showing us Your grace and favour

The past 2 months or so have been a flurry of activities and events. Some ranging from the routine, to other experiences which were a little bit more "different". With so much happening in so short a time, I sometimes felt that God had put my life on fastforward mode in letting me go through this mad rollercoaster ride of experiences and emotions. Well, I guess that kind of explains the lack of regular updates on the blog as well =p

Still, I feel that the frenzy of events could also have been God's way of waking me up from my slumber, to really sit back and evaluate several areas of my life. In doing so, I think I have allowed God to speak to me and teach me the lessons that He had wanted me to learn.

I can't say that the learning process has been all that rosy. Well actually, at times the learning curve just seemed too steep to overcome. Often, God had to mete out discipline to keep me level-headed. Nevertheless, it was a time I felt God close to me. And I guess that gave me real perspective to drawing "comfort" from His "rod" and "staff".

Today, one day after Easter, I can't say that I've fully learnt all the lessons that God wants me to learn. I may never overcome some of my struggles in this lifetime even. But today, one day after Easter, I want to claim the promises of Christ on the cross, that "it [truly] is finished!" The message of the cross and the resurrection, while already being familiar to us Christians, has spoken to me with such clarity this year in light of the events that have unfolded recently.

It is a message of HOPE, as I shared with my YF class on Saturday. It is a message that tells us that there is still light, though faint sometimes, when all around us seems like choking darkness. It is a message that tells us that while we cannot run away from the disappointments of life, or even from death, we can still hold on to the one assurance that there is a Man who conquered even death. His resurrection gives us hope...hope for abundant life...hope for a better tomorrow.

*****

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

- Ephesians 3:20-21