This season of fruit bearing

Thank God that another popcorn that popped recently was this: I was recently appointed the Care Group (CG) leader of my CG. About a year ago I was asked by my leader to be his stand-in or assistant CG leader. Since then I have facilitated about four CG meetings while he was away. Recently his wife just gave birth after a gap of 12 years as their two daughters are already teenagers. Hence he told me to be prepared to take on a bigger role in the CG because he would be busy with the new baby and some adjustments needed to be made. Besides, he just changed his job and was rather busy with that as well.

I thought it was just to stand-in for him for a temporary period of a couple of months till they are settled down. Of course I agreed as I know God has been preparing me for this some time ago. However, I was surprised that his decision was to step down from the CG and to hand over the leadership baton to me. I did not quite expect this and the change was effective immediately! Usually there is a handover period but in this case, because my leader had to urgently attend to other family matters, I had to take over immediately.

This also came as a surprise to some members because they did not see it coming. They also were wondering what actually happened. To the best I could, I explained to them the reasons of his stepping down. Thank God that despite their initial surprise (or shock), when our leader faced a recent crisis in his wife's childbearing incident, members all came forth to encourage him with the Word of God and stood in faith with him. I was really touched because I saw God's love in this family of believers. The bible says in 1 John 4:12 'No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us and His love has been perfected in us.'

When I first knew I had to assume leadership immediately, I felt like what Joshua felt when Moses his leader passed on and God told him to be strong and courageous for he was about to bring the Jews into the Promise Land. God's exact words were 'Now therefore, arise and go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them - the children of Israel.' God has been preparing me for this day and He kept telling me to 'arise and go' since Dec 2011. Although I was not sure exactly what plans He had for me, I knew that 2012 is a year of action. It is a season of fruit-bearing for me. My time has truly come. No more waiting. Now is the time for action.

And God is true to His Word. It came to pass exactly as He has spoken. It was like I thought I was waiting and waiting for Him to move things; I was tired of waiting and really wanted some action in Sep 2011. However, God told me to rest in Him at that time. I would be totally caught off guard if God did not prepare me beforehand. Indeed as I looked back, last year was a year of preparation for me. It was not a wasted year. The year of rest and preparation was so crucial for me. God knows best. Now that I am in harvest time when the desires of my heart come into manifestation, I begin to feel the accelerated pace of God's move. When God moves, He moves really fast and we have to move with Him.

Yet it is during this time of action that I needed to rest in the Lord even more. Despite the greater responsibility as a CG leader, I am reminded to look to the Lord for His anointing, His wisdom and His strength because there is no way I could do it myself. In fact, it was all a finished work in God's eyes. I told God that if I did not have the assurance that He is with me, as He was with Joshua, I would not even be taking up this position. Even as I am mindful of members' expectation of a leader, I am not burdened in any way because I cast all these cares to the Lord. I know it is God working in me and through me, so I could rest in the knowledge that since He put me there, His grace is more than sufficient to keep me there. None of my works to boast about, so that all glory belongs to Jesus!

I am very excited because the Lord has great plans for my CG. He has revealed them to me recently. In the coming days and months, I will see how they are blessed by the Word of God, the presence of God in their lives and I will see their lives transformed. He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6). Amen!