The Ant and the Contact Lens

This is a true story (that has nothing to do with me even though the person mentioned bears my name), that talks about how no matter what you come across, no matter how pointless or useless it may be, you have to just persevere and believe in our great God to use us greatly in His wider picture.

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry."

She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there.

She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."

She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

...and there was TWENTY!

Agapella just got a shot in the arm!

We're not talking vaccinations, but a boost of a different sort. Most evidently, we've grown numerically from just over a dozen to 20 members. After a month of prayer and seeking the Lord's direction, Agapella decided to expand, roping in 7 new vocalists (Brenda, Daniel Loke, Don, Grace, Josiah, Lily and Nina) and a new sound engineer, Daniel Loh. Look and listen out for the new faces and voices of Agapella later this year.

With the significant increase in size and the biggest single intake, it necessitated a bigger rehearsal space. Agapella is amazed and grateful how God provides in His perfect timing when the need arises. Even though we didn't think of the repercussions of growing the size of the group (where we'd rehearse), God thought of it for us and directed Aaron to the 'promised land'. He added to our numbers, He's led us to a space we could use, and we know He'll continue to lead us along, despite how sharp and blind those corners may be.

We're all excited about how God will shape the future of Agapella and continue to use Agapella to proclaim His name. May the music He gives us to sing be our passport to reaching out to the lost and searching.