You are the Potter, I am the clay

Sis Luan Keow has gone home to be with the Lord this morning. It's definitely a loss to all her closed ones. Yet, it's not a loss to God. She is definitely in a better place. Thank God that she has lived and she has lived for His glory. In mourning for her.

WHY? It's the greatest word ever invented. I admit, I ask lots of questions. Sometimes I get the answers and sometimes I don't. When I was younger, I had wanted to be a detective and a lawyer but somehow along the way, I drifted from my ambitions. Yet a larger part of me is still inquisitive. I ask because I want to know and find out. I don't take "Yes" and "No" as answers on a superficial level especially when the issue is something very important and noteworthy. I question the motives, the reasons behind the answers, behind the actions and the plans. At times I can be quite irritating I must say. My preference for details have further added to my inquisitive disposition. It is normal for me to see things from every angle and I especially delight in seeing cross sections, dissections, bird's eye view and what not. Of course, I do not tire myself by going into every details of life but only some things that really matter to me. I ask questions but I ...

Meditations from “Conversations with Jesus” by Calvin Miller (Harvest House Publishing) I have a few literary heroes. One of them is Calvin Miller. One skill I marvel and attempt to learn from him is the way he goes INTO scripture. This morning's reading was from Matthew 3:12. “And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear the threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (NASB) He gave a simple exposition and compared the chaff from the wheat. As I was reading it and meditating on it, I also noted that the winnowing fork serves the same function towards the chaff and the wheat. It acts to thresh both wheat and chaff at the same time. The one that gets blown away i.e. chaff will be burnt. The one that stays i.e. wheat will be gathered into the barn. It is the weight, the substance of the chaff or wheat that determines whether it goes or stays. The winnowing fork only stirs. The chaff being w...

As I type this post, my colleague and Sis in Christ has a sis in KL who is unable to communicate with her now. Months ago, we met her and we prayed with her for her healing. We prayed earnestly and desired her healing. Back home where she is, there's a group of intercessors surrounding her, keeping her in vigilant prayers. She is suffering from a rare type of cancer and has a tumor growing, pressing on her other organs and threatens to protude out of her. She had been in pain and was on morphine weeks ago. Why was she not healed despite the earnest prayers of many? I don't know... maybe our faith for her to be healed was selfish, maybe God wants her home, maybe God wants us to persist in prayer until the miracle happens. What must we do? It's interesting that I came across Deut 29:29 today and it says "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law." I don...

Sometimes I wish prayer is like a magic wand. How I wish, with a single wave of it, I will be able to get what I want and what I want now. There are times when God answers my prayer almost immediately like when I prayed for a parking lot, in the late night while raining and with heavy things to carry up to my house. Knowing the situation was almost impossible, I prayed with my simple faith. Lo and behold, I saw an empty lot and I praised God for that. It was almost a split second - the prayer and the answer. There are times, like now when I am still praying, believing and hoping for my family to be saved. Humanly speaking, it's a long way although my parents seemed opened about church. I am praying that my brother and sister will return to God as well but it seems that my prayers will take quite some time to be answered. While faith is the vehicle to answered prayers sometimes I wonder to myself, how much faith is enough faith? Perhaps it's unwavering faith, perhaps it's pe...

I remembered posting a short thought that Jesus was born in a manger. One of the reasons cited was because there was no room for Him. Yet I believe the Servant King chose the manger over any 5 star hotel because He wanted access with people. The place where least attention would be drawn to, where the crowd would not be found, where the Shepherds could enter freely. Jesus intentionally positioned himself where the lowly was. It was on purpose that He chose to be born in a manger. I am sure the angels would have thought of a place more appropriate for their King, in the end, Jesus had the final say: "I will be born in a manger!" Books closed. He chose accessibility over comfort, over status, over reputation. No wonder John in his gospel used the word "Tabernacled" among men. He made earth His dwelling where earth used to be his footstool. This is service without the glam. He came down to our level. The unsung heroes of our time are those who served without the attent...

Ok. after a long wait. Finally... the gynae is able to confirm that the baby is a girl. Although the disclaimer clause states 80% - 90% accuracy. :) Quite happy that every 'structure' is in place. She has 2 eyes, one nose, one mouth. two hands with five fingers on each hand, a beating heart, 2 kidneys, one stomach a brain... , one tiny head, feet measuring 3cm each and liver... (the nurse in the clinic used the word 'structure' so .....) The detailed scan is suppose to detect any abnormalities so the result so far is normal.... Curious to find out though what she will look like. I am thinking of keeping long hair for her but daddy says, no, short hair better. So, till then... we shall see. yup and not forgetting to keep praying for her to be a teachable and moldable kid and one who will love God always.

I was writing the weekly devotions for the kids in the sunday school. This week and following, we will be focusing on Christmas. While writing on Jesus being found in the manger in Luke 2, suddenly I sense a nudging to meditate further what I was reading. No hotels, no red carpets, no standing ovation, no trumpet to welcome his arrival. All that was available was a lowly manger. A place unfit for the Messiah, Son of God and King of kings. Secondly, Luke wrote that an angel appeared to a group of shepherds and revealed to them the whereabouts of Jesus. The shepherds decided to take the look and were exceedingly joyful when they saw him. If there was any grand announcements, it came from the angels... As I meditated through, the manger and the shepherds connected well. Shepherds were low-class labour, manual jobs in those days. They carry a stench of smell and were most unwelcome anywhere. The manger was the most appropriate for them. The most accessible place for the willing and humbled...

I wonder why one would give testimonies about sharing the gospel, having compassion for the lost and in another instance showed a very reluctant look when posted to a home for carolling that in one's opinion might not serve 'good food'. It has been clearly announced that carolling this year is not merely a time of merry making but also a time for soul winning. So, is it about the quality of food? NO! I am appalled by the inconsistencies. Where is the compassion deposited 2 prayer meetings ago? I wonder and wonder at the callousness. I wish i wasn't there to see and hear it for myself. . .