An Endless Line
It's been more than a decade since I took the train from this point of the Light Rail Transit, which nis now hooked up to its EDSA line. The way I remembered it when I was still taking the commute, it was more chaotic, and the crowd numbering by the thousands every morning, which makes this a perfect place to fish, as was directed to us last night by the Lord when brother Roland asked me where we can meet to minister on his day-off. This line extends longer than the SM North line, with two separate queues coming from opposite directions. Slower moving as well, giving us ample time to present the Gospel in its entirety.
The tracts we brought flew off our hands easily. I reckon even a thousand would still be short as the people steadily asked for a tract even before the previous one left my hand. We were assisted with power today in delivering the law, the Lord's redemption, the judgement to come, and Christ Jesus crucified who was raised from the dead. The crowd was visibly attentive and listening with intent as I pleaded and literally begged for the people to consider their ways, and not disregard the Lord's merciful hand that is extended to them today. We preached for more than two hours till our speakers died out, but with a crowd this size I figured eight or even nine anointed preachers would be needed for both right and left lines. May the Lord send more laborers into his harvest.
Brother Roland and I had sweet fellowship over late breakfast at the nearby ChowKing as we shared each other's burden for a ministry of prayer. Our food grew cold on us as we found it hard to stop talking about the Lord's kindness and mercy, we had to force ourselves to eat. It is always such a blessed time when I get to converse with true brethren, where the talk is nothing else but about Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
I would say this: there is a big difference in being harsh for the sake of being harsh, and being harsh for the sake of the truth; just as there is a big difference between using the rod of correction on your child in love, and using it just to vent out your anger and frustration. It is the heart of the preacher that matters in this case, if he has been soaked in the presence of God for hours on end before he even begins to finally open his mouth. The Lord says, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." But I know and see preachers who, out of sincerity but sheer neglect, simply treat ministry as a chore, go out and deliver, either by mind or by rehearsed phrases, the oracles of God. Sadly, ministry is one of the great idols of Christianity. They tend to wear their years of service as badges of pride. But the workers who endured the heat of the whole day would have just the same as the ones who endured at the last hour. We are all unprofitable servants. It is all about the Lord Jesus Christ, not us.
Truth, motivated by love, will be harsh in itself. The harshness of truth will indeed wound the rebellious, but you would have delivered yourself from the hand of God because you spoke it in love. There is still no compromise, but you would have stood for the Lord just the same.
I would say this: there is a big difference in being harsh for the sake of being harsh, and being harsh for the sake of the truth; just as there is a big difference between using the rod of correction on your child in love, and using it just to vent out your anger and frustration. It is the heart of the preacher that matters in this case, if he has been soaked in the presence of God for hours on end before he even begins to finally open his mouth. The Lord says, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." But I know and see preachers who, out of sincerity but sheer neglect, simply treat ministry as a chore, go out and deliver, either by mind or by rehearsed phrases, the oracles of God. Sadly, ministry is one of the great idols of Christianity. They tend to wear their years of service as badges of pride. But the workers who endured the heat of the whole day would have just the same as the ones who endured at the last hour. We are all unprofitable servants. It is all about the Lord Jesus Christ, not us.
Truth, motivated by love, will be harsh in itself. The harshness of truth will indeed wound the rebellious, but you would have delivered yourself from the hand of God because you spoke it in love. There is still no compromise, but you would have stood for the Lord just the same.
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