R.I.C.E

R.I.C.E. was our Christian Fellowship's theme for the year 2006/2007.
it was the acronyms for Remaining In Christ Everyday.

and it was taken from John 15:5

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

and as the year passed, i realized that remaining in Christ for me was not as senang as i though it would be. i struggled in my walk with God. my quiet times became irregular at times, i felt spiritually dry, i seemed lost and i had become caught up in so many other things.

and i wondered why.

it came to me, that my priorities in life were messed up bad. i was too busy, too caught up in other things, that i neglected my walk with God. and when i decided to spend time with Him, i was probably too tired that i put Him off till the next day.

i felt really horrible about the way i was treating God. imagine there was someone you loved so so much and you wanted to spend time with that person, you wanted to talk and listen to that person. and you've waited for that person the whole day to spend some time together. but that person just puts you off by saying "hey, i don't think i want to spend time with you because i have to do this and that." or "i don't want to spend time with you now because i'm tired."

well, i felt like i was treating God in that way. always giving Him a thousand and one excuses.

my life at times was nothing close to a life of one who remains in Christ everyday. and i felt terrible. i felt so hypocritical. so fake.

but i really thank God for always being faithful and graceful to me. even though i am such a horrible person to love. i am truly unworthy of His grace and love. so undeserving. but He still loves me.

and as i look back through the years, i am ashamed of how i've turned away and neglected God so many times. and at the same time i am amazed and grateful for how He still loves me and is there or me.

Dear God,
thank You so so much for Your grace and Your love.
thank You for forgiving and still embracing me when i needed You.
please forgive me for the many times i have neglected You and disobeyed You.
i'm sorry for all that.
help me to remain in You everyday.
to walk according to Your Word and to live my life for You.
help me to spend time with you.

i love you.

Rice - something that is part of our daily diets. it helps us to grow and provides us the energy we need to go through our daily activities. Just like the normal rice we eat, R.I.C.E. (Remaining In Christ Everyday) is essential for us to grow spiritually in our faith. R.I.C.E. also gives us strength from God to go through each day. Keep relying on God's strength and grace everyday. :)

waiyan

this was what i had written about the meaning of R.I.C.E to me when we first came up with the theme and i am reminded now, that God MUST be first priority in my life. and for me to grow and to be strengthened by Him i must remain in Christ and need to spend time with Him.

remain in Christ everyday! :)

Jesus loves and cares for you!