True Worship

Its been a physically tiring weekend - 1 wedding, 1 meeting, 3 services, a 12-hour migraine and many boo-boos.

One Wedding

My JC friend threw a wedding banquet at a hotel. Although I had a mirgraine, I was glad to have gone for the dinner. At my table, it was a mini-JC reunion of sorts. I used to hang out with a bunch of friends whom we were all doing the same subject combination. We would sit around the same corner at lectures, look out for each other to have lunch, breaks, go for Christian Fellowships on Fridays, basically hang out together quite a lot... strangely none of us got hitched with one another (most of them were guys). Since our JC days, the guys went army and the girls went to varsities to various parts of the world. Somehow we hadn't had much chances to catch up over the last 12 years too...

It was a nice time last night, to find out how each of us were doing. Although it wasn't deep sharing, it was funny when there were mentions of our school teachers, our study days and things which we've not heard for a long time. I was surprised when the guys told me how I used to share my Maths lecture notes with them... when they all don't pay attention and fall asleep during lectures!! But then... I don't remember lending them my notes for them to photocopy!! Nevertheless it was fun time laughing and reminising about the good old school days...

12-Hour Migraine, 3 Services and Many Boo-Boos

Woke up with a headache yesterday morning. Decided not to take paracetamol lest I become dependant on it (was hoping that it will go away by itself or with caffeine but it didn't). But thank God that it only throbs with pain when I am off stage. When I was on stage (because I was leading songs for services), it doesn't hurt at all. And thank God that when I woke up this morning, I was free of headache!

I made many boo-boos (silly mistakes) at all the 3 services - missing to begin singing the song, sang too early, etc... But I thank God that I was not up there to perform or look good (if it was, I might as well go audition for Singapore Idol :P). I was there just as God's instrument to lead the congregation to sing songs of praise to our Almighty God. I thank God that He considers me worthy to be serving Him in this manner. I can fail secular voice auditions but I don't know how I can serve in music ministry with my voice... Is this using God's gift of voice for His glory only? Perhaps so... I hope so... At the end of the day, it is not how good I sang, how nice the music turned out but that the songs that were sung were able to minister to the congregation, in that they can be reminded of our God Jesus Christ, what He has done for us and our rightful response to Him. The music ministry is to share God's word in song. Thank God for affirming me in my ministry through people. I am humbled because I know that it is not my own ability but God enabling me to do so...

True Worship

Pastor JT preached on John 4:1-26 over the weekend. I was reminded of how I should worship God in Spirit and in truth. Our God deserved all honour, praise and glory. It is not whether I feel like worshipping Him but really He simply deserve praise, glory and worship. If I don't feel like I'm in the mood to worship Him, it doesn't make Him any less an almighty God. Regardless whether I'm happy, sad, moody, griefing, etc... He still is God and I should not withhold my worship to Him.

How can I be professing to worship God when I have something against my brother or sister-in-Christ? I thank God that some misunderstanding/conflict that I had with a brother-in-Christ was resolved on Sunday. It bothered me somewhat after being reminded from the sermon I heard on Saturday. But it turned out that the brother-in-Christ made the first move to reconcile. I was humbled... humbled by God. Because God is also the God of relationships, our relationships with one another can be made right... only because of His love... submitting to one another out of reverance for Christ.

Worshipping God is not just singing songs and praising Him with my lips. It is a life worship - how much I obey His word in the Bible and how I love His people. It is not easy but it will be a lifetime of submitting my life to God, depending wholly on Him for my life. The last verse of a song we sang goes...

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who reigns above
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace
Whose every thought is love
For everyday I have on earth
Is given by the King
So I will give my life my all
To love and follow Him

Dear Lord, may I ever be living a life in full submission to You until I see you face to face.