A life well lived

News of deaths always jolt us awake from our everyday routine. Why do we always wait till a thunder sound to jolt us awake when we should be living alert, being watchful for the day Christ returns? Billy Graham, a name that no doubt will evoke a picture of "a good and faithful servant" of God. A role model for us living Christians, to press on towards the goal, keeping our eyes on Christ.
A young adult cell group brother whom I've only met once briefly. He was a doctor, only two years older than I am. I do not know much about him except that he was friendly and made a good impression even though I've only seen him once at a cell group event, and his facebook post about God. We do not understand why God called him home so early, and in such a tragic car accident too, but he did live a good life--for God and loving people.
May we live each day with a worshipful attitude, letting God be the centre of my life, so that our days will be counted worthwhile.

How I became a morning person in KK (& spiritual discipline)

It's easy to wake up early in KK because the sun rises early and basks our non-curtained apartment with its warm light. We were also eager to see the changing colours with the mountain/city view during the early hours of the day so that gave us ample motivation to wake up; plus, I wanted to make every hour with N count since we spend less than 30 days a year together. 

Mornings here are more quiet and we could have our morning devotion at the table, sipping hot green tea, and look forward to the fish noodles etc breakfast we will get later. The privilege of being on a vacation is that you get the space--both physically and mentally--to be more quiet and to slow down to think about God and listen to Him. This should happen in our daily lives too, but often we fail to make space for God as we should.

"Spiritual discipline means the effort to create some space in which God can act." --Henri Nouwen

Just like how we make time and space for a good breakfast, we should intentionally create space and time for God. Rebecca (our mentor at COCM) or Dallas Willard or someone once said that spiritual discipline is like sleeping. You need to first put yourself in a laying down position in order for the sleep to happen. We cannot will the sleep to happen, but we can make the situation more conducive for falling asleep. Similarly, we cannot cause God to act in our lives to transform us to more Christlikeness because that is His power to act, but we can create the posture for God to be able to talk to us and change our minds and hearts e.g. by sitting down for prayer time with God intentionally.

I'm still working on this goal and as much as I'm a "quiet" person, I still find silence difficult and being quiet in God daily, waiting for Him and praying is not easy. However, I do not want to neglect my spiritual health by being apathetic and then one day suddenly finding myself a different person (one filled with weeds, bitterness, ungratefulness and unChristlike). Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Children of God, let us rise early and seek God. Let us not be idlers. Wake up and meet your Saviour.