The Day..

Today, I came upon the verse(Luke17:26-27)"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also it will be in the days of the Son of Man.People were eating,drinking,marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark.Then the flood came and destroyed them all."
As I began to ponder about it, it just hit my heart, the sense of urgency that the Day is approaching, and that Day will come like a thief in the night, where no one will expect.It stir my heart to begin to live my life differently. As I ask God to help me that I may began to move beyond self-focus, selfishness, my own plans& ambitions in life.To loose my life for Christ and to start to embrace and live in the calling and purpose of God. I want to run with the vision of the Kingdom.

I believe that God's purpose will continue to move on, and it's up to me whether I want to run with it, or just let it pass me by. Well, I definitely dont want to be left behind!It's a time to seek the face of God, His will upon our lives, and make it the ultimate reason why we live here on earth. And the Holy Spirit began to remind me not to be tangled with the cares of the world, for it will choke the life of God in us. The world desires is the enemy of desire for God.

I remembered what Darlene Zscheck said during the worship night at COC a week ago, that when we ask God to bless us, and whatever things that we have, if it brings "comfort", then it will begin to rob us from the life of God in us. When we are comfortable, we are like Wally ( the duck that Ps.Wilson shared during preaching), that begin to forget the purpose and the destiny,of what it can do and supposed to do.

I found that complacency and coldness of heart towards God could easily crepe in unoticed. It's scary sometimes, when I feel that everything is going alright, while the truth is I am starting to backslide. It's when I know I need to check my heart again and allow the Holy Spirit to show me the truth, and let the truth set me free from the self-deception and lies of the enemy. At times it feels like a kick on the butt! Another times, it feels like a surgery on the heart, and it's painful for sure when I am faced with the reality of my own self before God. But that experience humbled me, knowing that the love and grace of God is so deep, so much...despite of all those failings and weaknesses, He always comes in gentleness and patience, giving me another chance to turn back to Him. And He restore again the relationship, for He keeps His covenant of love with us. The beauty of the saving grace of Jesus Christ, it's undescribable!!

Just like in the days of Noah, the building of the ark I believe it symbolise how the church is being rebuild. As the Day is approaching, I believe it's a crucial time where we need to build the Kingdom of God, and take our place in His body, the church. The Bridegroom is preparing His bride..God is perfecting and refining His church. Only when we build on what's eternal, then by God's grace then we can stand firm until the end. And the only eternal thing is the Word of God...Let's build our lives specifically according to the Word of God, for everything eventually will pass away, but the Word of God stands forever. I always remind myself, that my life here is a passing breeze in the light of eternity, and one Day...I will be standing face to face with my Maker..and I want my life to count, that I have lived to do His will. Just like Jesus, who came not for His own interest, but He came to do the will of the Father.

It began to make more sense, the purpose of being in the community of church, it's all about taking our place, and begin to embrace our calling in God, to cover each other weaknesses, and strengthen and complete the body..so that the body the function well, as each part does its work. For each one, God has called to do different things in His body.