I'm Lovin' It

 I'm not promoting McDonald's Slogan; which has the connotation of really liking something. Rather, I'm talking about a kind of "Just Do It" love, one that simply says, I'm Lovin' It.

Since ACTS Conference, there had been many many many testimonies of God moving, through people to heal, and manifest his love and power. Even just today, I've read the testimony of a lady who prayed for and healed 3 people. There's another who prayed for a men with speech problems and another who was demon-possessed and God moved. These are really amazing and I'm in awe.

I want God's love to pour forth through me to those in my life. I'm connecting my mum to Hope. I want to visit my relatives, especially my aunt and grandma who need healing to pray for them, but have not made time yet. I have 3 NSF section mates in camp. For the one that came for half of the Healing Rally, I prayed for his cough on a working day after Conference. He wasn't healed, but I shared more of God's power and about Christianity either way. I'm also putting aside things like manga, anime & games, albeit not totally, so that I can seek God, His love and His righteousness and His Kingdom first. This include things like just helping my mum in her work, or meeting my sheep, or to fellowship and sow on others.

Currently in camp, I work harder and am more intentional than the other NSFs in my section. I would deal with stock checks, stores, records, issuing and sometimes matters even outside of my role. There were many mistakes that were made that I rectify without raising them up to my superiors, because what I can do, I'll do. This was a way in which I want to love my NSF section mates, to show them that I care for them, watch out for them and get jobs done. However, it is often that my superiors would blame me when a mistake arises, even if the mistake was made by others. And often, when others made the mistakes, it gets swept under the carpet.

This had been rather tiring for me, but I've renewed my soul each day to continue to work and to love, for I want to believe that my labor in God is not in vain. And that my section mates, or even superiors may one day know his love. In this NS environment I'm in, intentionality to get things done well and to cover for others backfired at me; causing me to take blames even when I'm working at times the others rest. It has been the same for my IC, who took a lot of crap and had to rectify them all. Furthermore, my whole section is going to be posted out of the squadron at around September. This means that, after the major audits, we will no longer be part of the squadron. In light of this, I can just lay low and heck care about issues since my section will post out soon. But I know that this isn't honoring to God.

There are times when I really felt quite frustrated and sian about these issues in camp. However, I also see that it is foolish to fill my mind with negativity and work, as it can draw me from looking to God, to his Kingdom and his goodness. This is indeed a molding ground for my character. At the same time, I've decided that while I continue to work hard and look out for my NSF section mates, I'll be more clear to them that I'm covering for them and that I'm helping them, and that they need to help me and need to get work done well too. I also want to believe that a seed is planted in their hearts, and that when they know God's love, they will be changed to see life, to see work and to see people more the way God does.

Today, I've also prayed for the other 2 of my NSF section mates. For one of them, I shared with him more about the miracles God is doing and then prayed for his skin condition. He did not receive any healing yet. For the other who is autistic, I prayed a prayer of blessing for him to be able to communicate better, to be a channel of God's love and to find more people that will love him.

God, even though my section mates did not receive healing and do not know you yet. I pray that you'll begin to move in their hearts more and still heal them if you will. Even though there is probably just a few months before my section will be posted out and separated, I pray that you'll move and let them come to know you. It isn't easy to love in such an environment God, but Jesus, that is where I can partake and channel more of the kind of love you poured out to others. You died for us amidst the persecutions, rejections and scorning. You love the unlovable. May I be like Paul, who say that he considers all things a loss compared to surpassing greatness of just knowing you Jesus.

Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
-Colossians 1:24

Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer... Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.

-2 Timothy 2:3-12

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us... And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

-Romans 8:18&28 

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us

-Romans 5:3-5

I recently came to know this brother called Gerardus, and I just added him on Facebook yesterday. To my surprise, many of the things he shared resonated with my heart and what God was speaking to me in this period of time. It also further confirms the Word that was ministered to me during SEAL Camp, which is to really bring God's love to people, even in persecutions and sufferings. Gerardus shared quotes like these:

"Suffering is a great grace; through suffering the soul becomes like the Savior; in suffering love becomes crystallized; the greater the suffering, the purer the love."

"If God sends you many sufferings, it is a sign that He has great plans for you and certainly wants to make you a saint."

"It is loving the Cross that one finds one heart, for Divine Love cannot live without suffering."

God you win. So, no matter what, I'm Lovin' It. Just as how God loves us, even if we are flawed, or even if we do not yet know him. He looks at us and says, I'm Lovin' It & his love never fails. God, I just pray that the seeds of your love will begin to sprout, and that you may pour forth your love tangibly and powerfully. For I want to see your Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. I want to see your glory, and I can't wait for the day that we all live in your love.