Tag: Reflection

Point of Redemption

Out of all the people within the inner circle of Jesus Christ, the person I most identify with is Peter. Peter was the most human. He was called, and he answered. He believed and followed. Yet when the times were getting tough, he fled as soon as he could. When things mattered, he failed to stand up for the one he loved – Jesus.

What haunted him was his denial of Christ because he feared for his life. It’s understandable, your Master is captured, tortured and would be put to death – if that happened to Christ, how much more to Peter, a follower.

How many times have we denied Christ? When we cheated in class? Lied about something? Stopped listening to our parents? Live sinful and selfish lives? These are the times that we deny Christ like Peter denied Him.

But like Peter, we do love Him, we still love Him. Yet the world judges us. That who are we to say that we are followers of Christ yet stumble every step of the way. Our love fails. We stop following Him.

Yet the Lord doesn’t stop. He never did. In fact, what causes us to stumble is what He uses for our own redemption. What reminds us of our past and hinders us from following Him – is what He uses to embrace us. Jesus asks Peter three times, the same number of times that Peter denied Christ. The times we fail Him is the same number of times He uses that to redeem us.

Our point of failure is our point of redemption.

Uncomfortably Comfortable

To finally be living the dream is an awe-inspiring thing. When the Lord of the universe has made sense to the past 25 years of my life. Today I am living the dream, training for the best job in the world – a full time pastoral worker for CFC-Youth. I came into the training with high hopes and confidence that the Lord has truly prepared me for the task ahead. Having been in the community for the past 15 years, I thought I had the means and know how in order to deal with whatever training had in store for me.

Lo and behold, I am humbled by the very fact that God’s plan for me is greater than my own prideful outlook of myself. 12 days into the training, I am reminded that I know nothing, own nothing, and can bring nothing to the table that will compare to what God has brought forth ever since time began. A much needed reality check that God has called better and greater people to the mission before, today, and for sure – tomorrow. I am but a humble servant responding because of an unwavering and unconditional love that He has blessed me with.

A state of being uncomfortable is where I am at because the call entails transformation of being worthy of that very call and love. God is slowly and surely chipping away at hindrances that cause me stumble, and cause others to stumble because of me. He has redirected my direction from a “me” driven path to a path pointed to Him alone. And while each day is a struggle of clawing, crawling and limping my way towards the One who called – it is a very beautiful struggle. I am comforted by the fact that it is Him who put me here. That it is Him who is with me every step of the way.

Time Has Come!

Today is the beginning of the rest of my life. After 25 years of crawling, stumbling, walking, running, and whatever action I had to do in order to go through life – today is when it all makes sense. I know where I came from, what I did right, and what I did wrong. I don’t know what tomorrow holds. Or what life has in store for me in the coming years. I have no clue, no idea, of what will happen to my life – to my family. But I am where I am supposed to be today. Right here, right now – a plane on the way to Manila.

After being in the community for 15 years (2 in KFC and 13 in CFC-Youth), most of the people I know would say that this has been a long time coming; that I should’ve taken the plunge to Full Time Pastoral Work for CFC-Youth after graduating in College. But having served mostly in Davao, more than a year in Manila, and a few months in Canada – each chapter – brought something new to the table. Allowed me to learn the things I needed to learn with respect to the mission, to those I work with and for, to me, and to my God. Reflecting on the moments, situations, and experiences that have brought me here on a seat on this plane – puts everything into God’s perspective. There is no such thing as a coincidence, but a beautiful plan that has been put into motion since time began. A victory etched in eternity, and I am but a speck inching my way to bring others to that victory.

Time has come for me to take the plunge. There is no going back. There is no need to go back. To drown in His love, a sea of blessings, an ocean of infinite goodness is something I’ve waited for all my life.

Today is the beginning of the rest of my life. This is where I want to be.

Kevin Muico (Calgary), along with Evony Evangelista (Winnipeg) and Kyle Beley (Hamilton) are Mission Volunteers on their way to Manila, Philippines to train as Full Time Pastoral Workers for CFC-Youth in the next three months. Let us keep them in our prayers that they may abound in God’s love and greatness. To come back to the True North with a greater passion and love of God that will bring forth a tsunami of God’s love in their new mission areas.