Revelation & Phases of Ministry

Paul the apostle mentioned that he went to Jerusalem by revelation which means he felt a deep impression of God’s leading that he should go up to Jerusalem. I have been praying to the Lord for the next step of my ministry and I pray the Lord will reveal to me what He wants me to do and grant me the courage and strength to follow His leading. I have been in a deep reflective mood in the past week. Outwardly I keep myself busy by writing notes in Malay for my last course in New Testament Theology. Deep within I have been trying to sense what God has been saying and would say to me. “Deep calleth to the deep” even as the Spirit speaks and guides the believers in Jesus. Looking back and thankful of God’s blessings and provision in the past 24 years in active ministry including an incredible 4 years of postgraduate study in NZ almost 20 years ago. I was looking for my student enrolment number for my alma mater at Auckland University yesterday and I realised that if I go there to do a course or two during this time of Sabbatical it would have been 25 years now since I earned my BTheol from the said University. “has it been that long Lord?” your years never end and You are everlasting but our days are few and full of trouble so teach us Lord to number our days.

 

Then I look back and it dawns on me that my ministry has been a kind of inclusio. Four years in the beginning and now 4 years at the end. In between 5 years plus as pastor juxtaposed with a 6-year stint in Singapore. It has been two full quarters or even 4 quarters if the four kinds of ministry I had undertaken. I feel I am in a hockey game of 4 quarters; two in the first half and two more in the second half. Truly I have entered half time and half time, the time for rest is the longest within the game. I could easily take 2 years off if I wanted to like the 49th year and Jubilee the next. But most likely I will take 1 year and leave another time to rest after the third quarter. After 20 years of active service I have another 20 more years ahead of me. I will serve like David the full 40 years before the end. I do not know whether there will be retirement or golden years but in the Lord those who are called will continue to serve as long as health permits and as long as his breath shall last.