Interesting Conversations

Haven't blogged in almost a week.

My comp crashed on last Friday morning, and I sent it for repairs. Praise God it happened one day after my exams, and also that I learnt that I could live my life without having to stare at my computer for hours everyday! So far the time I spend in front of a computer a day is about say.. 15 mins? ( excluding blogging this post in my bro's computer). Thank God for that. I realized how much more there is to life than just staring in front of the computer all day.

More time with God. More time for reading. More time for exercise. More time just to chill.

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I spent Monday and Tuesday at SAFRA Changi, a beautiful chalet at the end of East Coast. It was for a Uni-Y Retreat and it was a time of sharing lives, reconcilation, spiritual warfare, and time with God.

A glimpse of Paradise.

Sometimes we can get lost in this urban jungle, full of things to do, full of emails to reply but how often can you wake up without an agenda for the day?

On the first night of the retreat, I just went to the beach with a friend, and we just had a time of sharing our lives. Our views on things, our life stories.

The crashing of the waves under the moonlit sky.

Slowing down our hearts.

Just sitting there and waiting for nothing.

The brushing of the sea breeze against my cheek.

Can you hear the sound of heaven...

We spoke for about 2 hours before deciding we were too tired and then we went back to the chalet with the rest of the guys.

The next day, I went to the beach again, this time alone.

I went to the rocks, the more jagged rocks that were just by the sea. The waters crashed on the rocks with each wave. I stepped on each rock with caution as I tried to get closer to the waters.

I observe small little crabs crawling from under the rocks. The waves splash on them, but they held firmly on the rocks.

I stood as close as possible to the waters without letting the waves get to my feet.

Waiting.

Just listening to every wave that hit the rocks.

God, are you here?

....

Just listening.

In case God decides to speak.

....

I turn around wanting to head back.

I fell down on the rocks, my hands tried to break the fall, but they slipped and I struggled to get my balance under those slippery rocks. My wallet fell out of my hands.


I finally got my balance. I looked around. Well. There wasn't anyone around. Oh well.

I got to my feet, observed my hands. Scratches. I sprained my right wrist.

My legs. My right knee was bleeding.

I cautiously stepped back to the sand area.

I had no intention of going back to wash myself. I'm staying here.

You're a man.

I felt God's affirmation.

I smiled.

I walked onto the sandy part..and I see a stretch of sand I could walk alongside the sea.

I start praying...

Well, what an experience. =) Honestly Singapore sea is not something that is much to be admired, but surely a taste of heaven to come. I totally enjoyed my experience there.

Sometimes we live in such a consumer driven society that everyone wishes to be entertained by something at every moment: The chalet facilities prove it: Movie rental, HBO, Star Movies, Bowling, Swimming Pool, Arcade, Pool table, KTV, Gym, Wireless internet, jackpot machine.

But to me, the greatest joy comes in the simplest things. Going back to nature. The remnants of the beauty that Elohim God once placed on Earth, that speaks of the Paradise lost.. that speaks of Eden...

One day we will see it.

Our longing, our hope does not disappoint.

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I was speaking to a friend about the kind of struggles I was facing as the head of the ministry in school.

It's spiritual warfare.

It's a battle.

"Sometimes the thought of suicide flashes through my mind. Sometimes the thought of giving up just comes suddenly. I even had the thought of not having the vision sharing meeting yesterday."

" Really?"

Now this was a girl who was filled with the joy of the Lord. She's this girl that is passionately in love with Jesus. And her joy is immensely contagious. I totally loved just being around her. The joy of the Lord was almost literally radiating through her.

"Yeah, you can come to the spiritual battlefront. You'll know what I'm talking about. Look your friend is going through the same thing. It seems like the devil is really not very happy with us."

"Huh, are you sure or not? Very scarey leh."

"Yeah. There was a time when I was like you. Had a lot of time just for God, loved God so passionately and all I wanted to do was to talk about and to Him. Listened to alot of sermons, read alot about books about Him. I spent over a year just reading about Him, praying to Him, listening to sermons, just attending service and cell group, getting good results in school..."

"Oh no, that means next time I'll be like this? Oh no, I must prepare myself."

"Don't worry, there is a time and season for everything. God is now preparing you and training you in the same way he prepared me before you are sent out. "

At that moment I felt like some war veteran telling a recruit about the horrors of war. Ha. But no la, seriously I am really nothing compared to the many people who have built the church of Jesus Christ upon their own blood. Those are the real veterans.

To my dear friend, the joy of the Lord is your strength! And It will be your strength on that day. =)

C.S Lewis once said: We are in enemy occupied territory.

Yea, while many portray the birth of Christ as the silent night, yet they do not see the spiritual meaning behind it, written in Revelations 12. The birth of Christ is the spiritual D-day. The great invasion.

We're fighting a war and the enemy is the Devil.

Be of good courage. God is with you.

Retreat is not an option.

While we may enter into a time of wilderness filled with the Holy Spirit, a time of spiritual warfare, a time where our identity is tested, our loyalty is tested, our faith is tested, but I always will remember one thing...

We return in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Screw you devil. You suck.