~May Your Light Shine :D~

Friday, April 06, 2007

First, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all my friends who were planning a surprise party for me. I really appreciate all the effort you all have put into the surprise. THANK YOU for making me feel so special and loved. I thank God for friends like you all - I do not know what studying here would be like without each and every one of you.

Really really very SORRY for all the confusion and stress I brought to you all. SORRY that I did not trust you all enough to plan a party for me, and thus went ahead planning my own. SORRY that the surprise was spoilt because you all did know how else to deal with the mess I made.

Today is Good Friday, a day for thanksgiving, to thank God for giving us the most precious gift – His Son. Went to church for the Good Friday service, something which I do not do in Singapore (an apology to Rach if I caused you to stumble in any way). Wasn’t sure if I wanted to go, but since Dennis could give me a lift, I just went. And as usual, I came home filled with gladness that I went to church, as I do on Sundays.

I love church here, in a way I never felt back home. Its not the music that are 100 decibels louder, or the way it looks more like an exhibition hall than a church or the fact that I am surrounded by ang mohs (aka Caucasians). But I love how the Word of God is not only preached, it is also lived. Messages here have a life of their own, never failing to touch me every time I hear them. I marvel at how it always seems so appropriate and relevant to me. Worship is also spirit-filled and you can just feel the presence of God.

The sermon was short and sweet. Initially I wondered if Pastor Gary could have offended the non-Christians in our midst by cracking this joke of how an atheist was complaining that we Christians get all the holidays – Easter, Christmas, etc and how atheists had none. Then the atheist’s friend replied: “Why don’t you celebrate April 1st?” Pastor Gary went on to quote Psalm 14:1 – The fools says in his heart, “There is no God.”

In sharing the gospel or preaching God’s word, we sometimes worry over offending others. But one thing we must never be afraid to do is to proclaim the truth. The truth includes things like sin and judgment that are not pleasing to the ears, but nevertheless still have to be preached. Because without knowing what sin is and how we “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), then we can never understand the meaning of grace.

We celebrate Good Friday to remember the greatest act of grace. Did you know that Christ’s death was predestined before God created the world (Revelation 13:8)? When God created the world, He knew Adam would fall and all the heartache that mankind would bring Him. But because of His great love, He still lovingly made each and everyone of us and sent His Son down to die for us.

Often people blame Adam for their own sinful nature. True, “as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin. (Romans 5:12)” But likewise, “those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)”. At the end of the day, it is your choice – death or life.

Think about this: Jesus was born to die. His main purpose here on Earth was to die for our sins on the cross. However, we are all born to live. We are all given the chance to accept God’s grace and His gift of eternal life. A gift is something we do not need to work for, we just have to open our arms to embrace it. Are you willing to accept this gift?

Where would I be without the cross?
Where would I be without the blood you shed for me?

Lydea blogged at 2:40 PM

May your light shine...
in the darkness...