Heaven isn't freaking out

Heaven isn't freaking out, so says Israel Houghton. Who? Israel Houghton, 5 time Grammy Award winner , the latest picked up in 2013 with his hit "Jesus At the Center" (for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song). Up to yesterday I had absolutely no idea who he is. I was spending a quiet Saturday nite alone in the house, contemplating a very cold nasi lemak dinner (which the son didn't eat for breakfast). As usual.all the kids were anywhere but home. Out of the blue, a sister called me, asking if I was keen to do 'something crazy'- like attend a hot concert with Israel Houghton. The 'something crazy' part appealed to me; these days I am learning to do things I would not normally do. For the past few months, I have been getting impressions and messages left, right and center, about breaking out from the old into a new season of life. Seems God is speaking. Prayer and worship has taken on a new dimension, not just privately in my own time but even in our school devotions and prayer meets. There's a stirring in my heart that God's about to do something, and I know I don't want to miss out His next move, whether it's in my personal life, my job or my country. So I have been extra careful not to simply dismiss 'things' happening. Besides I have been sold out on worship concerts ever since I caught Sidney Mohede in concert last year. Before that I have always been a 'traditionalist' as far as worship music is concerned, preferring slow, nicely paced hymns over the more contemporary Christian rock music. But Sidney's vibrant Malay songs got me to appreciate 'loud' worship.

And Israel Houghton was loud alright. Very very loud in fact. The place was jam-packed with people, even tho the concert wasn't free. Mostly youngsters who obviously knew who he is. There were groups from as far as Thailand, Penang, Indonesia. This old aunty was an obvious 'katak di bawah tempurung'. What boggled me were the very arresting stage light displays. It must have cost a bundle to set it up. With all the loudness and the brightness, if you didn't listen to the lyrics, you would have thought it was a very hip disco joint. But it wasn't. It was a worship session that was  gloriously alive. I have to confess it took this staid old aunty awhile to 'get into groove'. But it's impossible not to catch the anointing when there was such loud praise going on....my feet got tapping, my hands were waving and as the music pounded , I lifted up voice and heart in total abandon to worship my Lord and my God.

I am glad, like all good worship leaders, Israel and his band New Breed didn't just 'perform' a great concert. The back-up was excellent, the musicians very very talented. But the heart of it all was his message calling out, especially to those who had gone 'off-track',  to 'get it right' with God. I was particularly impressed when he released what I can only surmise as a Word direct from God -  "The heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord." And then  he suddenly talked about his nation's  (US) past elections, where everybody was getting so passionate about politics they quite forgot about God. As he reminded the audience, whatever happens in any election, whether it's to our liking or not, God is in control. He put it very succintly, "Heaven isn't freaking out, so why are people freaking out?" And then he launched into a very apt song - Everything's Gonna Be Alright.

Indeed many are now expert arm-chair critics; the passion of politics is prevalent everywhere in mass and social media. But what saddens me is how divisive and divided M'sians have all become. A sister asked me pointedly in a moment of reflection, what's happened to the Christian commandment to "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" ?(Luke 4:27-28)  All I get in my email these days are stuff about how bad this/that fella is/was, how our nation has been ruined by certain persons.  You get the same stories being filmed, told and re gurgitated over Fb, twitter, U-tube, at ceramahs, in mainstream as well as online news sites. If you sift thru all the flak, there is so much vitroil, so  much hate being stirred up in a boiling cauldron of what is essentially emotional reactions and defenses. Since when has it ever been about pro/anti government? Isn't is supposed to be pro justice and anti corruption? A government is after all just an organization made up of human beings. Are we fighting against fellow fallible human beings or for eternal principles? Apostle Paul redefines what war means - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12) . Have we forgotten Vengeance is in the hands of a righteous God - He will repay, as He will not let the guilty go unpunished? Certainly we are to speak out, stand up and contend for what is righteous. But have we fallen so low that it becomes normal  to resort to 'gutter politics' and/or 'assassinate' people in the process?

I am reminded when I point a finger at someone, there are 3 fingers pointing back at me. The fact that someone may have sinned 'bigger time' than me doesn't make me any less a sinner than he. In God's eyes, we will both be judged the same, and punished the same too. That may not be 'fair', but that's justice, because there's only 1 standard God holds us all to - 100% -  and only 1 punishment for all sin - death. And I stand equally guilty as the next human being. As English preacher John Bradford put it , "There, but for the grace of God, go I". Thanks be to my God, my Savior, my Jesus, for His mercy in saving me. Again I am reminded Jesus didn't come to overthrow a corrupt, tyrannical and authoritarian government in His days. In fact that's what everyone expected and indeed wanted Him to do. I am sure He could easily have, since He had legions of angels under His command. Instead He declared, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17). Thousands of years ago, the prophet Daniel said, "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others" (Daniel 2:20-21). That same message was given by a Christian worshippper - Israel Houghton - in the 21st century, who came all the way from USA to M'sia to deliver it - God is still in control, no matter what.

Honestly I am getting tired of all the rhetoric about the 'mother of all elections'. It just hurts me to see M'sians attacking M'sians, getting all 'freaked out' over this, that or the other latest tingy. So I think for this round, I will just take a back-seat and skip the endless ceramahs (it was reported one party is dishing out 66,600 of them - hmmm, interesting, I wonder how they came up with that exact figure) until it's time to vote. Meanwhile better stay at home or go do "something crazy" ....like attend a hot worship concert....


"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" 1 Timothy 2:1-2