Day 3: Genesis 21-27

No strings attached

…”Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”

-        Genesis 21:12

Many times in life, we tend to hold on to something we think are too valuable to us. Some things in life are overstated that we tend to cling to these things too much.

I have always been a loner in my life. Yes, I do have a lot of friends, but I don’t really have that “the” friend. Thus, every time I get to be close with someone, I tend to be so clingy as a friend. Losing people that I love could have been one of my fears. I hate being neglected. I hate being left out. Thus, I would never let anyone go in my life. In fact, when me and Jake broke up last year that could have been the worst emotional pain that I have experienced in my whole life, yet.

But this situation does not apply only to my closest friends. It also relates to my disciples. The first time I handled a strong cell was when I was in my second year in college. I built a strong relationship with two of my cell members until they had their encounter and my leader decided to promote them to her primary 12. Being a leader who focused too much on completing “my” 12, that has hurt me quite a lot. At first I didn’t understand at all. Why did my cell have to sacrifice these two leaders who were suppose to be a part of “my” 12 just for the sake of her own 12?

Probably, Abraham would have had the same feelings when Sarah wanted to banish Hagar and Ishmael. To think that Ishmael is Abraham’s son, how could he not be hurt? But God answered it clearly.

Some things are worth letting go of.

The God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

-        Genesis 21:19

The Birth “Right”

“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said, “What good is the birthright to me?”

-        Genesis 25:32

The sealing of the 144 leaders last Sunday made most of us very emotional. I was there, at the back of my leader as we were being prayed for by our mentor in the G12 vision. I won’t deny it. I was too excited when they called us in front as I hurried to go in front right at the back of my leader. While Bishop Frank was preaching us the 7 Folds of blessing, I was with mixed emotions of gratefulness and obligation. I was not called in that very moment for nothing. I know not all the leaders there felt the same but God made it as a confirmation to me that I am indeed born to be a leader, to be the continuation of the book of Acts. That every moment, I felt like my leader’s words while she was teaching me about protecting my birthright was coming into me. I wasn’t just understanding it. I was actually acting on it. It was like I went in the shoes of Jacob. That was the moment that God has recognized the fight that I did for that birth right. And so now, I’d never let it go like Esau did.