ok, i'm blogging. don't really know if ppl will read it. but why am i blogging?! haha, it's pretty obvious now. Global Day Of Prayer (GDOP), or to my mind, the most amazing day in Singapore or the world since..ever? or since i was alive. That's right people, i felt it was better than like, FOC? maybe because i was too young. but definitely better than any christian concert i've been to thus far. Perhaps that seems a little too much for those who didn't bother/couldn't go...prayer?! enjoyable?! sitting there and praying better than a delirious? or hillsongs worship-like-crazy concert? errrr.......YA. oh man, i promised myself and of course God that i would not intentionally "bash" or insult those who chose not to go. I mean, i'm sure most people had pretty valid reasons. But there's a lot on my mind. So i'll say it straight, sorry if i offend anyone, but this is meant to make you think. Hard.
Uhhh ... where to start?!! aaah. K, from how i felt initially when i heard about GDOP. Man, was i seriously looking forward to it.....haaha.I mean, I was!!! And somehow, in my mind, i really honestly thought everyone else or almost was equally anticipating it as i was. Errr..got a reality check this very morning, when Lydia and I realised that hardly any youths wanted to go, or were even remotely interested. I suppose it's for the very reason that i mentioned above? Well, if you were there you would know...i was kinda pissed, shocked, whatever. I may have blown up slightly, i just couldn't stand them trying to "explain" why they weren't going. I mean, if you're not interested, you don't wanna go, just spit it out man. Yeah..anyway...kind of got over it..found out a few ppl are going..told Lydia I would just go for God, quite happy alrdy..drew on ben's hand..etc...lol.
afterwards, finally got there...and I think the first few thoughts that flashed through my head " omg!!!!! so many people! praise God!", "aarghh..its super ultra HOT..sweating like crazy...", and "I don't regret coming here, I can't believe i ever even considered not coming". Haha. yeah, it started off with worship of course..fantastic..i love love love just worshipping with all other christians..just lifting up your hands..feeling God, singing your heart out, looking at all your fellow christians and thinking how amazing God is...after that it was like read-out prayers from this booklet, plus more worship, plus more prayers, plus prayer amongst groups for repentence for double-mindedness, which one of the preachers said was the biggest problem facing Christians today. Yeah, a bit of everything in turns.
Stuff that struck me like mad - or the most exciting events ( and i mean FANTASTICALLY EXCITING).
1) THE CHURCHES REUNITED!! ok what does that mean??? like, you know how there's always been a line or problems and disagreements and wadever between the conservatists/evangelicals (us included) and the charismatics/pentecostals. WELLL..on this very supremely amazing night, the main leaders of both groups representatives that is, they like hugged and apologised to each other for all the stuff they'd done wrong, like criticising each others' practices and all that, then accepted, then washed each others feet. EEEE, ok it was sooooo touching. i like cried =X well, teared at least.
2)One of the Messages.. - firstly, the first little msg was about how double-minded we are now..it's not just like not putting God first leh..listen up. it's that God is not our main focus, our light. Luke 10:33.He asked this, and i shall always remember it : if someone dug deeper into your heart, would you find Jesus Christ there? Or is there darkness, is there dota, is there SLEEP, is there "REST", is there fun, is there shopping, you know. The last sentence is what i say of course. Yeah, so pls pls pls people..especially all the youths...ask yourself this.. obviously i'm definitely NOT that marvellous la, like God is always first..but man after the GDOP..my mind has totally changed, as has my heart.
3) Another msg.. haha- err..this guy was talking about..long-suffering. hahaa!!!! and NOOOO it's NOT patience, mind you! it's tougher than that (dang). hahahaha. yeah..i mean, this totally applies to me, and wilfred too. I'm totally not insulting wilfred okie, haha, he knows. I hope. I love you wilfred! (not in the clara way *coughs*) It was about...how we should always not lose our temper..not get angry...and one more thing. " You should not smile, but feel angry on the inside" whooooa ok u have no idea how much that connected with me. It's totally true. Well.....hopefully never again! erm, as in, i won't get angry so easily anymore la. duh.=P ok, i feel bad..i know there was tons more to this fabulous msg..but i can't recall too clearly..aargh.
4) It's Prayer No. 4!!!!! - haha..ok sorry, it's just this prayer ultra super connected with me..i think it would connect with most other ppl out there too..actually, i could think specifically of some people who it would totally apply to....but man, isnt that like me having a log in my own eye? so i'm trying not to go and think like "oh man, if only _____ could see this and get it!" , ya know. =) I'll type out the whole prayer here soon..i hope i won't procrastinate.
5)Specific Praying for the Youths - who were there. They asked all the youths to stand up, then we repeated a prayer after one of the leaders, then they asked the whole standium of people to just stretch out and pray for all the youths standing, which was AMAZING, then a bunch of people, different people, like a teen, a pastor, female leader, they stepped up to the pulpit and prayed for the youths. It was so powerful. I loved it. We are the next generation - dont forget that=) The future of the ministry of GOD is in our hands leh!!! how can u still put something like sleep first??!! ok, obviously i'm not saying become a zombie, but you get it=_=
6) Worship - very powerful, as it always is when all the Christians gather together to worship the Lord. well, record-breaking baby. 24,000 ++ people were rocking that National Stadium tonight. I'm so blessed that i was one of them. We sang in English AND in chinese! haha. Because of course there are chinese churches, but we're all ONE. =) "How great is our God, sing with me how great is our God. And all will see, How great...how great is our God."
Eh...ok..so.....of course there's lots more..my heart is like jumping like mad..I'm encouraged and empowered. God is so amazing, do you guys realise how blessed you are to know Christ? =)) haha. Hopefully..this won't be some stupid one-off thing..then like tomorrow i'm back to "normal". I really want to change leh..that's how fantastic GDOP was. For God, and for my own good of course! Haha.
What quite saddens me still is what i feel is the state of our youth in church. Uh..i hope i'm not comparing exactly..but..well, other churches have like busloads of people who went..kinda thing? and their youth are all so enthu and onz and all that. And yet..our church..quite sad la. Like i said..Lydia and I thought like a lot of people wanted to go. I'm not sure, but like i think if it was some Hillsongs concert, or Delirious? concert..everyone would just be super enthu and excited and going in a huge group. But when they hear it's prayer..."i;m damn tired" " i have to study" etc..OF COURSE sometimes it's valid...but arrrgh..out of say, 50 youths...all 40 youths have a TRUE reason for not going? I doubt that k. Now then...pls don't bash me up when i see you next =) I speak what i feel.
Okay...well for all who didn;t go.....i feel sad for you cos u missed out on it..i mean seriously...you would not understand no matter how much i went " it was great! it was unbelievable!". In fact, i'm positive most people would just be like "uhhh..riiight..ook" and give me a wadever look. Think about it, you know you would, most of you. But..i pray that you guys will wanna go for the next GDOP. Keep 27th May 2007 free, ok? For God. Hopefully next time, our youth group people can be as enthusiastic about the wonders of prayer as all the other youths.
On the 4th of June, the world has been shaken. God lives, in His people, us. Do YOU want to be part of the revolutions? One day, every knee WILL bow. God rocks.