While Christmas is coming..
Posted by ardianto86 at 09:31 AM on December 21, 2008.
I went to KKR GRII at Singapore Poly at 14th Dec last time, but somehow I didn't really feel that it was meant for Christmas, rather it was some other special event held at Singapore Poly, perhaps because I am still busy doing my FYP or its just very far before 25 Dec. I went to GRII church today, and youth Christmas at GKY.
The youth Christmas in GKY Sunter always brings a 'Christmas' feeling. The choice of songs, decoration, and atmosphere as if we were brought to witness the real time when Jesus was born and there were angels singing joyful melodies. The music sounds grandeur too, with the frequent trumpet and drums (from the keyboard) as though the King was really born in the day itself. We were invited to feel the 'Christmas atmosphere', and perhaps it can make us understand and reflect more about the whole story of Jesus. There might be two objections. Firstly, of course, Christmas was not really on 25 December, and it is awkward to make such celebrations. But here is the time when we can reflect. True, everyday should be Christmas, and we should remember Jesus. But here is a special day to wake you up and reflect, and if we have not remembered and reflected enough, here is the time for a wake up call. What we should escape is the spirit to evade Christmas traditions, mentioning that everyday should be Christmas, but then we live any other day without reflecting at all. Secondly, I rethink that emotions is not really that wrong. True the choice of the joyful songs perhaps are the ones that bring about those 'Christmas emotions', and surely things like so lasted for a short while. But does it counts toward praising God? Or are we simply being carried away by the music? The KKR in GRII was more 'usual', doctrinal, not overjoyed, etc. Then a thought flashed through my mind that we should love God with all our hearts, mind and soul. Does this then, count towards the 'heart' part? For music, decorations and atmosphere surely arouses emotions.. should we 'love God with all our heart despite circumstances?' Yes, but should we then neglect all circumstances that tends to arouse those emotions? Hm.. complicated issue. Yeah..and today I reflected that all this while I had seldom love God with all my heart, just with my mind perhaps (and if i don't misinterpret what praising God with all my mind means), and soul? Hmm.. there are still things that I really don't understand.
The message in GRII today was about John the Baptist, who was appointed by God to prepare the way before the light (Jesus). The core of the message was so that we are witnesses of Christ, and our aim is so that Christ be glorified, not us. I think it is a good message to bring about before Christmas comes, when all the drama teams were busy, all the choirs sing, so that everyone remembers who is supposed to be glorified. Not the church, not the denomination, not us, but Christ.
The analogy that caught my attention in the GKY youth Christmas: if you choose wrongly a road, you will regret one day. if you choose wrongly your hairstyle, you will regret for one month. if you choose wrongly a spouse, you will regret a lifetime. if you choose wrongly your Savior, you will regret for eternity. So I think, still, although a spouse is important, we should think about the truth more, since it weighs more. Sometimes I feel we really need to consider what is more important than what to set efforts spent accordingly.