Life together

If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.

This applies in a special way to the complaints often heard from pastors and zealous members about their congregations. A pastor should never complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men.

. . . let [the pastor or zealous member] nevertheless guard against ever becoming an accuser of the congregation before God. Let him rather accuse himself for his unbelief. Let him pray God for an understanding of his own failure and his particular sin, and pray that he may not wrong his brethren. Let him, in the consciousness of his own guilt, make intercession for his brethren. Let him do what he is committed to do, and thank God.

Life Together, Bonhoeffer, p.29 

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you

Bind them around your neck 

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favour and good success 

In the sight of God and men. 

Proverbs 3:3-4

Perfect our service

It's pastor Raymond's wedding tomorrow and here I am, right after completing some of my readings for next week. My mind was caught up contemplating the process of rehearsals, everything leading up to today.

I suppose I do need to commit this into the hands of God, if anything, I witnessed the glaring flaws in our service. The lack of focus, willingness, intention and the grumpiness here and there.
There are only a few hours left and I know now, more clearly than ever that only God can perfect our service. So I pray, for all who are involved tomorrow, from the kids who will walk the aisle, the youths who will sing, the adults who busy with many other things I pray that they will all be of one mind to bless Raymond.
Not all of us are serving of our own accord but nonetheless there remains time to align our hearts to servitude.
I pray especially for Zheng Yang who is helming the powerpoint and I thank you because you have made him a diligent person, what he lacks in raw talent he often makes up in effort. But the effort of man is futile, undependable, he rightly requested that we should pray for him too and so I do.

Finally, I pray for a good night's rest for everyone. May tomorrow be a day of true joy, happiness and bliss. May all who celebrate do so from the bottom of their hearts. May all who crave love look upon their brother and be satisfied, their joy for him tiding over their self concern, their hope renewed, their eyes turned to you.

And then more, because the wedding is just the beginning. You have not made us all material for husbandry, but just in every other service they shall likewise depend on You.