Love the
Lord to Last
Jesus replied, “You must LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” Matthew 22:37
“I want to know God, I know that Jesus loves me, but I don’t know what His
purpose to my life is.” Nica shared with sincerity. She is 27 years
old. She was one of the ladies that have heard the Christmas message I shared
last year. One day, she came with Sreyleak to join the Bible study class. One-on-one
talk with Nica allowed me to know her life’s aspirations. She is a new believer
and has the heart to serve the Lord. Nica wants to know more about Jesus Christ.
She shared how she wandered off, she went to different places in the country to
work and to find happiness, but she did not find it until she returned to
Battambang where Jesus ‘love found her. Will Nica be able to love and serve the
Lord without knowing Him first? This is an exciting journey for Nica! The fire
in her heart to know the Lord is vivid. She now believes that only God can
quench her quest for love and happiness.
Cambodia has currently registered more confirmed COVID -19
cases with deaths since the onset of the pandemic in January last year. Early
2021 all the government and private schools were in a haste to open after
almost a year of being closed. It resumed all its classes for almost two months
and all seemed back to normal. However, the sudden spike of COVID -19 on the
February 20 event in Phnom Penh has led the country into a fright. The
government has banned all mass gatherings in the country again. No Khmer New
Year celebration twice in a row. Group
Bible studies among students at Shine had changed also, and I have to adjust
patiently, aside from being flexible and creative, I must be extra careful
also. The attendance was on and off yet our one-on-one intentional discipleship
continues as lately we don’t have COVID cases in Battambang. Praise the Lord!
Now we are back to online group Bible study and prayer meetings. Meanwhile, the
Evangelical Fellowship Cambodia (EFC) leadership team in the northwest met and
plan on what to do as the upcoming fellowship this April is being put on hold.
Sreyleak received another job offer but not in Battambang, it’s in Poipet, border of Cambodia and Thailand. Her heart was confused on whether to accept the job offer or stays in Battambang to continue her Bible study class and finish her skills training at an NGO? She asked for prayer and was happy that she made up her mind and chose to stay with peace in her heart as COVID cases are increasing in different provinces. Her love to learn new things is evident as she gives her best in her performances; however, she must know to love the Lord most. I witnessed her prayer last two weeks ago for the first time; the site gave me goosebumps, as I remembered 5 years ago how strong she was in her belief in Buddha. Sreyleak graduated as an agriculturist, she tried to grow mushrooms and worked in different jobs in Battambang, yet she is uncertain about what her future job would look like. Nevertheless, what matters is she received the love of Jesus and is now starting to follow His will.
What does it mean to love the Lord and last? I remember the
woman with the beautiful alabaster jar. Jesus said, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been
forgiven—as her great love has shown…” (Luke 4:47). Jesus told everyone, “Truly
I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has
done will also be told…” (Mark 14:9). Her
story with Jesus reminded me of what does it mean to love the Lord and last. The woman may have seen her action as merely
an expression of love for Jesus, yet her act of love and devotion served a
larger plan in the purpose of God. What was in her heart has shown in her
deeds. Perhaps the story encourages us
to show our love to Jesus. But we have to remember that it’s not about
the breadth of things we do, it’s about the depth in which we do them. The greatest commandment is to love
Him over our whole lives. This was my motivation for having the first Shine
Heart’s Day Evangelical Banquet night in February this year. Tedious
preparation was necessary not only for the food and venue but also for His Word.
God provided the needed people to help materialized and executed the plans with
success. I have invited a loving missionary couple to help me with the open
forum discussions, Mr. & Mrs. Myra Sanchez. The main goal was to share the
unconditional love of Jesus and the beauty of waiting and trusting God. The
attendance was majority were ladies as I have only one man at this time in the
Bible study class. I don’t do cross-gender intentional discipleship. All of
them felt special and loved when they experienced the whole process of it.
Praise the Lord! At the end of the banquet, they have promised to wait upon the
Lord and remain pure while waiting for the right person in their life. We
prepared a simple inexpensive ring for each one of them, as a covenant symbol
of waiting, trusting, and loving God.
Singim and I have visited Dara and her family before the
spike of COVID cases in the country. We have a good fellowship over the muffins
that I baked for the whole family. The sharing time with Dara and her husband
was more intimate at this time around. I was able to hear their current
situation as a young parent. Almost everyone in the family had shared about
their praise and thanksgiving to God for His loving mercy and grace to them.
Dara is preparing herself to start teaching in a far distant district of NW end
of April. Sivhuern is currently teaching in Pursuat province, doing online
classes. Om Pheng, Dara’s grandmother shared that her heart of believing Jesus
has now reached 85%. I was just listening to her and by the leading of the Holy
Spirit; I was able to talk to her that Jesus deserves her 100%. She said, time
will come and she’ll believe in Jesus completely. Nevertheless, she was happy
to be prayed for with Jesus’ blessings.
Love the Lord by loving His Word. Mak Ya and Mak Chan are now starting to
memorize scriptures. It’s not easy for them, but little by little their
starting to remember at least one verse in a week with me. Singim also received
the One Year Bible Reflections (NLT) that was given to me by a dear friend,
Chinky F. during my furlough. This is a huge book with 1,396 pages. I have to
use it ahead of time before giving it to our disciples here at the center. I am enjoying it as there are 4 parts in the
Bible each reading, two stories from Old and New Testament, then a portion of
Psalms and Proverbs.
Praises & Thanksgiving:
1. Nica and Sreyleak’s desire to be discipled for the Lord
Jesus.
2. Shine’s First Evangelical Banquet Night.
3. Cambodia Teachers Community (CTC) online prayer meetings
twice a month.
4. Intentional Discipleship and Mentoring: Leakhena, Singim,
Daneth, Lyna, Mak Ya, Mak Chan, Sreyleak, & Nica.
5. Dara & Sivhuern with baby Vivo and the whole family
are safe after the exposure of Danoch, Dara’s sister to her classmate at school
whose father was found out to be positive in COVID 19 early March.
6. Good health, provision—your faithful partnership, and
protection.
Prayer & Supplication:
1. Wisdom for the government leadership in combating the
spread of the virus--COVID 19 as this week is the country’s long holiday, Khmer
New Year. 8 markets in Battambang will be closed for 7 days, starting today.
2. Flindy’s good health, another BSOP missionary soon to
join the team in Cambodia after she recovered from COVID 19.
3. Intentional Discipleship that I will be creative, wise,
and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit especially with the situation
of COVID 19 in the country.
4. Intimate relationship with God in His Word and prayer. Good
health, peace, wisdom, and protection.
5. Complete healing to my nephew, Jerome. He had surgery in
Manila. Now, he is recuperating well at home. God’s leading into his life; he desires to
study in Bible school. He is a security guard in a bank.
6. Shine cell group ministry and Discovery class with Ah
Vin, Sopheak, Sreylene, & Sreylis.
7. Evangelical Fellowship Cambodia (EFC) leaders and Pastors
in northwest Cambodia. We are supposed to have a seminar and fellowship this
April but it is being put on hold because of the current situation of COVID. I
will be facilitating personal goal setting, time to prepare more. But I have to
send my PowerPoint preparations to the Leadership team as soon as possible.
As we continue to meditate on the message of the cross during this challenging time, let us ponder together on these questions:
How can I love God more fully and what can I do to show love to others that have a lasting impact?
Thank you so much for your faithful prayer and partnership
in missions during this trying time. You are in my thoughts and prayer.
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine, and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 11:13-15
--
In
Christ,
Mary Jane G. Aragon
BSOP
Cambodia missionary
https://mjaragonbsop.blogspot.com
P.O. 369 Box
Battambang City, Kingdom of Cambodia
+855770305008
Comments
Post a Comment