Take the Leap NOW

In the age of growing mobility, traveling has become one of the newest trends in terms of hobbies and interests. People nowadays no longer need to be afraid whenever they go from one place to another.

However, that it is not the case for one's spiritual life. The Christian life is not one to be characterized with human predictability. Oftentimes do we get so surprised with how one day, one week, one month can change a lifetime. In the Bible, we often see this happening in the lives of ordinary people whom the Lord used extraordinarily. But there has always been a prerequisite--that is, the willingness, the courage, the determination to take a leap of faith immediately when God says so. The Bible simply tells believers that God's best awaits them, once they take a leap of faith NOW. In this piece, two legendary Christians will be discussed. Both of them share a striking commonality--a life turned for the better, because they both obeyed and followed the Lord in faith, immediately after He told them to do so.

In the Old Testament, there is this true story of Father Abraham. His comfort was in Ur, where familiarity abounded--his family, relatives, land, cattle, riches, and everything else were there. To him, that was stability. That was peace, not until the Lord changed His life. The Lord called him to immediately prepare to leave. He had to pack up and straightway leave familiarity in exchange for the unknown. Imagine being called to an unknown place, all of a sudden. Imagine the abruptness of everything—we could only wonder how his family and friends reacted when he shared the Lord's calling upon him. Nevertheless. Abraham did not delay. He took the leap immediately. NOW. His faith in God's guidance, power, provision, and leading was so strong that he did not need to think twice. And because of his obedience, he was rewarded greatly by the Lord, as the "Father of All Nations." The unimagined superseded the imagined. He did not need to put in his own efforts. He did not need to trust in his experiences. He only needed to entrust oneself to the Lord, immediately as he was called.

Likewise, a man in the New Testament was turned upside down, 180 degrees, because of putting one's life immediately into the Lord's care. This man had a terrible, dark past. He was known for terrorizing, abusing, murdering, and persecuting the early Christians. He was famous for his intense anger and hatred towards Christianity. That has been his label. That has been his top affiliation. That has been his reputation, not until the Lord transformed his destiny and path. The Apostle Paul is one true example of one who always acted immediately after God's order and commands. He took the leap, NOW. On his way to Damascus, he had met Christ, and was asked to follow Him in becoming the Apostle to the Gentiles. As Paul has said, "old things have passed away, behold all things are made new." He did not think twice as to how this change ought to transform him from his past reputation, achievements, affiliations, circle of friends, and experiences. The fear to be rejected, despised by his very own 'home' did not hinder him from fully and totally surrendering his life and will to the Lord--his true Heavenly Father, and to His church--his rightful home. He has still been one of the most outstanding apostles that have ever lived. He sparked a worldwide change through evangelism that he has never once imagined before. Because of his unwavering faith in God, despite the pain, aches, trials, and testing that came his way, he was sold out in immediately answering God's call to wherever the Spirit lead him.

These two great men did not start great. They started from lowly places. They started from the four corners of their individual comfort. For Abraham, it was his familiarized life. For Paul, it was his dark past. Nevertheless, the Lord was able to change them, to take them from where they were to where God wanted them to be. This is the same God who works in us. If you are reading this, and you just seem to find yourself lost in all the noise, chaos, rumblings of the world, the Bible urges us to look and listen to God's call, and cleave to it NOW. Though the enemy may use his distractions in full force--though we may have shipwrecks and famines amidst our families, relationships, ministries, workplace, studies and many others--just as the Lord has sustained these 2 great people, so shall he sustain His children who follow Him wholeheartedly and immediately by faith. The Bible is reminding us that a remarkable and extraordinary future spearheaded by God awaits us. Though the Christian life is largely unpredictable through human effort, God's faithfulness is ever predictable, and certainly, though life may seem to be a maze for now, but the Lord and His ways will just amazingly fall before us. Though we might feel like we have been placed at the cliff, with no roads left before us, the Lord only asks of us to trust His arm that is strong enough to defend and carry us to places we have never imagined.

As the Bible constantly rings out these truths, may we take them into heart:

"Do not be afraid.

Fear not.

Be strong in the Lord.

Stand fast.

Take a leap of faith--

For one's good, growth and God's glory alone,

NOW."

(This essay won 1st place, once again, in the 2019 Talent Fest in Bible College. Once again surprising, I wondered as to how this piece was able to win, knowing that it was written in less than 30 minutes, on my mobile phone, while I was seated in front of a table in school with my schoolmates, waiting for our choir/group singing practice. I honestly had difficulty in coming up with what to write. My friends saw me pondering as to where shall I draw strength for this piece. Until finally, the Lord reminded me of the theme for this year's essay writing contest, "NOW," as well as the most significant moment in my life this 2019--the moment when the Lord, out of a sudden, asked me to take a step of faith in terms of my professional growth. More of that will be discussed in my 2019 Year-Ender post (I'm still gathering enough words, strength, and time to write about that.) Nevertheless, this year has been pointing out to me one truth, and that is, God's best awaits His children in the land of the unknown, and that God's wondrous workings in our lives will only begin once we surrender and abandon our own plans and entrust ourselves to the journey and to the process He has prepared for us. 2019 has taught me that His seasons are best enjoyed with an attitude of trust, gratitude, and faith--immediately cleaving to His sovereignty in changing times. Truly, the Lord has been good. November 2019 specifically has been THE month where everything fell on their divinely-designated places, all because I chose to fully trust His leading and direction. I hope and pray that this piece would also inspire you to reflect--firstly, on one's personal relationship with the Lord (which I hope you have), second, on what God is asking you to do now (which I hope you would submit to), and third, on where God has brought you so far by grace through faith (which has always been the key to living joyfully--by grace through faith in Christ alone). To God be the glory!)