ONCE IN A WHILE we see and hear a car that has been “souped-up.” As the engine idles beside you at the traffic light, you realise it is just an ordinary Japanese model that has been modified to give it that extra edge in picking up speed, giving the driver a feel of being in a racing car. It is like those we see in the movie “Fast and Furious”.
Merriam-Webster defines “souped-up” as enhanced or increased in appeal, power, performance, or intensity.
In my last article in this column, I made mention of leaders who are 1,000 cc but have deluded themselves into thinking that they are in the 3.5-litre league. They can be “souped-up.” Actually the term is an American slang for fuel used to power fast aeroplanes and cars. It includes also additional hardware in order to accomplish that.
While we can acknowledge certain limitations about ourselves, it does not necessarily mean that that is the end, especially when we believe in a God who also acts supernaturally. The point to start, however, is to acknowledge who we are not
and what we do not have. Humility is required here. Then when God acts we honestly recognise that it is His glory and His alone.
The fuel to soup up Christian leaders (and for that matter any believer in Christ) is faith that believes in the God with whom nothing is impossible. Mary found that out when informed that she was going to carry a Child not conceived through any human means (Luke 1:37). The disciples found that out when they could not cure the epileptic. (Matthew 17:20).
Peter demonstrated that faith when he said to the paralytic: “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you: in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6). It was an acknowledgement of what he did not have, but what the Lord could do through him.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, says Scripture. The New English Bible translates that as “gives substance to our hope”. Anyone who believes in the God who can do the impossible is a person filled with hope. He knows it is beyond him. It can only be God. Yet it is his faith that will turn into reality what he admittedly knows he is not capable of.
The Rev Dr Wee Boon Hup is the President of Trinity Annual Conference.
WHAT SPIRITUALITY MEANS TO ME
Spirituality is a long journey
WALKING WITH GOD
“Spirituality is a journey of learning about ourselves, of learning about God and of
learning about walking with God in all circumstances. It is not an easy journey.”
ONCE I ASKED A PERSON who is involved in ministry seeking to be ordained as a minister what would happen if he was not ordained. He was stumped for an answer.
I was deeply disappointed. Is ordination an end in itself or is it a process and a journey to discipleship or spirituality?
Spirituality is a process. It is a journey, a journey of learning about ourselves, of learning about God and of learning about walking with God in all circumstances.
It is not an easy journey, but ultimately we will find strength, hope, peace and freedom if we stay focused.
Someone shared with deep sorrow: Why did God allow all those terrible things to happen to me? Why must I bear so many tragedies in my life?
I empathised with her and I had no answers too. But I doubt we will ever find answers that will satisfy our mind or minimise the pain. e challenge is, no matter how difficult the situation we are in and how painful we feel, we still need to travel this journey and prayerfully, we learn something good and precious along the way.
Spirituality is like going through a tunnel. Often the tunnel seems endless and without light. But we could go through the tunnel by staying focused, differentiating what is important and what is not, letting go of what is temporal, and holding on to what is eternal.
At the end of the day, we could say to ourselves:
There is Light in time of Darkness.
There is Hope in time of Hopelessness.
There is Freedom in time of Bondage.
There is Peace in time of Trial.
There is Release in time of Pain.
There is Gain in time of Loss.
There is Comfort in time of Tears.
There is Life in time of Death.
There is Beauty in time of Brokenness.
There is God in time of Chaos.
By the grace of God, let us journey on. Amen!