Revival

11 March 2008 was the last time I posted here. That's more than four years ago. I have no idea what I've previously mulled about and I am not about to look back there.

The truth is, I have been pretty laidback in my spiritual discipline of scripture reading and prayer without any real reason for it except that I've been complacent. (At least I have been regularly attending weekly small group meetings, I console myself.)

This year however, I have tried to be more consistent by using Daily Walk as a guide. Ideally, I should try to finish it by 31 December 2012 (it is a cover to cover companion), but I'm already 2 months behind. However, I'm not beating myself up over it. I try to make progress whenever I can and I am making more effort this year than last year.

The truth is, I had this Daily Walk as a gift to me a few years back which I brought to Melbourne (2006-2007), so technically, I should have gone through it a few times since.

This time however, things are going to be different, not just because I'm in the mood for spiritual resolution being Easter Sunday and all, but because I'm in a different place in my life now that warrants me to be more responsible and mindful.

I have reaped huge successes in my level of fitness. I have no inertia going to the gym almost daily for 1-2 hours each time firstly because my efforts have paid off - my shedding the pounds, secondly because the geek and I are highly accountable to each other in this dept and thirdly because personally I want to begin the next chapter of my life (possible milestone in the horizon - marriage) not feeling defeated by obesity that has plagued me all my life and also to present myself in the best possible form to my significant other - gift of self.

So if I have attained a sizable measure of success with a life long problem that is only after all earthly and merely benefits my perishable physical body with a finite shelf-life, shouldn't I also apply the same level, if not a higher degree of conscientiousness for that which has eternal significance? Also, since I am a firm believer that marriage has a spiritual dimension that I want to prepare a strong foundation for, I should start getting my spiritual tools and building blocks in order. For “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand in guard in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

Today, I plummeted to a new low in my complacency - I spent Easter Sunday at work. There is a 6 day intensive workshop for a handful of students that culminates today. My job is to pop by a bit over the week to help document the processes i.e. I need to be there at times. However, I spent most of the time at work completing my own marking. So actually, if I had the will power to manage my time better, I could have dealt with my deadlines before today (being long weekend, I had ample opportunities to do so) and still made it to church in addition to snapping some photos of the workshop.

I rationalised all day that Easter is only one day in the year. God is bigger than the calendar year. God is with us all year round and festivals are over rated. I was productive at work no doubt, from 10am to 8pm and still had the discipline to go the gym from 8pm to 10pm.

Then towards the end of the day, I felt a gently prompting that referred my mind to what little I have covered in Daily Walk (I'm now at the drudgery of the myriad of rules and festivals of Leviticus) that time set aside in calendar cycles is important enough for God to sanction it explicitly to the Hebrews. Since we are on earth, we need earthly reminders. Of course in the Old Testament, although Easter is not mentioned as a Feast Day or day of remembrance, it is not any less important.

So, from now on. I shall chart my baby steps and little victories as well as set backs more regularly in this blog which (going back to the title of this post) shall encounter a Revival. And you whom I have made known this blog to, you're the folks I'm virtually accountable to. Although it is not a blog made private, it is also not receiving much publicity, quite intentionally. So yes, please feel free to get interactive with me here as we run the good race.