Time flies by! We have entered the month of April.
Significant church services, such as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday fall in April this year.
While I am preparing for these services, a sense of hopefulness come to me. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again 🙏🏼
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Cor. 4:7, NIV)
In biblical times, jars of clay were fragile, common and easily breakable. We are like these jars of clay. We human beings are weak. We are imperfect. We are here on earth just for a short while. However, through God’s Grace, we have been entrusted with the Gospel, that is, the Good News of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is the treasure we have in us.
We are weak and imperfect yet God chooses us ordinary people to be His partners as He carries out His plan for the human race. God’s power and glory is displayed in us and through us — for His glory. We are limited in many ways but the power of the Gospel is never limited. Let us take heart and be faithful to what God has entrusted us to do.
Happy Valentine’s!
Valentine’s Day is celebrated to remember Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr who showed Christ-like love. He performed Christian marriages during persecution. He also cared for the sick and those in prison.
Whether we are celebrating with someone special or celebrating with our friends, let’s not forget God loves us! He is love.
God shows us what love is: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, ESV)
Joshua 24:15, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors serve beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”.
Joshua was near to the end of his life. He gathered the Israelites together and reminded them what God has done for them.
God has been faithful and good to them. God had delivered them out of slavery in Egypt. On the way to the Promised Land through the wilderness, God was with them. God opened the Red Sea for them to pass through but the Red Sea closed on the Egyptian soldiers who were chasing after them. By day, God was in a pillar of cloud to guide them and by night, He was a pillar of fire to give them light (Ex. 13:21).
They were also not lacking in anything in these 40 years in the wilderness. Their clothing or sandals did not wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). When they were hungry, God provided for them manna, a bread-like edible substance that tasted like wafer and honey.
Now the Israelites were living comfortably in the Promised Land. Each tribe had received their inheritance. They were enjoying their good life.
Joshua wanted to make sure that God’s people would not forget Him who has been so good and faithful to them. Joshua asked the people to make a conscious decision to be faithful to God — because they wanted to, out of their reverence and love for God. It should not be something that Joshua could force them into.
They had to make a choice for themselves: whether to choose to
continue to worship God, or choose to worship the idols of the nations around them. They had to decide if they would serve God.
“serve” means “being devoted to”. It also means “faithfulness”. Joshua was calling the Israelites to serve God with sincerity of heart and being faithful to Him, and not with an attitude that is half-hearted.
Evangelist and teacher, D.L. Moody, once heard a preacher said, “The world has yet to see what God can do through one person who is completely committed to Him”. And hearing this transformed Moody’s life. Moody set out to be that one person who was committed to God. And God used him greatly to share the Gospel to many others.
What about us today? We are living rather comfortably, we are not lacking in basic necessities. Have you made the decision to serve only the God of Heavens and Earth, and to be faithful to Him?
As the year 2024 is coming to a close, many of us are reflecting on the year.
There is an ancient prayer called the Examen. It is a reflective prayer used by the Church, allowing us to see God in the people and the events around us each day.
This reflective prayer is used by
St. Ignatius Loyola to find
God’s presence in our daily lives and to discern His plans for us.
I have adapted St Ignatius’ the Examen as I reflect on this year. May you find it helpful too.
(1) Recognise that we are in God’s presence
Take a minute to be with God in silence. Pray that God will guide you through the reflection. Be open to God’s voice.
(2) Rejoice
What are the blessings you have received this year? Give thanks to God.
(3) Review the year
What brought you joy? What challenged you? Pay attention to your emotions as you recall these events.
(4) Repent
Think of the moments where you sinned. Ask God for forgiveness and to heal those whom we have hurt.
(5) Resolve
Look to hope for tomorrow and the new year. Plan to make year 2025 better with God’s grace.
Exodus 4:10-17
10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
From childhood, we were taught obedience. We learned who had authority over us and we were to listen to them. By the time we were in our teenage years, we began to push the boundaries and rebelled against parents and teachers. Why? Because we felt we were wise enough. We did not need people to tell us what to do.
What is obedience to God?
When God first created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, mankind and God lived in perfect love and harmony. It was until Adam and Eve challenged God’s authority and disobeyed Him that broke the love relationship between God (the Creator) and mankind (the created beings).
Since then, all of us find it hard to put obedience into practice.
Obedience to God means we obey His commandments and His law. Obedience to God means we will listen to Him. Actually, obedience comes from the Latin word, meaning “to hear”. When we obey God, we are listening to what He is saying and we put into practice what He requires of us. Obedience also means that we trust in God for who He is and acknowledge Who He is: the Creator God, the Almighty and Sovereign God. Obedience means we acknowledge God is the Lord of our lives and He is in control of our lives.
Disobedience is disregarding God for who He is. That was what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when they chose to disobey God. They thought that they were smart enough and did not need to obey Him.
Who God is?
He is God our Creator. Because He is our Creator, He knows us perfectly. He knows what is the best for us. He has a special plan and a purpose for us one of us.
God enables us
God knows He is giving Moses a difficult task. But Moses will not be alone. God is with Moses.
God said to Moses, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” God enables us when He calls us.
God provides for what we need
When Moses told God he couldn’t deliver what God wanted him to, God provided resources for him. God said, “14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
The work God has given us to do is not a small task. But God provides for what we need, be it resources or people. We will not be alone. We need help from other people. We can not carry out God’s plan alone because it will not an insignificant task. God will provide resource sfor all that we need to do what He is calling us to do.
Although I am blogging this article, there are others helping me in setting up the blog and proof-reading my article.
How do we obey God?
The joy of Obedience
Moses thought he knew his limit. He was making excuses to God that he was not eloquent to do what God requires of him. He was slow of speech and tongue.
When God calls us for a task, it may not be our talents or natural giftings or something we are born with. It may not be something that comes easily to us. Sometimes God calls us to use the gifts He has already given us, or sometimes He may ask us to trust in Him and step out of our comfort zone. Whatever it is, if God is calling us, will we be able to step forward and trust that God will provide for all that we need?
God promises to be with Moses. God promises Moses that He will teach him what to do. God also gives Aaron, Moses’ own brother to help him. Moses is not alone in this journey.
What is God calling you to do? It will be out of your comfort zone. It will not be comfortable. But will you still choose to obey Him? We may feel we are incapable. However, when we are weak, we are made strong in Christ. God’s power is displayed in our weaknesses.
When God calls me to serve Him as a pastor, I obeyed. There is nothing I can boast. There is nothing I have that I can boast: I don’t have property I can boast, I don’t have any skillsets I can boast.
But I can boast in God’s goodness. I can boast in God’s faithfulness. I can boast that God never short- changed me for giving me life to serve Him. I can boast in God’s love. I have a healthy family and I have friends who love me. All these are the wonderful gifts and blessings from God.
If we love God, obedience is a delight. We are able to respond with joy because we love God. Jesus Christ is the perfect example for us about obedience.
Philippians 2:5-11, (New International Version)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, obeyed God although it was not easy to do so. Jesus was so stressed that He even sweat blood. But He obeyed God, His Heavenly Father and He humbled Himself to do God’s will to save the entire wicked human race so that we can be reconciled to God again.
We are created for a relationship with God. Obedience means we respond to God’s love by putting into action. How much do you love God is reflected on your obedience to God. When we obey God, we are on the path of life that God wants to bless us with. He is a good and loving God who wants nothing but the best for us, and this comes in the form of obedience to Him and His Word.
In ancient Judah, Micah was a popular name for boys. In Hebrew, Micah is spelled, Mika, which is a question: “Who is like Yahweh?”. Who is like God? He is incomparable. There is no one like God. This name is an exclamation of praise, “an expression of adoration and wonder at the incomparable God of Israel”.
Micah was a prophet from a small agricultural town southwest of Jerusalem. He was a contemporary of prophets Isaiah and Hosea. Isaiah spoke to the urban elite, but Micah spoke to the people in the suburbs.
Micah called God’s people to listen to Him. Micah repeatedly said to God’s people, “Listen, you leaders,” “Listen to what the Lord says,” and “Listen, you peoples”. He was calling God’s people to pay attention to what he would be saying. Micah’s prophecy was mainly for the capital cities of Judah and Israel, Jerusalem, and Samaria respectively. Their leaders practiced and tolerated false doctrine and that led to a false understanding of the character of God.
As a result, there were injustices towards the poor people. There were mistreatment of women and children, unjust business practices, and exploitation of the poor, many of whom were in rural areas, like Micah. The rich were living in luxury while the poor people had to suffer to pay for extravagances for those in power.
God’s people did not see their sins. They thought that everything was fine, and that God should be happy with them. So, through prophet Micah, God was giving His people a wake-up call. God’s people should not assume that God would be happy with them if they did not show any commitment to worship God, to love Him and to serve Him. In fact, it was quite the opposite: punishment from God would be coming upon them because of their sinfulness.
Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
These are the requirements God wanted us to have. These are not suggestions, or options we can pick and choose. We are to incorporate these 3 things in our daily lifestyle. It should be a part of us as God’s people.
During Micah’s time, he was living in a culture with idolatry and immorality. The people of God did not worship God wholeheartedly and they were rebellious against Him. Today you may be living in a culture like that. In your workplace, the environment you are in may not be godly.
But let us remember that as God’s people, we are required to do these 3 things: to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
“Do justly” means: Put justice into practice. When we are able to, we are to step in and help the weaker people and protect them from the oppressors.
“Love Mercy” What is mercy? Mercy is an action. Someone described Mercy as “not getting what we deserve”. It means we are to forgive someone or give them what they don’t deserve, that is showing mercy.
“Do justly” and “love mercy”, are commands regarding other human beings.
The next requirement, “walk humbly” is directed to God.
“Walk humbly with God” means surrendering ourselves to God. In Hebrew, “walk humbly” means, “the lowering of oneself”, or “to make oneself lower than another”. It is about the way we live our lives before God. It is also about our relationship with God. Our relationship with God will spill over to our relationships with others. If we are close with God, we will love others and show them kindness and love.
Like the leaders during Micah’s time and the Pharisees during Jesus’ time, they were focused on performing rituals and outwards religious duties well that they had neglected the most important thing, which is, the relationship with God. They did everything right outwardly, but their hearts were far from God. God did not want outward rituals but a close and deep friendship with Him.
We are only humans. We can not live up to God’s requirements without His help. May we lean upon His strength and wisdom as we strive to glorify Him in every facet of our lives.
Remember, the name Micah means, ‘who is like God?’ It is a declaration of praise and adoration. Because of who God is, we want our lifestyle to be different: we want to glorify Him. We want to obey His commandments. We want to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.
Intrigued by this sign when I was walking along a housing estate in Beijing:
花儿也在成长，请勿扔垃圾哦 (the flowers are growing too, please do not litter).
We too are work in progress. It is important to have supportive friends who are genuine as they encourage us in our journey of life. Through the ups and downs, they stand by us.
Negative friends, on the other hand, will stump our growth or derail us from the purpose God has called us to be.
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” —Proverbs 27:17
As we walk with God daily, may we too, be an encourager and stand by our friends as they step into God’s destiny for them.
At the church’s prayer meeting recently, we were praying for the Sunday School ministry.
For those of us blessed to be in the Sunday School when we were children, even now that we are adults, we can vividly remember the Bible stories we have heard, the children songs we sung and the crafts we did during the lessons.
As a child, I looked forward to the Arts and Craft time. It was fun bringing colours to the Bible characters printed on a white piece of paper. And how delightful it was ro play games together with friends.
Children are in their formative years. The Sunday School teachers play an important task of bringing the Gospel to them. They are also vessels of God’s love to these children and their parents. How impactful are Sunday School teachers!
While the teachers’ roles are important in the faith formation of the children, the most crucial role is played by the parents. May the parents reinforce the lessons at home by talking with the children what they have learned, and help the children to memorise Bible verses and songs they have learned.
It takes a village to raise a child. Let us work together to pass on our faith to the next generation who God has entrusted us with.
How do others know that we are followers of Jesus Christ?
By the way we love. Jesus has set us the example of love and humility. We are to love others as He has loved us. His nature is love.
It is not easy; we can’t give what we don’t have. since God is love, it is His Spirit that flows in and through us to others. We can only love others through God’s love.
