In the past few months, the youth have been contemplating this question: How far are we willing to go in pursuit of service to God? I find that our answer to this difficult question is simply this: As far as we are called.
At the start of the year, every youth promised to bring an offering when they came on Saturdays. This was incredibly important because this year is, and has been so challenging. A good majority of the youth are set to take national exams or face subject streaming, and others entered into new commitments with NS or a new set of responsibilities in school. There are so many things competing for their attention. It is so easy for God to simply slip out of the picture
and we make attending church gatherings a religious ritual devoid of joy and passion. Yet, when we were praying over the youth programme this year, we kept hearing one word: service. To fulfil the call we heard, we embarked on two fronts of service for the youth.
First, it was in their study of the Word; this was something that we have done since the start of TB’s youth ministry but we felt it needed greater emphasis this year. All of the youth are scheduled or have been scheduled to share with their friends on the topics of service and community. Over the past four months, they’ve put aside time to study the chosen passages. They come with vulnerable and honest reflections on the battles of each Bible character, and their discussions truly encourage each other in tough seasons. This act of service involves sacrifice, but it never returns empty (Luke 21:1-4, Jonah 1-5).
The one that has stayed with me is R&C’s sharing on Tabitha and Huldah — two ordinary women who were seamstresses and prophetesses respectively. Their stories collectively span about 30 or so verses. Not terribly long, if you compare it to the chapters about kings, warriors and prophets. Yet, the writers felt it was necessary to carve them a space, however small, in one of the most read and discussed books today. Their stories remind us that the call to service is not answered in some big blow out, but in small acts of love that live on long after we are all gone (Acts 9, 2 Chronicles 34:14-33).
The second front of service is something many of you would be familiar with. Once a month, they faithfully give up their Saturday afternoons to create content for our platform, @tava.sg. This is a new challenge for many of us despite being chronically online; the thought that goes into creating something that catches attention and motivates movement from an audience is more difficult than we imagined. However, there is nothing that we cannot do when our heart abides in a posture of service — everyone runs together and no one is left behind (Mark 2-3:11 and Matthew 18). I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank many of you who engage with our content! The message that we are hoping to share with others cannot be spread without you.
In closing, you may be curious why certain statements in this reflection were bolded. Each of these statements are the lessons from the Bible stories on service they’ve studied — this is how we believe the call to serve has and can be integrated into our lives. What Aunty Kwee Shan and I are so encouraged by is the heart and determination each youth demonstrates to honour our time of fellowship. As we round into the third quarter of the year, we hope that this encourages you as you listen for his call and decide "how far you would be willing to go" for Him. See you soon!
Signing off, Zoe (for the Talent Beacon Youth)
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