Now on a Sunday

Whenever weekend comes, I have all sorts of mixed feelings. For many years now, the weekend was my busiest period, preparing for sermons, opening the church doors often early on Sunday morning in Ranau and Kota Kinabalu, when no one was in sight. God knows I love His house, His church, the gathering of His saints, especially on a Sunday. I was the first one to be in God's house, as a priest ready to offer to God sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving for myself and for the flock of God which I serve as shepherd. I take intercessory prayers with absolute seriousness before the service started and also at the end of the sermon when we had a 10-minute prayer intercession.

In fact, it was exactly a year ago when Covid-19 cases were beginning to rise in mid-April 2021 that I spent several days in my office, sometimes on top of my voice crying out to God for His mercy that we could hold the Seminar for the youths (24th April) and also we could remain open for Pentecost Sunday (23rd May) and the Harvest Festival (30th May) before the church went into a lockdown again in the first week of June 2021. Our God is a God who answers prayers. 

Now on a Sunday I could sleep in, though often I did not feel the need to rise early despite being a habitual early riser by the grace of God. I spent time alone with God as usual today some two hours reading the Bible, praying quietly, worshipping in my spirit for God is spirit and he who worships the Father must worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

Now on Sunday as I was waiting on the Lord just before 10am, my mother called me and sensing that she might be lonely, I went to meet with her and we had a lunch at the basement cafe. It is my good deed for the day, especially on a Sunday which I seek to do a good work, either giving to the poor or doing some form of charity. Honouring one's parents is one of the greatest of God's commandments and my mother told me that this need not be taught. She said she was lucky to have four good sons, two of whom regularly gave her money and another two spare no effort to come to her aid whenever she needs it. If even unbelievers know how to honour their parents, what else for believers in Jesus Christ who repeated the command several times in the Gospels. 

Now on a Sunday, I am home-bound. I wrote my Galatians commentary for an hour before meeting my mother for Sunday lunch and upon returning home I spent another hour writing. I am about to finish chapter one in Galatians and it is a great epistle, only we truly love God's Word, many mysteries shall be revealed to us. I read ahead to chapter 2, which has Paul commenting that not even Titus was not compelled to be circumcised. Today's issue is different in that there are those who compel people to be vaccinated and if not, lose their jobs and livelihoods. Worse barring others from church entry as losing fellowship is a greater loss. Like David persecuted by Saul, David once cried out that he was expelled from his own people and the worship of God in Israel.