I am Working Still

On a Sabbath day Jesus was criticised for working. Maybe Jesus did not like rest days or holidays. Today I did not know it was a holiday in Sabah and in Malaysia. I wanted to pay my electricity bills for two months but when I stopped near the post office in the city centre, then I realised it was a holiday when my parking app refused to accept payment. It is not just in the last three months when I was out of a job. I realised that when I was pastoring a church the whole of last year in 2025 I was working most holidays, never stopping as I conducted a couple of retreats and seminars on holidays to make it convenient for church members to attend.

Even during Chinese New Year I conducted a seminar on our Church Constitution as it was election year and we held the church election of deacons two months later in April 2025. No wonder I could not do any writing. For writing a deep theological book or a commentary one needs peace and quiet and a period of time of concentration and focus. 

Not just holidays I worked most Mondays last year during my off days. Only once I tried writing but before too long I was thinking about the sermon topic or the multimedia would remind their pastor to give them the title by Tuesday or latest Wednesday. 

It was 24/7 job pastoring a 100-member congregation. I am still amazed of the fact that attendance went past 100 adults almost on every Sunday except long weekends when half of the church members returned to their villages. But I told my leaders to change their mind sets that we are a city church and many worshippers are town dwellers and they should not think like before that holidays meant few members would turn up. 

I was right most of the times when even during holidays we would get 90 plus or so adults. For two Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday services, we had over 130 adults and one Sunday together with the kids we had more than 200 people. No wonder a senior leader told me last month that "di mana kamu dibuang, kamu membakar" Wherever you happened to be, you brought fires (of revival). And the word, "buang" could mean how little value some people had for me, I am just someone they could throw around. I am a cast away and does not Scripture say that the stone which the builders cast away becomes the chief cornerstone?

But I liked it that way, not complaining, and taking up roles and tasks that not many wanted, less so with my experience and qualifications. I always take it as a challenge, from impossible circumstances I served the Lord and the Lord caused it to grow and revival fires spread among those who accept those who are sent by God.