Sunday, November 20, 2005
Close to you - The Carpenters
I was late for service this morning. Again!!!!! :-(
During the service, Ken, one of the elders (I think of him as Colonel Sanders cuz the first time I saw him, he was dressed in a beige coloured suit and pants - and along wif his greying hair and beard, he bore a striking resemblence to him!!!!), stood up and started talking about our attitude when we come to the Breaking of Bread service.
"Oh no!", I thought. "That's it. The leaders at MRC have had enuf of this chinese fella who can't seem to get here on time!" I squirmed lower into my second row seat (back seats taken due to me being late) but to no avail cuz there was no one on the first row in front of me.
He refered us to Psalms 132:-
"Hhmm...", I thought. "Where is the part that goes 'Thou shalt not be late for meetings!!'?"
Of course Colonel Sanders was not trying to take a swipe at me. His focus was on verse 2. While not trying to be unreverant, he said that coming into God's presence is like a little child going up to his mom for a cuddle. And that should be our attitude when we go into his presence!
Wow, wat a picture!
And at that point of time, God spoke to me (it had to be him!) - and he asked if ever a mother would be angry at her child who was "late" in coming to her to be cuddled?
Almost every Sunday, I'd feel like not going for service. After all, who's gonna check on me (come to think of it, who did check on me in TLC when I missed services? Ok, ok, there were some mates but definately no leaders would bother)? Physically, I'd be tired since I usually study til 4 or 5 am on the week days and wake up close to 11. I wouldn't wanna get out of bed on a Sunday morning at 8 am. Especially so on a cold wintry morning.
As I walk - more like trudge - to town heading for MRC, my ears and nose will be numb from the cold and my feet would hurt. Yet, I have to strain to walk even faster so that I'd be not later than I oredi am. Without fail, there'll be a voice in the background telling to just forget about going.
But yet, each time I go, I am truly blessed! I really am. At the end of the service, I'd be glad that I was there. I go wif the intention of wanting to give to God the worship and glory that is due to him - but in the end, I usually end up on the receiving end (hhmmm.... 3 "end"s in one sentence...).
And it's truly lovely to just go into his presence and be close to him.
p/s - Ken (Colonel Sanders) did approach me after the service and offered to pick me up for the services if I want him to!!! Hhhmmm... to ensure I wont be late? Nah. He was saying that the weather is gonna get worse in the coming weeks.
During the service, Ken, one of the elders (I think of him as Colonel Sanders cuz the first time I saw him, he was dressed in a beige coloured suit and pants - and along wif his greying hair and beard, he bore a striking resemblence to him!!!!), stood up and started talking about our attitude when we come to the Breaking of Bread service.
"Oh no!", I thought. "That's it. The leaders at MRC have had enuf of this chinese fella who can't seem to get here on time!" I squirmed lower into my second row seat (back seats taken due to me being late) but to no avail cuz there was no one on the first row in front of me.
He refered us to Psalms 132:-
1 My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.
"Hhmm...", I thought. "Where is the part that goes 'Thou shalt not be late for meetings!!'?"
Of course Colonel Sanders was not trying to take a swipe at me. His focus was on verse 2. While not trying to be unreverant, he said that coming into God's presence is like a little child going up to his mom for a cuddle. And that should be our attitude when we go into his presence!
Wow, wat a picture!
And at that point of time, God spoke to me (it had to be him!) - and he asked if ever a mother would be angry at her child who was "late" in coming to her to be cuddled?
Almost every Sunday, I'd feel like not going for service. After all, who's gonna check on me (come to think of it, who did check on me in TLC when I missed services? Ok, ok, there were some mates but definately no leaders would bother)? Physically, I'd be tired since I usually study til 4 or 5 am on the week days and wake up close to 11. I wouldn't wanna get out of bed on a Sunday morning at 8 am. Especially so on a cold wintry morning.
As I walk - more like trudge - to town heading for MRC, my ears and nose will be numb from the cold and my feet would hurt. Yet, I have to strain to walk even faster so that I'd be not later than I oredi am. Without fail, there'll be a voice in the background telling to just forget about going.
But yet, each time I go, I am truly blessed! I really am. At the end of the service, I'd be glad that I was there. I go wif the intention of wanting to give to God the worship and glory that is due to him - but in the end, I usually end up on the receiving end (hhmmm.... 3 "end"s in one sentence...).
And it's truly lovely to just go into his presence and be close to him.
p/s - Ken (Colonel Sanders) did approach me after the service and offered to pick me up for the services if I want him to!!! Hhhmmm... to ensure I wont be late? Nah. He was saying that the weather is gonna get worse in the coming weeks.
# posted by imissw : 5:47:00 pm
