At the beginning of this year, we asked God for a corporate vision and He woke J up in the middle of the night and said to him, “Enlarge your tent.” J was especially excited because he knew it wasn’t a dream as the words were crystal clear. He’s had many similar past encounters before – receiving a word from God in the middle of the night, but most of the time he would not be able to recall clearly what it was the following morning. Interestingly, CTM Church’s focus this year is on Prayer, which makes “Enlarge your tent” particularly significant. So when he first heard it, he specifically asked God to let him remember it clearly the next morning.
"When he awoke, the words were as vivid as ever in his head. We quickly did a word study and found the passage where these 3 words came from" – Isaiah 54:2
“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread our your home, and spare no expense!”
This passage teaches us two things.
Firstly, Mindset.
“‘Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labour. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,’ says the Lord.” - Isaiah 54:1
We have been married many years but AL remains childless and this verse comes like God’s comfort to us – “In the past few years, aren’t those who have come to believe in Me through your ministry all your children?” Stunned for a while, we were suddenly filled with gratitude and all glory goes to God.
“Enlarge your house; build an addition.” - Isaiah 54:2a
The task that God has impressed upon the church to do yesterday, we have to continue on today. More than that, we have to attempt more and not limit the ministry. For instance, if we are to preach the Gospel in the past, we have to carry on preaching today and in a larger measure than before! We must believe God will provide and prepare all the yet to be born children to come into the Light through the work He appoints us to do.
Secondly, Action.
“Spread our your home, and spare no expense!” - Isaiah 54:2b
This is a call to commit to another. We know of 2 single Christian ladies who have adopted a boy. Apart from giving him food & shelter and meeting his daily needs, they help him in his English studies and spend daily devotional time with him so he can be built up in the Lord and become mature. We hope this will inspire more Christians to realise that sharing the Gospel involves more than verbal communication. We must be willing to put aside our ego and inconveniences and invest ourselves in the transformation of another life, even if it is just one person!
“For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me… I tell you the truth, when you refuse to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.” - Matt 25:35-36, 45
