Over the past two weeks I had read two books, Unfolding His Story, an account of the charismatic revival in Singapore(including my church’s story), and Preaching by Timothy Keller. You see, I was on vacation in Bangkok. I slept, ate, shopped and read.
In Singapore I wouldn’t have been able to do this. Too much time on work, leisure and social media keeps me from this good old fashioned habit of turning paper pages, and reading black print without attention-seeking videos, pictures and advertisements on the sidebar.
The only other time I read so much was when I had to do it because it was part of the required reading of my ongoing studies. I had no choice.
Reading is a great help in the spiritual life: when accompanied with an ear attuned to the stirrings of your desires and emotions; when followed through with reflection, prayer and writing.
This year, is the Lord inviting you to read a Christian book on a particular topic? Just do it, my friend, just do it.
Ponder the courage of the two
who knowing not
how things would unfold
said “Yes” to God
and step by step
saw the hand of God
turn shame into glory
and trial into testimony.
Ponder.
Lost and found: the S Pen and Samsung Note 10.1 tablet
The Lord really cares for the minute and mundane as well as the major things in our life.
I have been using the Samsung Note 10.1 tablet for a few years now. I bought it because of the S Pen, that little instrument tucked in the bottom right hand of the tablet, is slick and efficient handwriting tool. I loved it because I journal quite a bit and the feeling of writing by hand is more satisfying than that of typing on a computer. I have enjoyed using the S Pen function most of the time as I write faster than I type and I need to make quick notes in meetings and when I jot sermon ideas and brainstorm and re-order points.
So it was with great consternation when I realized that I have misplaced my S Pen. Tried as I would to retrace where I could have lost it, I could not find the pen. It upset me and I asked the Lord several times to help me find this precious instrument. After a few days, I started to ask Samsung stores in Jurong if they sold spare S Pen for Note 10.1. To my surprise they do not carry them. How much space would a pen take? They said, Even if you go to the service centre they may still have to order from Seoul. That frustrated me.
Last week, at my office desk, I found the S Pen. It was in a container with all my pencils and ballpoint pens. How did it get there? I checked my whole desk surface but never searched that container. I was delighted. That office became a place of worship. The three words came to mind, HOW MUCH MORE? I mean this is not world hunger, Middle East conflict, or a deadly disease. Yes, if God cares about such minute mundane matters, how much more will He care about the more important stuff, like a loved one’s salvation, or who will succeed the older generation of pastors and missionaries in the church, or the re-ignition of the faith of the second generation Christians, or your health and financial needs, and your spiritual growth to maturity. Yes He does care for all these matters. How much more, how much more.
