It is not unusual to come across Christmas cards' greetings along the lines of "May love, joy and peace be with you during this season."
So it was a good reminder when I attended ORPC's candlelight service on Christmas eve and came across this thought through Rev Teo Yew Tiong's sermon, "The peace of Christmas"
(Note: I did not take notes during the sermon so it is based on my sketchy remembrance. Please feel free to correct inaccuracies.)
Carols always bring about feelings of peace and serenity. Consider the song "Silent Night"
“平安夜，圣善夜。”(Literally translated: Peaceful Night, Holy Night)
It always conveys a sense of security, serenity and rest. Yet looking at the world today, news of war is always at the edge of our consciousness; famine, natural disasters and catastrophes are still upon us. Has peace come upon us after Christmas?
In the first noel, the baby Jesus is born in a manger. The wise men from the east in coming to look at the baby was told by an angel to take another route home to avoid the King Herod, who was insecure about his throne and wary about Jesus' destiny as king and the implications on his kingship. His insecurity had led to all Hebrew male children below the age of 2 to be killed which led to the flight by Joseph and his family. Did peace come supernaturally during the first Christmas?
Nearly all the apostles, early disciples and followers of Jesus were persecuted, were bankrupted, were maimed, were stoned, were killed by the sword, were exiled. Did they experience peace because they had chosen to follow Jesus?
Jesus had said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace." in the Last Supper, the night before he was tried by the governor, Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. Was that peace a lie?
*But Jesus have also said, "I have overcome the world." which was proven in His later resurrection. He also said "As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Thus the peace that Jesus spoke of, is not the peace that we understand in the world.
It is peace with God. "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Eph: 2:14-17)
So are you now at peace with God? Have you now come to the Father through Jesus Christ? Have you experienced the true peace of Christmas and fully understand the meaning of:
“平安夜，圣善夜。”(Peaceful night, holy night) ?
Note: For the section marked *, I've forgotten what he had said so those things were most probably my interpretation.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Trusting Him with all my heart
On the mountain top of faith, luxuriating in and in thanksgiving of the blessings He had showered on me which had foolishly led to impetuous words that had probably contributed to a sister-in-christ falling in her walk when the last door was shut insultingly in her face.
This led me to ponder on God's timing, why some doors are opened and when, why some are made to walk through the journey until the last door is shut in our faces and to reflect on the journey I have had so far.
Intoxicated as I am on my high now, it is hard to remember that doors were not always open for me. Even in this year, I also had my share of travelling on with hope until the last door was slammed shut in my face. I remembered that time, bearing with everything in His name, suppressing my natural instincts with few (specifically one at most two) allies so that His name may be glorified. And then comes the time when it had seemed my deliverance was near. I travelled along with hope, my steps getting getting lighter as I thought I saw my glory is near. And then, "Bam!", that door was shut in my face.
It was harder to bear than if the doors along the way had not been opened at all. I could no longer walk, but only crawl; I could no longer look people in the eyes, but only slump along like a worm; I could no longer plead for mercy but only despair in my heart.
It appears that at this point, there could be one of two possible reactions.
The first is to think that He has betrayed us, to focus on the pain, grow cold in the heart and stop trusting Him. Though salvation is not lost, we start ignoring all that our conscience had told us is glorifying to Him. Though we may not do what is specifically wrong, we are also no longer motivated to do what is pleasing to His sight. We shut Him out, do all we can to numb the pain, be tempted by the perceived pleasure of sin and sleepwalk through our worthless lives half-dead. We gloried that we are able to survive by the strength of our own hearts.
By God's grace and the support of 2 friends-in-christ, I was painfully led through the second path. I had cried out to Him in my pain. With tears streaming freely in the silence of my room, I had whimpered out my hurt and experienced fully what it had felt like to be a worm - despised and rejected by the world. I begged to be taken out of this situation. I wailed out the injustice that though some of my other brothers and sisters in christ were drinking and making merry, they were deaf to my cries and blind to my plight.
This pitiful sight quickly gave way to unmitigated rage - against Him!
Why do You put me through this and let my friends-in-christ make merry? Why do You lead me down a false path and had given me false hope? Is it Your pleasure to toy with me? Why do You even put me through this situation? Have I not done my best to please You? Do You hate me so much?
For weeks, I had raged against Him, like a petulant child throwing her fists against her strong and controlled father. I had probably also lashed against people who had unwittingly crossed me that time.
Until spent, was I able to remember His faithfulness to me, His personal call to me so long ago when He called me to be His child. I remembered His personal love and how He had taken care of me for so long. Would He abandon me now?
Only then, could I pray, "My Father, thy will be done. I trust that everything that had happened to those You had called, happened for good and for Your purpose. Father, though I cannot understand why this had happened to me, I know You are for me. What can men do to me if You are my helper?"
And slowly, He re-established my road, He gave me strength to persevere and climb up. He provided, sometimes quietly and subtly, sometimes with signs so clear I thought He wanted me to see clearly that it's His work, blur as I am. Until I reach the mountaintop that I am at now, and rejoice in thanksgiving for all the good He had given me and all the blessings He had lavished upon me - My current comfortable circumstances; friends I can count on; superiors who trust and think highly of me; colleagues who like and are comfortable with me.
For how could I appreciate this good, if I had not been through the valley dark and deep? How could I rejoice in my blessings, if I had not once lost all? Why would I want His presence, if I had not known the darkness of the world?
So taste and know that He is good. See how He saves those who trust Him. Experience how He deals bountifully with you.
And this could only come when we trust Him with all our hearts. Whether it is crying out to Him as our Comforter in our pain, or when He lovingly takes our rage against Him in grace, or even when we depended on His strength to persevere on when we are spent.
To our God and Father be glory, to our God and Father be praise, to our God and Father be worship, forever and ever always.
This led me to ponder on God's timing, why some doors are opened and when, why some are made to walk through the journey until the last door is shut in our faces and to reflect on the journey I have had so far.
Intoxicated as I am on my high now, it is hard to remember that doors were not always open for me. Even in this year, I also had my share of travelling on with hope until the last door was slammed shut in my face. I remembered that time, bearing with everything in His name, suppressing my natural instincts with few (specifically one at most two) allies so that His name may be glorified. And then comes the time when it had seemed my deliverance was near. I travelled along with hope, my steps getting getting lighter as I thought I saw my glory is near. And then, "Bam!", that door was shut in my face.
It was harder to bear than if the doors along the way had not been opened at all. I could no longer walk, but only crawl; I could no longer look people in the eyes, but only slump along like a worm; I could no longer plead for mercy but only despair in my heart.
It appears that at this point, there could be one of two possible reactions.
The first is to think that He has betrayed us, to focus on the pain, grow cold in the heart and stop trusting Him. Though salvation is not lost, we start ignoring all that our conscience had told us is glorifying to Him. Though we may not do what is specifically wrong, we are also no longer motivated to do what is pleasing to His sight. We shut Him out, do all we can to numb the pain, be tempted by the perceived pleasure of sin and sleepwalk through our worthless lives half-dead. We gloried that we are able to survive by the strength of our own hearts.
By God's grace and the support of 2 friends-in-christ, I was painfully led through the second path. I had cried out to Him in my pain. With tears streaming freely in the silence of my room, I had whimpered out my hurt and experienced fully what it had felt like to be a worm - despised and rejected by the world. I begged to be taken out of this situation. I wailed out the injustice that though some of my other brothers and sisters in christ were drinking and making merry, they were deaf to my cries and blind to my plight.
This pitiful sight quickly gave way to unmitigated rage - against Him!
Why do You put me through this and let my friends-in-christ make merry? Why do You lead me down a false path and had given me false hope? Is it Your pleasure to toy with me? Why do You even put me through this situation? Have I not done my best to please You? Do You hate me so much?
For weeks, I had raged against Him, like a petulant child throwing her fists against her strong and controlled father. I had probably also lashed against people who had unwittingly crossed me that time.
Until spent, was I able to remember His faithfulness to me, His personal call to me so long ago when He called me to be His child. I remembered His personal love and how He had taken care of me for so long. Would He abandon me now?
Only then, could I pray, "My Father, thy will be done. I trust that everything that had happened to those You had called, happened for good and for Your purpose. Father, though I cannot understand why this had happened to me, I know You are for me. What can men do to me if You are my helper?"
And slowly, He re-established my road, He gave me strength to persevere and climb up. He provided, sometimes quietly and subtly, sometimes with signs so clear I thought He wanted me to see clearly that it's His work, blur as I am. Until I reach the mountaintop that I am at now, and rejoice in thanksgiving for all the good He had given me and all the blessings He had lavished upon me - My current comfortable circumstances; friends I can count on; superiors who trust and think highly of me; colleagues who like and are comfortable with me.
For how could I appreciate this good, if I had not been through the valley dark and deep? How could I rejoice in my blessings, if I had not once lost all? Why would I want His presence, if I had not known the darkness of the world?
So taste and know that He is good. See how He saves those who trust Him. Experience how He deals bountifully with you.
And this could only come when we trust Him with all our hearts. Whether it is crying out to Him as our Comforter in our pain, or when He lovingly takes our rage against Him in grace, or even when we depended on His strength to persevere on when we are spent.
To our God and Father be glory, to our God and Father be praise, to our God and Father be worship, forever and ever always.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Being Prepared for God's Coming Pt 1
Intermittently attending a Lunchtime Bible Study in St Andrews' Cathedral every Thursday that focuses on the apocalyptic books and gave one interpretation of how the end-times may be like as understood by the scriptures and interpreted by world events today.
I leave as mystified as I had entered (with a huge headache to boot) but this year's bible study on the apocalypse hit me with 2 points:
i) Everything, including the pain, suffering and tribulations, happens for the glory of God
ii) That the end will come, VERY soon (Perhaps even in this generation!)
My immediate reaction was of fear. What if I were to live a (relatively) blameless life and then in one weak moment to deny Christ? Would I be condemned for that - as one who had never been truly chosen in the first place? Would I lose my eternal inheritance in that one moment as Esau did for stew? Would I be set aside as God's anointed (1 Jn 2:20) as with Saul?
God's personal care is seen even in this issue. "By chance", (as if anything can really happen by chance!) my bible study for the day was on Psalm 17.
"I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline your ear to me and hear my speech.
Show your marvellous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You....
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness." (Ps 17:6-7)
Hamster's timely reminder also led to this bible verse:
"Therefore, brothers,since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful....
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,
"Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him."
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." (Heb 10:19-23,35-30)
The next question then that struck me was, "What does being prepared for God's Coming Again means?" (cont in Pt 2)
I leave as mystified as I had entered (with a huge headache to boot) but this year's bible study on the apocalypse hit me with 2 points:
i) Everything, including the pain, suffering and tribulations, happens for the glory of God
ii) That the end will come, VERY soon (Perhaps even in this generation!)
My immediate reaction was of fear. What if I were to live a (relatively) blameless life and then in one weak moment to deny Christ? Would I be condemned for that - as one who had never been truly chosen in the first place? Would I lose my eternal inheritance in that one moment as Esau did for stew? Would I be set aside as God's anointed (1 Jn 2:20) as with Saul?
God's personal care is seen even in this issue. "By chance", (as if anything can really happen by chance!) my bible study for the day was on Psalm 17.
"I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline your ear to me and hear my speech.
Show your marvellous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You....
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness." (Ps 17:6-7)
Hamster's timely reminder also led to this bible verse:
"Therefore, brothers,since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful....
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,
"Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him."
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." (Heb 10:19-23,35-30)
The next question then that struck me was, "What does being prepared for God's Coming Again means?" (cont in Pt 2)
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