Monday, June 06, 2005
Good food!
You know how it feels after having an excellently superb meal, you just sit back wif nice music playing the background, sipping a nice cup of coffee?
Well, that’s how I feel now.
No, am not referring to instant noodles dinner I had just now (at 1 am!!!! Slept thru dinner time). Rather, I’m referring to the spiritual food I received in the past few days during a retreat (or camp) at some place north.
The place doesn’t really matter in the end. At the end of the camp yesterday, as we sat around waiting to go, we were chatting about how God had spoken to us all thru the camp speaker. The messages were indeed really good! And because of that, the campers just did not mind the other short-comings of the camp.
If we thought about it, there were many – food not too great, the place was infested wif mozzies, sum of our sisters’ bungalow was crawling wif roaches (flying ones too *shudder* - thank God that bungalow was not given to us!!!), it was pretty hot in the afternoon, there were faulty aircond units, showers etc., the place wasn’t too clean etc., etc.
When we first checked in, it din look good. The bungalows weren’t ready for us to move in until late in the evening. There were mixed-ups wif the rooms. Mozzies were feasting on us.
But at the end of the camp, no one talked/complained about those things. Instead, all that I came across and chatted wif spoke of how wonderful the speaker was, how challenging the messages were, how much they were touched by God!
So much so that it is agreed that this was one of the best retreats ever – if not the best! All glory to God!
We indeed praise God for the speaker.
While I believe that he din really tell us many new things, yet he challenged us afresh on very essential matters – or helped us look afresh and anew things which we thought we knew. His messages were practical, relevant (despite being a foreigner, he served many years here in Malaysia and truly understood our culture), and hard-hitting. He did not hold back his punches – all of which were fully supported by God’s words.
But methinks that wat really touched us all was that he spoke from his heart! It is very hard to explain – u have to be there to appreciate wat I just said. When he shared with us, you can tell from his mannerisms, his tone, his expression, that he was not just telling us sumthing which he learned from the Bible only. It was sumthing which he had experienced and sumthing which came – not just from his mind – but from his heart and soul.
While he did not compromise wif Biblical principles, he was compassionate to us and did not make us all feel like thrash for not being more committed (although we should feel that way). Instead, he encouraged us to do wat is rite.
He talked a lot of himself too – but never once did he brag or boast – except when he talked of his wife and of God. He showed us his weaknesses and his flaws and emphasised that in spite of those things, God was still working thru him – and so God can work thru us too. He is a missionary – yet he never considered himself any better than us but instead equated us wif him saying that we are all missionaries wherever we are.
He was not afraid to laugh at himself – and get us to laugh at him too!
His delivery of the message was first class too. He could make us laugh, then hit us hard (as he said, “kiss us and kick us”). His understanding of scripture was good and as a trained teacher, he brought forth God’s message clearly.
And he was people orientated. An example – on the last nite of the camp, he was thoroughly exhausted. Yet he still had one final message the next morning. But instead of rushing back to his room and get a good rest, he spent the rest of the nite talking and praying wif a couple who obviously had some serious matters that they needed to discuss wif him.
And it is thru him that God spoke powerfully to each of us. I strongly doubt that there are any who did not benefit from the talks. God indeed had a message for each one of us. It was challenging, it was heart breaking (when we considered our failures). It was edifying.
Sure, there were other things which oso made the camp enjoyable. But we were all glad we went because God fed our spiritual souls wif wonderful food.
As for me, there are many sins which God showed me that I must deal wif. I am also reminded of how much my devotion time wif him can be improved. I will work on this - by His grace. Do pray for me.
I pray that the food will not just stay there and make me spiritually fat but the food will energise me to live my life for Him!
Well, that’s how I feel now.
No, am not referring to instant noodles dinner I had just now (at 1 am!!!! Slept thru dinner time). Rather, I’m referring to the spiritual food I received in the past few days during a retreat (or camp) at some place north.
The place doesn’t really matter in the end. At the end of the camp yesterday, as we sat around waiting to go, we were chatting about how God had spoken to us all thru the camp speaker. The messages were indeed really good! And because of that, the campers just did not mind the other short-comings of the camp.
If we thought about it, there were many – food not too great, the place was infested wif mozzies, sum of our sisters’ bungalow was crawling wif roaches (flying ones too *shudder* - thank God that bungalow was not given to us!!!), it was pretty hot in the afternoon, there were faulty aircond units, showers etc., the place wasn’t too clean etc., etc.
When we first checked in, it din look good. The bungalows weren’t ready for us to move in until late in the evening. There were mixed-ups wif the rooms. Mozzies were feasting on us.
But at the end of the camp, no one talked/complained about those things. Instead, all that I came across and chatted wif spoke of how wonderful the speaker was, how challenging the messages were, how much they were touched by God!
So much so that it is agreed that this was one of the best retreats ever – if not the best! All glory to God!
We indeed praise God for the speaker.
While I believe that he din really tell us many new things, yet he challenged us afresh on very essential matters – or helped us look afresh and anew things which we thought we knew. His messages were practical, relevant (despite being a foreigner, he served many years here in Malaysia and truly understood our culture), and hard-hitting. He did not hold back his punches – all of which were fully supported by God’s words.
But methinks that wat really touched us all was that he spoke from his heart! It is very hard to explain – u have to be there to appreciate wat I just said. When he shared with us, you can tell from his mannerisms, his tone, his expression, that he was not just telling us sumthing which he learned from the Bible only. It was sumthing which he had experienced and sumthing which came – not just from his mind – but from his heart and soul.
While he did not compromise wif Biblical principles, he was compassionate to us and did not make us all feel like thrash for not being more committed (although we should feel that way). Instead, he encouraged us to do wat is rite.
He talked a lot of himself too – but never once did he brag or boast – except when he talked of his wife and of God. He showed us his weaknesses and his flaws and emphasised that in spite of those things, God was still working thru him – and so God can work thru us too. He is a missionary – yet he never considered himself any better than us but instead equated us wif him saying that we are all missionaries wherever we are.
He was not afraid to laugh at himself – and get us to laugh at him too!
His delivery of the message was first class too. He could make us laugh, then hit us hard (as he said, “kiss us and kick us”). His understanding of scripture was good and as a trained teacher, he brought forth God’s message clearly.
And he was people orientated. An example – on the last nite of the camp, he was thoroughly exhausted. Yet he still had one final message the next morning. But instead of rushing back to his room and get a good rest, he spent the rest of the nite talking and praying wif a couple who obviously had some serious matters that they needed to discuss wif him.
And it is thru him that God spoke powerfully to each of us. I strongly doubt that there are any who did not benefit from the talks. God indeed had a message for each one of us. It was challenging, it was heart breaking (when we considered our failures). It was edifying.
Sure, there were other things which oso made the camp enjoyable. But we were all glad we went because God fed our spiritual souls wif wonderful food.
As for me, there are many sins which God showed me that I must deal wif. I am also reminded of how much my devotion time wif him can be improved. I will work on this - by His grace. Do pray for me.
I pray that the food will not just stay there and make me spiritually fat but the food will energise me to live my life for Him!
I will live my life for him (Just for him, only him)
This is the essence of the Christian’s holy life
For to me, to live is Christ
And to die is gain
And I will live to praise his name
(A. Wong/M. Lai)
This is the essence of the Christian’s holy life
For to me, to live is Christ
And to die is gain
And I will live to praise his name
(A. Wong/M. Lai)
// posted by imissw @ 3:44:00 am 
