The One reason to keep you going and growing

What keeps you going?
What keeps you growing?

Coming to Christ gives us a new command centre, but as we can clearly see from all the difficulties Paul the apostle had with the early church, a new identity and destiny does not always translate into new godly behaviours easily.

With Whatsapp, I belong to several group chats. One of them is a group of ladies who I go to exercise class with. That chat is filled with Youtube videos, links, pictures and quotes about living healthy, shopping cheap, and eating well.

One time I decide to risk a little and peel it all back by asking, "It is normal to be afraid of sickness and want to be happy. Perhaps we should ask 'Why'".

Perhaps we should /why?'.

I imagine it is entirely possible for other chat groups to exist consisting of fellow Christians who post videos, links, pictures and quotes about .... more or less the same thing, with a layer of 'faith' and large doses of Christian activities thrown in. 

Another event.
Another seminar.
Another conference.
Another gathering.
Another training.

Another speaker/teacher/prophet.

Perhaps we should ask /why?'.

What if --

We are afraid... that Singaporean syndrome called kiasuism. We are afraid to lose out on the latest, the great 'spiritual deals' as it were.

What if we are really worried that we will look ignorant, ill-informed, not with the times?

What if we are really unsure of our faith?

I was prodded to start asking 'why' many years ago by a missionary friend's well-written piece on what he calls a peculiar Christian disease: 'meeting-gitis' -- the endless meetings Christians feel obliged to attend. 

It is true, isn't it?

 So few of us even  think through the ramifications of our daily devotions and Sunday sermons so that we are living them out.

Many of these conferences are fantastic and have solid material. But our buffet spread is wolfed down and poorly digested, much less savoured for all its texture and flavour.

Less can be more.

Scripture urges us, '

keep in step with the Spirit' ~ Galatians 5v25

How do we do this unless we know where we are. Unless we really see, for without good sight, how shall we know which way to go? 

This admonition is given in the context of real intra- and interpersonal struggles. Right here, right now. 

Yes, it's great to follow the grand winds of the Spirit. But the Spirit of creative orchestration works specifically and uniquely in each of our lives. A meaningful journey is not a long march of the masses. It is a deliberate walk by the pilgrim. A walk where flowers are noticed, pauses are made, strangers are met and turn into friends, where difficulties are surmounted and overcome.

It is a journey where we learn to see truly, rightly and lovingly.  

You are a pilgrim, not a tourist. 

Go on your walk.

Keep in step with the Spirit who is leading you.

You may be feeling tired from all the stuff you feel you ought to be part of. You may know others who are trudging along and adding one more thing to their plate.

Ask yourself 'why?'.

The Holy Spirit works in our lives and circumstances to bring us to both understand and experience God's goodness of abundance.

I have met too many who don't know how to relate to parents, spouse, sibling. I have met too many who complain about fellow Christians. I have met too many who live clueless about why they have the issues and struggles they do.

Their lives appear to suffer from a lack of leadership. Or perhaps, it is a lack of follower-ship. There is no real pause to observe, sense, and obey the Spirit.

Life is hard, and it doesn't get easier except in one way: you either know how to walk, or you don't.

The Holy Spirit wants to lead you. Will you follow?

Don't let the reason to grow and go on be a fear of being left behind. Let is be that you hear the Spirit beckoning you. Let it be Love. Nothing else will really do.

today, my children's names remind me of greater things

There is this conversation Jesus had with a woman of questionable repute. As the man, Jesus starts the conversation off (because if he didn't, it would not happen because women back then were basically second class or even property).

If I may, this is sorta how it went:

J (very tired): Will you give me a drink?
W: What? Are you crazy? You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan*. We don't get along remember? How can you break the rules?  

J: If you can see past all that, you will know I can give you a drink that truly settles your life's thirst.
W (eyes J carefully): hey, how you plan to get water, you didn't bring a bucket. This well was dug centuries ago by Jacob. Our ancestors drank from it. Are you greater than them? 

J: this water relieves thirst but doesn't satisfy and overflow from your life.
W: sounds good, Give me some, coming here is really a lot of work. 

J: Go call your husband.
W: I have no husband! 

J (smiles gently): you are accurate here. You have had five husbands. The man you are with now is not a husband.
W: You can tell... some sort of prophet huh? Then answer me, who is right? Where is the right place to worship God? Did the Jews or the Samaritans get it right? 

J: The place is no longer the issue. Listen, salvation will come through the Jews as God planned; but it's for everyone. God the Father is Spirit so those who worship him must do so in spirit and in truth.

Fifteen years ago, we talked about having children. The hubs was not keen; but I was pretty set on the wonders of having children and very excited about being a mother. We agreed that he would take some time to pray about it. He came back with a rather nervous demeanour but conceded that children are accorded worth, purpose and glory in the Bible. Our baby girl was conceived the following month.

The point that Jesus made in that conversation captivated me. Many of us by then are pretty jaded about where the world is headed; and not a few friends have sworn off having children. But there is this: there is a group who seeks and responds to God - and they do so not depending on tradition but by being animated by spirit and truth.

I am a huge fan of tradition in many ways; and call people to return to a historic, tested faith. But there is also this: every generation will have challenges that must be confronted and it requires a move of the Spirit that emboldens and an anchorage in the Truth so they won't get swept off their feet.

My firstborn bears the middle name Spirit-of-God ~רוח אלוהים
Six years later, the son enters the world with theTruth enfolded in the middle of his name ~אמת

People name their children for many reasons:
popularity of the name
in honour of family members
expressing aspirations
a sense of the child's destiny

These middle names I felt inspired to include were more like a proclamation. I wanted to shout out: Spirit and Truth!

Interestingly, many days, these two Hebrew words shout back at me, holding me up against the Light~

are you guided by the Holy Spirit or relying on your own past experiences and success?
are you seriously seeking the truth or will you get lazy nd gloss over stuff?

I never get past these questions. Even now. I need to prepare talks and sermons. I mentor. I need to make decisions and respond to the decisions others make. Will it be in Spirit and Truth?

The thing about growing older is you lose confidence in the right places.

When I was younger, I said, "Lord, lead me in Spirit and Truth!" because I didn't know very much anyway, so I needed to be led; and honestly I did not see much of what was coming!

Now, I cry out, "Lord, blanket, build, bolster, barricade me..." for I know much more; and it's mostly about how easy it is to stray into Self and falsehood. 

I guess the real stuff becomes all the more precious when you see how frequently the counterfeits are traded around, when you have hurt and been hurt because the Spirit and the Truth were absent.

Perhaps lift a prayer for me please: I am feeling a great need to remain in, dig deeper, be defined - by Spirit and Truth.

You too? Share with me in the comments so I can pray for you too.

*the story is found in the Bible in John chapter 4. A Samaritan is part-Jew so rejcted by the pedigree Jews.

a poverty-stricken spiritual life?

Spiritually poor?

This week I read:

Years ago I was consulting with a congregation about their future. In a large gathering of members, a question was raised, “what would you most like your congregation to do for you?”
Much to everyone’s surprise, the answer from one person was, “teach me to pray.
This older adult said she had been baptized, married, saw her own children baptized…held her husband’s memorial service in the church; yet in all those years and experiences, no one ever taught her to pray.....
The inheritance that belongs to every Christian is frequently left unclaimed. So many of us live a poverty-stricken spiritual life. (Reuben Job)

The cheque that was never drawn.

The gift that was never fully opened.

The meal that’s left only hastily eaten in portions.

The words we fail to hear.

The wholeness we miss….

It happens.

Joyless Christainity.

Cold orthodoxy.

Self-righteous convictions.

It shows up  perhaps --

Aversion to spiritual conversations.

Excuses from commitment.

Escape from community

Someone wisely said, ‘we need to preach the Gospel to ourselves everyday!’(and I suggest we do it in church too!)

It is easy to forget what it’s all about.

Life gets busy, We get hurt. Things get too much (pink dot, library books, wars and rumours of wars..)

In my soon-to-be-released book, Shed Those Leaves, I probe this.

It traces back to a Self that is basically far too alive still – where we continue to run on an operating system called performance, strife and competition. Naturally, the spiritual life becomes one more piece of work; and who needs more work?

Kinda like this?

The Word declares,

“How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, 

and takes us to high places of blessing in him..

he had us in mind, had settle down on us as the focus of his love, 

to be made whole and holy  by his love.”

~ Ephesians 1 (the Message)

There is here a different plane to live from where we find ourselves blessed.

There is a different person to become where we find ourselves becoming whole and holy.

And it takes this:

“live by the Spirit” 

“led by the Spirit”

“keep in step with the Spirit” ~ Galatians 5 (NIV)

So this week soul friends, how about we confess ~

“blessed are the poor in spirit” {Matthew 5v3}

– and wait -- for Mighty Grace to swoop down and fasten us to the right winds that blow. Not to be tossed, thirsty and tired; but to be trussed and trusting as we live led and walk our baby steps each day.

God is real

I had several Jesus moments these few days.

It didn't come because I was at some conference.
It didn't happen because I was all set out to change the world.
It didn't come about as a result of any specific plans.

But Jesus came near to the broken, hurting, confused and I happened to be there.

As I  listen to their words tumbling out or their tears streaming down, I begin to feel Jesus' heart for them. I speak softly, "let us sit here with Jesus", "let us wait for God to show us"....

To the broken-hearted gal, Jesus dug a large hole and said, "toss all that you clutch in there".
To the confused man who saw everyone around him prospering while he seems to stagnate; who wonders why all of his giving is not returning, Jesus reminds him of true treasure and that He has noticed his giving as surely as he sees that old widow's two copper coins.
To me, the "what do I do now" lost child in a world of needs such as the epileptic lady trying to sell me stuff I don't need, I heard Jesus say, "pray for her".

Often, the Spirit also brings to mind stories from the Scripture and words of truth and promise that helped me to relate and share with them.....

An old song comes to mind, one I taught my youths (did they laugh at the tune at first!) which they grew to love --

There are some things

I may not know

There are some places

I can't go

But I am sure, of this one thing

My God is real

for I can feel him deep within

My God is real, real in my soul

My God is real

for he has washed and made me whole

His love for me

is like pure gold

My God is real for I can feel Him in my soul

you can hear God is Real here {click}

So soul, Jesus is near. Maybe sit and listen?

Perhaps you will see something. Or feel the Spirit's wind blow and remember to breathe, to slow, to hold the tongue, offer a hand, open your heart....

TREKKING THROUGH THE PSALMS

I'm two weeks late. 

I first sensed it when I looked over my Bible reading guide and it said Psalms. I've read and meditated and milked the Psalms for so much marrow, milk and molassy-sweetness over the years, so I turned my attention to preparing for Advent: the forty days leading up to Christmas. But God was waiting.

For in my journal one day, i was so heavy-hearted i wrote of BUGs: burdens, grief, uncertainties.

This year is filled with BUGs for me. Life goes on, I move on; but my Spirit-awakened heart refuses to just keep going. It broke and the tears came. And I hear the whisper, 'go to the Psalms'. 

The Psalms contain some of the oldest writings in the world: songs of worship. 

Worship is what we give worth and honour to.

The Psalms: personal, corporate; lament & praise; draws us to the truth of the human condition and wraps it in the One who alone can lift us beyond our limited, repeated sorrows.

I continue with my New Jerusalem Bible. {it is highly recommended that you read a different version especially when you feel the Bible getting too familiar & our ugly human pride gets in the way of truly listening as we read}

Psalm 1

v3 ~ every project succeeds
Really? I know how often i feel i failed. Quite a lot recently in fact.
But the One says to me "it's a success! Have you forgotten what I taught you success means? It's about the following, the working from your love, about leaning into the Wind at times and even sitting in the prison; where no one and nothing seems to go your way. Simply because you are Mine, and anyone who seeks to do my will cannot fail for I do not fail."

v5~ YHWH watches over the path of the upright
"It is hard to see the way you are going and I know the pain you feel with every step. But I see it; I am watching over it.  I, even I."

Selah {pause}

v2~ murmurs his law day and night.
this brought a chuckle to me. i think of those religious types who are taught to repeat words that secure salvation. And indeed, I am saved only when I repeat those truth-words: the 'great and precious promises' {2 Peter 1v4} that alone can keep my head turned right and my heart beating tender. The extrovert, take-it-all in part of me often subvert this as i get attracted and distracted.. like someone shared, 'I close my Bible and I forget what i just read'. Reading can be like that. But meeting with Someone usually lingers on.

Psalm 2

v12~ how blessed are all who take refuge in him
there is a little cross-reference to Proverbs 16 and it says, '...listens to YHWH and finds happiness'. {at this moment, the cat looks straight at me as if to say, 'well don't you already know that?'.

This verse comes at the end of an entire Psalm that contrasts the spurious plans of men with the solid Plan of God. We are planners we. Each day, Babel rises and we fight to justify our plans, our ways, our ideas, our dreams. And God says to the nations, to us, "come to your senses, learn your lesson!".

Where are we losing sensibility? In our pine, whine, dine culture, are we become senseless consumers - callous about deeper matters, careless about our attitudes, casual toward God?

What lesson does God want me, you, to learn?
i am a breakaway, runaway, flyaway... are you? My little plans for the days and the long years are little tributaries of God's grand rivers but sometimes I rush the rapids and lose sight of the River.
Perhaps for your, the little brook is drying up? Then, put on hiking boots and beat a trail to the River! Delay not!

Psalm 3

O i love how graphic this gets! The bad guys are so gonna get it. Slap them! Those thousand foes arraigned against me. Reduce them to  nothing.
Shield me.
You-are-the-One who holds my head up. I will not bow, demure, give in, give up.

I  will  look  up --- at You. to You.

A ! moments with God

today as i head out to have some personal quiet..which s really hard since i was going to Macdonald's..but well, I have found a way to tune out the noises....and...i..i received the "A! moments with God". i tried it and found it very refreshing and easy to remember. 
It is basically 3 parts:


Appreciate
- taking time to just appreciate where  you are at, and not at(!), people in your life, and pray blessing over them. i also took time to appreciate God Himself.


Anticipate
- is being quiet and still so the noises of your soul emerges..and u listen to the tunes: is it playing fear, worry, restlessnes...? Ask the Spirit to point the way. our current state predisposes us to choices and consequences. so anticipating is both looking within and looking ahead. at times the Spirit wants to highlight what lies ahead in our path and grant us wisdom to navigate with sensitivity and courage...


Anchor
- in Scripture and prayer..continue with what u are reading or ask for a word...and lay down your defenses and choose trust.


There- A! moments with GOD. Enjoy yours and tell me how it has changed your personal quiet time.

calling, conviction, comfort

As a teen, i was convinced by all the wonderful teaching i received that i needed to live out my life calling. it was the middle place between becoming like Christ and finding my role.

in my recent past, as roles and titles fall away and i entered a strange land where identity runs deeper, i love more by conviction, and learnt that my calling is not synonymous with an office (place/title/and even ourch - salary!).

The last few years of both expansion - from one child to two, having more mentees, and of focus - writing; kept me out of a lot of work that is forever crying out to be done: in and outside the church. Without a human boss peering over my shoulder, i experimented fully with living in step with the Spirit, which means to say 'yes' and 'no' not as a self-determining right but as a response to an invitation to greater discovery.

This necessarily changes my orientation, rhyhtm and even sleep patterns! I feel I have arrived at a place of comfort (not comfortable).

Coming up next it seems is a steely resolve to stay in this safe zone while taking new risks. Will I have what it takes to hold calling, conviction and comfort all together within my tiny being and see it expressed in a brilliant day-to-day lifestyle ?

still applicable: wrote this in 05

Entering 2005, nearing 40..

How did our world become so broken?

Every which way I turn, I confront brokenness: lives embittered and hardened struggling to go on – with busyness, with alcohol, with apathy. Lifeless marriages and listless youths ensnared in the unending downward spiral of unmet expectations and confused emotions.
[08 update: in the month of January i befriended two mothers with woes in marriage and children. serious woes.]

We are a generation that can eat a global spread but remains hungry for the next new sensory experience. We are a generation that can learn at byte-speed but remain directionless. We are a generation that cares for the body with extreme extravagance but remain sick in our hearts.
[08 update: see for yourself]

And, now, suddenly, an earthquake - and - tsunamis – and some we love are lost without a trace. Others we could not care less about disappear into oblivion it seems. In the thousands! It seems even our physical world is in travail.
[08: thankfully only hard hitting rains and a strange chill so far]

We long for harmony, a zen-like quiet within and outside us. But Life has a way of shocking us. God has a way of shaking us out of our stupor of endless vanities and chasing after the wind. There are troubles within. There are troubles outside.

Desperate, i turn to God’s word for solace. Sometimes I come away with greater understanding. But mostly, I come away humbled by the awesome greatness of God and drop to my knees again to repent of the stubborn sins that are both private and universal: like trying to live the way we want. Like trying to gratify our desires without regard for others, and the environment. Like loving so badly and poorly…when people are what matters most.

Even as I write, there is a strong wind howling about. It reminds me of the fire of the Spirit of God that can blow and show up the hollowness in us that makes the wind shriek and curl in howls. O puny person, humble yourself. There is much you cannot control, engineer, conceive, anticipate. This is Life: God’s design – full of surprises that enthrall and also frighten – the gift of God’s breath; to be lived with, not apart from the God who gave it in the first place.