The Longest day

For more than a month I have been getting up at 3am or slightly before that. Without TV and slow Internet connection or none at all at times, I go to sleep early say 10pm, thus securing about 5 hours sleep per day. But when I get up this early and if it recurs over weeks it means that something big is happening in my life, like a critical decision, moving countries, changing ministries or giving up something precious for the Lord. Only yesterday at 3pm on the longest day of the year I think I might have the answer to my prayers and weeks of waiting on the Lord in the wee hours of the morning. Eyes have not seen nor heart perceived what God will do for him who waits on Him...for those who wait on the Lord shall not be ashamed. The longest day in the northern hemisphere means the countries north of the equator get the most sun for the year during that particular day. Work while it is still day takes on a poignancy as if God grants extra hours for us to labour in his field. I have done exactly that.
Since the close of the Semester at the end of May I have travelled to two far away Districts for revival meetings, preached at local churches, taught an intensive 30 hour long course on church growth based on Acts and returned to my former church to see how my flock was doing. It is as if God is giving me extra work knowing that the day will come to an end, even though it might be the longest day because no day stays as day but that darkness of the night will surely follow the light of day. My day is approaching the end at this stage of my ministry.

Sometimes as human beings we needed to be appreciated and commended, not looking for vain or empty praises by no means but godly encouragement. When the KK mayor and his wife asked my students how I served at College, one student without any hesitation mentioned how much she was blessed by the teaching. I said I have not taught in her class (year 4) but she quickly replied that she sat through all my lectures on the intensive module on Acts. She offered to say how kami bersemangat (we were excited) whenever I spoke on the Tuesday Chapels. This student being head of the Women's hostel was probably representative. I almost did not want to do Tuesday chapel as it was an innovation and give myself extra work but by early February I thought I should speak to the College community at least once a week. Listening to her words of commendation I realized it took courage to start new things and without which the students would have missed much though it was only a short 20 mins sermon weekly. But alas, students' love and encouragement for me is not enough for me to stay on as it is God's will that I seek. Over the longest day, the light shines ever brighter and now I can say I am as close as ever to a major decision and God's peace is with me as I rise early and seek His face. Even as the darkness of night will give way to the light of a new day.