Candy's Blog

Peace

If you have read the “About Me” page, I mentioned that the name of this blog came from my buddy, heng dai (meaning “brother” in Cantonese, which is a term to refer to a close guy friend). “Eirene” means “peace”.

Today, I am going to write about “peace”. I was feeling stressful the last couple of days. This morning, my prayer partner from Singapore sent me this verse, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV).

When the Apostle Paul was writing this letter, he was under a house arrest for preaching the Gospel. The Roman Empire had him arrested. The believers in the church in Philippi who supported his missionary work were worried about him (Philippians 1). There was also some disunity among them (Philippians 2) that the Apostle Paul called two women by their names and asked them to get along with each other. False teachings were seeping into this community of faith too (Philippians 3).

Despite all the external pressures and internal issues the Philippi church was facing, Paul ended his letter with the admonition, “rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

External pressures and internal issues (inside us) can rob us of the peace that is within us—but only if we give them permission to do so. Remember Apostle Paul’s admonition: rejoice in the Lord!

When we feel we can not go any further, when we feel hopeless, lost and tired, there is Someone whom we can turn to—God! And, the best part is this: God can and will do something about it. Apostle Paul reminded the Philippians to pray in every situation, bringing their requests to God and offer prayers of thanksgiving to what He has done.

May be I am anxious because I had not brought the matter which had caused me anxiety to the Lord. I had let stress overwhelmed and took away my joy.

Remember: Having peace does not mean the absence of troubles or difficult times. Having peace means, regardless of the circumstances, we choose to focus our eyes on Jesus Christ, knowing that He is with us and He cares for us. Our circumstances may be overwhelming and it seems more than we can bear, but take heart that God hears all our cries, frustrations and prayers. He will help us and deliver us.

The Apostle Paul ended his letter by urging the believers to rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). Knowing that God is with us already gives us a reason to rejoice and be glad. Every day, find a quiet place in your house, turn your heart to Him and surrender your anxieties to Him. Ask God to increase your faith in Him. Ask Him to open your eyes to see His goodness and faithfulness. Then, end your session by listing out things that you want to thank God for.

May you experience His deep peace and joy in your life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are my refuge and shelter. When life is overwhelming, I give thanks to You that I can bring everything to You in prayers. Thank you for Your love and goodness to me. Help me to always focus on Your goodness and greatness, and not just on my circumstances or the problems I am facing. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Significance of Holy Communion

Today is Holy Communion Sunday. Methodists partake the Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every month, calling it “the Holy Communion Sunday service”.

The background of Holy Communion comes from the Passover feast celebrated by the Israelites just before God delivered them from slavery in the land of Egypt. In Egypt, they were forced into hard, laborous work by their task masters. They were oppressed to the extend that it was unbearable for them. They then cried out to God for deliverance.

God heard their cries and sent them Moses to lead them out of the land of oppression and slavery into the Land God had promised them. This land would be a good and spacious land, and it would be fruitful too— “a land flowing with milk and honey.” What a beautiful promise it was compared to their horrible living conditions in Egypt!

On the night of deliverance, God would send an angel of death to strike down all the first born of the Egyptians. God told the Israelites to smear the blood of a sacrificed lamb on the door frames of their houses so that when the angel of death saw the blood over the door frames, he would “pass over” their houses and not strike their firstborns.

That was the original Jewish Passover. It is recorded in Exodus 12:1-30.

In the New Testament, on the night before His death, Jesus Christ deliberately celebrated the Jewish Passover Feast with His disciples. ‘And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For i tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:15-16). He drew parallel of His sacrificial death to the Passover lamb. As the blood of the sacrificial lamb was smeared on the door frames and the Israelites would be safe in the house, the blood of Jesus would be poured out to save humanity.

During the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus introduced the symbols of the bread and the wine. For those who have been baptized in His Name, we will take the bread (a wafer) to remember Jesus’ death on the Cross for us. We remember how He had given Himself up for us. He was crucified for us. He was just like the Passover lamb; He died, so we can live and have eternal life. We will then take the cup (grape juice) which symbolises the blood of Christ that is shed for us and washes away our sins.

Jesus commanded that this is to be done in remembrance of Him. He said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19b). We also remember the new covenant which Jesus made through the Cross.

I tell my church members to remember these few things every time we come forward for Holy Communion:

a. The Past

Jesus was crucified for our sins and He died for us. He who is without sins took the sins of the world upon Himself so that we sinners have a new life and a new identity in Him, the Giver of Life. We are reconciled to God the Father. In the past, we rebelled against His love, but through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, our relationship with God is restored.

b. The Present

Three days after Jesus had died, He rose again. He is alive! He is in Heaven now. The Holy Communion reminds us that Jesus is with us now. It is the time to examine our life: are we living a life that is pleasing to Him?

c. The Future

The Bible tells us that one day, Jesus Christ will come again in victory as well as coming as the Judge of the world. He will come and take believers with Him and we will be with Him in His Kingdom, forever. One day, we will all feast with Him in His Heavenly Banquet. The Holy Communion we partake every month is just a foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet in God’s Kingdom someday.

d. Unity in Christ

Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (NIV). The “one loaf” here refers to the unity of believers. When we kneel together for Holy Communion, we will realise we are all the same in God’s eyes. We are His beloved children; there is no hierarchy, no class or labels as “richer” or “poorer” people. God loves us all. Jesus died for all of us. There is no distinction. It is also time to examine our relationships and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with each other before the Lord. God’s love will restore us.

I hope you have been blessed by this brief introduction of the significance of the Holy Communion. 🙂

Persevere

One thing which my dad taught us from a young age was to persevere. Persevere when the going gets tough. Persevere when you don’t see any fruits of the labour.

Nicky Gumble tells of the story of British archaeologist Howard Carter. Despite many failed attempts, he preservered and finally unlocked the ancient Egyptian tomb of Tuthankhamun, who reigned from 1352-1343 BC. Carter made this discovery 3, 265 years later, on 26 November 1922, after centuries and centuries of failed attempts by archaeologists and tourists.

Carter discovered the ancient tomb because he persevered.

Similiarly, God also promises that those who seek Him earnestly will find Him. He will reveal Himself to those who persistently seek Him. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10, NIV).

Seek God as if He is the most precious jewel on earth. And He truly is! What joy it is to have found Him and to know Him. A relationship with Him is the most satisfying thing we can ever have. Seek His kingdom. Seek His righteous. These bring meaning, purposes and sweet joy to our lives!

Growth

When I heard that my friend had to submit an essay to critique the work of another person as a part of her homework, I got interested. I told her I wish to see her essay after she had completed it.

In my own craft, it takes years of practice and honing the skill and yet I feel I am lacking in so many ways. I welcome constructive criticisms but the biggest critiques usually come from myself.

I get discouraged at times because I am not where I think I should be.

May be if I am gentler with myself, I will learn to appreciate the journey I am on. When I stopped and turned to see the trails I have trotted, I praised God for He is with me. He had given me this privilege to be on this journey.

My encouragement for myself is to look to God. Do my utmost best for Him and let Him work in me: break me, mould me, and stretch me to be His servant which He delights in.

Healing

My laptop hangs… For the past 30 minutes, I have been waiting for it to function as it used to be. There is a “temporary error” on my Gmail and I can’t work unless it is back to normal. So, I grab this opportunity to write while it gets its “health” back.

While walking around the garden yesterday, I noticed that there were some plants in pots which are not doing well. They are withering away. Dad moves them to another place and put some different fertilisers on them, hoping they will “heal” gradually.

This period of lockdown also gives me extended time to reflect and to heal. Whatever you are struggling with, give yourself time to heal. It can be a conflict in a relationship, a physical sickness, emotional pain or something else which is haunting you.

The Bible contains many verses which talk about healing. One particular verse I want to highlight is taken from 1 Peter 2:24, “who Himself (Jesus) bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.”

Jesus died on the Cross for our sins. He freed us from slavery to sins and He also heal us: from fear, from guilt, from shame, from rejection and sense of worthlessness. He restores us to the person He has created us to be.

In Jesus, we died to sin but now live as new creations with His peace, joy, love and healing.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for in You, I find healing and I can live in peace, and joy knowing that I am deeply loved by You. Nothing can ever separate me from Your love. Amen.

In the Garden

During this lockdown, I appreciate my dad’s garden even more than before.

I go to the garden every morning, enjoying the different species of flowers and plants. It is a restful place to be still and to pray. I enter the house rejuvenated.

Jesus’ invites us to spend time with Him, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

Are you surrendering your cares and worries to Him? Are you finding rest in Him? Let’s go to Him for He gives us rest.

Standing on the Solid Rock

There is much anxiety in the midst of the pandemic. In moments like this, we realise we are weak, we need to lean on something greater and stronger.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is a firm foundation; His Word is a firm foundation (Psalm 119:152). We can trust in the Bible because it is God’s Word. His Word never fails; what God says is “firm, and righteous” (Psalm 19:9, NIV).

In the good times and in the bad times, God’s Word stands secure. His word is “more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honey from the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10, NIV). “His way is perfect” (2 Sam 22:31). Listen to God and obey Him is like a wise man who built his house on the rock; when the rain poured and wind blew and beat against the house, it remained strong because of its solid foundation on the rock. The foolish man, on the other hand, built his house on sand. When the rain came, and wind blew and beat against the house, it came crashing down (Matt 7:24-27).

When we are fearful, God’s Word gives us comfort, encouragement, joy and hope. The Old Testament of the Bible records a prophet of God named Jeremiah. He was known as the “weeping prophet”. He lived at a very terrible time in history. He had gone through war, starvation and captivity. God called him to tell His people to repent, and he spent 40 years do that — calling people to repentance but they did not listen to him. He wept for sorrow for the people. He saw the destruction of the people he was giving warning to. God’s Word sustained him. He said of God’s Word, “they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16a).

May it be that at a time such as this, in the midst of pandemic, God’s Word is our joy and heart’s delight.

Corona virus is not sovereign. The virus seems to have humanity falling on our knees, but very soon, in His sovereign power, God will put the Corona virus to an end. God is sovereign above all!

Let’s be encouraged and find comfort in God’s Word. God’s Word is a healing balm when we are anxious, worried, depressed, hopeless and lost. God alone gives the deepest peace and comfort our fearful souls are yearning for.

It’s Beautiful World

Earth Day. The many pictures on social media on this day do remind us that we live in a beautiful world indeed.

Picturesque sunset at Pantai Tusan Bekanu, Miri, Sarawak.

Psalm 146 (New International Version)

¹Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

²I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
³Do not put your trust in princes,
    in human beings, who cannot save.
⁴When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.
⁵Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

⁶He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.
⁷He upholds the cause of the oppressed
    and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
⁸    the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
    the Lord loves the righteous.
⁹The Lord watches over the foreigner
    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

¹⁰The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

The Light

The fluorescent tube in the kitchen is not working. The sun is setting. Mum needs to prepare dinner.

Dad climbs on the stool and hooks a light bulb to the wires. This provides light until we can go to the store to get a new fluorescent tube.

Without light, mum can not cook in the kitchen. Without the Light of the world, we will be moving about in darkness. Praise the Lord, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Light of the World.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me never walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'” (John 8:12)

Every morning, the sun gives light to the earth. Plants grow because the receive sunlight. The morning sun is good for our skin as it nourishes us with Vitamin D. During night time, the stars and the moon give light to the earth. Without light, there is darkness. We can’t see in the dark.

Jesus came to give us light. He shines in us and convicts us of our sins. When we truly repent, He forgives us and remembers our sins no more. We are no longer bound by the heavy chains of sins but we live in hope, peace, joy and freedom.

MCO Self-Care Checklist

Today is the 36th day of the 44 days of Movement Control Order. During MCO, we are to stay at home. No social gatherings, no parties, no group activities, no church small groups, no working out at the gym. We go out only when necessary to get essential items such as groceries or to buy food. This is to flatten the curve so that the virus will be under control.

For the past 36 days, I have been staying at home and enjoying the company of my parents. Below are the things which I have been doing:

1.Rest

Before MCO, I think I was at the edge of burnt-out. I am so grateful to have this break to slow down, to reflect on the meaning of life, read God’s Word, as well as enjoy the garden my dad is tending every day.

2.Read

Now that I have more time, I am reading different genres of books: autobiographies, Christian spirituality, prayer, health, travel, graphic novels and so on. Currently, I am reading “The Meaning of Marriage” by Tim Keller.

I use this app called, Scribd, which offers a 30-day free access to its library of over one million e-books, audio-books and magazines. I am currently reading Dr Jason Fung’s “The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss” and Lori Gottlieb’s “May be You Should Talk to Someone” on this app.

3.Eat Better

Generally, I have been eating better: no fast food, no McDonald’s, no pizzas, no bubble tea (my absolute favourite). My mum cooks the most delicious food and I am so spoiled! But, I also realised that I have also been snacking more than I normally do before MCO. The choice of snacks? Cookies.

Homecooked curry and chicken soup

4.Reconnect with Loved Ones

Good friends do wonders for our souls. This is the time to reconnect with family, old friends, keeping in touch as well as checking in with our closest friends. Zoom sessions with my gal pals are often bring laughters and are very much enjoyed. Zoom, Facebook, WhatsApp, phone calls, etc are wonderful ways to keep in touch.

5.Exercise

Now that activities in a group is not recommended, my best friend + walking buddy sent me a workout video which she follows as a part of her daily workout.

My go-to exercise channel on YouTube is Blogilates.

6.Pick Up New Hobbies

Now is the time to revive my blog. If you look at my older blogs, they were written at the end 2018.

I also aim to enjoy my guitar for 30 minutes every day.

7. Skin Care

Face masks, replenish my face with hydration and vitamins which is suitable for my skin type.

8. Spend Time with My Parents

I live alone. With the MCO, I moved back to live at my parents. I do treasure our bonding time together so much. We worship the Lord and sing praises to God every day. We grew closer as a family.

May it be that we echo the words of Joshua in the Old Testament, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15b, NIV).

These are what I have been doing. Of course, the other waking hours including church ministries, keeping in touch with church members, teaching, which are all done online now.

What are your activities during MCO?