Pleasure and Offering

I’m sure my Christian friends will agree when I say living the Christian Life is not merely difficult. It is impossible! Sometimes even if we are set on our plans to commit our lives to the Lord, there are hindrances that are bound to come our way. Hindrances that are not even evil in nature and by themselves are neutrally good. But these things will come to shake us, test our priorities and present a difficult choice for us.

Last Sunday I experienced just that.

I woke up really early on Sunday. My friends from work and I signed up for UNICEF’s Walk with Child campaign. It was a walk and run for a cause. I just had an hour and a half sleep but still I dragged myself out of bed when I heard my phone ringing – Cicelle was calling me already to wake me up! We all agreed to meet at Jaka Bldg at 5:00 in the morning and at precisely 4:55am, I was there in front of the building.

 

It was a long morning! I will no longer narrate the happenings and events during the fun run… Maybe I will if I get a chance to post the pictures… (That is if I get a copy from Ms Lorns because for a change, none of us from my group brought a camera.)

 

My friendly travel-mates had preexisting plan already of their activity for the rest of the day after the Fun Run. They are going to Pansol, Laguna to look for the venue for our department’s own and self-funded Christmas party. I already told them since Friday that I wasn’t coming but still they asked me to join them that day. I soooo wanted to join! It was an almost complete pack. And knowing these people, it was sure to be a fun fun fun day to spend with them doing ocular inspection of various private resorts.

 

But I had to beg off. It is Sunday, after all and part of my renewed commitment to go back to the Lord is to offer my Sundays and to offer my time and talent to be used in His ministry.

 

So with firm conviction, I asked them nicely if they can just please drive me home before they head to Laguna. Which they did, thanks to Carl. =)

 

They went their way and I went mine. I slept for three more hours when I got home then I woke up to get ready. I had to be at CCF by 2pm so I can attend the run-through for the 3pm praise and worship. So while they were out having fun visiting various private resorts, I was confined in the four walls of the CCF auditorium, using my time serving the Lord to through the ministry I chose… Singing.

After we finished prompting for the 3pm praise and worship, I sat at the right side, armed with my pen and notebook and all ears for the afternoon message. Then I received text messages from this same group of people, asking where was I and if I can go and meet them at B1’s house since he is cooking up something and it’ll be an afternoon of feasting.

 

Once again I was torn between wanting to go and meet them or just stay put where I was and give my full attention to the Ptr Bong’s message. Of course, the latter won. I texted back saying hopefully whatever dish they are cooking up will have some leftovers by dinner time because by then I could join them.

 

Yes, I may have missed an afternoon of togetherness with this set of friends. I may have missed the bickering, the jokes, and the funny antics of everyone in the group…

However, knowing and realizing where my focus and priority for that particular Sunday is and being able to actually carry out and continue on with my focus of spending time with my Lord makes it all worthwhile. I just realized that the offering is much sweeter when you actually had to deny yourself of something pleasurable in exchange of spending your time with the Lord.

 

And guess what? The lover of my soul did not allow me to miss much. Because after the singing, after the worship, after the fellowship with my ministry… I left CCF at around 8:00pm. Going where? On the way to meet this group! I still had a taste of B1’s yummy cooking. I still spent a few minutes with them (though they were all sleepy - or sleeping already when I got there). I still had a chance to enjoy. Period.

 

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;

I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good

- Psalm 54:6