Dreams

I just came back from dinner AND supper with some of the HopeKids CLs. It was a great time of fellowship with them. And I was especially blessed to be able to get to know Liting, Sandy and Alvin. They are all way younger than me haha... but they're at that stage of life where they can be mature in their thinking, roles and responsibilities and convictions, and yet childlike enough to dream big, big dreams for God.

And when Alvin talked about what he wants to do... we all started sharing about what we hoped to do.

One common thread through their dreams, every one of them, was that they wanted to step out of Singapore, and explore the big, big world. And more than that - they wanted to impact other countries, as they know that Singapore is so small. And they don't want to spend all their lives just working, and working on a tiny red dot.

And another common thread. That they are not content to just sit around and accumulate money. One was almost socialist in his passion. :) Of course, another laughed and said that she would like to be a "tai-tai"... but a "tai-tai" to help meet others' needs. :) (Some dreams are rather timeless...)

And another sis said (and I think that was the most moving sharing of the night) that she saw many troubled youth with her own eyes, and she wanted to find a way, perhaps teaching, to impact and transform these young lives.

Ah, the fresh zeal and rawness and sweet passion of youth.

I encouraged them to hold on to their dreams and not lose it in the culture of uni life, but to hold firm, and let God shape and mould their dreams. Shared with them a bit too how God showed His calling for me, and also about my dream of becoming a writer. Not only here in Singapore, but hopefully one day, all the children of the world.

And they listened thoughtfully, even raptly, to what I had been sharing. It was quite a startling observation, when I looked at their faces as I was sharing.

But it does seem that what I shared to them was very relevant! What an epiphany to see these young people of God listening so attentively to what I was sharing about dreaming for God... because I really am speaking from the other side of the fence, as a working adult.

"One generation shall commend Your works to another..."

Psalm 48:12-14
"Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,

consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them to the next generation.

For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end."

I do hope and pray in my heart that these fine young people of God will move on to hold firm to the torches of their dreams for God. And that though their dreams be purified and refined seven times over...

And when their own youth fades like the flowers in the fields, they will say to the next generation in the Flanders Field of this world:

To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.

Two things that I learnt from the younger ones in their sharing:

1. Dare to dream BIG. Export your dreams out of this little red dot, to impact the entire world. Be not content to sit on your little butt and accumulate comfortable little trinkets that will not last the testing fire of God on Judgement Day.
   
2. You need to see, with your own eyes, in order to add realness to the cause you have decided to invest in.

And one powerful thought that I captured from Peter during shepherding on Sunday:

1. Do I see the world, and the things happening within, through the eyes of God? To not only care for the "spiritual" needs of others, but to also think about the physical needs of others! For. from what I understand, God cares just as much that people are actually starving and dying of easily-treatable diseases, suffering crimes and injustices, poverty and oppression, slavery (physical, financial or sexual), as much as He cares for their souls!

How I need to start seeing this nation, and the world too, through the eyes of God! How I need to ask Him to open my eyes to the things unseen! To break my heart for what breaks His! To cry out against injustice, godlessness, empty living, materialism, broken families, broken lives, broken hearts, broken souls, broken promises.... and all the terrible things of the last days! To fight the good fight of the faith against all these!

To let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

And I must ask God to bring me to the mountain-top, to see the Promised Land - that Land that He wants it to be.

And I think that, on a side note, is what we males who claim to be men must do. Even the Philistines knew what it took to be a man:

1 Samuel 4:9
"Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!"