Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Restoration

As I participated in the corporate worship & communion in my home church on Resurrection Sunday, I was reflecting again on an entire year that has gone by - a time of trials and storms indeed.

Compassion, love, mercy, & unity were all severely lacking - basically they were all thrown out the window, replaced by law & rules, condemnation... I won't go into the details of what transpired in these times, but here's what's what in short: My family members were targets of accusations & prejudices coming from the very people we gave our lives to serve; changes were abruptly implemented on the basis of "i have a revelation from God & you're filthy with sin"; and without warning / notice / explanation, I was relieved of my leadership positions. Though now I'm still the youth leader, I've not been serving in the music team since June 08.

While I was reflecting about all that & participating in communion for the first time in 10 months (I refused to partake of an inferior brand of Jesus' blood), I felt God impressed the word 'RESTORATION' onto my heart. I don't know if it's a message also for the church, but personally, yes, I do feel that I've lost many things, & many things have been taken away from me. Yet I'm reminded of the provision available to me through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The blessing outweighs the curse, the joy overcomes sorrow. YES!! I believe.

Be it unto me, according to Your word. I believe.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

For the past year I have been reflecting on the words spoken over FCC, also said to Pastor Nellie the other day that I remember the Word that she had spoken over FCC.

Joash, I sincerely believe that God would not bring us so far to just dump us like that. I choose to believe like Paul said, '... Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice... (Phil 1:15-18). I'd rather not choose to be condemned. God, I believe is renewing FCC corporately; i.e. try to think that your stepping down for that particular moment as a time for corporate renewal. When God dealt with the Children of Israel in the desert, Moses was constantly in communication with God. Yet, Moses was also part of that Isralite team going thru the wilderness.

You know, one teacher, in his teachings, would almost everytime start off by saying 'In life, teaching and learning is like a jigsaw puzzle. You may not understand certain portion of things.., but later on in your life you would look back and say, "Ah... that's where that puzzle fits in!".

Be of good cheer. :-)