Blessing the multitudes
Dear friends
If you recall, I have mentioned that I am part of a campaign to bless 100,000 pre-believers in Singapore within 1 month. As about 5,000 people volunteered for the campaign, that averages out to about 20 blessings per volunteer, or 5 blessings per volunteer per week.
The first time I heard about the plan, I thought it was ridiculous. Is it really possible to pray for and bless 20 pre-believers in a month? Do I even know 20 pre-believers whom I can pray for? It would have been easier if it included believers - just pray for the cell group and you've got anywhere between 5-20. By the way, for those of my friends who already know Jesus, it's not that I doubt your relationship with Him - you just happened to be in the way, so might as well pray for you also right? :)
Anyway, I decided that I would give God the chance to show me the impossible. SEND ME. I am overjoyed to report that, as of today, I have managed to pray for and bless more than 30 pre-believers. There are a few lessons I have learnt from this experience, which I would like to share with you.
(a) if you say yes, God will say YES!!!!
After I volunteered for the campaign, I made deliberate efforts to meet friends with a very detailed lunch schedule for the next month. But God met me more than halfway - He sent old friends into my path, meeting them as I walk home, bumping into them at MRT stations, getting calls from old friends who need help, etc. I now intend to make this campaign a lifestyle for me, although perhaps at not quite the same cracking pace :)
(b) most people LOVE to be prayed for
People really need prayer. It was surprising how many needs my friends had, which I had never prayed for, until I met and talked to them about it. The openness of people to receive prayer and blessing is incredible. And I would never have guessed it. Before the campaign, if you were to tell me that my friends would thank me for praying for them, I would have laughed at you. But they were really pleased to be prayed for. It shows that you are really a friend, and they recognise that you are making time for them, and giving them something valuable - your prayers. And at the end of it, what more valuable expression of your love can there be, than the gift of your time and your prayers?
After I volunteered for the campaign, I made deliberate efforts to meet friends with a very detailed lunch schedule for the next month. But God met me more than halfway - He sent old friends into my path, meeting them as I walk home, bumping into them at MRT stations, getting calls from old friends who need help, etc. I now intend to make this campaign a lifestyle for me, although perhaps at not quite the same cracking pace :)
(b) most people LOVE to be prayed for
People really need prayer. It was surprising how many needs my friends had, which I had never prayed for, until I met and talked to them about it. The openness of people to receive prayer and blessing is incredible. And I would never have guessed it. Before the campaign, if you were to tell me that my friends would thank me for praying for them, I would have laughed at you. But they were really pleased to be prayed for. It shows that you are really a friend, and they recognise that you are making time for them, and giving them something valuable - your prayers. And at the end of it, what more valuable expression of your love can there be, than the gift of your time and your prayers?
(c) if people are not ready, they're just not ready... YET
Some people are less open than others. But what does it matter? We just sow, and sow with great love. The harvest is the Lord's not ours. So don't be discouraged. One day, perhaps not this week or the next, when they find that they DO need God (and everyone does), they will remember you and come back to you. Then you will be in a position to share your love and God's love. It's happened to me a couple of times already.
Some people are less open than others. But what does it matter? We just sow, and sow with great love. The harvest is the Lord's not ours. So don't be discouraged. One day, perhaps not this week or the next, when they find that they DO need God (and everyone does), they will remember you and come back to you. Then you will be in a position to share your love and God's love. It's happened to me a couple of times already.
(d) love is DISCIPLINED
At its core, the campaign is not about numbers. The numbers are just a means to an end - they provide a discipline so that you can stretch your heart to love more people. They ARE important because let's face it, how many times have we said "oh, so and so is a really good friend" but when you really check it out, you realise you last met in 2005 or something like that!
At its core, the campaign is not about numbers. The numbers are just a means to an end - they provide a discipline so that you can stretch your heart to love more people. They ARE important because let's face it, how many times have we said "oh, so and so is a really good friend" but when you really check it out, you realise you last met in 2005 or something like that!
But FAR more important is the love behind the effort. It's like how I discipline myself to spend quality time with my children. I make a timetable for my wife and myself so that on a daily basis, we have a schedule to remind us of what we should be doing with our children. Does this mean we love our children less than if we were simply spontaneous? No. It just means we care enough to be disciplined with ourselves about loving our children. Otherwise human nature takes over and we end up watching TV. Similarly, having a number to aim at, making a lunch schedule etc - they discipline me to love MORE PEOPLE and MORE DEEPLY.
(e) love is CONSISTENT
Why did I participate in the campaign? For fun? Nope. For my own growth? Yes partly - to stretch my faith. Because I really do care about the people I bless? Well yes - that's supposed to be the point. But how do I get myself to really care? As I explained above, discipline is one way. And discipline builds consistency. I found that for people whom I had not been in reasonable contact with or with whom I had no real history, it was extremely difficult to pray for and bless them, simply because I didn't know their needs. So I resolve to spend more regular time with my friends and family. Discipline will help.
(e) love is CONSISTENT
Why did I participate in the campaign? For fun? Nope. For my own growth? Yes partly - to stretch my faith. Because I really do care about the people I bless? Well yes - that's supposed to be the point. But how do I get myself to really care? As I explained above, discipline is one way. And discipline builds consistency. I found that for people whom I had not been in reasonable contact with or with whom I had no real history, it was extremely difficult to pray for and bless them, simply because I didn't know their needs. So I resolve to spend more regular time with my friends and family. Discipline will help.
(f) YOU can do it
As I said at the start, I didn't think I could do it. But I have. And based on our statistics, there's a good chance that more than 5,000 other people also managed to do it. YOU can do it too. YOU are God's choice in your family and your workplace and among your friends. We are inadequate. I think we all recognise that. But is His grace not sufficient? Does He not say that His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9)? Does He not say, lean not on your own understanding, but trust in Him with all our hearts (Pro 3:5-6)?
As I said at the start, I didn't think I could do it. But I have. And based on our statistics, there's a good chance that more than 5,000 other people also managed to do it. YOU can do it too. YOU are God's choice in your family and your workplace and among your friends. We are inadequate. I think we all recognise that. But is His grace not sufficient? Does He not say that His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9)? Does He not say, lean not on your own understanding, but trust in Him with all our hearts (Pro 3:5-6)?
Don't limit yourself - or more accurately, don't limit the power of God in your imperfect self. We may think "oh I'm not the reaching out type." Well, are you going to take that lying down?!?! As my pastor said on Sunday - suppose you have high cholesterol. Are you really going to say "oh I'm the high cholesterol type" and leave it at that? Of course not. You'll go and exercise. Eat right. See the doctor. Similarly, if we feel we are not the 'enthusiastic for God" type, Go Exercise - practice till you're good. Eat Right - read the Word. See the Doctor - pray for God's help! Best of all, your victory over your weakness can and will bring victory to others. I have 5,000 other victors walking with me in church. Let's determine to do the same for each other in the office.
Let me end with my favourite experience in the 100K campaign.
The first guy I met for the 100K campaign, I just bumped into him at the MRT station even before I knew about the 100K campaign. He was an old friend with whom I had lost contact and we exchanged numbers then.
When the campaign started, I arranged to meet him for lunch and I came right out to say that I was on a mission to meet my friends because they're important to me. He was actually quite touched that he was privileged to be considered one of the friends whom I care about. Isn't that amazing - while I thought I was imposing on him, he thought it was HIS privilege to be cared about!
The conversation went very well, and I knew that I should take the opportunity to pray over his needs. So at the end of the lunch, I offered to pray for him. He immediately rejected it. I was so disappointed, and I said to him, "it's just a few words, why not just let me pray?".
Then he said "Pray?... I thought you said PAY!"
He was actually quite happy to be prayed for. So I did. And of course I got a free lunch :)
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"But you WILL receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you WILL be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
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