Joshua 12:1-6
These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah:
Sihon king of the Amorites,
who reigned in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.
And the territory of Og king of Bashan,
one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the people of Geshur and Maacah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.
I remember someone in church once told me this: if you are a jug that is being designed to hold 3 litres of water, you will have fulfilled your purpose by holding that 3 litres. If you are a jug that is being designed to hold 5 litres of water and you are only only willing to hold 3 litres, then you are not fulfilling what you are designed to be.
Moses only conquered 2 kings and Joshua had conquered more than Moses, 31 to be precise. And yet, Moses was called the servant of the LORD. The implication here is clear. We are called to do different things for God. We simply cannot compare ourselves with other people, although we as human beings, have the tendency to do it. And yet the question is whether are we fulfilling our designed purpose to hold that certain amount of water. Are we faithful with what we are given? Are we looking at our fruits or achievements and decided that we have to be like Billy Graham in order to be called servant of God? Are we serving out our parts in church?
It is just like the parable of the ten talents.
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
We are given different amount of talents and we ought to use that talents to the max. We need to be faithful with our calling. So if today we are called to wash the toilets or feed the stray dogs that are loitering outside our church, we should go and do it. We never know how God will use our calling to impact the Kingdom. It is in no way less prestigious in God's eyes whether you are serving on stage as a singer, or serving backstage as a MM or usher, or preaching or serving as the stage maintainence person. God applauds us when we serve Him wholeheartedly and when we make use of our gifts to serve Him. As it says:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
It applies to myself as well. Moving from a CL position in NUS to YG as a normal member is not exactly a glorious thing in the eyes of the world. But I know what God is expecting from me. I know that I will serve God in greater capacity even if I am not a CL. Already I see myself impacting people's lives in the YG ministry, in my own cg now. Just as how my peers are impacting the people in NUS and other ministries. That night when a non-believer friend in my cg crossed the line, I know that this is going to be an exciting ministry for me.
So today the question still lies with my readers and myself. Are we contented with what we have to serve God? Are we holding up the 3 litres that we are supposed to hold? We need to start focusing on our own specific calling instead of allowing negative comparisons to creep into our thoughts.
Sihon king of the Amorites,
who reigned in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.
And the territory of Og king of Bashan,
one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the people of Geshur and Maacah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.
I remember someone in church once told me this: if you are a jug that is being designed to hold 3 litres of water, you will have fulfilled your purpose by holding that 3 litres. If you are a jug that is being designed to hold 5 litres of water and you are only only willing to hold 3 litres, then you are not fulfilling what you are designed to be.
Moses only conquered 2 kings and Joshua had conquered more than Moses, 31 to be precise. And yet, Moses was called the servant of the LORD. The implication here is clear. We are called to do different things for God. We simply cannot compare ourselves with other people, although we as human beings, have the tendency to do it. And yet the question is whether are we fulfilling our designed purpose to hold that certain amount of water. Are we faithful with what we are given? Are we looking at our fruits or achievements and decided that we have to be like Billy Graham in order to be called servant of God? Are we serving out our parts in church?
It is just like the parable of the ten talents.
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
We are given different amount of talents and we ought to use that talents to the max. We need to be faithful with our calling. So if today we are called to wash the toilets or feed the stray dogs that are loitering outside our church, we should go and do it. We never know how God will use our calling to impact the Kingdom. It is in no way less prestigious in God's eyes whether you are serving on stage as a singer, or serving backstage as a MM or usher, or preaching or serving as the stage maintainence person. God applauds us when we serve Him wholeheartedly and when we make use of our gifts to serve Him. As it says:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
It applies to myself as well. Moving from a CL position in NUS to YG as a normal member is not exactly a glorious thing in the eyes of the world. But I know what God is expecting from me. I know that I will serve God in greater capacity even if I am not a CL. Already I see myself impacting people's lives in the YG ministry, in my own cg now. Just as how my peers are impacting the people in NUS and other ministries. That night when a non-believer friend in my cg crossed the line, I know that this is going to be an exciting ministry for me.
So today the question still lies with my readers and myself. Are we contented with what we have to serve God? Are we holding up the 3 litres that we are supposed to hold? We need to start focusing on our own specific calling instead of allowing negative comparisons to creep into our thoughts.
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