Come and follow Me

I woke up early this morning to have a surfing session with my ever supportive swimming and surfing Coach. It’s Saturday and I’m scheduled to usher for today’s service. Service starts at 10:30 in the morning but we have to be there an hour before to fix the place. Knowing I’d have to go to church, I still took some time to get some taste of salt water and a few body pain and bruises. ^_^ After the surf sesh, I went straight to church.

We have a new series at church today and our Senior Pastor lead the preaching. It was about Come – an invitation to experience God for who He is but I am not going to write about his preaching.

When I thought of the word COME, the first thought in my mind is that person is commanding you to come to him. Since my manager no longer sits beside me, he still has to call me over the phone and ask me to come to his station. I would (always) ask him to give me few minutes because I am on the middle of something. At times, he would tell me (on a louder voice), “now”, off course, I cannot refuse him even if I’m busy with something so I have to come to his place at that very moment.

I remember in the book of Matthew when Jesus had his first disciples, the fishermen simply obeyed Jesus when He asked them to come and follow Him.

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow Me, 

and I will show you how to fish for people!” 

And they left their nets at once and follow Him.

Matthew 4:19-20 NLT

Like Jesus, my manager is placed in a position or in authority where I have to honor and respect him.  He was put in the position where he can command me and assign tasks to me.

Basically, what Jesus said to Peter and Andrew does not only apply to them. They apply to all of us. We are called to be followers of Christ and fishers of men. If we can obey the people that were put into authority; why can’t we obey The Son of God...

Why do we struggle to obey Him?

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What on earth am I here for? - knowing your purpose and calling

Some people spend a lifetime trying to find out their purpose in life... It's like finding THE ANSWER to your - what on earth am I here for? I realized I knew it all along.

When I was a kid, I thought being a nun is the greatest way I can serve God and make God known to other people. I also had that dream to live a life in the mountains or in slum areas to serve, educate and take care of the poor and the sick. Now that I have responsibilities, I cannot just walk out of the corporate world. But still, I am hoping that one day I will go back to my home country and go wherever my feet will take me and be able to touch people’s lives by the grace and love of God and (off course) to have some fun like surfing, swimming in the ocean and cliff diving - I hope before I reach 30.

We don't have to be a pastor, an apostle, a nun, a priest, a saint, an evangelist to serve God and make Him known. We just have to live life like how Jesus Christ did. He should be reflected in our everyday lives.. on how we handle our finances (urgh!), our relationship with our family & friends, for some – with their partner/children, and even to strangers and our enemies, on our work ethics, and on how we take care of our body and most especially how we view ourselves... or basically, everything!

A modern day prophet based in USA once shared his experience with us, he was visited by Jesus Christ years ago and Jesus revealed to him on how He is going to use people for His purpose (one of this is the revelation for the cure of cancer), His message goes like this…God will call out people in the media, in the entertainment industry, in politics, in science and technology, in finance or business world to be used for His purpose. You don’t have to be in a church, or be a church servant or a leader to be used for His purpose. He can use you in any position you are in right now. He can use you in your company, your family or circle of friends. This message made a great impact to me since then.

So….. What on earth am I here for?

We actually have one common purpose, and that is…To know God and make Him known in every walk of life. And each of us has a specific calling that leads us to that common purpose.

So, what’s my calling then?

I was having a hard time recently. For me, it was like a battle of the mind, or what you called a spiritual warfare. Some things happened that made me feel helpless. You know that there’s injustice but you are helpless and cannot do anything about it no matter how hard you try, and the last resort is, you just have to give in and move on and move forward. I was full of resentment and I have been continuously asking and praying to God to remove that feeling. I hate that feeling! Good thing I was over it now by the grace of God.

Something came up and I was on the verge of leaving my job. I had even asked my sisters and close friends about it. My sister then said, “what is God trying to reveal to you?”.

If you want to know God’s calling or revelation in your life or decision, it is not instant like a snap of a finger. It will take time, or even no revelation at all or better to say, we have to learn how to discern how God  speaks to us. Do you know that one of my prayers is to know how to discern God’s voice?  

Anyhow, I know God knows and feels the struggle I am in in those few days. I keep on telling myself that I will not be shaken because I am Your child. I might not get what I want Father, but I know that You had prepared something great for me. It seems that this world is unfair, but I know Your promise will remain.

So basically what had helped me these past few days, is prayer, seeking His words and quiet time with Him. Eventually, God revealed something to me and I have faith that it is my calling. I have to hold on to my job because He will use me in that position. So even if I didn’t get the increase, bonus (or get promoted - I am not asking for a promotion by the way) I desired, God will definitely do the increase for me. He will be the one to promote me in His perfect time. It might not be more cash on my hands, but God has abundantly rewarded me of things that money can’t buy. And I am very grateful to Him.

Quiet Time with Him at Elevation Burger shop

I want to tell you also that now my relationship to God has grown tremendously in the last few months, it doesn’t mean that God loves me more than He loves you (He loves you as much as He loves me) or my life’s gonna be good all the time or I am a more favored child. I am actually already favored because I am a child of God. But I know this, that even if I suffer, I am not alone with it because Jesus is with me and I am with Him in His pain.

So when you are called, you have to answer it, even if it means you have to leave everything behind specifically your own desires or “worldly desires”. Otherwise, life might be like what had King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes..that everything is meaningless that is, if you let the worldly desires consume and live your life. (What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Ecc 1:3 NIV)

My work station with a picture of my sisters and niece.
One of the greatest rewards I got from God...

^{so let me end my post for tonight with this Verse...}
 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

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... My family