Friday, March 10, 2023

Living in the Nilgiri hills of South India, we experience the awesomeness of God in nature every day. What a great God we have, who created this universe, galaxies, stars, planets, trees, seas, and mountains so beautifully and wonderfully — and who created man and woman in His own image and blessed them. It is no doubt that God’s purpose for humans is to love the Lord with all their hearts, souls, and minds. However, it is easier to live individualistic lives by only maintaining a vertical love relationship with God. God expects us to dwell equally on the horizontal and love our neighbors, for they are His creation, too. India is filled with people of multiple ethnicities, cultures, traditions, and languages. Even in my small town, we see a microcosm of our whole nation. Jesus’ mandate in Matthew reminds and challenges us to embrace both Him and our neighbors, for it is in the nexus between the vertical and the horizontal that God delights.

Haggai has inspired me to pursue ministry amidst challenges. The updates in my inbox from Haggai have been an encouragement. The equipping I received in Singapore years ago remains one of my life’s greatest moments.