It's not as hard as it seems, or is it?

Took a minor leap this month, and led two devotional sessions over a period of two weeks. You see, doing ONE devotional session per month is BIG deal to me - in terms of how seriously I would prepare for it and execute it. Doubly serious, simply because I'm still new to it and it's to the audience of ONE you know... I'm saying yes to the stretching to keep myself on the edge yet not stretching till I burnout. Through this experience, I've come to one realisation - it's not as hard as it seems... but...

For one, I'm technically challenged - both in skills in playing the guitar and in my vocal power. I digress. I was often on the reserve team for the sports I took part in during my school time. I remembered training hard on my knees, hitting that ping pong ball against the wall for every practice. Albeit being on the reserve team, for obvious reasons, I took the training seriously. Never despise humble beginnings!

Back to the techniques. Honestly, I don't see myself improving over the next few months or significantly over the next year or so, not that I don't want to, just that it would take time. Yet month in month out, for now, I'll do one or two devotional sessions per month. After this month's attempt, I realised that the 'doing' is not hard - there are glitches here and there, and yes, totally not-perfect, but it's not 'impossible hard'.

The realisation is my 'oil level'... The 'but' in the "it's not as hard as it seems, but..." is the 'oil level'. Am I acquiring the oil of intimacy with God aka jealously keeping my chamber time with God, as mentioned in the Parable of Ten Virgins? I'm trying to manage my walk with God in ministry without neglecting my chamber with God time. I admit I haven't got 'it' yet. But the principle is - to go wide, I have to go deep... to do more, I have to buy oil... Going deep in the Lord is NOT automatic nor replaceable by ministry. Our walk with God will NOT automatically become better but it will surely automatically decline if we don't keep the diligence and delight in drawing close to Him!

Before you think buying oil is a strategy for ministry, which we sometimes subconsciously do at one time or another, take a step back and 'reformat'! 'nuff said.

Many ministries seek to grow wide without the foundation of going deep in the Lord. This is akin to putting the cart before the horse. The detrimental outcome can only be salvaged by our gracious God if we realise and turn... When our heart gets more excited about ministry than with God, it's a sign to re-examine our priorities, and our heart! Ministry happenings can be exciting - especially if we see lives changed under the power of God, miracles, breakthroughs etc. Yet may our hearts be utmostly (I invented this word :) satisfied with God and God alone.

Let's buy oil... it's really not that hard, yet it is hard work for the wise who choose to buy oil and set their hearts to know and love God as the priority in their lives...

Songs 1:4

"...draw me away, we will run after you..."