24 Years

Today I am celebrating the completion of my 24 years in full time ministry. I have also sent in my letter of resignation dated the same. In my resignation letter as lecturer I also asked for a position as pastor. It so happened that I met the full time workers’ coordinator in charge of placement of pastors yesterday. He was the fifth person who paid for my dinner or lunch since the AGM ended 5 days ago. “My times are in Your hand O Lord” (Psalm 31:15). So now I wait and see whether there will be a pastoral position somewhere in Sabah. I even indicated that I was willing to serve in small towns (Pekan) and interested churches should not worry about my salary.

Elijah on Retreat

The Psalmist wrote that if he had spoken thus he would offend the generation of the children of men. It is a generation that refuses to hear the word of God whose worship is merely on the lips but their hearts are far from God. If it is not so why don’t they call on God but rather trust in Egypt and Assyria? Now that my new phase of my life is truly upon me I can plan and move on. But early retirement is far from my mind. Did not some delegates note how youthful I looked and that the chance should be given to those more senior? How remarkable! Do I have to put a wig of grey hairs or a garment to deceive like the false prophets of old?

Restive & Restless

This morning before the Muslim prayers I already gotten up and by 5.45am I drove at dawn across town to the East for early breakfast. I reached there at 6.10am and the shop was only ready to serve at 6.30am. I enjoyed driving around KK last couple of days. I shopped for my pick up tyres but have not come to a firm decision what brand to buy. If it could last 3 or more years I should be happy as in the past 4 years I already changed tyres twice due to the severe conditions of up and down mountains and gravel roads. KK is a beautiful city when the traffic is less as today is a public holiday. But this afternoon I got a bit restless as an elder called and asked me about the forthcoming AGM.

Ready to Go

After almost a complete 3-day rest on returning to KK last Sunday night I am ready to go. First, to clean up my TRITON and then shop for new tires perhaps highway tires as I don’t see the need of all terrain tires that are more suited to off-road. I may still go for the occasional off road trips but I reckon in 2019 90 percent of my travel will be on paved roads. As the AGM is just one week away I have been getting texts, mostly supportive, well wishes and prayers all round. But getting over the line is humanly impossible but I believe in a God of all possibilities and that nothing is impossible with God. Lord I am the least of Your servants and if You so please to use Your servant as You know best since You are the one who calls and equips me for the task.

“I will deal well with you” says the Lord (Gen 32:9)

I received many requests for financial assistance from friends and students. I minister among the poor and often the poor need money just to get by day after day. I have no regrets telling my fellow pastors especially young pastors or those recently married to limit the number of children to just two. Today I got a call and numerous texts asking me to help buy milk for a third child of a student. But I made a firm stance as I have helped this family several times and it is time for me to tell them they can’t rely on me. Some ask money to take their drivers license. Some ask for other needs. Needs are plenty and I have advised my students and pastors to find work outside that pay more if they are constantly struggling with finances. I doubt God wants us to serve Him with worries about money all the time.

The End is just as the Beginning

It is one of the eschatological maxims - The end is just as the beginning or the beginning is just as the end. In the beginning God created the garden of Eden to fellowship with man and at the end God will dwell with men in the new heavens and the new earth (Rev 21). As for me, I could not have worked up the script for my ending any better. I ended where I began at the SIB Pekan Ranau church.

The Last Day

In less than 24 hours this present phase of ministry will end and another begins. While the present age remains we persist in doing what we are doing. On Wednesday I attended an elders committee meeting where we vetted 34 candidates’ essays and approved their ordination. It took us over 3 hours of solid work. I returned home tired yesterday and the LXX came to rescue with the verse “my soul is drowsy with exhaustion.” (Psalm 118LXX; MT 119).

Divine Coincidence

I thought my job is over when I preached my 4th session in Telupid 2 weeks ago. Little did I know that the past 5 days have been one hectic period for me. Starting last Thursday until today I was totally occupied. I preached last Thursday at my College homegroup just hours upon returning from KK. Then on Friday I met with students for my Eschatology class. The grades were given them earlier but some came to see me about their papers and exams. I also submitted grades for the several extension courses I taught earlier in the year but essays still came to my desk after 7 months. On Saturday knowing that it could be my last free Saturday I travelled one last time into the interior farther than I had ever gone before, only that I was driven this time and had another student for company.

6 Days

It is now less than a week before I leave my place of ministry and enter a new phase of life and ministry. For the 5th time I turned down an offer to preach in a Christmas service. Whatever it is I sense December will be a busy time for me and it is good to take a break from active ministry. Today I thought I was to rest from preaching but preach I did in a village about 40 mins from College.

Farewell (1)

Tonight I shall be hosting my family group at College in what is going to be a first of several farewells. It will be only for my members and one student who celebrates his birthday today. Just after 36 hours in KK running a few errands including renewing my car insurance for my two cars due middle of the month, I drove back to Ranau at noon. I also picked up farewell gifts and most will get a notebook diary which I bought from Scripture Union, a Christian bookshop in KK. I also made a T shirt for a special guest next Monday which will be my 2nd farewell also with my homegroup perhaps a few of the Student leaders as well.