Faith, Worship, Arts
Monday, 20 June 2022
Mizuhiki Butterfly and Thai Line Art
Saturday, 19 February 2022
About Time
These are my notes for a devotion time with some artists.
Opening song: In His Time
Biblical Concepts of Time:
1. Time is in His hands
"Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16
"My times are in your hands." Psalm 31:15a
→ God is in control!
Time is NOT our master, God is! So don’t get stressed out by the ticking clock or looming deadlines. Look to God for help in managing time.
2. Time is fluid
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14
"A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night." Psalm 90:4
→ God is beyond time!
God’s work also transcends time so don’t be limited by time but be flexible and when prompted or as necessary, take time to dream and smell the flowers, connect with people, or simply to rest.
3. All times are appointed by Him
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… He has made everything beautiful in its time." Ecclesiastes 3:1,11a
"He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands." Acts 17:26
→ God's timing is perfect!
Trust in His plans and purposes for all that happens - no time/season is ever wasted.
Sometimes we may have to wait upon the Lord for His perfect time.
4. We are made for eternity
"He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11b
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18
→ God is eternal!
Some things we hold as important may actually be inconsequential, so spend time focusing on the things that are of greater eternal value from God’s perspective.
Greek Concepts of Time:
Chronos - sequential time, a specific amount of time such as a day or an hour
Time is a gift, not our enemy. How can we use it to be a blessing?
Kairos - an opportune time, a "moment" or a "season" such as "harvest time"
Do we understand the times and seasons, as well as know our roles in what He is doing so we can partner with Him?
Synchronos - happening at the same time
Are we walking in step with Him, not running ahead nor lagging behind?
Poem and video of swans - synchronised swimming
Eschaton - the last, the final event, the end of the world, the climax of history
There is an expiry date for our lives and even for this world, so how should that impact what we do with the time that we have left?
What is God saying to you about time, whether it's about your time on earth (macro) or a specific time in your life - past, present or future (micro)?
Saturday, 5 February 2022
"Navillera" - also highly recommended!
Thursday, 27 January 2022
"Run On" - highly recommended!
Just finished watching the K-drama series "Run On" and fell in love with these purple shoes that one of the male leads (Kang Tae-Oh) gave to the woman he loved (Sooyoung), so I tried to sketch them.
In fact, I loved the entire series a lot as it's all about grace and acceptance cos everyone's unique and nobody's perfect. Also about parental expectations vs embracing each child's dreams and passion. Lots of healing and reconciliation through open and honest conversations too.
It portrays a realistic view of life, love, family and friendship with all the challenges and roadblocks. But as the title suggests, we not only have to keep running, we must also cheer each other on through the ups and downs so we can all get to the finish line!
P.S. the bonus was having an artist as one of the male leads (Kang Tae-Oh), and a film translator as one of the female leads (Shin Se-Kyung). It was so fulfilling to see how they expressed themselves and found solace through the arts.
P.P.S. also quite remarkable that three of the four lead actors (Siwan, Kang Tae-Oh, Sooyoung) are actually popular K-pop singers and they can act well too. So talented!
Wednesday, 26 January 2022
It's all about people - reflections on Matthew 14:13-21
- Jesus and John the Baptist taken from a scene in the series "The Chosen"
- Jesus and the twelve disciples taken from a scene in the movie "Son of God"
- crowd photos
- https://i0.wp.com/www.demystifyasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/asian-people.jpeg
- https://jooinn.com/crowd-of-people.html#gal_post_86976_crowd-of-people-6.jpg
- https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/crowd-gm536292325-57563024
- https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/group-of-happy-people-looking-at-camera-gm1029925066-275975340
Sunday, 5 December 2021
Love is...
“Omnia vincit amor: et nos cedamus amori” — Virgil, Ecl. 10.69
As we approach Christmas, I pray that we will all experience the greatest and truest 'Love' of all and that our hearts will soften and surrender to His Love. After all, as Christina Rossetti has written:
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
Saturday, 27 November 2021
The opposite of fear is…
Here are the notes from an activity that I facilitated for a group of artists, followed by my own sharing of what I received while doing it.
Question: What do you think is the opposite of fear? (choose one only)
Faith
Hope
Love
All of the above
Answer:
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18a
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
→ Only when we have experienced His perfect love and unconditional acceptance are we able to
Trust in Him fully that everything He has planned for us is for our good
Believe that He will never leave nor forsake us
Base our hope on His unfailing promises
Face all adversity without fear
Often, it's a matter of changing our perspective to see things from God's perspective. The next activity will hopefully help us to do just that.
Activity:
1. Using your digital sketching/drawing app, write down all the fears (including worries & anxieties) you have.
2. Draw the outline of a big heart around all your fears. Colour it in slowly, stroke by stroke, to cover over all your fears while giving your fears to God and asking Him to reveal His love for you.
Play these songs while artists are drawing and colouring the heart:
I Will Fear No More by The Afters
Stand in Your Love by Josh Baldwin
3. Write on the heart key words to help you remember what He spoke to you just now. You could also draw pictures/symbols to represent what He has shown you.
Play this song while artists are writing/drawing on the heart:
Rest in Your Love by Martin Nystrom
4. Take turns to share.
1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
2 Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.