God is good

(Liana Matasik Karini)

I like one song that always reminds me how God taking care of me and keeping an eye of me in every second of my life. I have lots of obstacles in my life, definitely I also a sinner, but then that song will encourage me to continue walking cause God walk by my side.

Do you ever got a surprise? I remember it was in 1995. My faculty, specifically my major, conducted so called a study excursion to Europe. I want to go but it’s quite expensive and I wasn’t sure if my parents can afford it but I told them anyway about the trip. Please take note that I never pushed them but I know deep down in their heart, they also wanted to send me there.

That night in the last day of paying the fee, my friends gathered in one of my friends’s room in the lodge in Ranca Bentang. We were talking excitingly about the incoming trip. I let my mind flew to Europe with them.

When I went back to my room, I tucked myself in, half way up I sit and prayed. Suddenly in tears I said, “My Lord Jesus, I also want to go with them.” It was 10 o’clock in the evening, as soon as I said Amien, the phone rang and it was my mom. She said, “Lia, Mama has the money now. Go to Europe.” Surprise! I stood there with the phone still on my ear and cried.

The next day, I went to the trip organizer and they said it was late and no more seat for me. He made a phone call and somebody just canceled his/her trip. God prepares everything too.

Sometimes God’s greatest gift is the unanswered prayer because God’s answer will be a better one. Eleven years ago I started working in Samudera Indonesia (SISM) as an assistant to Technical Advisor. About 2 years later I was promoted to be Training Coordinator (believe me it’s not a job resume…hehe). At the same time my boss also promoted to be Operation Director. I was so happy but at the same time I feel very reluctant to leave my comfort zone. I was only an assistant but my boss can make me feel that my job was very important. Inside my heart, I want to have both, my comfort zone and the promotion. If I asked God, I was pretty sure about the answer. But I prayed anyway. I said, “Oh Jesus, could I have both?” Sounds greedy but God also teaches us to say it clearly for what we want. And of course I only can have one.

A year after that, my ex-boss got another promotion. This time he hold the highest position in the company, the Managing Director (it’s not my ex-boss’ job resume either…). Suddenly his assistant got a job as a stewardess and he offered me to be his assistant again. This time, I can have both!

God knows exactly who you are. When I was in high school until college, I like correspondence. I have around 50 pen-palls. At that time, I think no internet yet or maybe haven’t been introduced to. Deep down in my heart, I think I have the imagination that it would be great if I can marry a handsome guy from Europe, then live in one of the beautiful country there.

I also have my first love that have been forgotten since I started my high school class. It is to watch Chinese kungfu movies. I even collected the photos of the actors and actresses, bought the gossip magazines about them regularly, etc.

Then…It’a a Chinese guy that I fall in love to and married him (after 29 years of a blank history of love story…hehe). He’s a Malaysian so now I move to Malaysia. Then I realize something. I’m a kind of person who can not be too far from my family. I always keep thinking about them and wondering how they are. I’m also a bit picky eater (I thought I’m not, honest!). Well, indeed God knows me better than I do. God still sends me abroad but nearby, only 1.5 hours by plane (not to mention the existing of budget airlines nowadays), so I still can visit and be visited by my family at least once a year. The local food also have much similarity with Indonesian food. Even so, after 5 years I still have difficulties in adjusting myself to the local food.

God knows exactly what you need. After about a year move to Johor, so far I know, there’s only 2 churches nearby my house. One uses Chinese language, the other one uses Indonesian language. I came to the second one (of course!) for few times but I felt not so comfortable when I have to bring my baby who likes to make a lot of noise and very active. They also have program for the kids separated from the adults when listening to the sermon. If I joined with the kids, I can’t hear the sermon, if I didn’t, my baby would do the sermon.

Then I prayed, I said, “Lord, please find me a church that I can bring my kids and my husband to praise you.” Then I passed by a church about 15 minutes from my house but I was not so sure to go in. Every time I passed by I try to memorize the phone number. Few months later I managed to write it down. Few more months after that I called them for the service schedule. I’m not so sure why I don’t have the confidence to join in. One year has passed by, then somehow I have a courage to join in. It’s an English service and there’s a special nursery room behind, separated with glass from the crowd. So, I can sit in the nursery room with my kids without disturbing the sermon and yet I can listen to the sermon! My sister said it’s not new in Jakarta but somehow it’s new for me. In addition, the pastor become my husband’s favorite so far. I tell you, it’s not easy to take my husband go to church.

I can go on and on with God’s blessing in my life, maybe in another page. I know perhaps for you what I just shared with you just a small things but for me they are miracles and I’m still counting. Do you think, you have bigger miracles? Told ya, God is good. If God can do the miracles to other people, God also can do it to you.

Bila topan glap melanda hidupmu
Bila putus asa dan letih lesu
Berkat Tuhan satu-satu hitunglah
Kau niscaya kagum oleh kasihNya

Berkat Tuhan mari hitunglah
Kau khan kagum oleh kasihNya
Berkat Tuhan mari hitunglah
Kau niscaya kagum oleh kasihNya

This is my second note, written on 11 May 2009.

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