27 Nov

Day 1

Advent has been observed for centuries. Originally, it was a time when those who identified themselves as Christians prepared themselves for baptism. During the Middle Ages, Advent became associated with preparation for the Second Coming of the Messiah King. In the last fifty years, it has also come to be thought of as a time of anticipating the nativity on Christmas Day, which is a current observance of many denominations and churches.

Advent teaches us about hope and prepares us for a Saviour King and His Kingdom that is both manifested in the now and the not yet. Advent teaches us to begin with the end in mind.

WHAT IF you and I anticipated the coming of our Messiah King beyond Christmas? How might that change the way you and I live… in the waiting?

Abba Father, may Advent 2022 not just prepare our hearts for the birth of Your Son celebrated on Christmas Day, but for the return of Your Son, our soon and coming King. Come Lord, Jesus! Amen!

28 Nov

Day 2

By Adeline Ting

God Appreciates Faithfulness in the Ordinary

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. (Luke 1:6)

Many of us can identify with the ordinariness of Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were inconspicuous characters in their lifetime, just living ordinary lives every day. Living ordinarily, has helped them keep to the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. God rewarded them for their faithfulness by giving them a son, John the Baptist. God turned their ordinary lives into extraordinary testimonies of faith and obedience. Likewise, we too can find that living ordinary lives can be rewarding. The ordinary routine that we go through every day, of quiet time with God, reading the Bible, prayer and worship, and communal fellowship; they help us to see God in all these ordinary moments. Seeing God in the little ordinary things in life, encourages us that He will be there for us in the big things too. And as we grow to see, listen, and obey God in all the ordinary things in life, our spiritual life blooms to help us mold our hearts after God’s heart. Faithfulness in the ordinary keeps us anchored in God and He appreciates our faithfulness. Therefore, be true and faithful to God in every moment of our lives so that we are always close to God.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for seeing that ordinary people living ordinary lives are extraordinary in your eyes!

29 Nov

Day 3

By Wendy Tan

No promise of God is too ordinary

For no word from God will ever fail. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her! (Luke 1:37, 45)

Think about the time when you started to serve in a ministry or joined a Cell Group, were you anxious? “Will people accept me? Would they think that I am trying too hard?” Well, these questions were on my mind as I transitioned from a working life to being a student again two years ago. Due to MCO restrictions, interactions with my course-mates were limited to weekly Zoom lectures and Whatsapp messages. Only in 2022 were we able to attend classes in-person again, eat lunches together, go on group outings or even take a we-fie against the backdrop of KLCC. While these may seem ordinary, true friendships don’t come easy for me. So, I am blessed that God answered my prayer that I will gain new friends at the seminary and He also continues to fulfill the promise He made me, of a full life (John 10:10b).

Press on in faith in our God and His promises, no matter how ordinary they are. He never fails.

30 Nov

Day 4

Lessons In The Waiting:

During this season, while in queue, let the person behind you go in front of you in the line. (This can be for more than one person on more than one occasion.)

1 Dec

Day 5

By Darren Lim

Extraordinary Meaning in the Simple Ordinary

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

Zechariah and Elizabeth have been ‘righteous in the sight of God’ but were childless. Life regrets can so easily cause one to be jaded with life. Is this all there is to life? What is the point of all these meaningless struggles? There may be points in life where the fleeting moment of wanting to get back under the sheets hit us in the morning. The regrets and unanswered longings of our hearts overwhelm us with its raging torrent in the naked mornings.

However, Zechariah responded by patiently waiting upon the Lord and persevering in prayer. All the while, trusting in God’s perfect plan and faithfully honouring God in his ordinary daily living.

There is meaning in the simple routines. It may be a time of preparation or an opportunity to lean deeper into God. If He wills there not to be a breakthrough, then let us pause and, like Zechariah, choose to find God in the simple ordinary. May we find joy in the wonders of the morning sunshine, breath in our lungs, warmth of loved ones and the fact that we are God’s beloved children. He knows and wants what is best for us.

2 Dec

Day 6

By May Ng

Ordinary Faithfulness

“…he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.” (Luke 1:9)

I dislike laundry. I cannot wait to finish the sorting, drying and folding, only to have the baskets filled again.

Zechariah was faithful in the routine. The lot to serve must be a tremendous privilege that he waited for, and God spoke to Zechariah then.

In his season of waiting, Zechariah was persistent in persevering. His faithfulness was based on faith in God. No matter how faithful we are to God, God is infinitely more faithful to us than anyone else can ever be. Jesus came after much waiting, despite what seemed to be endless waiting on unrealistic hope.

The thought of having clean clothes keeps me going. With His help, I can be thankful for chores. Everything in our lives is used by God to build up our faithfulness to Him.
God has equipped us with everything we need to follow Christ faithfully, regardless of circumstances. Whatever we do, we do diligently unto the Lord.

What does ordinary faithfulness to Jesus look like to you?

Prayer: Thank You Lord, for always being faithful to us. Help us be faithful to You.

3 Dec

Day 7

Lessons In The Waiting:

While doing your own chores/errands, help someone else to do theirs alongside yours too.

4 Dec

Day 8

Of all the Ten Commandments, the longest one is… the fourth one. Ironically it is about Sabbath.

As you take time to come away from your daily routine today, take time to study what the fourth commandment means and why God gave it to His people?

5 Dec

Day 9

By Adeline Ting

Surrendering to God

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)

Mary was not fearful about what was to happen to her, and trusted God completely. Mary could have questioned what is to happen to her and the impossibility of it, but she let go of her own understanding and accepted God’s will be done. This applies to us too. Complete surrender to God is about letting go and trusting in Him completely, obeying His Will and His Way. It will require us to relinquish the control we have over our own lives and let it go into the hands of God. In other words, surrendering to God does not consider our knowledge, education, analysis of possibilities and opportunities, or any other understanding that is of our own will. It warrants complete trust in God and letting God lead. Be a Mary, do not fear when surrendering to God. Lean on Him and trust that God will share the burden with you. One way to encourage ourselves to surrender, is to reflect on the times God has carried us through and answered our prayers. As prayers are answered, faith grows, and our spiritual life will bear fruit and impact others around us. There is more goodness in seeking His will rather than our own.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that surrendering to Your will and ways have made me a Spirit-filled person living a life according to Your sovereign plans!

6 Dec

Day 10

By May Ng

Trusting in God’s Goodness

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)

My flight was scheduled to depart in less than two hours when my alarm went off. Panicking, I raced to the airport. I begged the counter staff to allow me in, as I could not afford to have my redemption ticket forfeited.

Young, unmarried and pregnant, Mary’s new reality seemed impossible to navigate. However, as His chosen vessel, Mary found favour in God’s sight. Mary believed God and banked on the goodness of God. Showing great faithfulness, Mary said ‘yes’ to God’s Word for her life.

Praise Jesus, I managed to board. My luggage unexpectedly took a later flight, but my faithful God provided necessities in the meantime.

I am reminded not to reduce God’s Word down to past experiences, and to always delight in His Word. God’s Word remains true regardless, to accomplish His purposes and will not return to Him void.

In surrendering to Jesus, impossible feats are made possible.

How can you trust in Jesus today?

Prayer: Thank You Lord, for being the God of the impossible. Help me trust in You, and to see Christmas as a powerful example that nothing is impossible for You.

Dec 7

Day 11

Lessons In The Waiting:

The thought of surrendering to God can be difficult for some of you. It may well push you out of your comfort zone to do such a thing! Well, try this:

This week, take a favourite item from your closet / bookshelf / kitchen / garden etc. Wrap it up as a gift and give it to someone unfamiliar, or a stranger. After that, reflect on the occasion. How did you feel after completing the task – awkward and afraid or excited and raring to give it another go? It’s not a norm, is it?

Next, spend some time with God. Open up and be real to Him about your challenges and struggles. Admit to Him if you have been trying so hard to rely on your own strength and that you are ready to surrender them all to Him. Take it one step at a time. Eventually, it would be easier to let go and let God take control.

8 Dec

Day 12

By Wendy Tan

Yield in Utmost Trust to a Powerful God

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

“It will be impossible to get a parking space at this hour!” “It is impossible to survive this illness.” “It is impossible to turn back time.” Yes, some things are impossible to do but sometimes what is impossible may be possible. It’s just that we have the tendency to deem certain circumstances as being so difficult and beyond our means to overcome. Maybe it’s due to past experiences or being on the receiving end of much negativity, that we end up focusing on risks and failures.

Every time I hear the word, “impossible”, I remind myself that, “with God, all things are possible”. His simple act of moving the clouds so that I can see the bright moon in the sky proved how great and powerful He is. That when I hit rock-bottom after my retrenchment, I knew that I would eventually survive because I was sure God would see me through the rough patch and turn things around.

Surrendering to God is a yielded life of utmost trust of who He is. Simply put, He is our good, good Father, and I am enormously grateful to Him.

Who is God to you and how would surrendering to Him look or feel like to you? Do you see Him as your Heavenly Father? Won’t you put your full trust in Him today?

9 Dec

Day 13

By Darren Lim

Blessedness in Trusted Surrender

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your Word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)

Fears and worries must have run laps in her head. Mary must have found it odd when the angel Gabriel greeted a seemingly insignificant woman with such importance. However, her fears were abated when she received the assurances “Do not be afraid..” and that it was from God. Jesus also said the same thing to His disciples and now, 2000 years later, He continues to assure us in trusting God though we may not always understand why or how.

What was revealed to Mary changes her plans to settle down and start a family. It also meant many trials and tribulations, even the risk of persecution and death. Mary’s response was not to respond with “How CAN this be?’ but rather she asked, ‘How WILL this be”. It was one of trusted surrender and positive expectation.

How often have we felt God silently tugging at our hearts but chosen to ignore Him for fear of the unknown risks? God is saying, “Trust me, I have good plans for you.” Will we, like Mary, fully surrender and sing a song of blessedness when God calls?

10 Dec

Day 14

Lessons In The Waiting:

Mary’s song or magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) is filled with humble thanksgiving towards God. Take time to reflect on some of the major events in 2022. What are you most thankful to God for? What mighty deeds did God do for you or your family? What good changes has He brought to your community? How has He shown mercy or lifted up those in your CG or church?

Rejoice and glorify God! Lift up your voices and praise Him. Give thanks for all that He is to you.

11 Dec

Day 15

During the last “Sabbath post”, we looked more deeply into the fourth commandment.

Today, take time to reflect on some of the practices you ought to stop (or start) in order for you to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord.

12 Dec

Day 16

By Adeline Ting

Hope, the Great Comfort in Waiting

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

Simeon was many things; righteous, devout, dedicated, steadfast, faithful, but above all, he was a patient man. He was visited by the Holy Spirit and was told that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah. As such, Simeon waited in faith and in hope, for the one who will bring comfort to Israel. Simeon showed tremendous strength in his waiting, for he waited and waited, although never understanding how long he had to wait. In the end, Simeon’s wait was not in vain. We all wait differently; some have a longer patience span, some shorter, some wait with anticipation and hope, some complain and grumble through it all. The key to waiting patiently is to have hope. With hope, all things are made better and whole. Sufferings are made bearable, uncertainties become clear, and wrongs can be made right. Such an intense hope is found in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Our hope is rested in His promises of eternal life and freedom from sin, and in the comfort and peace to all who believe in Him. Let’s draw inspiration from Simeon and choose to wait patiently for Jesus’ second coming. He will return with His promises, inheritance, and blessings.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for teaching us that hope makes waiting bearable and worthwhile!

13 Dec

Day 17

By Darren Lim

HOPE is Spelt H.O.L.Y S.P.I.R.I.T

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16‭-‬17)

Israel has been subjected to years of exile, natural disasters and in Jesus time, were under the oppression of the Romans. Simeon continued to patiently wait for the coming of the Messiah foretold in Scripture and promised through revelation by the Holy Spirit. Like Simeon’s experience of waiting, we are reminded that God is faithful in persevering seasons of pain and struggle. Simeon encountered the child Jesus and in similar fashion, we have been given the first encounter with Jesus as the promise of eternal salvation – the Holy Spirit!

The pain is real and the struggle dire but we have the Holy Spirit as our Helper, our Advocate to encourage and strengthen us. He comes alongside us to defend and help us fight the good fight as we strain faithfully towards the eternal hope that awaits us at the finish line.

14 Dec

Day 18

Lessons In The Waiting (select an activity):

1) Buy a packet of seeds (e.g., chilli, leafy vegetable, mung beans, or corn) and sow a handful of the seeds into the soil. Water diligently and wait for the seeds to sprout.
– How did you feel waiting for your seeds to sprout?
– Were you anxious to check on your seeds? How often do you check your seeds-everyday, weekly?
– How did you feel when you saw sprouted seeds? Were you hopeful that all your seeds would sprout at the same time?

2) Get a clear glass and fill up the glass with ice cubes. Place the glass (with ice cubes) on a table at ambient room temperature. Wait and watch the ice cubes melt. Record the time taken for all the ice cubes to melt.
– How did the waiting go? Did you occupy your time with other activities while waiting for the ice cubes to melt? Or were you waiting patiently and earnestly?
– Was there a point of time you felt you wanted to interfere and speed up the melting process? Did you do it, or what stopped you from doing it?
– How did you feel when all the ice cubes finally melted?

15 Dec

Day 19

By May Ng

My Comforting God

For my eyes have seen Your salvation… (Luke 2:30)

Still reeling from a car accident and a faulty washer from days before, I was stopped by the police for holding my handphone while driving to serve as a PACA on Election Day. For this offence, I am tasked to appear in court. I struggle in grappling with this spate of negative occurrences.

Simeon must have struggled greatly while waiting and he depended firmly on the Holy Spirit. Simeon finally had the comfort of seeing God’s promise fulfilled in his life, and saw that Jesus’ light is for both the Jews and Gentiles.

God’s grace got me through Election Day. I performed my duties with ease through the unexpected favour, kindness and co-operation of the amiable Elections Commission (EC) officials.

I can experience God’s comfort through the Holy Spirit who dwells in me. As I seek Him, He encourages me to continue trusting Him, for His power is revealed in my trials.

Beyond scorched places, well-watered gardens await. In our struggles, we can hope in God’s comfort and deliverance.

As God comforts us, how do you submit to the Holy Spirit and become channels of comfort to others?

Prayer: Thank You Lord, for being my Source of comfort. Help me be more open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as I await Your coming.

16 Dec

Day 20

By Wendy Tan

Holy Spirit – My Consolation

When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy. (Psalm 94:19)

Pain? Yeah, my lower back aches on and off. My eyes get strained from staring at the screen. My skin itches from the occasional allergic reactions. The toothache is gone though, along with my tooth. Struggles? Presently, I have no work stress, but exams and assignments can just be as strenuous. These are just the tip of the iceberg of what can cause anxiety within me.

Thankfully, I have learned to lean a whole lot more on the Holy Spirit, the Advocate who will always be with us. He is my constant and close Comforter. He calms my nerves (sometimes literally), and counsels me to take one step at a time. Because of Him, there is peace and joy in my heart.

Remember to greet “Good morning, Holy Spirit!” when you wake up. That will set the tone for the rest of your day when you know that He will be right there with you. Share your ups and downs with Him. Call out to Him if you need help. Let Him be your Comfort.

17 Dec

Day 21

Lessons In The Waiting:

Do you know anyone that may need to work on being a little more patient in their waiting? Or in developing more patience when interacting with others? Pray for them that they may develop better habits and relationships with others.

18 Dec

Day 22

In the waiting, practicing Sabbath allows us to learn to leave outcomes to God when we stop thinking that we are in charge and are fully in control.

Today, take time to further reflect on God’s goodness and faithfulness in the lives of the biblical characters that you have been reading about in our past weeks’ devotionals.

19 Dec

Day 23

By May Ng

Bold Courage in God

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”  (Luke 1:28)

Having quit my job several years ago to start a family, I still find myself childless and jobless today, unexpectedly simultaneously. Hopeless, I feel uncertain of my future.

Despite the circumstances that Mary faced, she stood courageously because she knew what God says is the truth. Mary displayed the courage necessary to choose the better way; she continued to trust God to be used by Him.

When we are at the end of our rope, it’s an opportunity for God to manifest His help that never fails. As His beloved, God will never abandon me.

Man’s impossibilities are God’s possibilities to act. With Jesus, I have the courage to find hope again, for He said He will make a way in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. I am encouraged to be hopeful that Jesus is on His way.

What does courage in God look like in this season of your life?

Prayer: Thank You Lord, for being my Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace, no matter the circumstance. Help me fix my gaze on You, this Advent and always.

20 Dec

Day 24

By Darren Lim

Boldly Venturing into the Unexpected

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  (James 4:13‭, ‬15)

In my line of profession, I am trained to build and streamline work processes that ensure effective and efficient business operations. Consistent adherence is expected while deviations are frowned upon. Unfortunately, I apply this ruthless adherence into my weekend plans. Getting to-dos accomplished before midday makes me extremely happy. Unexpected disruption to The Plan drives me nuts and my family suffers the brunt of my displeasure.

In the quiet times, I am reminded that when things go off-script, these are God-ordained opportunities to boldly venture out. God is holding my hand. He is in control. I am where He wants me to be…even in the unexpected.

21 Dec

Day 25

Lessons In The Waiting:

We can get too set in our ways and comfortable in daily routines. This week, try one or both of the suggestions below. Share your experience with someone close or with your CG.

1) In the next visit to your local restaurant, shake things up a little: Explore something outside your usual food order.

2) Use a different route to get to your usual destinations (local grocer, school, work, mall). Pay close attention to the people and unfamiliar surroundings, noting anything interesting or out of the ordinary.

22 Dec

Day 26

By Adeline Ting

Courage, the Strength to Persevere

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30)

Courage is the moral and mental strength to withstand and persevere in the face of great danger or the unknown. When overwhelmed with feelings of great fear, anxiety, and unrest, choose not to be defeated. Instead, wait on the Lord, trusting in Him. We must take courage when faced with despair. We are built better and stronger as people of God, as we are fortified with God’s favour, love and mercy. We can adopt the following practices to live courageously that carry us through difficult times. Firstly, understand that it is God’s command that we be strong and courageous. Use God’s words to help us to anchor our faith in Him. Secondly, remember that nothing is too big or too small for Him, for He has overcome all our struggles. We can draw our courage from our God who is greater than any adversaries we may face. Thirdly, know that He is with us, as our tower of refuge and strength. God will reward our steadfastness in Him, His courage will flow to us and give us the strength to persevere. In short, courage is gained when we walk closely to God and keep to His ways.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for giving me courage and strength so that I do not face the big and small turmoils in my life alone!

23 Dec

Day 27

By Wendy Tan

Unexpectedly Blessed

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Advent is about to end, and Christmas is just around the corner. The unexpected thing happened more than 2000 years ago when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling the promise from the Old Testament time that a Messiah will come.

When it was least expected, He appeared. And He would again someday, return.

Meanwhile, as I wrap up this Advent devotional series. I reflect back on the journey of some of the reflections that have been shared by the Ignite writers, not just for this Advent, but for the past 2.5 years. Every week, as we share our sermon reflections, I see how God moves in our lives providing us with memories, fresh and old, so we would have stories to share with our readers. There were encounters of unexpected blessings, even during difficult and tough times. There are many things to thank God for. To Him be all glory and praise!

The Ignite team wishes each and everyone of you a “Blessed Christmas!”

24 Dec

Day 28

Lessons In The Waiting:

Try one or both of the suggestions below. Share your experience with someone close or with your CG.

1) Go on a weekend getaway with no planned program or agenda.

2) List out 10 outrageous things you have always wanted to do but haven’t gotten round to doing it. Well, what are you waiting for?