Crying out for the lost Part 2

Earlier, I had blogged about the challenge that Jaeson Ma had called us to, to cry out to God twice daily for the lost. Doing this for the first couple of days was quite exciting and fun; I would pray for whoever was around me at that time, my co-workers, my friends, my family, random strangers on the road. It was really refreshing to drop everything and spend a minute or two praying for those who had not yet received God's free gift of salvation.

But, just as human nature would have it, I started getting lazy, and the prayers started sounding the same...

Interestingly, God used my granny's funeral to refresh my heart for the lost. My granny's funeral was a very traditional Chinese funeral, so picture lots of chanting, and wailing, and people you never met trying to send their condolences. In the beginning, I spent my time trying to figure out what these people were actually chanting, but after awhile, I knew it was a hopeless cause, so I started praying for the people that were there. Every time the chanting got loud (and annoying), my desperation would grow, and the prayers that I shouted to God (in my heart) would get louder and more urgent. This went on for hours... from morning until night...

Although the funeral was a sad and long affair, but this episode showed me how many people were still lost. It showed me how many were still in darkness, clinging onto old traditions that cannot save them. Although I didn't get to use words to share the gospel with anyone that day, but I trust that God heard my prayers and petitions. I know that He loves us too much to forsake us.

Are you crying out for the lost too?

"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy."

Egg tarts

In preparation for granny's funeral, we planned to meet early in the morning to get a head start on our drive to China. With the gloom and doom already so thick in the air, waking up early for a long road trip was probably not on the list of things that any one of us wanted to do... so what does this call for? Fresh hot egg tarts!

"Love... endures all things", even waking up early for long road trips to get to somewhere you don't even want to go...

Loving my grandma

My grandmother, 嫲嫲, is the one who brought me up when I was young. She was the one who pulled me out of bed in Kindergarten, and dressed me as I kept sleeping away. She was the one who gave me extra pocket money to spend during the week. She was the one who let me take a break to watch tv and order pizza, instead of making me study.

When I got older and moved away, my grandmother was the one who would ask about my work and my love life, every time I came back to visit her. She was the one who would make sure that I was well fed, and got a chicken drumstick for every meal that I had with her. [In the Chinese culture, a chicken drumstick is considered the best part of the chicken, reserved for the child that they loved.] And she did it every time I saw her, without fail. Whether I visited her for lunch, or for dinner, the drumstick would always be there, steamy hot, waiting for me.

Recently, my grandmother hasn't been feeling so well. So, today, I blocked off my schedule, and took a 3+ hour car ride just to see her. It hurt to see my granny sleeping in her bed, looking weak and sick. But I was glad to see her, because I wanted to thank her for all the chicken drumsticks that she had saved for me, and so lovingly served me, year after year. I only got to talk to granny for a short time today, but I'm thankful that I got to thank her for her love, encourage her with God's promise of eternal life when we believe in Him, and show her that I loved her too.

Granny, I hope you feel better!

Love challenge: Go out of your way to sincerely thank someone for something they have done.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."