draw near

Saturday, May 31, 2008

6:23 PM

mmm exams begin in 10 days.

i feel... at peace. there's a lot to study, but it is God who trains me for His battle (: i want to persevere for Him. and it is only by His grace that i'll make it through the exams

yesterday, i was feeling very stressed about my studies. then this passage really spoke to me:
Matthew 8
Jesus Calms the Storm
23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
25The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

during cell we had a time of reflection and sharing about the semester. in retrospect, i believe i have grown this last semester. i'd say the key lesson i've learnt so far in my time here in the past 14ish weeks, is to let go, let God... to entrust things into His hands.

hmm i like the lyrics of the chorus of this song i heard recently:
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
...
It's gonna happen and it's
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
One step at a time (someday we'll understand)
...
It's the faith that makes you stronger

some of the other parts of the song's lyrics i personally can't quite agree with. that's because they're pretty focused on oneself, for instance 'you wanna show the world but no one knows you name yet'. if you'd asked me when i first came here, i very well may have identified with those lyrics. but now, after one sem, i can say i've been learning that God must increase; I must decrease. i want to share what i have with others; i'm blessed so that i can bless others in turn. i don't need recognition. all i want is to live a life worthy of the calling God has given and gives me. this is not to say i don't believe in God for blessings. I do, but whichever way God wants me to take, I want to follow, to put Him first. And I know His plan is the best for me. i've learnt that i shouldn't let God's promises become bigger than God... and that God has His perfect timing.

Isaiah 26
3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

7 The path of the righteous is level;
O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth.
8 Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you;
your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
9 My soul yearns for you in the night;
in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth,
the people of the world learn righteousness.

12 Lord, you will grant us peace;
all we have accomplished is really from you.
13 O Lord our God, others have ruled us,
but you alone are the one we worship.