For people who know me, I had problem with Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) church. I had bad experience with Batak's culture patriarchy and one of the result was, I am not really pleased visiting the HKBP church. Moreover, I was not really interested to be part of the church's program, volunteers, or anything that's related with this 'holy' thing. I thought those people in the church are hypocrites.
It went like that for years, and by the time I kept moving from one city to another city. I thought that I could just go anywhere for the Sunday service, as long as it was a church. I thought that my purpose was to meeting God and it could be anywhere. For so many time, the pastors in the several church that I attended the service, kept telling the same message, "Be planted in a church."
Nothing moved my heart.. until something was happened last December.
Last December
I had a spiritual journey, where it was a confirmation from God whose showing His sovereignty to me. I was shock and thought what would be my response? I could not stay the same, I needed to be changed. Until I attended the Christmas sermon from Orchard Road Presbyterian Church (ORPC). ORPC is a very special church for me, I think I will write in another post about how special this church is.
The Message from the Church
Rev Clive told me the same messages that I have been heard for many times, and in years, "To be Planted." The phrase "to be planted" is a Christianity terminology to be said that as a Christian, we need to have growth in Jesus Christ, and we need to be in a good community (church) as our base/soil. From the world "To be planted," we will be nurtured within this community (church), and God will allow us the growth and bear the "fruits." That's the huge difference with a Christian who goes to the church independently, read bible alone, and do prayer alone. Having a community (church) will help your growth.
The weird thing was, I had listened the same messages over and over again. However, why on that particular December, I was moved, and finally able to make decision and pray, "God, I want to be planted in your church. Please show me where I should go and be planted." What has been moved me?
Parable of the Sower
If you read the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:1-15), Jesus told us that there are four kind of soils.
The sower spread the seeds and some of it landed/planted in the different kind of soils:
1. The Path
It would not be planted, because people will walk on the path, and before the seed was taken into root, it would be taken/eaten by the birds. As the matter of your heart, it means you might listen the voice of God, but you choose to go away and ignore it.
2. Stoney Ground
The seed that spread on the stoney ground is difficult to grow. Usually they will be dead soon. You keep your heart as strong as the stones, and slowly the seed will be dead.
3. Thorny Ground
The seed that spread on the thorny ground, it means the soil has the pest that you need to remove. If you do not remove it, your plant could not have a healthy growth and bear good fruits. It means you listen and try to do what God's tell you. However, you do not remove the your old bad habits, you compromise with evil. Therefore, in some aspect you will think you might have the growth in God, but the evil is still around you, having the growth as well, and you will have difficulties to bear the good fruits.
4. Good Soil
The seed which spread on the good soil of course would be the one planted well. The good soil is already prepared to have the seed be planted inside it. It just like us, who might experience terrible life, challenge, and temptation but we would not give up on it. We pray and ask God to be be able to listen to God's voice, and we wish to be changed to be a better person, a person who does what God ask you to do. Even though you are fighting with your ego and your human's flesh.
What Happened to Me? Which Soil Am I?
Years ago, this 'incident' happened to me, and since I prayed to God, asked God, that I want to know God more. God answers prayer. God showed me the way to learn more about him through Orchard Road Presbyterian Church, life problems, though decisions I should make, and of course later Last December. It means, on the progress, by years, I was preparing my heart to be the good soil which is ready to have God's seed. And everything happens in God's Kairos-time, last December, my heart is prepared to have the seed, hear God's voice, and my heart answered that I am ready to be planted.
The work of preparing the good soil is not an easy task. Have you seen how the the good soil is prepared? You have to filter it from the stones, remove the pest, add more fertilizer on it, and water it. I prayed, but it was not enough. I need to do the action as well. I should be able to have commitment with God. To do the whole process and stayed with God. When I was faced with problems, what decision I will make? Decisions that will benefit me as the flesh or God's will? I keep eager to learn God's words by attending church service and join the Bible studies group (even though I am not planted yet), I need to stay near with God.
I believe that people have different process in preparing their heart. However, praying only and not doing anything is not enough. Not only pray, but you frequently need to do something that might be not comfortable to do as a human (because it against your ego and flesh), but still you need to do that, because you know that what's God ask you to do.
I am Ready to be Planted
For me these process took years, and it was the time my heart said in the beginning of January, "God, I am ready to be planted." Now, God is in the whole process of the planting, God helps me to have the desire to register myself and have commitment to be planted in a church in Jakarta. This is a super huge difference compare to the previous me who hated and refused to go to the church for years in my teenager time. I was the stoney ground.
I am grateful that in this whole journey, even-though I am being tested, and it was very difficult, I could stay and stand to be in Jesus pathway. I am ready for the next process, of the little seed which planted in my prepared heart. I might face the extreme climate, have pests around me, or people who might step on me. However, I have the Great Sower and I believe that God will take care of me in this whole process, give me growth, and bear the fruits in Jesus Christ.
Thank you Jesus for unfolding this revelation for me. Thank you for being there with me this whole years, where actually I am sinful and not worth to be saved. Thank you Jesus, it always been you T.T
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