Dear ...
Just one more day, then we are off to the romantic city of lights, Paris,
leaving cold dowdy Churchill England, for cool sophisticated Gaullist France.
Things might have changed since such post war impressions were formed when the
dogged bull dog like resoluteness of the Brits ensured that they survived
Hitler's massive air assault during World War 2.
Very unlike the French who built the Maginot Line, a defensive wall, their
version of the Great Wall of China, which unfortunately was useless and crumbled
in the German armored assault, that led to viva France being a puppet country of
Germany.
One narrow English Channel, two once great imperial powers that colonized a
large part of the world, whose legacies still play a part in present day
history, yet such great differences.
The French might still dominate the haute couture of our present world, but it
is the English language that is very much the lingua franca of our world.
But if spreading the good news of the gospel is the most profound legacy of the
British, why didn't the same happen for the frogs, the derogatory name the Brits
call their neighbors?
With the storming of the Bastille, which today marks the French Independence
day, once royally ruled France became a Republic, a progressive state ruled by
the elect from the masses. Thrown out with the king was the clergy, which
unfortunately was corrupt and France became Catholic in name, but fiercely
secular in nature
'and he shall turn the hearts of the father to the children, and the hearts of
the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the Earth with a curse.'
Malachi 4:6
The Brits today have largely come home, having devolved themselves of their
colonies. The French concept of home is self-centeredness. Are these impressions
biased. A few days in Paris will not be a good indication, and even if it is, it
will be better not to judge but to pray for this once strong Christian nation.
So on a prayer and faith, today ie Thursday Dec 9th, leaving just as the violent
start of the student strikes and future anarchy in England began, we are off to
Paris (on the Euro tunnel). And France has decided to keep up with the English
by having their worst snowstorm since 1987 with many flight delays. But God is
good, the bad weather just preceded us by a day.
'This Book of Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it
day and night... Then you will have good success.'
Joshua 1:1-9
Truth is a command to all who seek to obey our Lord. To be otherwise is to be
like the devil, the master of deceit.
'..when therefore I was thus minded did I show fickleness?
...that with me should be the yea and yea, and the nay and nay?
2 Corinthians 1:17
The day we left London was also the day of the violent student riots. There is
justifiable anger on the part of the students on the broken promises of the
Liberal Democrats. Yet just like the vigilantes in the Wikileaks revenge attacks
on Visa and Mastercard, is there justification for such behavior?
'Woe to the multitude of many people. Who make a noise like the roar of the seas
. And to the rushing of nations...'
Isaiah 17:12
But of greater consequence is the world now undergoing the beginnings of a
revolution where the youths are so disgusted with the hypocrisy of the adults
that with the empowerment of the Internet, their raw energy are being channeled
into destructive chaos. Will this be a prelude to such raw youthful
anti-establishment anger being harnessed by the anti-Christ who works on the
facade of distorted truth and human rights(or more like selfishness)?
'Little children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that the Antichrist
is coming, even as many Antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the
last hour.'
1 John 2:18
Our children must see Christ likeness in us. Sadly, reality is they see more of
the devil in many fathers. And paradoxically, what they resent, will also be
exhibited in them, as we are now witnessing not just in the Western world, but
the world at large.
God will not allow this sinful cycle to endure in perpetuity. Malachi 4:6 is a
reminder of His coming wrath, yet His grace.
'... For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord. ...That your children shall
come back
to their own border.'
Jeremiah 31:16-17
God blesses
Eng Hieang
Dec 12th Peaceful Paris for now
An afterthought
Home is where our heart is. Home for most of us is where our physical abode is.
It is where our relationships are based, be it family, friends and colleagues.
But in our globalized world, for many an intrepid traveler, home is no longer
permanent, just as relationships, for friendships tend to be more superficial
and marriages tenuuos.
What about Christians? The present world is but a temporal abode. Yet we spent
so much of our all in futility trying to make it secure permanently.
And what about our bodily shell. It is a temporal shell upon which the Spirit of
God resides, working to make ready our very being, when it departs to be with
Christ in permanency.
'Whereas ye know not what shall be tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.'
James 4:14
We are now home, back in Singapore. The streets are pretty quiet, as many are
away. But come nearer Christmas, most will be back to spend time with the family
and friends. But there are some who will never come home, if the obituary pages
are any indication. Where have they gone to? Might not matter to many who do not
know the deceased, for the living will be busy with the festive celebrations and
making plans for the next year.
But what if there is no next year for you? What if this is your last stop and
the buck literally stops here?
Will your desire be the same as that of the Psalmist in Psalm 42?
'As the hart pantheth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, my
God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the Living God, when shall I come and appear
before God.'
Psalm 42:1-2
And that state of desire to be with God will be dependent upon how obedient have
we lived out our life in respond to His call, for His Spirit is at this very
moment calling out to you. Till the last breath leave us, your heart can still
respond to the saving grace from the gift of salvation for which our Lord Jesus
Christ was brought to Earth on Christmas day. Do take time now to ponder upon
what Christmas truly means, before a fullstop is sprung upon your finite life
unexpectedly.
'I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and
complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the
gospel of God's grace.'
Acts 20:24
No comments:
Post a Comment