For He Is Good

Just came back from a good, long dinner at Plaza Singapura's Cafe Cartel with Robert. :D Over a good satisfying meal, we had a great time talking abt how things are going on in our lives, our work and even abt BGR too haha. In fact, BGR occupied abt 60% to 70% of our chat...

Of course we talked abt other things. Robert gave me some very good advice about caring for the people God has entrusted to our care... really thank God for his advice! :D

Anyway, this post is a response to Bert saying that I've not been blogging for quite a while. True! 'Cos work... and ministry... oh dear. In fact, not much time to sit and contemplate about life, and about God's goodness. Especially when things are going well, I think one is less likely to contemplate in a way. :P

But Bert told me also about a friend of ours who had renounced Christ. It brought great sadness to me when I heard that, and for a moment I was really shocked. To be honest, I was stunned enough that I had to close my eyes and pray at the table there and then, to pray for God's protection and mercy.

Hee. But thank God for his answering my prayer earlier before the catch-up, that we'd mutually encourage one another. And yah, both of us were very encouraged... tee hee! So glad to hear about how Robert and Melissa are not being inward-looking in their relationship, but they use their relationship to bless and help other couples draw even closer. Wow. Just feel very encouraged to see how God is glorified in these relationships, where Christ is honoured.

And that's one thing that Robert said, that struck me, when he told me this about the inevitable conflicts in a relationship: "I have good news and bad news for you. Which one do you want first?"

"Eh? ... Bad news first. Haha!"

"Ok. Conflicts in a BGR will surely go from bad to worse."

"Wah."

"The good thing is, as long as God is the centre, the focus, for the two of you in your relationship, he will draw the two of you closer together." (forgive me Bert, if I heard u wrongly!)

"Oh! That's very encouraging. :D"

Yeah! And that's really the desire of my heart, that I really want Christ to be Lord. Lord over my work, Lord over my family, Lord over my personal desires, Lord over my relationships, Lord over my passions, Lord over my pains... Lord over my calling and Lord over my destiny. Lord over the nations, Lord over the earth! I want Him to be totally Lord over every single thing in my life. Amen! :D

Freedom comes, when I call You Lord
You are Lord, My God...

Ok! Just want to thank God too... for the joy that I am having in my work. Really want to thank God for His faithfulness, for His answering my prayers for His peace and blessings to be upon my colleagues and upon our work... and also for the joy of learning how to configure and deploy Microsoft SQL Server 2005... it was ultra-complex, but thank God, just finished a big hurdle in understanding it. Excited, because database administration is a very useful skill that can add value, not only to my skills set, but also to the church, to whatever IT-related social work I plan to do next time. :D

Looking back at all these blessings, I was thinking about what I read in the Psalms recently...

Psalm 118:1
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever."

This simple (and for me, oft-overlooked) verse caught my eye as I was reading it on the bus home today. And I thought about whether I'd remain faithful to Him, and whether there will be times that I will be strongly tempted to doubt God's reality, and even His goodness... Esp after hearing about our friend who renounced Christ, which set me thinking, "Would I too? Could I?" And Peter's three-time denial of Christ came to mind.

But in the midst of all these worries, this verse spoke gently to me, reminding me to thank God for all the good things that have happened to me recently. "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good... his love endures forever."

And oh, it touched me very much again. Yet another sunshine verse, Scripture that speaks sunshine to my soul. :D

His love is warmer than the warmest sunshine
Softer than a sigh

And I just remembered... earlier on, on my way to meet Bert for dinner, I had been thinking about how much Jesus has changed my life, and what could have happened to me if I hadn't asked Him into my life so many years ago. And when I thought abt the magnitude of his grace and salvation to me, the things that I've been saved from... my heart was overwhelmed with awe, and I gave thanks to Jesus Christ for being my Saviour.

Saviour. What a sweet sound, such a wonderful word. It is the sweetest sound that I think anyone can ever, ever, ever hear on this side of eternity. And to think that he actually forgave all my sins! How can I ever stop thanking Him who saved me from all my sins? :)

Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
Forever
The Author of salvation
Jesus conquered the grave...

We may fail... but Jesus never fails. :D

Oh, just thinking about His goodness makes me cry. :D God really is good, no matter what happens, no matter how we feel, no matter if heaven quakes and earth shakes, no matter if crops fail, no matter if mountains collapse, no matter if war breaks out, no matter if even we die... His love never ceases.

Life is not always easy, but God is always good. :D

AMEN!