The shepherds came from afar to worship the Christ child. They travelled overland from the east (evidence suggests Persia or Mesopotamia) all the way to Palestine, bearing precious gifts for the new born King.
Their hearts led them in search of the Messiah.
Their journey ….. was an integral part of their worship offering.
Excerpt from Dec09 Sunday sermon titled “The Heart of Worship” by Pst Christopher Chin@Christ Methodist Church
This struck me deeply when
I
heard
it.
I
thought
about …….
the preparation ..
the time and travel …
the expense and possible
inconveniences ……………..
the searching and the hope …..
the persevering faith to believe that
they had gotten it right whilst following
the star to an unknown location ……………
and how these melded into the final delivery
of their worship, of themselves, their hearts and gifts
to the
King.
In my goal oriented, task centered, “time is money”, all important “end game” psyche, the process of “getting there” is often just something to get over with as quickly, cheaply, effectively and efficiently as possible.
But iff,
in the pursuit of God and His Purposes for our communities and ourselves,
“getting there” is an integral part of the worship process
then it means that:
the process of struggling and working through ourselves to forgive …. is worship
the effort we put into understanding others and listening with our hearts; and listening some more, again and again …. is worship
the persevering through uncertainty and prayer …. is worship
the continuing in hope and trust … is worship
the choices we make to think joy and to rejoice when circumstances and experiences are going against us ….. is worship
the keeping at “keeping on” till the power of His Word breaks through, out and over our lives and circumstances …. is worship
This changes everything for me actually.
Quite radically.
Keep writing if you have the time and let me know your thoughts yah? It’s really great to hear what God has been doing and saying to you.
There are several chronic catatonic relationships that exist around me that are sources of immense challenge. And these started blinking at me like Christmas lights this season.
So, because I know that He desires for me to keep on working at improving the channel of grace that Jesus came and died on the cross to release to and through me, I started lifting these relationships before Him afresh.
And this is what I did. (Maybe you can try it too when you have some time.)
I began by thinking about the Grace that the Father’s extended to me through all the times I’ve thought the hurtful thing, or said the hurtful thing and stuck to my guns obnoxiously thinking “I was right”.
I spent time taking in the fact that He’s knows all of me and did not take offence at any of it! Considering the fact that He loves me as much as He loves Jesus – per John 17:28 – is totally mind blowing. (I spent time taking this in too, allowing this Truth to wash through my thoughts, experiences, challenges and fears).
I also spent time (regularly, usually at night before nodding off) receiving His heart and grace for me. (This is important because the degree to which we can soak in His love and grace, will be the degree to which we can release such love and grace to others in return.)
Then, I thought of the relationships in my family circle that’s been fractured and lifted those before the Lord for healing.
As I put this into practice, practical applications for what to do to improve these situations popped in!
Thus my relational grace goals for 2010.
Hey …. when our relational world changes, our whole lives change inside out, and the Peace our souls are seeking for, come to rest upon us.
May 2010 bring to you and I the greatest Shalom Breakthrough of our lives.
And eh …. if you get a breakthrough, write and let me know yah? It would my pleasure to rejoice in these together with you.
Growing in relational grace will be my goal for 2010.
It has taken centre stage in my attention space these past few days, the fact that relational grace is meant to start with God at the cross, extend outwards from us as individuals who have experienced His grace, to all the people around us. It’s a Grace that is meant to cascade relationally from person to person into the community at large, in a series of never ending ripples.
Many thanks to Larry and Paige for this great pic.
I can choose to either be a relational ripple continuum of His Grace or a ripple terminator. When the offenses and irritations come hurtling, I can choose to forgive and continue to work at the relationship with grace (with whatever I can muster and pray for help to come) or I can choose to terminate it with my responses.
This is tuff stuff …… BUT …… I keep finding myself arrested by the fact that God did not walk away from me and indeed continues to extend Grace to me, day after day, regardless of the way that I am.
Therefore I gotta keep at keeping the ripple of relational grace going. I truly believe that best “from the heart” efforts suffice, because He will supply the Grace for the rest.
Judges 6, records an angel of the Lord finding Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress, fearful and hiding from Midianite sight. He addresses him as “mighty warrior”, gives assurance of God’s Presence with him and says “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (NIV Judges 6:14).
What an assurance this is, to remember that when God calls us to do something, He does not expect something out of us that we do not already possess.
It’s a partnership ofthe strength that we have+ His Presence with us to effect the supernatural that will get the job done.
There a lot of other nuggets in this story so do take a read of Judges 6 – 8.
For today, just remember: The strength that you have, is enough.
My friend Phyline recently asked for these lyrics because she wanted to spend time soaking in the truths they carried. So …. I thought to append them here as well, as a Sun Soaking Tip set to music ….
1 Samuel 17 : 10, 11 – And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
During my latest reading of this famous encounter, it struck me how very quickly the situation changed when fear flipped sides.
I also found it amazing that the Israelites were able to instantly arise to defeat their enemy, because this means that they already had in their possession, the capability to triumph all along, but did not know it.
This got me thinking about:
the various situations in my own life that are currently bounded by fear
the possibility that the ability to overcome (in Christ) is also already within my grasp at this time
the amazing possibility that these situations could radically change as quickly as it did for Israelites that day, when a little shepherd boy led them to boldness and faith in the Living God
It’s kind of amazing how creation does indeed shout His praise.
The 2 plants by my office window have all their leaves turned yearningly sunward, with their most luscious growth found facing that way.
With the right dosage of the morning sun, their development has been most remarkable. This is in stark contrast to the weeks before when I was battling white spots, yellowing and weak leaves to no avail, when the plants were left largely in the shade.
For a few seconds today, the Holy Spirit used these plants to gently remind me of the importance of spending time sitting in His Company, feeding on His Word and being watered by His Spirit.
Spending time soaking in His Presence that is like the morning sun is the only way to grow, as well as to fend off the sicknesses that commonly come against the body, soul and our everyday lives.
How good is that?!
Here’s one Sun Soaking Tip: Spend the next 5 to 10 mins soaking in (i.e. open your heart and receive) His acceptance and love for you as you listen to this sound clip …..
Journaling my walk with God in a blog was the prompting …… so here goes …. my first blog of THE WALK.
And it starts with a song.
Have a listen ….
I’ve sung this song through thick and thin, year in and year out. I’ve sung it in the face of impossible circumstances with mountains that seem too big and high to surmount. I’ve sung it when I’m at a loss and can’t think of a way out.
And … you know what ?
I suddenly realised …. one day last week, that without me knowing it, EVERY WORD OF THE SONG HAD INDEED BEEN COMING TO PASS FOR ME IN MY LIFE ALL ALONG. It’s just that the process was so subtle, so day by day incremental, that I had missed it altogether.
And suddenly, Thursday last week, whilst in the midst of singing this very song, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to realise that I had finally reached a turning point in my walk with Him and have already entered into the best days of my life.
It’s an amazing thing to know that regardless of circumstances, ahead of me is a season of soaring, of being unafriad, of surmounting …. and there’s no looking back.
So …. folks, I want to encourage you to keep singing your favorite faith songs …. because they will transform you too …… day by day. Slowly perhaps, but surely, He will lift you out of Your circumstances and you will walk into His very best for you.
The Eye of the Storm: 
