Ten Days Ten Lives (Intro)

“There’s too much to do here yet too little time to do so.” I thought as our team walked on the streets of Macau one quiet evening.

The past few days have been a flurry of activity ranging from helping the Macau church to bonding with the Macanese students. I believe that our team members have done their best to help spread the gospel in this part of the world. Still something disturbs me, as if all this is not enough to dent the lack of Christianity in this area.

“The harvest is ready but the workers are few” I mused again as stretched my arms to relax.

I’m tired… it seems that though victory in this nation is certain, it is far to the horizon. If only I could convince more people to serve in the mission field.

“What is in your hand?” said a voice in my mind which reminded me of a reluctant Moses as he faced the burning bush.

The venerable Old Testament leader faced a great deal of stress when he saw that he needs to free a nation with only the staff in his hand. In comparison, my problems are infinitely lighter than his. Still, he managed to free the Israelites and lead them to the Promised Land. I clutched my bag tighter and felt the familiar shape of my pen. A pen always accompany me in my travels, even though there are gadgets that could store my ideas more accurately, a ballpen is a more welcome means of writing down my ideas.

I could write about my experiences and help others to see how it feels like to be a short term missioner. No quicker did that thought crossed my mind when doubts of feasibility and hopelessness flooded my brain. I quickly thought that this is all a waste of time… but there’s a lingering feeling that there’s a way to do so. Both Moses and I have something better than a pen or a staff.

We have a God.

So my work on missions begins. I wish to write about the trials and obstacles that face the missioner but I also wish to write on the unexpected grace that abound for those who walks in this path. Though the path is a long and arduous one, it ends with joy and peace and refreshing view of what God has in store for you.

I also wish for people that are interested in supporting short term missioners and long term missionaries so that they would appreciate more how they help advance God’s kingdom through their prayers and sacrifices.

How could it Be?

All the heights of the sky

And the depths of the sea

They sing of You, my God

And proclaim Your glory

On the dark of the stars

You stretch the heavenlies

And the smallest of life

Cries of Your Majesty

Pre-Chorus:

In all of Your Wonder, In endless Grace

Still You came down, to seek us face to face

Chorus:

How could it be

That You’re mindful of me?

For this mote of life, Your Majesty?

How could it be

That You gave Life to me?

For the Son to die, to set me free?

Lord, How could it be?

How could it be?

That you are mindful of me, my Lord?

Prayer for Wisdom

Lord strengthen me as I learn more about You
As I walk Your path of righteousness
Lord give me the spirit of sound mind
Help me hear Your thoughts of future and hope

Lead me away from the wiles of stolen bread and water
Separate me from the company of the wicked, the furious and the scorners
Let me stay in Your house to learn
Let me call Wisdom my sister and Understanding my friend

Lord grant us the discernment of spirits
To be aware of the wolves set to destroy the flock
Give me courage to overcome them with Your goodness and truth
For You will see to it that their Father of lies will be crushed before us

In Jesus name, Amen

Thirteen Psalms

How long will You be silent
When I cry to You?

How long will Your Spirit move
While I withstand attacks?

How long will You hold off
When I ask for blessing?

How long will You forget
While I am rejected?

How long will You tarry
When I ask for comfort?

How long will You hide
While I am lost and without direction?

Still I will worship
For You have been good to me

Still I will praise
For You are the only one worthy

Still I will bow down
For You are always been my Lord

Still I will follow
For You have guided me always

Still I will be still
For You are my Salvation

Still I will trust
For You have never forsaken me

Still I will love You
For You have always loved me

Prayer for Equipping

Oh Lord my God, may You equip us with power of Your might
Bless us with a spirit of power, of love and of sound mind
As we battle against the devil and his minions

Let our loins be girded and our heart be guarded with the breastplate of righteousness
Let our feet be protected with the gospel of peace
As we spread Your story to the ends of the Earth

May we shelter upon the shield of faith which can quench the fiery darts of the wicked
Let our mind be at peace, encased in the helmet of salvation
As we learn and grow in Your path

May we wield the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God
Let Your living and double-edged Word guide us
As the Kingdom of Heaven forcefully advance

In Christ Our Lord. Amen

Wounded feet

Thud!

I tripped on my sword again and hit the dirt road face first. The aroma of the soil filled my lungs while the light rain pelted my back.

“My Lord, this sword is heavy and bulky” I said as I tried to extract myself from the mud.

The sword pressed heavily at my back. I have tried different methods of binding it to my person, and never let it out of my sight, as my Lord insisted. I found that I could easily carry the sword at my back although its point still juts behind me and the weight bears on my back. It took me a while to figure it out but when I move in a straight line, the sword did not bother me. However, when I stagger off His path, like this moment, the sword gets stuck in the ground causes me to trip. I do want to follow the straight path but my blistered feet ache to find another direction to ease the pressure off the wounds.

I tried to get out of the mud but to no avail. The sword and my gear weighed too much. I also felt that the water is slowly covering me. I tried to lift my face but it only made matters worse. The muddy water quickly filled the void that is left by my face and submerged me once more.

“Help me” I uttered before the mud finally covered my mouth.

At that instant I felt being pulled up in the mud. The next thing that I knew is that I’m seeing Him face to face, His concern peering through His broken features.

“Give me your burden; I will take care of it.” He said

I nodded and offered the heavy blade back. However, He insisted that I keep the sword on. He explained that rather trail along behind Him, I should be walking by Him instead which I did.

We still walked once more in the rain, but I feel a little different. My feet, though still blistered and swollen felt light. My face still feels itchy but I did not care much. I felt that by just walking with Him, I was able feel better.

---

My Lord stopped and pointed to a little girl by the roadside. She was silently weeping as she clutched her wounded left foot. The wind and the rain hid her tears and cries for help and her tattered muddy clothes that blended with the dirt road that we were traversing. I wouldn’t have noticed her presence had my Master not stopped and directed my attention towards her.

“Go, help the little one” He said.

“My Lord, I don’t know how to heal” I responded

I have no healing supplies with me and I only remember scant excerpts from the tomes found in the library.

“Yes you do know, it is a part of the grace that I gave you“ He replied “Now, bind her wounds”

I still hesitated for a while but I just followed His command. I approached the girl who for some reason managed to laugh at my mud-caked face and not fear the heavy sword at my side. It seems that she was actually comforted by the sight of the sword. I felt that she knew that it was meant to protect her and not to harm her. I slowly knelt beside her so as not to startle her and not to trip on my sword again. I lifted her foot carefully and covered it with my cloak to protect it from the elements. I then dried and bound it with clean clothes from my pack as meticulously as I could. I could always go back to the marketplace for new clothes but this girl might not be that fortunate.

“All done” I said after fixing her wounds, I still felt that my skill is inadequate but I took comfort on the fact that I’ve done all that I could.
“Thank you Sir!” she beamed back, as if my treatment was the best she got for a long time.

I started to rise and felt something different. I looked at my feet and saw that the blisters on my feet are healing.

I looked at my Master in amazement “How could this be?”

“I comforted you so that you could comfort others” He said

Psalm of Paths

O Lord, My God

Teach me Your ways,
Guide me to Your paths

Lead me to a plain path,
Direct me to the narrow gates
Show me the paths of life

Teach me how to reach You
Lord, teach me how to pray

Lead me to Your presence,
Let me stay there in the fullness of joy
May Your glory ever inspire me

My spirit is overwhelmed by my enemies
They have set snares in my path

But I know that You know my journey
You will provide a way to endure and escape
Your hand will lead me back in Your ways

Guide me O God, with your Word
May it be a light as I walk the path that You set

May your covenant and testimonies
Be with me as I walk with You
On paths of everlasting love and faithfulness