Urbana 12

There can be no better way to finish a year, and start another one. Urbana 12 Missions Conference.  To be reminded of God’s heart for the lost, His passion to seek them out, His mission when Jesus came, His unconditional love for the world, and His unmistakable call when He gave His people talents.
Be on board to give your life to the work of the Kingdom, or risk wasting your life!

In the opening night, Greg Jao (Emcee of Urbana 12) mentioned in his exhortation that he still remembers and meditates till this day, the sermons he heard in his very first Urbana (perhaps 10-20 years ago?).

I did not think it was possible since I’ve heard many great sermons in my life, but I am not sure I remember them all. But, after these 5 days, I must concede that this forgetful lass actually MIGHT or WILL remember a few messages from this conference for a very long time. I will share my reflections on a few of the messages that have impacted me profoundly.

Jesus is worthy of everything we’ve got. Give our lives, and if necessary, lose it, for Jesus. David Platt (my new favorite preacher, go buy and read “Radical”) pieced the sword of God in Luke 9:57-62; 14:14-24 right into the hearts of our souls that night. Scripture records the reasons that people have for not following Jesus – to bury the dead, bid the family goodbye, see one’s field, trying out one’s oxen or spending time with spouse. Jesus responds to these people will little patience. He sees right through their excuses.

Following Christ will be costly, but He is worthy of our trust, worthy of our plans and dream, and worthy of our affections. He gave His life for us, He faced divine wrath for us, He is the King who will return to establish His Kingdom.
For what or for who, will you be willing to lose everything for? For what or for who, will your greatest love on earth seem like hate? For what or for who, will you be willing to drop everything and change your plans to follow? Have you found that thing or that persom who is worthy of these things?
Dear Jesus, I know You are worthy. Let my life reflect that God, please. Take my life- I want to give it to You, I want to lose if for You, I want to follow You. In ways big and small, may You be all and end all.

There is much much rejoicing in heaven when the lost sheep, lost coin and lost son is found. Will we celebrate when a lost soul is found?

The Good Shepherd goes with resolution to find that one lost sheep, the woman turns her house upside down to find the one lost coin, and the Loving Father runs and begs undignified to cover the distance between him and his lost sons. To what lengths will we go to seek out the lost?
And we have the examples from Zacchaeus who will not let the opinions and treatment of the crowds stop him from seeing Jesus, LL who will lost her husband and risked the lives of her family by serving in Afgx, and many others who are relentlessly battling their circumstance, fighting their temptations and surrendering their lives in pursuit of Jesus. LL warned us not to settle- for the comfortable life, for hanging out with our favorite people, for the easy environment to be in or raise our family in. It is dangerously easy to do that.
Dear Jesus, I want to see You, I want to find You, I want to be like You. I want to rejoice with You in the finding of the lost. I want to have Your determination in Your cause. Help me be brave not to settle. In ways big and small, may You be all and end all.

I have finally found the voice for the incessant nagging that I have had, throughout my career. I want my life to mean more than something. In the end, I want to leave something more than a physical inheritance to the next generation.

God has uniquely gifted each one of His children for something. He has a role for us to play in His Kingdom and Economy. If we are not faithful to the talents that He has given to us for the advancement of His Kingdom; we will impoverish the Church, and we are all the more impoverished in our souls. Of course God does not NEED us- as if we are anything. But He wants to! Jesus counted on the 12 (or 11) to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
We are made for eternity, and meant to work for eternity – for something bigger than our bank accounts, bigger than our house, bigger than our reputation, bigger than it all. We want to find the sweet spot where God’s Kingdom priorities, our gifts and talents, and the needs of the world meet.
It is not that being faithful at work is not good, or that being a good testimony is not sufficient, but He has made me for something more.
I will now be proud of this holy discontent and keep searching for the place He wants me to be in. I will recognize that my profession and capabilities at work are His gifts too, so I want to be open to how He will use these where I am.
Dear Jesus, thank you for forming me, gifting me, and making me who I am. Reveal Your plans for me, Lead me to follow in Your steps. Make me alert and strong to be Your hands and feet in this world. In ways big and small, may You be all and end all.

As I “stumbled” into counseling, I stumbled into missions. Although I always knew that it would be a possibility with my life being intertwined with Arthur, I have never considered it seriously till now. Singapore, China the States, or any other parts of my Father’s World – get ready for His son and daughter to do some serious damage! Will you who are reading this, be our partner?

So here I am.. Standing at the end of 2012, and welcoming 2013. The world may be in gloom worrying about the fiscal cliff, global economy, wars and all. But here, God has given humanity another day, another week, another month, another year – for His people to shine His light and bring hope till He returns.

Welcome world, welcome 2013, to Jesus!