Today I went to Kuya Sur's 40th birthday celebration at ICS. It was a triple celebration as well because its also the celebration of Kuya Sur and Ate Chai's wedding anniversary and his 20th year in the ministry.
The evening was a great time of meeting good friends and colleagues in the ministry, all somehow touched by the life of this one man. I remember meeting this guy back in 2003 at the STDC Convention in Caliraya. I was 22 then, a youth leader, and I was at the point of trying to find out God's call for my life. He connected me to AIYS where I received a confirmation of my call, became classmates in the campus ministry track. And after that event he spent countless times with me, mentoring and guiding me as I journey into ministry life. And here I am 12 years later, serving along with this man of vision, wisdom, and perseverance, qualities of him I dreamed of seeing in my life as well.
Hearing his testimony tonight about how the Lord has been good to him since he met Jesus when he was 11. I can't help but be amazed at how God truly can use individuals who are willing to be used by Him.
Some reflections:
We are part of God's movement. It was inspiring to see and meet Kuya Sur's mentor and discipler who called him to follow Jesus at the age of 11 in Cavite. I am where I am because someone invested their lives in me, and someone invested their lives in them. And if we traced it back to the one who started the movement, it's Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. It's not about us, but it's about Jesus and the movement He started. The moment we start "building our own monuments" like King Saul is the moment we deteriorate as a movement maker.
One act of obedience can make significant waves in God's kingdom. I'm thankful that when God called Kuya Sur into the ministry he obeyed and gave his life to Him. Because if he didn't obey, we wouldn't be here. It's amazing how one act of obedience can set right the course of many others. Last Friday I shared in my sermon a quote from Elizabeth Elliot about obedience:
“Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person's seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next.” ― Elisabeth Elliot, Quest for Love: True Stories of Passion and Purity
If you fail, stand up and walk again. One of the touching moments of Kuya's speech was when he honored his long time friend. He says that at one moment in his life when he felt such a failure, this friend encouraged him that when we fail, we don't just remain a failure, but we stand up and walk again (or something like that). Thank God for friends who lift you up in your darkest moments. Just like the song that says, "a thousand times I've failed, still Your mercy remains," God's mercy and grace is enough for us not to give up, but to stand up, dust off yourself, and walk again, fixing our eyes on Jesus.
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