Wednesday...

Finally I've found some reason to pick up learning German from where I left it (or rather, gave up) um... 3 years ago.

Watched a video in class today (a testimony by an Indonesian sister-in-Christ) which left me very tearful and moved. Firstly, it always touches me when I hear about what the Lord has done, in Bahasa Indonesia. It's such a beautiful language. Secondly, the last part of the video - where she talked about how Jesus helped her to love and forgive her dead father really broke me...

Couldn't help crying while I was driving home. This was after I had nearly gotten myself run over by a college-mate's car in the car-park. So deep in thought was I, that I did not notice him reversing his car (he did not notice me either). I was only a few inches away from the moving car, and quickly got out of the way. Both of us were in shock, but as I thought about the incident later, I had praise on my lips for Him who kept me from being rammed.

Sometimes we talk about God's forgiveness just as if it had been so easy for Him to do it. "Ah, He is God!" we say. But the anguish, grief, pain and the hurt we so keenly feel when we've been wounded... I believe it is no different for God when we hurt Him and break His heart with our disobedience and senselessness... when we reject Him or when we live our lives so carelessly. But how selfless His love is. When denied, He gives it over and over and over again... and we are forgiven again and again. Gracious and inviting. With no intention to remember what we've done in the past, He offers such beautiful new beginnings. Let us never take Christ's death and resurrection for granted.

We know that as He has forgiven our sins, so we should forgive those who wound us. But oh, how terribly long the distance from our heads to our hearts is sometimes. And how full of darkness the life of one who cannot forgive and put behind the past...

Today I heard 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in Bahasa Indonesia. I'll quote it from my Al Kitab. 'Sesiapa yang mengasihi orang lain, sabar dan baik hati; dia tidak iri hati, tidak bercakap besar, dan tidak sombong. Dia tidak berkasar, tidak mementingkan diri-sendiri, tidak cepat tersinggung, dan tidak mendendam. Sesiapa yang mengasihi orang lain, tidak gembira dengan kejahatan. Tetapi dia gembira dengan kebaikan. Dia tahan menghadapi segala sesuatu; dia mempercayai orang lain, tidak hilang harapan dan sentiasa bersabar...'

God never said that loving others would be easy... But can you imagine? We must be like the dust of the universe, and yet, God takes so much interest in our individual lives and loves us so tenderly despite our shortcomings - that He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life! (John 3:16) What a breath-taking truth!

He first showed the way; and then, He told us: "Love!"

With God, all things are possible.

Anyway...

Today, I just found out that I will be leading worship in chapel in the week after the next week. Was in shock - because I don't know how come my name got onto the list when I am so new to the school (any clue, anyone?:P) Also, I have not led worship in a long while!:S ~ @_@