Season of Fire: A Letter to the Church
Dear friends,
How are you? As best as can be, I pray. As we cross into the second quarter of the year, everything seems less sure. Our days no longer have the patterns we are familiar with, and sometimes I catch myself wondering what God is doing in all the chaos. Which of course, He is - He is always doing something. Sometimes it just takes a little while to unpack, to step back from the painting and see it all.
Recently the Singapore government introduced tighter social distancing rules due to the escalating COVID-19 situation in our nation. This had and is still having a massive impact on Awaken Generation because it means no more services, large classes, public electives - all the things that we saw as so integral to community building. The hardest hit for us was the loss of our revival night events, a monthly worship and prayer gathering of brothers and sisters from different churches in Singapore.
Needless to say, we contemplated long and hard on what to do and eventually decided that it was important to hold it even if it meant virtually. In a span of a day - and with the help of many friends - we managed to hold a live stream. Nothing fancy. A piano and a guitar, a few voices, a single camera. One team worshipping at the feet of one amazing God.
It was our first revival night without a crowd and it was beautiful. It was majestic. It was intimate. It was authentic. It was refreshing. Not to say that ministry to people is not important - it was after all, live streamed - but being a small band in a ‘living room’ with no one else around us helped us fix our eyes on the Holy Spirit, His presence with us, in us and all around us. Our full focus, attention, and affection was purely ministry to the Lord Himself - and in that moment, the prophetic songs that emerged were songs of consecration, purification, and sanctification.
God is doing something profound in this season. There are things that we can only learn in grieving, loss, and suffering that we somehow don’t quite catch as easily in seasons of abundance. It’s almost like a cutting of a heart, a circumcision away from the things that distract and pull away. Perhaps in the refining fire, God is putting us through a process to set us up for success. Perhaps He is urging us to ask the question that really matters: What have we defined as success for us as believers?
Is it impact and influence?
Messages preached?
Albums sold?
Churches planted?
Numbers in our congregations?
Or is it simply loving God well, and loving others the same?
Perhaps the circumcision of our heart is producing in us a new and necessary understanding of what success truly looks like in the Kingdom of God. Loving God, and loving our neighbour - that our identity is founded upon simply being His child and loving others with the same kind of love. God is calling His people back to the heart of worship.
“Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul and mind. This is the first and and great commandment”
Matthew 22:37-38
In my earlier blog, I shared about AG’s 2020 theme verse from Joshua 3:5: “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow, He will do wonders…”. We are right in the heat of the first chapter of consecration which comes with the refining fire of purification. As we surrender to the process, could we trust that the Lord will bring us through in glory and strength as we lean upon Him?
One day soon, our church doors will swing open again. One day, the pews will be filled and congregational worship will arise again from our church buildings. My question is, will we live with the ‘limp’ we received in this COVID-19 season just as Jacob did after he had wrestled with God? Will we remember?
This is a God-given opportunity for a divine RESET; let us remember to live differently when this has passed. Let us be marked. I leave you with a song that’s been ministering to my soul for this season - may you find encouragement in it too.
If the altar's where you meet us
Take me there, take me there
If you're looking for an offering
It's right here, my life is here
i'll be a living sacrifice for you
You're a fire, The refiner
I wanna be consumed
I wanna be tried by fire, purified
You take whatever you desire
Lord here's my life
I wanna be tried by fire, purified
You take whatever you desire
Lord here's my life
If your glory wants to come in
Let it fall, we want it all
Lord your fire is consuming
Fill this place, set it ablaze
I'll be a living sacrifice for you
Blessings,
Alarice
____
We are now running monthly revival night livestreams on the last Wednesday of each month. Stay tuned on social media for more updates or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified.
PARTNER WITH US NOW
Awaken Generation is a not-for-profit organisation registered in Singapore and we believe every year for the full funding needed to support the operational costs of running the ministry. In this season, we are organising a series of online worship rooms, revival nights, and public electives to encourage and equip the Body of Christ. Partner with us financially via the following channels:
Paynow/Paylah
UEN No. 201927870M
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