Strong Faith produces Humble & Genuine Service

Dearest Friends,

Last evening, some of us attended another session with Mgsr Eugene Vaz on St. Luke Gospel. We were covering Luke 16 - 18 last evening and partial of 15 as well. I really enjoyed the lesson last night as i begin to understand more and more of how MEV teaches his lesson and it teaches the power of faith.

"When you have faith, you do what faith requires of you, not for gratitude but of humble service"

"And when you are in service, you don't look for thanksgiving or appreciation."


In Luke 17:5, the Apostles ask the Lord to increase their faith. However, Jesus replied saying, "Unless you have the faith of a mustard seed, "... what does it actually mean ... it dawned upon me last evening, that faith is not quantitative but it is of depth and qualitative. We should ask the to deepen our faith rather than to increase our faith because it can never be increased in the first place. It has to be strengthened. This bring me to mind of the foundation that Jesus mentioned. That our foundation has to be rooted in Him so that when the storm comes to our lives, we will continously and faithfully trust in Him.

Well, I really have to thank the Lord as to how he has taught me so much about servanthood. We are caught to be dignified servanthood not slaves ... can you see the difference? I really thank God for teaching me so much about servanthood through my previous job in NUS, Chemistry. I felt i was treated like a undignified servant because I don't see it as a responsbility or duty that God has entrusted me. I was not really happy doing what i did. But today, the Lord showed me more and more about my responsibility as a child of God each day. Service to others has become a joy for me each day as i go to work and I really want to thank God for that. But i have to admit that God is still purifying me in this area but because i have been praised by so many people in my new job due to efficiency (surprisingly man ...) .. and being organized. I also have to thank God for allowing me to go through my major operation as it was through my major operation that i learnt the importance of time management. Due to eh major operation, I had to take my medicine timely (with or without food) and hence, managing such a time is of great importance.

It is with responsibility in my job that I have learnt what genuine service is all about and I believe it has alot to do with my recognition that my identity lies deep inside me as the beloved Son of the Father.

"My Loving and Perfect Father has a better plan ... trust in Him."

With regards to my job, I also would like to share something that is pretty deep here. Two days ago, I was sharing with one of the men in the Men's group about my job. I was sharing how blessed I was as I was given this new job .. it's really a great blessing from the Lord. In fact, a number of my colleagues who worked there for quite some time and even those who worked for 10 years can tell me that this is the best place to work because of the environment and the welfare here. It is indeed true that the welfare and environment here is really good. The people are very friendly and hardly have i heard of any political issue happening. My perception of working life has changed dramatically because of this job.

It is through all these that I have learnt from my loving perfect Father that He has a better plan for each and everyone of us. As mentioned earlier, there was this other men in the men group who i was sharing with. He too started a new job on the same day as me and he shared with me how he realised that God has a better plan for each of us. When he shared his strong with me, it dawned me that God really has a better plan and sometimes we try to run away from the better plan because we feel that his so-called better plan is not as good as our own plan. Before i left NUS Chemistry, i was clinging on to the fact that i wanted to stay put in that job because i was so used to that job and i felt quite comfortable there already. I was worried about starting from scratch because it took a year to start from scratch from the previous job. I was worried about so many silly things and yet I was all wrong because there's truly nothing to worry about. All my worries has been taken care of. I have friendly and approachable boss and i was able to pick up the job so fast that there were wonderful comments from colleagues telling me that i am like one who worked in IMRE for many years. Praise be to God .. Through all this, i learnt that God indeed has a better plan for me and everyone else as well.

However, this morning as i was bathing, something came to mind and i felt that the Lord was challenging me something that I found it difficult to do so. It was as good as telling me, look my son, i have well-taken care of you; whatever worries that you have encountered initially was all well taken care of - that also includes your studies... i have provided you a comfortable, conducive and peaceful location for you to study part time while you are working. This was i felt my dearest Father in Heaven was telling me ... and then He continue, you have seen it ... can you trust that your love-life relationship will be taken care by me despite all your worries. Trust that I have a better plan for you ... trust that I will provide you what you need in your life.

Well, a couple of months ago, i wrote a 1.5 page of letter to Janice and I told her that I am struggling about the relationship thing. But I told her that i would like to take a step of faith in God that God has a better plan for me and that if this is not God's will that I actually asked her to pray for me that i will have the strength to let go of her. I have to admit that the prayer seemed to work for me now more and more as i realised that I am able to let go slightly more and more and I began to realise that i am more open now. But seriously, i really don't know what God has installed for me .. but i just have to trust in His Divine and Perfect Plan .. because He loves me dearly.

The last thing i would like to share with you guys is that ... if you are struggling with your faith or your personal identity as a Child of God. This is what you can do ... you could actually start sharing your faith with others because it is through that .. sharing your faith story that you are able to relive that faith again by the power of the Holy Spirit. This was what exactly happened today as I was affected by some comments and i was shaken. But I kept telling myself that i should not be affected by it but to cling on the fact that I am beloved son of the Father. And then as i was sharing my faith story during lunch with an old friend, I began to recall so many blessings in my life ... So, BASIC, starting spreading and sharing your faith with others and you would be amazed how your very faith would strengthened and deepened because the Holy Spirit will remind you the many blessings that you probably foget at times...

Praise be to God!!!!

Thanks.

With Love,
Your brother in Christ,
Colin Sng