Lacuna

Lacuna

As seconds ticked
And minutes passed
The days turned to years
History was taking place

A glance from today
Shows something missing in history
A time when nothing happened
A time when all was still:
A lacuna

But I had to see
With my spiritual eyes
That the Lacuna
Was a period
When you showed again
That you alone
Are God

And that is why
When I think of time
When I think of days
I know assuredly
You are not bound by time.

The Inspiration
To the outsider, there were few explanations for why the fourth child of the Harrys came seven years after the third. Some guessed that boy was a mistake – the parents wanted 3 and he came when they did not expect. Some assumed it must have been strict birth control. The truth was that it was seven years when God showed Himself strong [2 Chronicles 16:9].

The Harrys had planned to have four children. This they agreed with God, the third part of the cord [Ecclesiastics 4:12]. Everything was going as planned. The children were coming after every two years. All of a sudden, from nowhere, tragedy hit them. Mrs. Harrys fell ill, suffering from an illness doctors could not trace. Mr Harry lost his very comfy job. Life seemed to be a nightmare.

It was seven years of hoping on God for healing. It was seven years of having faith for a better tomorrow. It was seven years of finding out who were friends and family. It was seven years of getting knowledge and understanding which no education can give. Knowledge and understanding that with God, nothing is impossible [Luke 1:37].

This scenario reminded me of the word “Lacuna” that is why I entitled this message so. Geologists call Lacuna a gap, a break in normal sequence, a period when nothing can be traced. In life, there appears to be Lacunas, periods when it seems nothing is happening, days are going by and desires seem further away. And when you look back, it seems there is a break. For instance, you leave school and after 4 years you do not have a job. You might feel your life is meaningless those 4 years and then continues when you get the job. With God, there is no break in sequence, there is no gap. He is always there. And every moment matters to Him.

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think [2 Peter 3:8-9]. In case you doubt the word of God, well there is something the scientists (geologists) have proven which I will share with you. They have proven that plant life started before animal life, but separated by thousands (or millions) of years. They have also proven that man came to earth after all other life forms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale

These confirm the sequence of the account of the creation [Genesis 1: 1-31]. Yet what they call thousands and millions of years is nothing but a day in the eyes of God.

When the Harrys look at their last child, the child of the seven-year lacuna, they are reminded of God’s faithfulness [Deuteronomy 7:9]. He truly watches over His word to perform it [Jeremiah 1:12]. He has said that He is the Lord that heals you [Exodus 15:26]. He said He has heard your prayers and seen your tears [2 Kings 20:5]. He said He has washed away your sins [Isaiah 1:18]. He said He is the one who teaches you to profit and leads you in the way you should go [Isaiah 48:17]. He has said that His thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways His ways [Isaiah 55:8].


Yes, there were days when they wondered if there was God. There were moments when their lips almost confessed that they were forsaken. There were days when they came close to doubting the efficacy of the word of God. Every sunrise was a reminder of the pain they were going through. Yet every crack of dawn brought a new day of hope, expecting everyday. They lived each day as it came.

Tomorrow you may look back at today and realize it is one of the days of a lacuna in your life. But more importantly, it is one day that the Lord has given you, to take you closer to your destiny, to take you closer to the realization of your desire. He is faithful that promised. A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think [2 Peter 3:8-9].


This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Trust in God

Trust in God

Though the storms start your day
Though the turbulence appears to stay
Take not your heart off what He spake
But trust in His unfailing words and ways;

Though the earth may seem to quake
Though all around may seem to shake
Be confident that He has His eyes on you
And sleep in peace for a new day;

He is a God that does not change
A God so wise His ways are not our ways
A God so kind HE’s described as love
A God so faithful to all in the world;

Though the circumstances tell a tale
Nothing should change your hope or faith
Established on who He is and what He’s done
But focus on Him, the truth, and the Word;

Weeping may endure for a night
But joy will come with the first light
Caused by the entrance of His word:
So expect today what He promised.

Different Destinations

My Unique Path

The unique path
You’ve carved out for my life
Oh! How wonderful
Are Your thoughts towards me
And You’ve given me all that I need
To fulfill Your purpose for me;

But I take a detour
No, look at other roads
And wonder why
I am not on those paths
So I let go of You
Ignore Your will
Forget what we’ve shared
And focus elsewhere;

Oh what a misfit I am
In places other than my path
Striving wears me out
Comparison depresses me;

Now I reach out to You
Take Your outstretched arms
And walk in that unique path
You’ve carved out for me.

The Inspiration
It was a beautiful Sunday morning (as usual). I left the house to get to church on time. As I got to the first junction with traffic light, it was the red light I met. I stopped wishing it was one of those days when the traffic light was not working. A sleek Mercedes Benz 190 slid beside me. Nice!!! I thought. As soon as the lights turned amber, both the 190 guy and I had stepped on the accelerator. Only that in 10 seconds he was 100 meters ahead of me. Did he go from gear 1 to gear 5? I wondered.

I continued my journey trying to avoid all bad roads so I took the longest routes. No shortcuts (which eventually waste time). And just at the junction before church, I saw the Mercedes benz 190. We meet again, I said to myself. Maybe we are going to the same place (because I could see only 1 exit at that junction and the exit was to church). And I said, “So after all the speeding and rushing, we still meet again”. Just before I took the last turn to church, he turned left to a different destination. We were not going to the same place after all.

And what if we were going to the same place? It did not matter. From the experience, I could perceive God reminding me that we are all created for special purposes with different destinations. We all have different beginnings, different experiences, why then should we expect the same destinies? That brings me to the words comparison and competition. In my little research about the character of Jesus Christ (the role model), it was never mentioned or deduced that he was competitive. Yet competitiveness is a characteristic that appears vital to survive in today’s world. You see it in homes – resulting in sibling rivalry. You see it in schools, businesses, workplace, marriages, then why not in/among some churches? When you are walking according to the Father’s will, you will not need to compare or be competitive. All provision, sufficiency, and strength is from God [2 Corinthians 3:4; 9:8, Philippians 4:13, 19]. He owns the earth and all in it [Psalm 24:1].

You may be trekking today and see a friend whom you outdid in sports years back. Today he tells you he owns a fleet of cars. That you have met again does not mean you should meet on the same level. God knows where He is taking you to. He knows the plans He has for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future and bring you to an expected end [Jeremiah 29:11]. What is also uplifting is He has made everything beautiful in its time [Ecclesiastics 3:11]. When your time comes for anything, it will be beautiful. At each stage of your walk with Him, He will give you what is best for you.

Where you started from, where you’ve been and where you are going, God knows. All you need to do is trust Him for blessed are those who put their trust in Him [Psalm 2:12].

Have a blessed day.

Just Reflecting

Reflecting on your death on the Cross

Tears slid down my cheek
From emotions so deep
As I reflected on the worth
Of your death on the cross

I could never imagine your pain
Never guess the strain
Your thoughts, your alternatives
As you did our Father’s will

What grief can I feel
That comes close to the anguish
The turmoil, bruises and pains
That you went through on that day

What loss can surface now
That compares to your life laid down
To redeem me, to save me
To make my life worth living

Nothing compares to your immeasurable love
Nothing compares to the sacrifice you made
Nothing can surpass the grief and pain you went through
And you did it all because you love me

That is why I adore you
That is why I love you
That is why I worship you
That is why I surrender to you
And will never let go of you.

Pursuing God

Pursuing You

The shooting stars soar
To places only few will get to
Their light will shine
So bright as they last,
But shooting stars fall
Some day they will land
And with the passage of time
We’ll realize just how quickly;

Through they days, through the years
The sun has been there
Shining in noon
Supporting the blooms
Masked by the clouds
Reflected on the moon
And even when we are not sure
It is always there;

My Sweet Lord and Gracious Father
The Father of all Lights
In whom there can be no variation
Or shadow cast by your turning,
May I not chase after shooting stars
But pursue you with all that I am
May my priorities and focus be of You
And respect your continual presence in my life.
Amen.

Inspiring Words and Promises
Delight yourself also in the LORD; and He shall give you the desires of your heart [Psalm 37:4]. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you [Matthew 6:33].

Jesus said unto them, my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work [John 4:34].

Success is measured against your God-given purpose.

Where does Change start from?

Changing your world

Whenever I think of new years, I think of New-Year resolutions. I learnt early in life that such did not work for me so I make New-Day resolutions. That way, when I promise not to sin, or go back to an addiction, and then I fail, I know I failed for that day (moment) and not the whole year! Then I pick up myself from where I fell, dust myself clean, and start afresh the next day. I do not have to wait for the next year to come before I make a resolution or start anew.

So where was I? New-Year resolutions. One consistent characteristic of new-year resolutions is “change”. Something different, better, is planned, hoped for, or is being worked towards. It’s a time for change.

Where does change start from? Change starts from within, from self, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Let me share with you my tissue paper experience. I buy a certain amount of tissue paper per month. I buy enough to last two months. During one period in time, I had a flat mate. In less than 2 weeks, the 2-month supply of tissue paper had finished. The mathematics I could not understand in primary 5 told me (from inverse proportion) that if 1 person uses tissue for 2 months then 2 will use same number of tissue for 1 month! Not 2 weeks! I was annoyed. Not long after, I had a different flat mate. Tissue paper supply finished in 1 week. I even changed quality of the tissue paper assuming it was the softness that was causing the attraction. That did not work. Then one day, I walked into the ladies of the office. In one of the toilets there was no tissue paper so I asked the lady entering the next one to cut out some tissue from the toilet she was about entering. She did so and gave me the tissue paper she had cut out. Then I said, “Madam, you know I only want to ease myself” (Not mop the floor because the tissue paper she cut out for me was much!) and she replied “yes I know, I was just giving you the minimum you need for that!” Did I learn anything from that experience? Yes I did, much more than the minimum required amount of tissue paper.

For someone like me who likes to change everything around me, that experience taught me that change needed to start from me. Nothing was wrong with the people around me. When I went back to ask the Holy spirit for what else (apart from tissue paper) that I needed to change in my life, we came up with a long list which made me say “Hey Holy Spirit, that is too much to do on my own!” Then I recalled the promise that the God of peace will make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ [Hebrews 13:20-21]; and as long as you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him [Philippians 2:13]. I definitely needed God’s help for change.

You have the power to change your world, to change all that is happening around you, to change people around you. Let your change start with you – your words, your thoughts and meditations. This change will translate to your actions and eventually all around you. Let your change come from inside out. The good news is you don’t have to do it on your own. The Holy Spirit is there to help you.

You may have made a new-year resolution to change the closest person around you, to change a friend, to stop an addiction, to take on a new leaf, to start on a new project, etc. Allow the Holy Spirit change you, to direct your path, and to fill you with hope. God is at work in you ready to walk with you each step of your way to change. Sit back and relax as you watch God doing His thing with you – the apple of His eyes.

Remain blessed.

Encourage One Another

Encourage One Another

I personally like the word encourage because I have had (and still have) people that encourage me at every step of the way. I always likened it to someone saying “you can do it, you can be it!” But recently, I have been learning more to the word “encourage. One I learnt is that sharing of testimonies is one good way to encourage others.

Let me share with you one experience. It was one of those Sunday mornings when I was in church, very spiritual, moved by the music and words, confessing all my sins, and making fresh promises to God (does that happen to you?) I had got a prompting to sow a seed in church. It was not one of those days when sowing was mentioned in the message so I was not being persuaded by the preacher. I agreed in my heart that once I get home I will get the seed and sow in church the next Sunday. Beloved, as soon as I reached the exit gate of the church, it was as though my spirit had been reset. I said “what seed was I thinking about in that place? I must have been very foolish to think of such a thing!”

All through the week the prompting came up (as reminder). I struggled with whether or not to go ahead with what I had promised. After a while I brushed the thoughts aside with loud music of worship and praise, avoided any bible passage that will talk of “sow”, and thought out a good logic that there was no real reason for that seed. After all, the pastor never mentioned anything in church. When “The Reminder” [John 14:26] became too much, I said I will do it next year. I was reasoning with the Holy Spirit that since it is a free donation, it should be done at my own time. I thought that was the end of the case.

That evening, a friend of mine visited and decided to stay over. I was very glad because it will distract me from listening to the voice in my heart (she is a very good companion, never a dull moment with her). You cannot guess what her topic of discussion was that evening – sowing of seeds. She narrated a story of how she sowed seeds when she was looking for a change in job, and when she finally got the new job, she knew it was none other than God that gave it to her. She was grateful for the seed sown. She also shared with me other instances of people close to her that sowed seeds of all sorts of things and reaped a hundred times more. Then she concluded “there is nothing or no one that can convince me against sowing seeds. I don’t even give room to discuss it. When I get a prompting in my spirit to sow, I sow without delay and with confidence and expectation for I know I will reap a thousand fold.” She was gone the next morning and of course, there was no further argument between me and “The Reminder”. That was one encouragement towards doing something good that I can never forget. Her testimony of the benefits of sowing seeds filled me with joy and gave me courage to overcome any reasoning that would make me not sow the seed. Today I am benefiting from the very decision to respond to that prompting at the time I did.

So now when I think of the word “encourage”, the meaning goes beyond “you can do it and you can be it”. I think of words and acts that refresh the spirit. I think of answers to inner struggles coming from you and me. I think of the light and love of God shone on others from the roads we have passed through. I think of testimonies.

Dear Child of God let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us … encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near [Hebrews 10:24-25]. The Lord has surely been good to you. Share your testimonies of God’s goodness and faithfulness. You are not being boastful by that. You never know who will be blessed, refreshed, uplifted, nay encouraged by your testimony.

May the peace of God be with you.