Monday, April 8, 2013

Sabah, Tanah Air-ku (My land of origin/birth)

I have been in my office since 7am. I thought I settled a few things before preparing for my lectures on John's Gospel and NT 2 on James. I have finalized the elective for next July. I may have to teach a third course for the Master of Ministry programme. Busy busy Semester coming up.

In the past several months, I could not help thinking and praying about my future ministry. My homestate, Sabah will be celebrating its 50th year independence within the federation of Malaysia on the 16th Sept 2013. I was born barely 10 months after Malaysia Day and I am a true child of Malaysia, born and bred a Sabahan. My heart often  pines for my native land - Sabah tanah air-ku negeri kita yang tercinta. But whether it's the Lord's will for me to return for good is another matter, a subject of intense prayer in the next few months. As Sabah is in its Jubilee year, I am not getting younger. Where are you, Lord for me in the next decade? I see that my strength is not like before and I know there are 10 or so good years that lay ahead of me and after that sunset years will come sooner that one would imagine.

Where was I ten years ago? I just started out as Pastor of my homechurch in SIB Likas, Kota Kinabalu and about to graduate with a PhD in Biblical Studies. Where was I ten years further back? In April 1993 I had just started theological study at Auckland University with Hebrew and Greek occupying most of my time. Just a couple of months before that in Feb 1993 I had concluded my 6 years of legal practice.

Lord, where am I going to be for the next 10 years? At the end of next year, I shall be celebrating my 20 years in full-time ministry. Will I still be in Singapore? Like John Calvin who never returned to his native country, France but remained in Geneva for the rest of his life? Is Singapore my Geneva? Lord, if it is at all possible, bring me back to Sabah but not my will but thine be done, O Lord!

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