Dear…
This week I had a chance to bring to flesh one of my childhood desires. To see in person the rich colors of the various natural history drawings of flora and fauna commissioned by Major General William Farquhar back in the early 19th Century Singapore.
At the National Museum, I asked for directions to the Farquhar collection(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goh_Seng_Choo_Gallery) this being the first day of the exhibition. One make new discoveries every day, and I only realized today that “Farquhar” was not pronounced in three syllabic but rather as two syllables. No wonder the receptionist gave me a strange look, for much as the world is increasingly used to having colorful language in mainstream media, I guess I still have the looks of a decent chap.
(see this link for the correct pronunciation to avoid the same grief like me. http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=farquhar).
“Mind your language,” some of the more mature breed might recall, was a half hour weekly television sitcom, set in an environment of an English lesson class for a motley crew of foreigners in good old England of the 1970s, and caricatures the various cultural stereotypes of other races (including a Mao little red book waving female Chinese resplendent in a green Mao jacket), in a humorous manner, though in today’s political correct environment, might not be acceptable any longer.( http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5377040251154974428 )
‘And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years…….and after that he must be loosed a little season.’
And on the Middle Kingdom, China is increasingly asserting its presence in our convoluted world and all of us are going to be impacted in bigger ways by the awakened Kingdom of the dragon king. And the haze that is upon us will only get worse, as China in her relentless surge to provide for the raised expectations of a billion plus Chinese scour the world for jungle land to convert into plantations to satisfy the appetite of these new voracious consumers.
‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’
Luke 1:37
If you cannot beat them, at least join them. For me though, this was not the reason that I have this week, finally resolved to really make an effort to improve my near still death Mandarin capability. A rather late response on my part to the Lord’s prompting back in the midst of the sub-prime crisis, to reach out to the Mandarin speakers of the world. An hour a night of listening to Chinese Hymns, audio Chinese Scriptures, general interest news in Mandarin and rounding it off with an online Hanyu Pinyin lesson taught by a Westerner and ten proverbs a day from my son’s early secondary Chinese school books. Will it turn me into a fluent enough speaker able to share the word of God without confusing my intended recipient? With God, all things are possible, and more importantly, it is not what or who I am, but to know His will and to faithfully respond. God has through the years moved me from perceived deficiencies into ministries that by my own understanding, I once thought not possible.
‘Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…’
Romans 13:8
On that note, as I sat at a coffee shop indulging in a late lunch yesterday, I was approached by three heavily tattooed youths, selling key chains as part of the Yellow Ribbon week(to get society to affirm the once prisoners). These ex prisoners, as their badge indicated can be quite intimidating with their muscle bound tattoos. But they appeared more like docile deer in their approach to me and it was love for fellow men, as led by the Spirit of the Lord in me, rather than intimidation that led me to make a willing contribution. But that contribution led to another as the other two chaps pleaded for their first sale for the day as well. Were these truly ex prisoners or just con men? My antique dealer friend, whom I visited after lunch, and whose shop happened to be nearby shared this little wisdom that comes from age, he is older. Gangsters have deep pride and for them to stoop to literally begging strangers to buy their wares is indeed a humbling experience for them. I did not get a chance to practice my re-energized Mandarin, for these three chaps spoke good English unlike the common perception that the all "riff raffs" of society are uneducated, but I am glad to be used by the Lord to encourage. The cynical world might think that I am foolish, but love as led by the Spirit of God brings forth much and it is a privilege to be used by our Lord to water.
This week, many in Singapore are encouraged to pin the yellow ribbon on their shirt or dress, as a symbol of support for ex prisoners, to encourage them in their efforts to reintegrate into mainstream society.
The thought just crossed my heart last night. How many of us are in reality still spiritual prisoners of the devil much as in the natural world, we are walking free? And are we truly better off than the now freed prisoners of our legalistic society?
The truth hurts but rudeness is not language of my intention, and prayerfully, this is not a judgmental statement but rather, a realization of the reality that I myself have often re-entered the prison that Christ has freed us all from, by His sacrifice on the cross.
“Many Christians are either a prisoner of the future through worry or a prisoner of the past through guilt and un-forgiveness.” (quote from “School of the Shepherds). How true it is. To not trust totally in the Sovereignty of God, is to revert back to the waiting arms of the devil.
‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Psalm 139:23-24
I have these past decade, by the enabling grace of God learned the language of love, for God is love. I have like many who acknowledges our good Lord, experienced His love and sanctifying presence and I know God is present, and not an unknown god that the Athenians of Apostle Paul’s time worship.
Through the years, again by His enabling grace, I have been willing to response to His leading and have been privileged to testify to His grace in my lives to all of you on this mail list and wherever He places me. I have also learned that it is often in my weakness that I see with the greatest clarity the grace of God. That is why Christ reminds us to take up the cross for the burden is light.
Empathy, is the language the God speaks to us in. Christ came to be on Earth to take on the lowly form of man, to empathize with us, yet show by example a model of life, different from the sinful Adam.
Empathy is being able to recognize and share the feelings of another. When the Spirit of God falls upon us, our very being feels the love of His presence, that communion. I have come to learn that in professing our desire to serve God, we must be willing to allow Him to let us experience the varied circumstances that will challenge yet strengthen our faith. And in learning to let go and let Him, as we experience the trials yet His glory, will we then be able to understand and speak with conviction to the very hearts of people He places in our lives, as His Spirit ministers to them through us.
‘We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.’
2 Corinthians 5:8
This week, I received the results of my annual medical. Everything was great and I am still a decent specimen of aging well. But my heart scan showed some plaque. It could lead to future heart attacks if not dealt with. Nothing serious my doctor tells me, but an early warning for that is what the scan is supposed to do anyway.
Was I worried? A little but fear did not grip me long, for I do recognize that at age 50, our body must have the inevitable wear and tear.
‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’
Psalm 90:12
But more importantly, I have come to learn that death is not the end all, for eternity with God is for us to take if we are willing. And be it 3 scores or 7 scores or maybe even a little more, it is not how many years in this temporal world we have, but how well we let our Lord enable us to use the time well in His service.
God always prepare us for what comes next in His plan. The night before my medical review, He brought me to the verse that Apostle Paul shared on the ‘thorn in his flesh.’ Yesterday, when I received the little news on the less than perfect heart, His Spirit reminded me that all of us who professed the faith, will have left with us a little thorn in the flesh, for only then will we truly see the grace of God at work in our lives, and not make the same mistake of many great man of faith who fell by the wayside when pride sets in.
And similarly the devil will try to shake our faith. At the clinic, I met a friend whom I have not seen for a long time. She told me if I was aware that her husband had a quadruple heart bypass last year. Yet she shared a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s grace in helping them discover the unknown situation. In my carnal days, I will be very worried to then be told right after that by my doctor on my potential heart condition, no matter how remote it might be. But God is good. He reminded me of the prescience of His ways. My doctor turned out to have a common link with me and this friend of mine. All our kids are from the same school. If God is for us, how can we not be joyful.
"Faith is not about changing the facts, it is to see beyond the facts to the promise of God."
( quote from "Heart of the Shepherd.")
I am off to see the Cardiologist next week for his opinion on this little film let of my heart. I am sure God has a purpose for providing this wonderful opportunity to meet up. Pray for me, for good health yes, but even better, to continue to bask even more in God’s Sovereignty. For difficult circumstances, perceived or real, gives us a chance to cling even closer to God. And in doing so, our faith will increase, for without faith, it is impossible to please God. And faith brings us back into total dependence upon the Lord our God.
'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that periseth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.' Whom having not seen ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'
1 Peter 1:7-8
Eng Hieang
(16th Sep 2011)
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