Sunday's sermon

I think I was struck, and am still being struck by yesterday's sermon, especially the part where Reverend Ong emphasized that in order for God's blessings to take place, we need to WORK. Perhaps some of us may have overlooked this seemingly small detail but I think it is really important. I remember last year, or perhaps last, last year, some of us were sharing that what we plan sometimes do not come to fruition, that even though we may have prayed very hard for it, things do not happen for us. Maybe that is a sign from God that we have not WORKED hard enough... I like the point that Reverend Ong mentioned, that we need to WORK, or put in other words, to DO SOMETHING FIRST before God can take it from that. Not that God is unable, but I believe God is a nurturing Father rather than a spoon-feeding Father. He wants us to take on responsibility for our own lives. Just imagine if we were to leave everything to God just because He is all-knowing. When the sense of ownership of life is not there, I doubt we will respect ourselves very much, and neither would we respect and love God very much.