Dear….
‘Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.’
Acts 27:25
I was just at a wake last Saturday, for my late uncle. Like my bereaved cousins said, rare do our paths crossed unless it is a wedding or a funeral. And fetish I do not have, but since the Spirit of God imbued me with the desire to follow than just stay at the believer stage, I often make it a point to make a visual inspection of the deceased at the wakes I attend. No different from my daily scrutiny of the obituary page in the daily newspaper. It not because I am a fan of the popular forensic series, CSI, but rather, what is written on the obituary and what is the parting look(notwithstandin g that it has been touched up) do give one an inkling about the deceased’s life, their state of peace or lack of it, as well as their relationship or non relationship with God.
‘For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this, but He Who judges me is the Lord.’
1 Corinthians 4:4
For many, to “die in peace” could mean that one had a great life, as measured by material happiness, loving family and good friends, and that one has attained what one desires in life. And in leaving, most cares are taken of, and it would in all probabilities, mean family is self sufficient, and one is debt free and has make peace with most. We come into the world with nothing, and cannot bring anything with us, this is true, but for most, the point between birth and death can be fairly cluttered with affairs of the heart that cannot be so easily unknotted. And even if one can, can one be truly at peace either not knowing where yonder is or even if one knew, can one be sure that the belief is correct or for a Christian, that one is truly ready to face God our Maker and account for our response or lack of response to His leading in our heartbeat days of past?
‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’
1 Corinthians 10:12
I know I have a great relationship with God. He speaks to my heart often enough, and I know His will with greater lucidity than ever before and He affirms it often enough to leave no room for doubt. And God has indeed bless my life tremendously. But here is where many of us often make an erroneous assumption about our relationship with our Sovereign God. Many will realize that it is not an equal relationship, for who are we compared to the Omnipresent God? But many find it hard to understand that the love of God is not just equated with all things that the carnal us perceive as nice on earth, but the love of God often meant the need to allow us to be tested and refined through the storms of life which could include letting go of what we thought we hold dear. It might seem painful, but it will be gainful, for God is perfecting us for His return, when He will live amongst us, even as His Spirit is already residing in the hearts of those who believe, much as we the temple of God needs to and continues to undergo further refinement.
“You are My witnesses,” says the Lord. And My servant whom I have chosen. That you may know and believe Me. And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed. Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord. And besides Me there is no savior…’
Isaiah 43:10-12
In times of bed and roses, our relationship with God tends to move to the superficial, as our hearts begin to wander off with, when our sense of well being moves away us away from the state of being in the presence of our Lord to doing things our carnal hearts decide.
Is it not true in human relationships that we often takes things for granted, when affairs of the heart seems to be going well, not realizing that tensions and frustrations are growing steadily?
I find it is in times of deprivation(more often perceived than real), when storm clouds gather in the horizon, that I cling on to our Lord with greater tenacity. Even that desire to look to Him, by His grace comes from a daily desire to spend time with Him. One looks for familiarity and comfort in times of upheavals, and our willingness to seek God, when trouble seeks us will only come naturally, if time with God is more than part and parcel of our daily living.
‘The quest of international security involves the unconditional surrender by every nation in a certain measure, of its liberty of action – its sovereignty that is to say and it is clear beyond all doubt that no other road can lead to such security.’
(letter from Albert Einstein to Sigmund Freud quoted in the letters to the press in Financial Times 8th July 10 by a German reader)
Individuality is the in trait of our present generation. But can society truly function without the consensus of the majority on the principle of commonality for the greater good? Are we in the age of the tyranny of the minority? Is this form of relationship any better than that of the need to sub-serve to the greater majority or more often than that, the stronger hands? Man through eons is still searching for that ideal relationship amongst themselves.
‘This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.’
1 John 2:1-11
God looks for a humble and contrite heart. A heart that is prideful, self-dependent and unbelieving, will not be thankful and will never be able to be willing to receive the sanctifying spirit of God’s healing love. Man’s relationship with God has been hindered by our desire to be “independent.” God wants to renew His relationship with us, as a Father with a child, but it must be one that He leads, we follow.
‘For in Him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring.’
Acts 17:28
As our Lord deepens His relationship with me, it often involves the stripping of the next layer of “blob” that is not just blocking my ability to have a clear vision of Him, but that makes it difficult for me to cling on to Him. I have never done a lipo-suction so cannot tell how painful it is, but with God’s refining process, the “pain” moves to “gain” the sooner we learn to submit to His will, by coming unto His presence with our all.
‘Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord Which exercises loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.’
Jeremiah 9:23-24
God knows me, even before I was in my mother’s womb. I am learning to know Him better day by day. What about you?
In Spirit and truth – digging up the past
‘Happy are the people who are in such a state. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!’
Psalm 144:15
As I finally felt compelled, prayerfully by the Spirit of God to complete and submit the final draft for my planned 2nd Book “Happy Family – A mirror of God’s love.” to Rosanne, my dear friend, publisher and co-laborer in this ministry of using art to share the gospel, the Lord brought about a renewal of contacts with relatives(separate from those at the funeral) whom we have not been in touch for most of our adult lives.
The Lord reminded me on the many dysfunctional families in Singapore, including mine, where ancestor worship used to predominate and God never had a place in the families of my parents and grandparents time. Literally, the varied branches of the family tree have long gone their own separate ways, bringing with them unresolved grief and angst. My branch of the family is blessed, to know the Lord our God and He has brought much healing to us, but how can our spirit be fully right with God, when the truth is that there are still traces of non forgiveness residing in the subconscious crevices of our hearts. Much as one cannot imposed one’s faith upon others, it is important on a personal level, for old wounds amongst relatives, long subsumed in one’s consciousness to be brought forth and healed and God is making it happen for my parents’ family tree. And by His grace, in how we live out our faith in this reconnected relationships, our relatives will see the transformation that God has wrought upon our lives, and begin to appreciate and desire to know the same God for their lives.
‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’
Jeremiah 6:16
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