Strangers & Pilgrims
Strangers & Pilgrims
Originally uploaded by zeta_gundam
“We’re a pilgrim band that’s headed for the glory land of light…”
“Strangers and Pilgrims” – the theme for the church camp this year. I didn’t have much of an idea when I first saw the theme for this year’s church camp, so with much anticipation I attended the camp, in hope of learning more.
Every year church camp is a time of spiritual revival; the revival for me this year was ‘stronger’ than before. Now that 2008 is almost over, and when I reflect upon the year, I noticed how little time I had spent with God, and how much I concentrated on my school work. I was reminded during the camp, with what someone in the church had told me earlier on in the year: don’t be distracted by school work. Again, I committed the same mistake as I did last year. “Strangers and Pilgrims” was a timely reminder, a reminder that my time on this earth is but temporal.
In Rev Quek’s words, a ‘stranger’ is an alien who is in a foreign land, and a ‘pilgrim’ is a stranger who has stayed in the land for a long time. A stranger and a pilgrim look forward to a brighter hope, the ‘glory land of light’. As a Christian, one must not be a Permanent Resident (PR) of this sin filled earth, let alone be a citizen.
“As a pilgrim I look for a better country, which my LORD is preparing for me…”
The morning devotions were preached by Rev Reggor. The devotions were reminders of God’s unfailing mercies, and God’s infinite power. Indeed God has been merciful to me throughout the entire year, and has showcased His power throughout the year. Life in Junior College (JC) hasn’t been a bed of roses. Being a rather lazy person, 2008 was the first time in years that I actually found it so difficult to study. The amount of content for all the subjects, they are just too much to handle. If not for God’s grace and mercies, I would not have been able to cope with all the work.
The main messages were preached by Rev Quek. Rev Quek taught us from the book of Genesis, from the life of a great pilgrim, Abraham. Constant emphasis was placed on the need to have a changed mindset to the world. Hebrews 11:13 states that in order to have a changed mindset, we need to be ‘persuaded’, need to ‘embrace’, and need to ‘confess’. We need to be persuaded to leave the worldly pleasures, and embrace God’s salvation. And we need to confess our decision through our actions. Without God, no one can be a stranger or a pilgrim. Abraham had little of the Word, since there was no written word (the Bible) during his time, and all he had was the voice of God. God told him to leave his hometown and become a stranger and a pilgrim, and he willingly obeyed. Much faith was needed on Abraham’s part to believe that he would be a father of the great nation of Israel! Rev Quek’s messages emphasized on the need for the Christian to daily depend on God to make godly choices. Godly choices are not the best choices; neither are they the first choices. The decisions that a Christian make would impact both him and those around him, as well as his own eternity. It is only through a close walk with God that godly choices can be made. Abraham forgot to consult God, and made wrong choices. But his return to God was a godly choice in itself.
“There’ll be glory for me at the end of this road. There’ll be glory that outshines my troubles here…”
Rev Koshy preached in the evening messages, on the Christian’s glorious hope. Everything that happens is for God’s glory, even men’s salvation! There is inexplicable glory in heaven awaiting the Christian; glory that will outshine all the troubles on this earth. When a Christian finally returns to his true home, all the trials on earth would seem so small, and all the troubles are all nothing.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
Oh God, when my time on this earth is over, take me home! I want to see Thy glory in its full majesty! May Thou return, as quickly as possible! I cannot bear my burdens alone. I want to go home, to my final resting place.
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Now on a less serious note, I think my cholestrol levels shot up real high. Over the 5 days, I ate close to 80 prawns. Poor Sarah Lee who sat beside me for most of my meals... Apparently she's traumatized by my eating habits. =P
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