Following His Lead, Part II

Today I was reading on my way back on bus 59, with Huaqiang, my Bible. Then this verse came into my mind:
Isaiah 43:18-19
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

"See, I am doing a new thing!" Can you feel his holy delight, his joyfulness, as he declares to the whole world, and especially to you and me, what is the new thing that He is doing?

And that is the question that I think He was asking me for 2008: "Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" He wants me to see where HE is going, and He beckons me to come follow Him, to join Him in His work for humanity this year.

Been planning to go on a short-term missions trip to Africa this year, if it's God's will. And, by God's grace, I may be going to a conference soon to help me grow in leading in the children's ministry. And as I look back in the past year, I really want to thank God for His faithfulness and His guidance, how He miraculously blessed me in my job search, and has blessed my team in children's ministry, and the Jonathan-like affirmation by Ruey Fong last Sunday, that he senses that God has given me a unique ability to work with children.

And my own dream to help meet the educational needs of children in less-developed countries, and to tell them the story of Jesus. :D Hee, very excited now... I'm not sure how things will turn out, but one thing I am sure of - He wants me to keep asking Him for guidance, what His will is, AND TO OBEY HIS CALLING AND GUIDANCE. Then, and only then, can I know that this year will be a truly fruitful year. Anything less is a wasted life.

Something I am truly grateful to God for is that He accepts me the way I am, and despite all my fears and past failures, His grace is greater than all my sins. His grace covers over all my failures, and His power compensates for all my weaknesses. His joy overwhelms all my pessimism, His faith overcomes all my doubts, His hope overshadows all my shadows and His love overflows into all those around Him!

I know, because I have struggled so many times with my frustrations of wanting to become a better person in the past year, but thank God for His encouragement... what He really wants is an obedient heart to love and follow Him, to love my neighbour as myself. And the main reason why I should overcome whatever is hindering me in my own life is that as long as it stops me from loving God or people less, then it must be overcome. And that is very simple, really.

Hee! :) Praying, Lord, help me be more and more childlike in faith this year, and more and more wiser in wisdom this year too! In Jesus' most wonderful name, amen!