30 January, Monday — “I am with you always…”  

Monday of Week 4 in Ordinary Time

Heb 11:32-40  
Mk 5:1-20

“Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.”

As we approach the end of the first month of the year, have we made any resolutions? And have we taken steps to keep them? Common resolutions are to procrastinate less, to run a marathon this year or even to eat healthy. Very often, people who make these resolutions give up after the first month in the new year. I am not really in the habit of making new year resolutions, but since the beginning of this year, I have felt the pulling or the call to be INTENTIONAL in all I do. Whether at work, my prayer time or even my run training, to make the intention and to do it.

But what I do try at the end of every year is to review the past year and the areas in my life where God has blessed me, and where God has led me to do His will. As I reviewed 2022, I acknowledged that the Lord has again blessed me. Although it was a little challenging on the work front and in my spiritual life, the Lord has shown me that He has always had my back. He was the one that carried me, at times, in my walk with Him.

This sense of the Lord always being with me has resonated with me very strongly since my CER back in 2015. And especially this verse:

“Behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Matt 28:20

At that CER, the Lord revealed to me His constant presence through the difficulties I experienced while growing up, through the uncertainties in my education journey and the struggles in my early career. He revealed that He has always been with me — journeying with me and keeping me on the straight and narrow.

I had always wanted to tell everyone of how the Lord has been so good to me; to also participate in the great commission to “make disciples of every nation”. But the fear and hesitation were always there. How do I make Him known other than living a life based on the 2 great commandments of loving God and loving my neighbour?

Then out of the blue, I was asked to be a contributor to Oxygen. To write personal reflections of my spiritual journey. My immediate response was “No lah!!” There were a million excuses to rejecting this request — “I am not a writer; I would totally suck at this; Who would want to read my reflections? I am not good enough. I am not a storyteller. I am afraid.”

Too many justifications for not doing it. But only one to say ‘yes’.

“Just do it. I am with you.”

The Lord revealed to me, “Just tell the stories of how I have been in your life, how, because of me, you have never lost faith. The Holy Spirit will guide you to tell others of all I have done for you.”

So, I took the plunge, said YES, and have never looked back. It has indeed been cathartic to reflect and to pen down these reflections. As long as these reflections touch one person, I have done the Lord’s will and glorified him with my life and the gifts and talents that He has bestowed upon me.

I still haven’t made any resolutions for 2023; and I probably won’t. But I will continue to thank the Lord for His continued blessings and to tell everyone of all the things He has done for me.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Calvin Wee)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have always been in my life. Blessing us always with your presence and your Holy Spirit to guide us in glorifying You. We humble ask for the humility to be still and discern your will. And also for the strength to do your will and the courage to tell the world of your goodness. Amen

Thanksgiving: Almighty God, thank you for your promise of always being with us. Thank you for the gifts and talents that You have bestowed upon us. And thank you for the opportunity to tell to all, how You have been so good to us. Let us never take You for granted and to continually give thanks and praise to You. Amen.