The reflecting theologian

It was a surreal birthday celebration organised by my LG (ex-LG) on Saturday. We were there at Glass House, Fish & Co. and I remembered that we were there celebrating birthday like a bit more than two years back. Due to restructuring, people from my ex-LG and my current LG were there. And again, the photo above is a snapshot of the people around, though it is not a comprehensive survey given that not everybody was around that day.

I remember that my JC days were a breeze. Partly due to my first three months experience, I was able to breeze through my time in PJC, to the extent that my juniors were asking me how come I could get good grades despite being involved in student council and often seen slacking in the student council room and playing soccer illegally inside there. The past two weeks of lesson seemed to suggest the same thing. The amount of reading and preparation that I have done over the past three years, or even during my uni days, is proving itself useful in lesson now, that I can understand what the lessons are all about without struggling much. Perhaps it's part of the preparation that God brings us through.

I was listening to this song for the past week and it is going to be the song for this season of my life. It is especially meaningful, particularly when I was preparing for a teaching on the race we run for last night's LG. The lyrics, especially the chorus, is just beautiful: Standing in awe of Your grace setting my feet in Your ways entering into Your presence to behold You face to face God of all heaven and earth holding me in Your embrace unfailing love that surrounds me Oh God i stand amazed my Jesus my Lord You're the love of my life wherever You go wanna be by Your side no longer i but Christ living in me serving You for all eternity my eyes set on You in this race that i run no longer my ways let Your will be done Make me a servant my heart's ever true clinging to the cross i'll follow You i'll follow You I was particularly captured by the line, "my eyes set on You, in this race that I run". I was teaching last night, that Hebrews 12:1-3 ...

Taking a second look at 2012 and even further back at 2011 from a different perspective. I think I spoke my past year as if things were smooth. I have to be the first one to admit that it was not as smooth as the posts seem to suggest. In some sense, I might still be blind to what God was trying to do in my life during these two years. Not that I don’t know the overall story, but what I’m referring to points to my own personal life. The past two years proved that I have a lot to learn with regard to handling the emotions of other people. Not everything is straightforward and proceeds logically and rationally. My natural self was to think that way, but human beings are more complex than anyone knows them to be. I seriously need to get myself in touch with the emotional aspects of life.

Indeed, 2012 has been a happening year, as always. On the first morning of 2013, it is perhaps apt to look back at 2012 to see what God has really brought me through over the past one year. January January 2012 started off with a trip to Chiang Mai to attend the Missional global conference. It was an eye opener and perhaps an invitation to change mindset in how we do church. The key message is really this: whether we are willing to let go of the old ways of doing things in order to live out the calling of God to fulfillthe Great Commission. Although there wasn't a lot of people from Hope Singapore, but the message was consistent with what Hope Singapore was about to do, being led by God, as we moved into Axis. January 2012 also marked my last service serving as a stage musician - due to some complication, we could not move into Axis at the turn of the year. I have to admit - I miss serving on stage as a musician but it was a decision I had to make to gain focus on other more impo...