Do more of and do less of in 2012

December ought to be a time not just of celebration, but of reflection. Whether it is true that time seems to pass faster when one grows older, time will always a precious commodity. Each second spent is either spent wisely or foolishly. I wonder if we are called to account for our time some day, what would our report card be like?

Proverbs 20:4 (NIV)

A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

Over a delightful lunch with an older couple, the husband was complaining to me about his wife's over involvement in ministry. It was merely his loving ways of being concern over his wife's health as she is a cancer survivor. I know where he's coming from. The wife on the other hand feels that she would really like to do the best she can in the remaining part of her life as they both felt God had given them a second chance to come alive spiritually in their 60's. I know where their hearts are. I was waiting for that stroke of wisdom or brilliance from the Lord, which I often would pray when I am stuck and not knowing what else to say. :)

It came. I turned to him and asked him this simple question. "What would your report card and your wife's be like when you meet the Lord one day?" We both know there will come a day when we will be judge too for our rewards. Thankfully God did not list down what the merit points will be. Otherwise, we will all be serving for the wrong reasons!

He asked back, "What do you mean?"

"You agree someday that Jesus will ask us to account for what we have done for Him?"

"Yes."

"What's yours like and what's your wife's"

It seems like something struck him.

He said, "Yah ... never thought of it that way."

His lamenting stopped and I could see a smile on the wife's face. We took the chance to affirm the husband's concern and encouraged the wife to take care of herself too.

That begged question: What would your report card, and mine, be like?

I think it is good to reflect and I did a short exercise with my office colleagues. My question to them was: "What is one thing you would more, and another thing to do less, in 2012?"

That sparked off many interesting discussion in their breakout groups. There will probably be more than one thing. But often, it is better to do one thing and do it well, than to do 10 and do them mediocrely, or not at all. 

Why don't you sit down for an hour and work that through. It may change the way you live out 2012. There are a number of areas you can work through:

• Physical (e.g. exercise, travel)
• Social (more time for leisure, hobbies)
• Emotional (counselling, healing)
• Mental (challenging the mind, reading)
• Spiritual (prayer, Bible, conferences, trainings)

There will definitely be a need to cut down on time wasters and make more time to invest in things that last for eternity and they are inevitably always link to people and relationship.

Apostle Paul had a different way of saying it and that is to "put off" and "put on".

Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Blessed Christmas and a fruitful year of 2012!

How to keep yourself fresh and motivated

My Senior Pastor shared this with us pastors about how to keep ourselves fresh and motivated in ministry. Thought it may help some of you. Here's the main headings (in red) he shared. I'll add in my comments in black.


1. Daily time with God

The Word of God refreshes us in the spirit. When our inner man is refreshed, it allows our soul and body to follow suit.


2. Time away on a regular basis (Sabbath principle)
        Reflect Renew Refresh Rewire


God commanded Sabbath for a reason. He knows we will wear ourselves out with our need to achieve. This is one of the consequences of sin in our lives.


3. Read as much and as broad (even secular stuff)


I would add that we need to read with discernment. As much as there are many good stuff out there, there are also equally loads of rubbish. Choosing a good book is important. Go for at least one book a month. Share with someone what you read. I find sharing with someone helps me crystallize my thoughts on the book.


4. Go for seminar and conferences


Again, choose a good one. Make sure you write down immediately something that captured your mind.


5. Be in a 'Iron sharpening iron' small group

• Circle of friends
• Encouragement and support
• Accountability
• Partnership in ministry

6. Have one to three people who can speak into your life


Be thick-skinned enough to ask. As a mentor myself, I often find it hard to refuse someone who is persistent :)


7. Be in a mentoring relationship as a mentor


One can only mentor if you have something to give. Mentoring keeps you on your toes.


8. Exercise regularly
A healthy body is essential to start with.

9. Teach and impart


A teacher always learn more than the student! When you teach, you are motivated to learn.

Psalm 119:121-144 (Four Marks of a Man of the Word

Click here my latest sermon text

This email came as a result of the sermon I preached on Queen Esther.

Dear Pastor Chris,

            Thank you for sharing your sermon last weekend. I am writing to you to encourage and appreciate you, for what you said gave me a fresh revelation as well as a good reminder about who GOD is and what HE is doing in my life.

            Since I was a child, I have learnt the character of GOD. In my head, I know who HE is. But, as I grew up, many events happened (not sure if you remember but I do remember when and why we first met). Truly, when you spoke about someone who asks GOD, “Why?”, I can say, “that’s me!” I am also the one who thought GOD made mistakes in my life. I did think that life is rather cruel towards me… haha… But, last weekend, it dawned on me in my heart why it is indeed so important to know GOD.  I know why I asked why. It is because I have yet to fully believe or translate my knowledge into faith that GOD is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Your sermon has encouraged me to continue to trust in HIM and believe that GOD is indeed sovereign over all events in my life. Truly, HE has orchestrated every note, including the not-so-nice sounding minor ones. Haha… HE made and makes and will make no mistakes J

May the LORD continue to use you to be HIS mouthpiece! 

GOD bless you!

With love from,

Jehanne

Faith in Challenging Times

This was the sermon I preached in August. It's a summary by our church writing team. We are preaching through a series on Faith in Challenging Times because of what the church is going through right now. To those not in the know, just type this on google: "dumc"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Faith in Challenging Times Series II
Esther’s Response (Esther 4:1-16)
By Pastor Chris Kam (Preached on 27/28 August)
The audio sermon can be found here.

We are living in very exciting times. We are at a tipping point, and how we respond to challenges and circumstances will determine whether we turn out to be a better person or a bitter person. We obtain this wisdom from the Word of God, which shows us how to respond to the things of the world. Instead of relying on our limited human wisdom, we can rely on God’s wisdom.


For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)


These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)


1. God is at work


Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. (Esther 4:15-16)


God is at work in our lives even if we cannot see Him at work. When faced with a crisis, Esther and Mordecai turned to God first. They relied on God instead of using their human wisdom to solve the problem. They fasted for three days. We should emulate Esther and Mordecai by turning to God when we are confronted with a crisis. This is what we must do as God’s people.


A thorough study of the book of Esther will lead to the realisation of several missing words from the book. The words “God, worship, prayer and sacrifice” cannot be found in the book of Esther. The writer of the book of Esther deliberately omitted those words, so that we would recognise the fact that God is still in control, even in the most insignificant times of our lives. God’s sovereign rule is assumed at every point. The writer wants us to know that God was right in the midst of the lives of Esther and Mordecai while the entire drama was unfolding.


There are no coincidences in life. That is why the word ‘luck’ is not found in a Christian’s vocabulary. Someone once defined ‘coincidence’ as a miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous. Sir William Temple says, “When I pray, coincidences happen. But when I don’t pray, coincidences do not happen.”


God may be invisible, and we cannot see Him, but He is invincible. He is present in every scene and movement of our days. Philip Yancey in his book “Disappointment with God” states the fact that humans can only see about 30% of the spectrum of light. The human eye cannot see ultraviolet light, unlike honeybees and homing pigeons, which can detect ultraviolet light. Although we are bombarded with ultraviolet light from the sun, we cannot see it. Philip Yancey adds that similarly, although we cannot see certain things in the spiritual realm, it does not mean that they are not there. Although we cannot physically see God, by faith we know that He is here. We, as Christians, walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthian 5:7). Never doubt the presence and activity of God, especially in the midst of crisis. God is present, even though we cannot see Him.


Two books which influenced the life of Pastor Chris during his university years were “Know What to Believe” and “Know Why You Believe” by Paul E. Little. Pastor Chris suggested another title to complete the series, which is “Know Who You Believe”. Knowing who we believe is very important. We cannot just know about God, we need to know God for who He really is. We need to know God, for if we do not, we do not know that He is at work in our lives.
(Note: A DUMC member wrote to me and pointed out that this book has already been written by Paul E. Little! I was out of touch.)


For example: If you were to stand on the Federal Highway and attempt to stop oncoming cars by raising your hand, do you think they will stop for you? No, instead the motorists would sound the horn at you, wind down the window and probably shout obscenities at you. However, if you were to change put on a police uniform, what do you think would happen when you stand on the highway and put your hand up? The cars would surely stop for you. This is because of what the uniform represents: it represents the authority of the King. It is not about you or even what you are wearing, it is about what the uniform represents.


In the same way, we Christians represent the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We are children of the living God. We are dressed in the royal robes of righteousness of Jesus Christ. We have the authority of the King. The problem is: many of us do not know this King. Therefore, we are not able to appropriate His authority. A policeman who does not know his authority will not get anything done, because he is unable to give commands. As children of God, do we know our God-given authority? Do we know this God that we represent?


Knowing who God is will help us understand who we are and our authority in Him. This will enable us to respond to circumstances in our lives in the right and appropriate way. Our response is a reflection of our theology. Theology is the study of God. It is basically a study of who God is.

Three Basic Attributes of God

• God’s Omnipresence – God is everywhere at all times

The Webster dictionary defines omnipresence as: ‘Present everywhere at the same time, unbounded or universal presence.’ In other words, God is not limited to an altar, a church, or a geographical place. God is everywhere. He is not confined by time. He was there in our past, and He is right now in our present, and He will surely be there in our future. That is why God has promised us, “I will never leave you, and I will never forsake you.”

• God’s Omniscience- God is all-knowing

The Webster’s dictionary defines omniscience as the quality of knowing all things at once. Unlike us, God does not have to learn. We need to accumulate knowledge, but He does not. God even knows our thoughts. He knows how we feel, and He knows our needs and desires. He knows the hearts of all the six billion people in this world. When we come for prayer at the altar to seek God and uplift our needs to Him, He already knows our needs, and prayer just releases what God has already decided you need to get.


God knows what we are going to say even before we say it. He knows our thoughts even before we think it. God knows all our ways as He knew us even before we were born. There are no secrets before the Almighty God, so we do not have to hide from Him.

• God’s Omnipotence – God is all-powerful

The Webster’s dictionary describes omnipotence as ‘almighty power, infinite and unlimited power.’ Genesis 1: 1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” In the first chapter of the book of John, it says that through Jesus, all things were made. God is so powerful! He created the heavens and the earth, what problem in our lives could be more difficult than that?


God is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. This is the God that is revealed to us in the Bible. The right theology as well as a right understanding of who God is will result in the right response. The wrong theology will result in the wrong response. How we respond will determine whether we become a better person or a bitter person. That is why we are encouraged to read the Bible and study who God is, because knowing who God is will determine our response towards circumstances in life. Whether you are a weak Christian or a strong Christian is determined by the theology which you have. It is about having the right understanding and application of what we know into our hearts. We can rejoice in knowing who God is. If God is for us, who can be against us?

2. God is at work through you


“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
“When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

• You are exactly who you are and where you should be -

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (Acts 17:26)
God does not make mistakes. God knows who you are, what you are and where you ought to be. When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see? When we cannot accept who we are, it means that we are unhappy with how God has created us. He made us exactly how He wants us to look like.


We should not complain about our nationality and citizenship, because God has put us where we are for a reason. We are Malaysians because God allowed us to be born in Malaysia. We should not complain about the country where we live in, despite all the problems we are facing, because we are exactly where we should be. When our theology is right, we stop asking the question why, but what. Instead of asking, “Why, God? Why did this happen?” we should ask “As a result of what is happening, how should I respond? What is my response?” This is a reflection of our faith and trust in an all-knowing and all-powerful God.

• You have a purpose bigger than yourself

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)


We have one life to live. No matter how long or how short our life span is, we will one day meet our Maker. If we choose to live this life for ourselves and ourselves alone, it is a very sad life indeed. Life is more than “me, myself and I”. We are called to make a difference wherever we are.


The danger comes when we become too comfortable where we are and we refuse to be disturbed and be distressed. We want to live a comfortable life with all our needs provided by God, with a great career, a nice house and nice family. However, if we remain in that comfort zone, rest assured that God will stir us, because our life on earth is just too short. As much as we want the blessings of God, we need to consider the cost of discipleship, which God demands of every one of us.


This is not a call to a life of misery and suffering, but we need to realise that God has a bigger purpose beyond us and our desire for comfort and pleasure. Do we have the eyes to see that? Esther did. She knew God has a plan and purpose bigger than herself, hence her memorable words “If I perish, I perish.”

• You can make a difference

Esther was hesitant to approach the King at first by exclaiming, “But the King had not summoned me for thirty days. If I were to go and meet the king, I can get killed.” Like Esther, we all make excuses. We make up all sorts of excuses not to serve God and not to be obedient to His commands and calling.


We need to realise that it is not about what we cannot do, but it is the Spirit that lives inside of us, that empowers and enables us to live for Christ and do what He has called us to do. We are not people of excuses, but we are people of opportunities. Do we seek opportunities or run away from them with our excuses? Are we like Peter, who so strongly proclaimed his commitment to follow Jesus but denied Him three times when Jesus was arrested? However, Jesus still loved Peter, and Peter repented and became one of the greatest men in the history of mankind.


A young man courting a young girl says, “I will climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest seas and fight the fiercest wild beasts for you...” But then he texted her on his mobile, saying, “Sorry, but I can’t come tonight. It’s drizzling.” With all the declarations that we make to God, it is when the storms of life occur which reveal the actual condition of our faith in this all-powerful God and our faithfulness to Him.


Every battle in the Old Testament is a supernatural battle. These battles have nothing to do with the Jewish people but everything to do with God. When thousands of Amalekites attacked God’s people, Moses discovered that whenever his hands were raised to God, the Jewish people were winning the battle. When he got tired and his hands went down, they were losing the battle. Therefore, when Moses’ hands were tired, two young men held up his hands. It was a sign of dependence on God. As long as Moses’ hands were lifted, they wiped out thousands of enemies. It was truly a supernatural battle.


It has nothing to do with how good we are but how good God is. It has nothing to do with how big our church is, but how big God is. It is everything to do with God’s glory.

How we should respond


i) Windows of Opportunities for Evangelism
When people enquire about DUMC and what we are going through, we can use this opportunity to share Christ with them. We can display a godly response and maintain a right attitude towards the challenges we are facing, so that when people see the way we react and respond, they will want whatever they see inside of us and be drawn to God.


ii) Windows of Opportunities for Growth
We can grow through challenges and problems in life. Every problem is an opportunity to develop character and build strength.


On 23 March 2008, the church dedicated the Dream Centre to the Lord. Let us remember the dedication of the church and our declaration to God.


You can download the Dream Centre Dedication Creed here:


Let us learn to respond to circumstances and challenges in the right way and have the right theology. This is what we are called to do as God’s people. After all, there are no coincidences! We are in this place and we are going through this for a special purpose and plan which God has for us, for DUMC and for Malaysia. Let us put our faith and trust in this omnipresent, omniscience and omnipotent God whom we serve!


Presented by the Writing Team:
Anthea Tan

** Weekly Reflection **

There are two ways of meeting difficulties.

You alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them.

~Phyllis Bottome~

CSI Las Vegas

There's lessons to be learnt even from CSI!

In one episode, an illegitimate baby of a dead teenage mother was delivered at a crime scene through a caesarean performed by Dr Al Robbin, head county coroner of the LVPD. Dr Robbin made a profound statement about the  baby:

"It is not how you come into the world that counts but how you live it."

I thought for a moment that it is quite a Christian statement as well. While we sometimes may bemoan our upbringing, or the family background we come from, these are not excuses for not making something out of our life. As Christians, we are children of the living God and there's no reason why God will not make something good out of our life, far better beyond even our expectations. I find some people fatalistic about their circumstances, that they are powerless to change them and resign to the fact that whatever will be  will be. That's not the Christian attitude!

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

So whatever your background, thank God you are where you are today and the days ahead will be better, because you have God on your side!

Marriage is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.

This anonymous quote stumped me for awhile. On the third read did I really figure out what it means and I think it is a gem. Having counselled many trouble marriages, while it is no laughing matter with the abundance of marriage jokes, I often wondered why these couples got married in the first place. I am still a firm believer that it is better not to be married and remain a single, than to be married to the "wrong" person and suffer for the rest of your life. The life-long pain of broken marriages is just not worth the trouble. 

So sad .....

So when you go to the wedding altar, let your eyes be very wide open, to know who you are marrying and whether you are prepared to adapt to everything you know about the person, warts and all. Do not go into a marriage with a futures option, meaning, you are marrying the future him/her. He may change, or he may not. Otherwise, you will singing the song of England Dan and John Ford Coley, "It's Sad to Belong". I love this song during my teenage years not too many years ago :) It reminded me to be really careful about who I would marry some day. I did make a right choice, thank God! My wife can echo that too.

There is no such thing as irreconcilable differences in a marriage. Even if you are not 100% sure that the man or woman you are marrying is THE person (God's will if you want to put it that way), but after you are married, you are 100% sure after the vows. He/She IS God's will because there should never be a divorce in marriage in the first place. (Matthew 19:4-6) You choose to make it 100% certain and no option B exist. You just have to make it work. Often marriages fail because it is defeated at a very early stage in the mind. No one in their right mind wants to marry with an option for divorce. Therefore Romans 12:1-2 talks about the renewing of the mind. What we think and how we think will determine the way we respond.

The question asked of the couple and the vows they made for each other:

Joe, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony?  Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other keep you only unto her so long as you both shall live?

I, Joe, take you, Jane, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith.

But sadly. couples, once madly in love with each other, can become the worst of enemies. I have seen this once too often. Hence the quote: Marriage is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.

What Should Marriage Do to Us?

It is a busy weekend for me, with two weddings to officiate. I am often reminded of my own marriage when I do this, just as I am reminded of the frailty and purpose of life when I conduct a funeral. I have always encouraged the people present to reflect intentionally on their life during these occasions. In a wedding, we preach not just to the couple, but to all, whether married or single. In a funeral, it is for the living. That's why pastors and teachers of the Bible are in such a privilege position because we are reminded often about the role of Scriptures and God's commandments in our life. Conversely, we are also told that we will be judged more harshly because knowledge of the Bible is not just about knowing, but doing. (James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.)

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1) 

For much is given, much is also expected. 

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)

But this is all good, because the exhortations are for our betterment unless we are foolish enough not to heed God's Word.

Matthew 7:24-27

 ²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

At the wedding this morning, I quoted the following from Josh McDowell:

If you want to get married, you must make sure your marriage will give you a greater love for the Lord, the things of the Lord, a greater prospect of ministry. If not stay single.

Often young people get into marriage wondering what they can get out of it. In a godly maturing relationship, we learn how to give of ourselves into it. Love in the Bible is not merely a feeling word. It is not just about feeling good. It is about doing good to the other person even if we don't feel like it.

McDowell hits the nail on the head. In my paraphrase of what he is saying, 1 + 1 is not equal to 2, but 1 + 1 equal 10. If my marriage cannot bring me beyond what I can do for myself, then it will be a mediocre marriage. Physically, this is demonstrated in procreation. It is something I cannot do myself. I need my spouse for that. That's the synergistic nature of marriage. Emotionally, socially, cognitively and spiritually, we can multiply what's good in each other because we are married.

Therefore if marriage is purely for companionship, that's a low view of what this life-long relationship is meant to be. In fact, Apostle Paul likened the relationship between Jesus and His Church with that of a marriage. (Ephesians 5:22-33).

So young people, take note of the high calling of marriage.

Don't marry someone you can live with. 

Marry someone you can't live without.

The Power of Our Brain!

Olny srmat poelpe can raed this.  I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty  uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig  to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm.   This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this psas it on!! 

Richest man in the Cemetery

"I saw no point in being the richest man in the cemetery."

Peter Drucker, "Managing Oneself", Harvard Business Review - Best of HBR 199, P.11, Par. 2


You can download this article in this blog.


This quote sort of came at me poignantly about the empty chases so many are after. Something so obvious yet we are so blinded. Having to counsel more men lately, filled with regrets in the way they had lived their lives, it is best to heed what Jesus Himself had said, which Drucker rephrased in the above quote:

Matthew 16:26 (NIV)

[26] What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Steven Covey said it in another way in First Things First, title of chapter one:

"How many people on their deathbed wish they’d spent more time at the office?"

Life Seasonings - Principle 10 of 10

Principle 10:  Reflect often 

(Make many pit stops)

Socrates, the Greek philosopher of the 5^th century BC said “The unexamined life is not worth living.” When Socrates was in his forties, he had the inquisitive mind to ask about the world around him. Some people were mad with him about the questions he would ask poignantly. “What is life? What is beauty? What is wisdom? What is the right thing to do?” and so forth. These were difficult questions and some tried to give him answers. Socrates would try to teach them how to think better by asking them more questions which revealed their problem in logical thinking. Often this upset many of them and some even tried to persecute him. Soon he had a group of young men who would listen to him and learn from him how to think. The famous Plato was one of these young men who wrote the book “Apology” in which he detailed how Socrates defended himself against his accusers. Socrates’ key contribution to the world was challenging people to do their own thinking. He dedicated his life to careful reasoning and was willing to call everything into question, which made him one of the earliest exponents of critical philosophy.

The wisest man on earth echoed the same sentiments. “What does a man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3) “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 12:8) Read for yourselves his conclusion on the matter in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

Jesus asked “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37) These are deep questions that need deep answers. If you would have noticed by now, real wisdom in life is not just about getting the right answers. We are already overwhelmed with information in this internet age. Real wisdom lies in asking the right questions for our lives.

“In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in ‘muchness’ and ‘manyness’, he will rest satisfied. Psychiatrist Carl Jung once remarked, ‘Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil.” (Richard Foster, in his book “Celebration of Discipline, Chapter two, The Discipline of Meditation)

Slowing down enough to reflect and think is a luxury ill afforded by many. “Where have time gone to?”  is not just a light-hearted cliché. It is a stark reality today for many. We need to make regular pit-stops to refuel, renew our worn out body and reflect upon our lives. Regular adjustments take us away from serious and irreversible consequences later in life and slowing down enough to allow us to enjoy the ride of our life and hear clearly the voice of God.

How can we do that? This principle is laid out clearly by God and it is called Sabbath. “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) Sabbath is about learning to let go and let God. It is a mandated weekly pit-stop which the whole world observe, whether Christian or otherwise. Sabbath is not to be a rule followed religiously without understanding why. Sabbath is implemented for our good, to help us celebrate God’s goodness. It is a day when we take our rest and celebrate by proclaiming “it is good”, just as God took a day’s rest and said everything He had created is VERY good (Genesis 1:31). God took a rest not because He is tired. He did it because the work of creation is completed.

What’s the implication for us today? We work very hard. We pride ourselves in doing more with less. Do you know part of Adam’s curse of work was to toil and produce little? (Genesis 3:17) God gives us the ability to produce wealth but He is also asking us whether our trust is in Him or in our wealth and abilities. The lack of Sabbath rest suggests a lack of trust in the Lord as we are constantly anxious about our work and provisions. Again, we may be religiously following Sabbath rest by coming to church, but we miss the spirit of it when we lack the joy in celebrating God’s goodness and grace. Sabbath rest is a reset button put by God in our lives to remind us to trust in Him and celebrate life. It is a day of reflection on the Lord’s gift of our life. Yet, many go to church worrying about their Mondays. We disobey Sabbath to our detriment.

Use your Sabbath well. Reflect and examine your life so that it’s worth living!

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Socrates (469-399 BC)

• I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.

• As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.

• I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.

• Beauty is a short-lived tyranny. 

• By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.

• He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.

• If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

• It is not living that matters, but living rightly.