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing.
2 Kings 4:3-5

There is no way we can formulate how God works. There is no exact method or procedures to follow step by step to ‘make’ God move. He loves us and He knows what’s best for us. However, from the story of the prophet Elisha and the widow taken from 2 Kings 4:1-7, I can conclude one thing about getting answers to your prayers;

After making a request to God through prayer, give Him the space to work things through.

I remember looking for a job a few years back the same time with a friend I know. We both prayed sincerely about it, asking God to provide the right job. Some months later I got a good job with quite an increase in salary as well. Sadly for my friend, he is still waiting. The difference in our approach is, I sent out over 50 applications while he only sent a few. His simple reason was, ‘I don’t fulfill most of the requirements’. I don’t bother myself much with the requirements, I just want to provide as much room as possible for God to work with, and so I send out as many applications as possible. In the end, I actually landed a job I really wanted. It was the least expected job for me to get because I’m poorly qualified for it, but God blessed me anyway because I provided Him the room by applying for it.

So whatever it is you’re praying for now, give God the space to work with and you’ll see the oil of blessing continue to pour out as much as you can take.

If Only You Know

“…so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” - Joshua 1:5

To actually say these words to someone is showing how much you love and care for that person. Amazingly, this is what exactly God is telling each and every one of us. Its not a generalize kind of love like loving our country, but it’s a personal love. God loves us like there is nobody else in this world.

I was carrying my newborn (barely 1 week old) son around someday and I talked to him. I know he don’t understand any word I said, because while I was talking to him, he was looking everywhere else. A part of me feels sad because I can’t interact fully with my son yet, but I understand that it will take some time before we can interact with each other better. He will need to develop linguistics skills and understanding first.

As I put him to bed, I utter the words “If only you knew how much I love you”. Right away in my spirit, I heard the Lord telling me, ‘That is exactly what I want to tell you too’.

God loves us very much, and would very much want to get intimate with us in every way. But, our level of understanding and knowledge hinders us from getting the best of what God wants us to know. We still have a lot to go to tune in to God and develop our ‘linguistics’ with him. But, rest assured that God loves us very much that all our needs will be taken care of by Him, just as my son receive all his needs because I love him.

Don't Look Back In Anger

"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold”
Ephesians 4:26

A friend of mine just recently passed on. I haven’t seen him for a very long time, but I remember that he was a really fun person to be with. His passion for worship, music and people has influenced and blessed many. One considerable quality I notice in him was his patience. I’ve never seen him angry or letting his emotions get ahead of him. He was always calm and steady in dealing with any situations, even miserable ones.

We’re all familiar with countless circumstances, where, due to anger, our last words or action to our loved ones or friends turn into our deepest regrets. When the relationship shatters, when friendship falls apart or when the person depart this life, it will be too late to take things back and change.

God’s Word doesn’t forbid us from getting angry, it is an essential part of our emotion, but holding on to anger for too long leads to bitterness, rage, brawling and slander. Holding on to anger turns this essential emotion to sin. We can’t stop the sun from going down, but we can always clear our heads of anger.

This is not easy. Take time to cool off .Put positive and constructive thoughts in your mind. Always remember that it is never worth your time, energy and emotion. Life is short; don’t waste it on being angry.

I’m saddened by my friend’s parting, but I’m proud that he left a legacy of joy and peace with people, by inspiring me to be anger free.

Waiting On God

Genesis 12:2
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing”

This is the promise made by God to Abraham when he first left Haran, his ‘home’ country. Before you become a great nation, the first step would be to establish your family. Sorry to say, Abraham only had Isaac, his rightful heir, 25 years later. Talk about progress. Here is a promise, a purpose to be a great nation, and yet the only measurable progress he can see is, 1 son in 25 years. My idea of building myself a nation would be 33 kids in 25 years (estimated 1 child every 9 months). Not realistic and might not be much of a nation, but at least we’d fill up a bus or a village.

We know eventually what the outcome of God’s promise to Abraham is. He indeed became a great nation. Considering that believers of Christ are also Abraham’s seed, his seed are indeed countless as the stars in the sky.

What interests me here is the waiting period, from the moment of the promise until the first sign of fulfillment in the birth of Isaac. I feel that the past 1 year has been a wandering time for both me and my wife. We were always in touch with our purpose, but looking for the next step was a great challenge. Waiting on God was tough.

But considering the adventures and experiences while waiting for the promise; I’ll say that the waiting was all throughout fruitful for Abraham. He had a stint with Pharaoh of Egypt, he fought and won battles, and he also has a successful farming and trading business. He got position, power and wealth. Waiting on God never comes out empty!

This gives me a renewed revelation to keep on waiting on God. I might not see where I’m heading at the moment, but I will count and cherish every blessing and experience that comes my way.

Spiritual Maintenance

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” Genesis 2:15 (NIV)

How do we imagine the Garden of Eden? I would imagine the most beautiful place on earth. A place of incredible beauty, the kind that makes you shed tears while admiring. If you read through beginning from chapter 2 of Genesis, up to verse 15, you’ll see that God Himself planted the garden. He formed a river through it and laid tress that is pleasing to the eyes in it. It is the one place I would like to see after I die.

The startling thing is, a man has to work it and take care of this garden. All this while I thought all that Adam did all day was trying out fruits and playing by the river. That’s what I would do. God did the preliminary work of laying out the landscape with the best materials, designed the river way, decorating it with beautiful trees and food all over. All that Adam had to do was to maintain it well.

It’s a great picture of our life before God too. God did everything beautiful in us already. He gave us His eternal life, shower us with love and blessings. We were made in His image. We are His most beautiful creation. But, we do need maintenance as well. It’s entirely up to us what kind of garden we want to be. If we want more flowers to add colors, sow flower seeds. If we want more fruits to eat, sow more fruit seeds. If there is an ugly tree that is starting to grow, we pull it out by the roots.

I want to know God better in my life, so I’m sowing seeds by spending more time reading His Word daily. I want to be blessed financially, so I’m sowing seeds by doing research on simple investments I can do. I find that a particular tree of materialism is starting to grow in me, so I pull out the roots by avoiding gadget magazines. Whatever you want or need, be it a balanced career, friends, life partner, child, skills, financial breakthrough or health, start planting a seed today. Whatever is troubling you now, there is a root to it. Remove it immediately before it grows bigger. I believe God will bless what we sow to be fruitful in us to bring Him the glory.

Happy gardening.

Show a little kindness

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Matthew 25:40

Quite a few years ago during my campus days, a group of us students were going back in a bus from KL to Kajang. There's only 1 bus for every hour, so even before the bus arrives, there was already a long queue waiting. I was one of the fortunate few who lined up early enough to be guaranteed a seat on the bus. It was a long and tiring wait and as soon as the bus arrives, most of us broke up the line to rush in and literally fight for a seat. Those who didn’t make the line would have to stand in the bus and forced to cramped together to fit. The next bus will only come 1 hour later so everybody is trying to sardine their way in.

I got my hard fought seat and was sitting there proud and looking forward to the comfortable 1 hour journey back to Kajang. Funny thing is, one of those unfortunate no-seat folks, an old lady, was standing right in front of my seat. I was thinking to myself, should I do the good boy thing and give up my hard earned seat? And like any other sensible young guys in the bus at that time, I didn’t. I pretended to sleep instead. I rationalized. She's not that old. She could be offended if I give her my seat, indicating that she's old. I know how sensitive some woman can be about aging. What about the pregnant lady standing a few seats ahead. She deserves a seat too. I can't be biased towards old ladies over pregnant ladies. If I give up my seat, the rest would be obliged to give up their seats too. They might stamp me with a good boy image which is so not cool. What will people say? They might think I'm just a show off goodie too good guy. Besides, I'm tired from walking around all day. I need the rest.

I chose to 'sleep' it off.

When we're about to reach Kajang, all of a sudden the old lady vomited and fainted next to my seat. She was unconscious for a few second and woke up. I can see the pain and embarrassment in her eyes. The fall must have hurt her. She was groaning while apologizing to people around her. The long journey was too much for her to bear but nobody cared.

Only then I offered my seat. She thanked me, but I was so overwhelmed with guilt I dare not even look at her. I didn’t deserve a thank you. I should have offered her the seat earlier but thanks to me, I have to let her suffer first before giving my seat.

That day was a big lesson on kindness for me. There were others standing who needed the seat, and they were others seating down who can give up their seats, but she was nearest to me. When it comes to showing kindness, don’t think, just do it. Everybody needs a dose of kindness in their lives, but often the people who need it the most are the people near us. Opportunity to show kindness pops up all the time and when opportunity comes, verify with me the soothing warm feeling in your soul from a little kindness you give to someone near you.