The Passion Tour, the passion of Christ

3rd August was one special day. Well it was Passion Tour day where Pastor Louie, Chris Tomlin and Chris Hall had rocked KL as they came here for concert. At first when I went for the concert, I was kinda skeptical bout it. I mean for a guy my age, I wondered was is God trying to do in my life? I guess I am still in a blur situation of what God wants from me. But one thing I can say. I felt young again. Not because I jumped during the concert but rather God had use this concert to tell me, "Hey I am still useful to Him. But even if I am no longer useful anymore in future as I grow older and perhaps wiser, He still loves me."
Well when I went there, I would never had thought that Sunway Convention Centre was that packed. I mean it was even as packed as Youth Alive I attended 2 years ago in PJEFC church with Mun Yee, Xi Ying and Li Yan. Well one thing that amazed me was that everybody who came was very energetic. They worshipped God with their own loud voice. They rocked for Him. And I guess Passion came to Malaysia at the right time. It was during this time too that I was reminded that despite the world is evil in state, God still rules. There are still many fruit cake in this land of Malaysia. People are willing to travel as far as Kota Kinabalu Sabah just to attend the concert. I met one of my old KDU Christian Fellowship mate who actually took her time with her soon to be fiance to fly all the way from Kota Kinabalu just to attend the concert. And guess what? Both of them are Catholics. In fact I was reading some of the comments given by the concert attendee at www.268blog.com stating their own denominations after they finished commenting on the event. I mean normally these kind of event attracts charismatic churches. But guess what? It attracts every denomination youth perhaps you name it, some of them were there. I mean it is different that what I expected. Perhaps I am just narrowing my mind thinking that perhaps those who stays in Klang Valley would only come. But guess what? I am wrong.
I also saw unity in this concert. Everybody is singing the same song, JESUS CHRIST. Wanting Him into their lives. Nothing else. And when the worship songs were being played and sang, everybody (almost everybody lifted up their hand and surrender themselves to God). Mind you, these were just youth or those in their college and universities. Not to forget that there are still those like me approaching 30's who actually lifted my hand right up for Him. I am also reminded of this incident in the Bible where Elijah was running away from Jezebel. Here's the portion of scripture. It was taken in the book of 1 King 19:10-18.

The LORD Appears to Elijah

And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him." (New International Version)

The word, vs 18 is the most important verse for me for this blog. It says that despite all the things that man had done wrong and how Malaysia had been treated badly in this time to come, yet it was during this bad season and bad time, God choose 3rd August 2008 as a day to let the me, Malaysians and perhaps the world knows that there are about 4,000 youths or teenagers who are touched by the event and are willing to run after Him. Just like how Elijah had failed (I mean he thought he had failed) that God shows to everybody that He is in control and despite all trouble came, there are about 4,000 who actually came to worship and seek Him. You may say, "Ya right. You believed that He is truly in control?" Well my answer is I may not have that many faith as Abraham have or any Christian heroes have, but I believe that my small little faith is sufficiently enough for me for the moment. I mean I does still have a lot of doubt in life about what God will do for me but I would not let that to hinders me. By the way, I am talking as a human being and not as God or thou are holier type of person. Cause I know I am sinner and yet because I sinned, I can know this grace of God. If I do not sin, I would not know anything bout it. Am I right? Not to say that I wanted sin to happen to me so that I can have grace. =)
Anyway second thing I wanna say is this. I saw God's grace in the concert. Not because Louie say so. But I believe it is rather because God say so. You know why? I guess God is giving us another chance to repent of our sins and take Him back as our Saviour again. In fact He want us to re-dedicate ourselves back to Him. Seriously I may say this now. And tomorrow back to my old sin again. But I guess this is a part and parcel of life. Life that God intend us to be so that we can learn to get back to our first love again which is God Himself.
The story of Ashley led me to another moment of silence. I had always wanted to leave legacy when I die or when I leave a certain people. And I never knew that this Ashley who was once a party goer and later accepted Lord Jesus as her Saviour would had died of accident. I mean I want to leave legacy to people but I never though of leaving legacies when I died. But rather I want to do it when I am still very much alive. But I guess her greatest gift and legacy as a young born Christian of 3 months would be where Louie read her diary and share how she felt bout Christianity from the beginning, full of hurt and ends with accepting Christ as her personal Saviour which 3 months later, she died with God's glory on her. I mean that's a noble gift and legacy one could have in life. She gave God glory by believing in Him and now God gave her glory by using her name and her diary to lead pre-believer to Christ. Imagine how marvellous is that? =)
Okay. I guess I had overblog this long. I hope all we who had attended the concert or have not attended the concert but if the Passion Team actually are going to your country or your area, please do not hesitate to go. Going there to be touched by God are far more important than keeping the money for your own self. Well that was what I thought before. Now no more.. God bless.. =)