Monday, January 19, 2009

I Have An Inheritance

Read this from Huanyan's blog too:
I was just thinking about it the other day. God intends an inheritance for us. Is there something that's stopping us to claim the inheritance? Looking at the ministry and the church, I think people often stop short of realising that their inheritance is with God. They dun take possession of the land God has given them. This may has something to do with inward-looking and self-centeredness... When people start looking within themselves, they start to miss out on God's very best for them?

How many times do we see people struggling with their own problems without realising that God is bigger than their problems? I wonder for long if there would ever be a day when people realise this. This can happen to leaders too. Sometimes I just wonder why do we spend so much thinking and struggling with our own problems, or thinking that the situation is very 'cui'. But yet, we need to turn our eyes towards God and maintain faith that God is there to guide us as He has overcome the world.

The land is for us to take.
Hee. Inheritance. That's something very thought-provoking. Maybe I should share about some of the wonderful things God has done through me recently... to be honest, I don't quite like to share at times... maybe it's because I fear being thought of as proud or what.

But Scripture tells me to boast in the Lord. To boast of what He has done for me. Because this brings glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

So I will boast of the inheritance He's so generously given me. Not because of anything I've done, or who I am, but because of Who He Is.

Hmm. I was sharing with Peter how God has really anointed me to do storytelling to the children. It's so exciting! In the Nurture programme last Saturday, it was my most challenging storytelling experience to date: more than 20 primary school kids, composed of Chinese, Malay and Indian children. And their age ranges were pretty wide: from Primary 1 all the way to Primary 5. Challenging! But thank God so much - they were all so eager to participate, even the more shy ones, and they laughed, they acted, they played silly - and they listened. Thank God too for Ms Raja, who has been a most excellent, and sweet, and gentle but firm mentor. I really respect and admire her for how she can be so firm, but gentle and sweet too. Wow.

Wow. As I was sharing further, I realised that the vision I saw so many years ago, back in 2005 or 2006, has now really come to pass. In that vision, I am sitting on a chair, telling a group of children from different ethnic groups a story.

And it occurred to me that what I'm doing here is so useful and relevant for working with children from other places too. The heart of a child is the same, whether in Singapore or in Sao Paulo.

And I heard that Mr Yeo, the grassroots leader, was so delighted with the storytelling (and other activities) that he wanted to showcase what the Hope Centre people are doing, showcase it to the Community Development Council. Wow. God is in charge. Amen!

Then, Peter said that perhaps we could make a living out of doing storytelling as well. Since we have to work at least one-third of our lives, why don't we do work that benefits our communities? Why don't we work doing the work God has called us to do?

So this is something I shall pray about. Lord, guide me and lead me, for You have already promised, "Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noon-day sun." Aye-men. :)

And thank God too for His using me to bless my friends. Some of my closer non-Christian friends, we were from the Science Club back in RI. And quite a few of them have now become scholars and they will be the future scientists of Singapore. I hope to be a better friend and encourager to them... perhaps this is why God put me there, even though my science ability is only so-so.

And to think all this started the day I turned my eyes off myself, and turned them fully in unconditional surrender to Jesus. 1 September 2005. What a beautiful day.

Yes, God really has a great and wonderful inheritance for me. And I want to claim it fully, with childlike faith.

And acting. Haha. The HopeKids team say that I can act really well. Wow. This is with God's help. I can do acting through Christ who gives me strength. But I need to work on my faithfulness, and ensuring I arrive earlier, so that I can prepare even more. To settle for nothing less than the best for Jesus. To do whatever it takes to get the job done. I don't want to shortchange my Saviour, because He gave His all for me.


What a wonderful inheritance the Father has in mind for us, if only we would even dare to humbly step up with our grubby little paws and grab His big fatherly fingers. To God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to Him be the glory, world without end! Amen.

I'm so grateful to God. He is bigger than all my problems combined! And He calls us now to come follow Him. Broken hearts, broken lives? He will take them all. Your dreams, your hopes burnt into ashes? He will turn your ashes into a crown of beauty. Despised and rejected by men? He will pour out the oil of joy unto us, and dress us with a delightful garment of praise!
Isaiah 61:1-3
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.


"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, forever and ever! Amen."

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