Thursday, September 22, 2011

SBS in Taiwan - 6th month update



So here I am in Taiwan enjoying my 2nd quarter break. Over the last couple of days I went for a hike, watched the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with some of my friends and I am enjoying devotion times with God processing through with what I’ve been learning over the last months and praying for clear directions for what holds ahead of SBS. I am also getting some time to read some books. And so I am enjoying my break and I love the rest I’m getting. All of what I said above won’t make any sense if you have no idea of what I have been going through the last month. So here’s the update...


The last month started off on a great note with a great party we, as students, put forth for our SBS staffs. But then I had no clue of what was to hit me next. I spent 165 hours studying 800 years of the history of Israel beginning with the rise of Judges till the exile of Judah into Babylon. The amount of ink spent as my hands perspired while doing my assignments was nothing compared to the pain I went through of disciplining my mind, body and soul to focus on my study. But then as I turned in my last assignment on the book of Chronicles, I felt a sense of achievement + excitement anticipating the rest, but also seemed like a big wave of the realization of God’s Sovereignty rushing all over me that I could hardly contain or comprehend. All through the books of Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, I was encountered by a God who is Sovereign, not presented as an impersonal, fatalistic force, but as a personal being who responds in grace and mercy to the needs of the people, as a righteous God who punishes His children who rebel against Him and are disobedient yet forgives them when they repent from their sins. All through the pages of these books I could sense God’s heart for His people to walk in His ways and a godly leadership to lead His people into the same. I walked out from these books being highly impacted by the lives of ordinary people like Gideon, Samson, Ruth, Samuel, David, Solomon and Josiah yet their radical obedience, faith and strength in God helped them achieve the extraordinary.

As always I am thankful to God for bringing people like you into my life that makes me genuinely know that there is someone that is keen to know what is happening in my life and willing to pray and strengthen me in this journey. I would really appreciate your prayers for the last phase of my study here in Taiwan as we get into the wisdom literature and the minor and major prophets. Also I am trusting God for 50000 NT=1700 USD=80000 INR (approx.) that would help me pay off my remaining fees and cover my living and food expenses for the 3rd quarter. So please continue to pray for me that I would continue to trust God not just for my finances but also for strength to finish well. Keep me updated with whats happening in your life as well as I am praying for you too. 

Finally I wanna conclude with this thought that has been stirring me as I was reading one of the books this week,

“‘The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire’. – Field Marshall Ferdinand Foch.

May God Bless You in all your ways as you yearn to be set on fire by Him.

AMEN!!!