Recalling God's Work
Operation Christmas Child (10/28/2015)
A few weeks ago, GACF (Guelph Asian Christian Fellowship) did Operation Christmas Child - this is a ministry where shoeboxes are packed with gifts to send to children across the world, in hopes that God would use this simple box to demonstrate His love and allow an opportunity for the Gospel to be shared. I was slightly worried about this program because we just started promoting it just over a week before it was going to happen. I was hoping to give people more time than that so they could hit up the stores and shop for the boxes. For a fellowship of about 30-ish people, I set the goal for 40 boxes.
The night we packed the shoeboxes, a lot of people showed up, with or without gifts, but nevertheless. everyone played a big role in our late October Christmas, be it packing shoeboxes, writing cards, or serving hot chocolate. And to my surprise, I found out we ran out of boxes - meaning we had all 40 boxes open, folded and being packed.
On top of all this, a 7$ donation is required for each shoebox, so with 40 boxes, we needed to raise a total of 280$ - I was hesitant on this as well, 280$ was a big number - but we went around collecting donations, and asked people to give as generously as they wanted.
By the end of the night, we ended up 43 shoeboxes, and we raised a total of 417$. God is good! We were all blown away by how much we raised and how generously we all gave. Thank you God for giving us the opportunity to bless others with what we've been blessed with, and to steward your gifts and resources for your kingdom!
God's Long Term Work (10/20/2015)
Recently, one of my friends (who I haven't talked to in a long time) has been meeting up with me a lot, and he's been going through a rough patch recently with relationships and school - it's just been very hard on him overall. One night he came over and on his own came to the recognition that maybe he needed to have more faith in God again. I was gladly surprised by this, because the last time we talked, it seemed like he had given up on the faith. But I took it as a glimpse of God working in his life. I got to pray with him and i'm glad that the Holy Spirit helped me speak truth to him; I was somehow able to recall just the right notes from past sermons, and remember certain bible verses. I invited him out to fellowship and I was very happy when he showed up the next two weeks. And God continued to work within him; he's really been enjoying the fellowship and community at GACF; he's constantly sharing with me how thankful he is for the friends he's made there, and that he feels loved, welcomed and supported. In the midst of the stress, he was glad that he had Wednesday nights to look forward to because of the community. I praise God in all this because it could only have been Him who was working within my friend.
As I look back on our friendship, I can clearly see how God ordained and orchestrated each moment and event to build this relationship - the times we prayed together in the car, the times we spent together being vulnerable and sharing our burdens, even the times when we seemed distant - it all led up to this point in time so that he was comfortable enough to come and share with me what he was going through; which then through me God spoke. After years and years and friendship - the small picture starts to piece itself together and I can see that God is good and God is sovereign through it all.
My friend was constantly thanking me for being such a friend to him - and I know that it wasn't on my efforts or ability that I was able to help him and love him as a brother - but I am extraordinary thankful that God chose to use me as his instrument to reach out to a friend and to help draw him back to God. I am thankful that God made me the friend I was striving to be. What an honour and privilege it is to be used by God; even when you don't realize it!
Psalm 133:1 (11/04/2015)
This verse states; "how good and pleasant is it when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity!" My GACF small group led a midterm de-stressor program based on this verse this past Wednesday and since then this verse has been seen in action time and time again. The program challenged us to reflect on how good it is to have the pleasure and opportunity to be with and in the body of Christ (whether be in fellowship, in housing etc...) - and how to practically pursue unity in our lives more.
Psalm 133:1 came up as I reflected on how good and blessed I am to be with the housemates I am with - being able to share food and responsibilities, serve one another by making dinner and doing other chores with/for one another.
Psalm 133:1 came up through my friend again, and seeing him find the joys of being in community with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
Psalm 133:1 came up during committee meeting when we got to discuss a lingering issue that finally needed to be addressed; we got to pray, encourage, support, and work together as a team to be proactive in taking steps to resolve that issue.
Psalm 133:1 came up just this afternoon, after being welcomed and invited to a Harvest family's house for lunch - we had the chance to share our lives together and how God has been working in the fellowship.
LORD, we thank you that because you love us so much, you designed us to be in community, to build and have relationships that reflect what's to come in the eternal kingdom; thank you that you saw man and gave him a helper and a companion. Thank you for thinking of us and providing us people to walk alongside with, people to challenge and encourage, and people to care and pray for us.
God is Big and I am Small (11/08/2015)
At Harvest today we looked at Jacob's last act of faith in Genesis 46. It was his time to leave the promise land as God commanded him to and head into Egypt, which marks the beginning of the 400 years of slavery God had told Abraham in Genesis 15. Long story short, God told Jacob that he wouldn't receive the promise he had been longing for all his life until he had died. In fact just like the fathers before him, (Abraham, Isaac...) they all didn't receive God's promise by the end of their life - but God was using each of their generations for his mission and promise - to grant them the promise land, and to build God's people and kingdom. Jacob sacrificed and gave up his whole life to contribute to the fulfillment of God's promise. Though not fully in his lifetime, but Jacob was a small link in the great chain.
As I reflected on this, I realized how big God was and how small I was. Many times we tell ourselves, "don't focus so much on the present - think of the big picture" - and for me, that big picture was my life. The suffering I endure now is discipline and sanctification for later on in my life, my life meaning from my birth until my death. But this sermon helped me realize that the "big picture" was much greater than just my life. God is much bigger than just my life. His promise and mission spans over generations and generations and I am just in one of the several! Like Jacob, I am just a link in the chain. For a brief moment, I thought to myself "wow am I that insignificant?" - but I quickly corrected myself; "how dare I think I was worthy of being so great and significant in God's plan for the world! At the same time - God does use me, even though I am so minuscule - He thinks of me (and you) and says "i'll use you to help build my kingdom". What a joy and honour that is! God is so much bigger than I am!
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I love being able to reflect and document God's goodness and faithfulness to me/others over time - and I challenge you to do so as well! Journal, blog, or even just sit, reflect and share it with someone. Remember how the LORD has been working in your life - because He is!
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