Was chatting with a good old friend on MSN last week. We were catching up on some of our common friends we knew back then in junior college days... 10 years ago.
With the bunch of friends I hang out with then, most of them were boys and some girls from my class. We all were studying the same subjects but in different classes. Somehow we always hung out together - sit in the same area during lectures, have lunch together and most of us attend Christian Fellowship together since most of us are Christians. Another bunch of people I spend time with who were in Student's Council with me. Again there were quite a number of Christians amongst the group.
I seldom catch up with all of them now... the only ones were probably 2 of my closest girl friends and another guy whom I was closest to at that time. This guy is now married but he will still drop me a sms to say hello every few months. Its nice to know that I have these old friends who knew me for a decade. Although we seldom keep in touch, but we know that the friendship still remains.
The thing that saddens me is to learn how one by one, they seemed to have given up their Christian faith... or rather, I hear how they no longer try to live godly lives. Some choose to be in denial, one couple has divorced, some dated and married non-believers. Those who many thought to be godly and modelled after boys and girls then... a number of them now are not so godly now... or at least it is showing in how they live their lives and spend their time. Some examples shocked me, most saddened me. I am reminded how if I do not strive to finish the race marked out for us, I can very well be like one of them. Similarly, I reminded the friend whom I was chatting with, if she were to allow other things of the world, e.g. work, power, relationship, etc, to occupy her time and take priority, she can possibily be like that too.
I guess it also reminded me not to take the gift of salvation for granted - that God really loves us so much to sacrifice His only Son Jesus Christ so that I can have eternal life with Him. I need to safeguard my walk with my Lord and not take it for granted that I need not do anything. Although I need not work for my salvation... its by grace through faith and not by works. But we still ought to persevere to complete the race marked out for us. We still need to strive to lead godly and holy lives, leaning on God's grace and strength... living a life in complete submission and obedience to Him... to please Him and not pleasing ourselves.
It seems like nothing I can very much do but to pray for my friends...
With the bunch of friends I hang out with then, most of them were boys and some girls from my class. We all were studying the same subjects but in different classes. Somehow we always hung out together - sit in the same area during lectures, have lunch together and most of us attend Christian Fellowship together since most of us are Christians. Another bunch of people I spend time with who were in Student's Council with me. Again there were quite a number of Christians amongst the group.
I seldom catch up with all of them now... the only ones were probably 2 of my closest girl friends and another guy whom I was closest to at that time. This guy is now married but he will still drop me a sms to say hello every few months. Its nice to know that I have these old friends who knew me for a decade. Although we seldom keep in touch, but we know that the friendship still remains.
The thing that saddens me is to learn how one by one, they seemed to have given up their Christian faith... or rather, I hear how they no longer try to live godly lives. Some choose to be in denial, one couple has divorced, some dated and married non-believers. Those who many thought to be godly and modelled after boys and girls then... a number of them now are not so godly now... or at least it is showing in how they live their lives and spend their time. Some examples shocked me, most saddened me. I am reminded how if I do not strive to finish the race marked out for us, I can very well be like one of them. Similarly, I reminded the friend whom I was chatting with, if she were to allow other things of the world, e.g. work, power, relationship, etc, to occupy her time and take priority, she can possibily be like that too.
I guess it also reminded me not to take the gift of salvation for granted - that God really loves us so much to sacrifice His only Son Jesus Christ so that I can have eternal life with Him. I need to safeguard my walk with my Lord and not take it for granted that I need not do anything. Although I need not work for my salvation... its by grace through faith and not by works. But we still ought to persevere to complete the race marked out for us. We still need to strive to lead godly and holy lives, leaning on God's grace and strength... living a life in complete submission and obedience to Him... to please Him and not pleasing ourselves.
It seems like nothing I can very much do but to pray for my friends...
1 other thoughts:
reminds me of the need in student ministry to help and equip them to move beyond life in colleges and transition into the marketplace...
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