Learning by paradox

Lord, High and Holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.

- from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Relearning: On Faith

I realized that there on some things on the way of Christ that you'll relearn again and again. It is the doing again of the simple things that characterize faith and builds into your character. I've quoted Buechner again below on his poetic definition of Faith.

"Faith is homesickness. Faith is a lump in the throat. Faith is less a position on than a movement towards, less a sure thing than a hunch. Faith is waiting. Faith is journeying through space and time.

So if someone (and this frequently happens) were to come up and ask me to talk about my faith, it's exactly that journey through space and time I'd have to talk about. The ups and downs of the years, the dreams, the odd moment, the intuitions. I'd have to talk about the occasional sense I have that life isn't just a series of events causing other events as haphazardly as a break shot in pool causes billard balls to go off in many directions, but that life has a plot the way a novel has a plot - that events are somehow leading somewhere.

- Frederick Buechner, Going on Faith"

Lord grant me the grace and strength for each new day, as I, in the face of my many weaknesses, choose once again to follow hard after you on this journey through time and space. Help me to believe that events are somehow leading somewhere.

Ollie
Jun 2007

Mount Rainier

Ah Mount Rainier. This picture was taken by a friend who visited Seattle last year. It brings back memories.

I was in Seattle in Aug 05. I remember seeing Mount Rainier from some distance as I was traveling in a car from Richland to Seattle. It was beautiful. It left me awestruck.

Then I arrived in Seattle. I remember the people, the art museums, the cafes, the coffee, the rainy grey weather, the culture. I enjoyed it all. The city was framed on one side by picturesque mountains, and Puget Sound framed the other. A number of lakes and green parks dotted the landscape. It was like eden, a little slice of paradise this side of heaven. I also visited the San Juan Islands. Words fail to describe the enchantment. I think it has been listed as one of the most beautiful island chain as part of the named world heritage sites.

If there is a city I would like to live in, it would be Seattle along the pacific northwest of the North America. Either that or Vancouver, which lies north along the coast-line of Puget Sound from Seattle. I wish...

Ollie
Jun 2007

Made to Last Forever (Day 4, Purpose Driven Life)

"God has ... planted eternity in the human heart." Ecclesiates 3:11 (NLT)

"For this is the end of all the stories... But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world... had only been the cover and title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever and in which every chapter is better than the one before." - C.S. Lewis on the last page of the Chronicles of Narnia

I need to continue to learn to live in the light of eternity - that every act of my life will strike some chord that will vibrate in eternity. Let my thoughts, words and deeds be in harmony and synchrony with the grand Song-line that runs through all time.

Ollie
Jun 2007

The Way of the Christian Leader

As I'm pondering the possibility of taking up the position of ministry leader for Youth and Young Adults, I remember Henri Nouwen's thinking on the way of the Christian Leader.

"The way of the Christian leader is not the way of upward mobility in which our world has invested so much, but the way of downward mobility ending on the cross. Here we touch the most important quality of Christian leadership in the future. It is not a leadership of power and control; but a leadership of powerlessness and humility in which the suffering servant of God, Jesus Christ, is made manifest." - Henri Nouwen

I'm to manifest Jesus. Which then is the best way for me to do that? To take up the responsibility or to walk another path?

Ollie
Jun 2007

Bugling for God

It was a couple of weeks back, but I still recall the scene vividly.

I was driving, on my way home. It was past six going on to seven in the evening. The fading light increased the contrast between the light and shadows; the disappearing orb of the sun casting a orange hue on the landscape.

I stopped at a traffic light just on the road outside Temasek Junior College. My mind was still thinking on the work of the day while my eyes was taking in the shadow play of the fading light. Suddenly, from my left I heard a distinctive sound of a bugle. "What?" I thought as I turned and glanced out from my left car window, not believing my ears.

The horn sounded again and it came from a taxi on my left, parked next to my car. The middle age looking driver was blowing on his bugle. He was engaged in pressing on the keys and rehearsing a tune. I thought he was probably with a brass band at some community club somewhere. He continued on his bugle, oblivious to my looking.

I was impressed with his dedication. He was probably driving a 10 -12 hour shift; and when off shift he would likely to have to attend to family and other commitments. He was making use of his time well; snatching short periods of time spent stopping at traffic lights or over meal times to practice.

I reflected on his use of time and realized that as a Christ-follower I should be as wise in the use of my time.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)

We are exhorted to make wise use of our time; to discern our priorities and where we have been called to serve and minister. We are to attend to the best, selecting from all the good things we can possibly do. This means having to discern and say "No" and choosing to devote our given energies and resources to what really matters. In my case, from the number of spiritual gifts inventories I have done in the past pointed to my gifts as "Teaching", "Wisdom" and "Pastor-Teacher". It would mean that I should focus on communicating, writing and meaning making; coaching, mentoring and spiritual direction; and discipling and caring for the youth and young adults small groups in my area of influence. In this way, I can make the best use of my time.

Ollie
Jun 2007

((Postlude: Again as I write I sense God speaking to me as I write. I've been invited to take on the position of the ministry leader in the youth/young adult ministry in church. However, leadership and administration is not among my giftings. I think I need to re-evaluate this. Is this God's call? or is it motivated by something else? My ego and drive to get things moving? My frustration with the current situation? I happened to speak with Ellen on the idea of an online small group leaders training. After Yann, she's the second person to be enthusiastic on the idea. Myself, I'm excited about this idea and the possibility of doing discipleship in a fresh new way. What is the best use of my time? I need to seriously think this through.))

Leadership snapshots

Leaders define Reality.
- Bill Hybels

Fear and Trembling

God, grant me a broken and humble spirit so that your Spirit can work in and through me.

God, grant me a heart that overflows with love so that it vanquishes my fears and insecurities.

God, grant me an attitude of working in unity so that your local body can fulfill its calling in this city.

God, grant me the courage to walk worthy in response to your calling.

Above all, God, grant me grace and strength daily, allowing me to live in this tension – between what is and what it should be,

Ollie

Jun 2007

More Random Snippets from a Caffeine Junkie

You know you are a caffeine junkie when:



Your friend text-message you over MSN and says that whenever she sees coffee she thinks of you.


Your friends on their return from an overseas trip gets you a a packet of fresh coffee beans and a Tee Shirt that says "I'm having an 'out-of-coffee' experience".


Your friends looking for you in a shopping mall immediately proceeds to the nearest Starbucks or coffee cafe - certain that they would find you sipping coffee there.



Ollie
June 2007

What Drives your Life? (Day 3, Purpose Driven Life)

I continue to read "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. Continuing in the Chapter "What Drives your Life?" a few passages seem to stand out:


"The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder - a waif, a nothing, a no man." - Thomas Carlyle

"Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction, and events without reason. Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty and pointless." - Rick Warren


Motion, activity and events seem to characterize the hustle and bustle life of a Singaporean. We seem to be moving about; busy with one activity or another; and attending this event or that meeting. We can even be busy in the midst of doing "church ministry". Just today in church I really wanted to sit down with Kim Meng for meaningful conversation and yet our responsibilities did not allow us to do so.

And yet in the midst of this busy-ness, we can see people living hollow lives. Without a purpose or direction, life seems mundane and pedestrian - meaningless. And yet we are called by the Father to a life of meaning, a life of adventure and abundance. This occurs when we live a life in faithfulness and obedience to God's purposes and calling. Rick Warren writes that the following will characterize your life when this happens:

• It gives meaning to your life;
• It simplifies your life;
• It focuses your life;
• It motivates your life; and
  
• It prepares you for eternity.

I thought that this is a good reminder to keep God's purpose before me; I need to not only know what to do but also what not to do, lest I'm counted a poor steward of God's gifts, resources and time.


Ollie
June 2007

Life's Calling? Part 2

My dear friend from Australia had set me thinking about the idea of calling; I had said that this is an issue that warrant continual conversation as we wrestle with the truths and its application. I'm continuing the conversation below with a passage from James Emery White's book: "Serious Times - Making your Life Matter in an Urgent Day." He has beautifully written about calling and I shall let him speak.


"We do not have a 'spiritual life'; we have life that is meant to be lived spiritually. Our careers must be approached in light of God's calling and passionately pursued as worship. Beyond this, whatever we find ourselves doing is to be infused with the greatest call of all: faithfulness. Without this deep and profound sense of vocation, we will simply race through schedules, build portfolios, climb corporate ladders and optimize our retirement plans for little more than economic benefit. Worse, we will fail to fulfill God's plan for our lives as marketplace men and women. We need those who are artists to be artists, thinking and acting Christianly as artists. The same is true of those in sales, marketing, engineering, teaching and real estate.

Christians fueled by a profound sense of calling will revolutionize and reform the fabric of daily life and radically challenge those lives they interact with. Further, when we will rise to the occasion and allow God to influence everyone around us. When we accept our calling and offer it to God in worship and obedience, it becomes a conduit for God's glory and work on this planet."
- James Emery White


All of life can be worship; I pray I can live in the light of this simple yet profound truth.

Ollie
June
2007