EDITORIAL
ARCHIVES 2004
[2003
and earlier]
We are Moving Home!
Best in the Business
Membership has its
Privileges
Noise and Contrast
Mindsets and the Horizon
Did Christ Have to Die?
Passion is not Emotion
So
Where is God?
In Search of Excitement
WE ARE MOVING HOME! (14 Dec 04)
After 2 long years away from Potong Pasir, we are finally moving home! Beautiful new facilities await us at St Andrew's Village and we eagerly await the time when we are reunited with our community.
What have these two years taught us? I am sure there were many lessons learned, precious moments enjoyed and new relationships forged. The time away from home has not been without benefit.
We have enjoyed the powerful hand of God - providing for our every need. We needed a temporary home and He provided us excellent hosts. We needed funds and they came in miraculous ways. People were brought to us - to share our joy and our tears. God ministered to our entire family!
New challenges await us - both in the SAV and in the larger community of Potong Pasir. But we know that with the hand of God upon us, the blessings will flow...and pour out abundantly.... for all to enjoy! Have a blessed Christmas... and an exciting New Year.
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BEST IN THE BUSINESS (20 Sep 04)
Have you dined in a restaurant that is kinda second-rate, or dealt with a business that is less than efficient but have "forgiven" their lack of polish because they are "Christian enterprises"?
Mediocrity saddens me. I am even sadder when I encounter mediocrity in an establishment that is ostensibly Christian-run.
Obviously, not all Christian-run businesses are lacking in finesse. Some are superbly managed and rival the best in the market. But I do find a good number that are not. Some probably survive only because good-hearted fellow Christians patronise them.
Some would say that we should not have brought religion into business at all. I don't quite agree, but I do feel that if we want to glorify God in the business world, than we have to put in the extra effort to do the best possible job. Best front-desk smile, top quality products, excellent service, absolutely reliable after-sales support etc etc. We need to put in the "WOW!" factor that make us the best in the business.
Unreasonable? Unfair? Perhaps so. But if Christianity is associated with only "so-so" and "can-do lah", then how can God be glorified? No amount of catchy bumper stickers, witty posters or "God bless you sir" greetings can save the day in such circumstances.
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MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PRIVILEGES (23 Aug 04)
"Membership has its Privileges!" This catch-phrase of a major charge card company is familiar to many people. It is easy to understand and it reflects a basic principle of human society - "join us and you will enjoy the benefits reserved only for members."
However, I feel that extreme care and caution has to be exercised when we apply such a principle to the church because it can run counter-current to one of the most basic principles of Christianity. When challenged by the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law on why He was dining with sinners, Jesus underlined the purpose of His mission - that He came to call not the righteous but the sinners (Luke 5:32).
I was deeply touched when on one of our mission trips to Northern Thailand, the local village folks invited the neighbouring villagers to see the doctor first before their own people got their chance. This was despite their having to house and feed our team. These people knew not only who God was. They knew His heart.
I was also impressed when I heard that a local church in Singapore started a child-care centre. Top priority went to the "unchurched' community. Only when there was space left would their own members get a place.
On the other hand, I am a often uncomfortable when I come across offers of special privileges granted exclusively to church members. I am particularly disturbed when such offers come from commercial establishments. I do not feel that such offers are in themselves wrong but they can result in undesirable outcomes in addition to being an unnecessary distraction to our purpose of spreading the Gospel and being a blessing to the those outside the church. They may also upset and distance the unreached.
We were called by God to serve. That is the ultimate privilege. Fringe benefits are nice to have, but that's where they should be kept (if at all) - right at the fringe. Let us be thankful for what we already have, and use our resources to bless those who are less privileged. The church is not an exclusive club and must not be allowed to be turned into one. We are an inclusive body. God's love is for all.
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NOISE AND CONTRAST (1 July 04)
We live in a noisy world, with many things fighting for our attention all at the same time - flashy images, catchy tunes (and loud music), dramatic stunts etc. More seem to be better.
In a grossly exaggerated and amplified environment of a modern-day city, the almighty thunder seem so unimpressive. Nature seems so tame; God so reduced.
The theme for this year's 40 Day Fast is "A Different Thunder!" What kind of difference?
The reading from Leonard Tay's sermon on 20 June rings in my mind and is the focal scripture for next week's prayer and meditation, "...And after the fire came a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12)" The presence of the Lord came not in the wind, earthquake or the fire but in the gentle whisper that followed. Elijah immediately recognised it!
That I believe is the answer - difference. God is different. God is not like this world. His Holy presence contrasts sharply with the empty din of man's screams. In our attempts to bring the Good News to the people, perhaps we can take a leaf from this lesson. We don't need to out-shout, out-jump and out-number to succeed.
We just need to be what we are called to be - God's holy people. The contrast will be striking. And noticed. And acknowledged. God's thunder!
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MINDSETS AND THE HORIZON (14 May 04)
The sight of the horizon often conjures a sense of awe. We realise our smallness in a big world, our sight limited by the curve of the globe and we ponder what's beyond in space or time.
While the geographical horizon is determined by physical, there are many "horizons" in our lives that are created by our mindsets. We long for breakthroughs but experience none because we do not dare venture beyond the limits of convention. We often keep to the "safe, well trodden path" in the way we do things, the way we think and in the way we worship and serve.
Yet the example of Christ bellows the opposite. He exhorts us to open our minds and hearts and seek a new relationship with God and to let Him do a much greater work in our lives. I am not suggesting that we test the limits of righteous living but rather to test the limits of our self-perceived abilities (or lack of it). And take to the air like the Wright brothers.
Take another look at your "horizon" and ask God to lift you up that you may see over it. Take a small step of faith and shift it a little today. Expect more tomorrow - much more!
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DID CHRIST HAVE TO DIE? (14 Apr 04)
Have you ever been asked why Jesus had to die? Surely a merciful and all powerful God could have averted his crucifixion? Why is it such an essential component of God's plan for our salvation?
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Time magazine debated the question in its April 12 issue. Although in a somewhat confused manner, its rather complicated exposition does emphasize the vital significance of the event in Christian belief. So did Christ have to die? My answer is No. God did not have to sacrifice His Son. He did not have to do anything. Mankind is responsible for his own action and his own destiny. That was the choice Adam made when he decided to eat the "forbidden" fruit - essentially telling God that he wants to go his own way. Through the sins knowingly committed in each one of our lives, we re-instate the fact that we reject God's way. |
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The fact is that mankind is in a mess and we can't get out of it. We did not have to sin - but we did. God did not have to care - but He does. Despite it all, He still loves us. Dearly.
Sin has its consequence - death. With death comes separation from a righteous God. That would be the only rightful price we had to pay. By His death, Jesus offered to pay the price for our choice - our error. It was a hefty price, but it opened a way out for us. Now we have another choice - to accept or reject that offer. What's your choice?
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PASSION IS NOT EMOTION (24 Mar 04)
Our mental image of passion is defined very much by emotive elements. Perhaps it is because we often associate passion with romance. Or perhaps we see it as the heart overcoming the mind so as to empower one to act well beyond the mediocre.
Although there are important emotional components in Christian passion, I do not believe that it is primarily an emotional virtue. Emotion can only lead a person to be "passionate" with what grips his pleasure. It is not fully within his control and it is not necessarily constructive.
The passion of Christ and the passion we are called to our Lord's service is really quite different. Jesus commands us to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
This verse tells me two things regarding passion. Firstly - passion is a choice we make. It starts from within ourselves, not as an inevitable consequence of an external influence. Secondly - passion goes beyond the mind and heart. It reaches the soul. To achieve that, it must have divine empowerment from our Lord. We decide, He provides.
Hence, we can continue in passionate worship and service in the most difficult and trying of circumstances. And in the driest, most unexciting moments of our lives.
I hope that as we go through Passion Week (and for those of us who plan to watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ), we won't just be consumed by the powerful emotions of the moment, but to examine the depth of our passion towards God as well.
Find out more about Passion Week and read a critique about Mel Gibson's film here.
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Ask a child where he or she thinks chickens come from and you may well get the answer, "supermarket". We often laugh at the simplicity of our kid's thoughts and the shallowness of their knowledge, but how often have we realised that most adults often think in similar fashion?
Mankind prides himself with the discovery of the tiniest sub-atomic particle and the vastness of the universe. There is nothing mediocre about man's knowledge or achievements, of course. But if we reject the possibility of a God creator, then we may still be short-changed in our understanding of our origin....just like the kid who has not seen a chicken farm.
What about our day-to-day life? Do we see beyond what is happening to why it is happening? Or in moments of distress, do we fail to see God's loving presence?
It is easy to attribute miracles to God because we have no logical explanation for their occurrence. But God works primarily in the "natural" way - through situations, people and relationships.
Can't see God? Is He too distant? Look again - at the people around you, at the biggest and the smallest moments of your life. He's here. All the time.
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IN SEARCH OF EXCITEMENT (21 Jan 04)
We are almost a month into a new year. I wonder how many of us looked toward this year with anticipation and excitement? Well, certainly some young people did. Perhaps this would be a milestone year - entering school or university. But for many "adults", it is just another year. Same old job, routine and mundane life.
The same could be said for our spiritual life - what a bore! Perhaps that is why some people drift out of church, daily Bible study and prayers and eventually... away from God.
While the Church provides a platform for some inspiring sermons, uplifting ministries and for some, an escape from a dreadful world, it cannot create excitement for everybody all the time. That is not her task.
Excitement in the heart and spirit of each person is really his or her own responsibility. It starts from within the person. Those who sit back and await excitement to hit them will be sorely disappointed. Those who seek it from outside will also find it short-lived and superficial.
Start with a goal. Make a road-map towards that goal. And get going. There is no boring journey in one's spiritual walk. It is only when you sit still in a corner would you collect dust and mould.
Get a move on... you've got an exciting year ahead!
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