12 April 2020

My dear readers, 

The rapid changing Christian experiences are unprecedented for Singaporean believers. One moment we were able to worship, have fellowship and pray together, and then within a week or two everything has been taken away. This shock is surreal, like a man who was alive one moment and gone the next –the difference is that in this case there is no return. When the normality that we have been familiar with returns, will people be the same or better? This is the question for consideration this week.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-10 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.”

These are the words of King Solomon who had seen and tasted and experienced everything to its fullest and that maximises the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. His conclusion was that there is a time for everything, i.e. everything that begins has an end, including the good and the bad. In the context of the Covid-19, this will end too, we pray and hope. But how has it impacted us and will it change us after it is all over? We must answer these questions as children of God and not as children of the world. As children of God, these are some of the issues that must be foremost in our minds now as they will impact what we become when we return for worship.

• Consume the Christian “Burger” Daily – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” These are the three things a child of God must never stop doing regardless of life’s circumstances. In woe or in weal the child of God must never stop rejoicing, pray and give thanks. He can rejoice ever more because he is going to heaven and all his sins have been forgiven in Christ Jesus. He has a personal relationship with God that is real and he never walks alone on this dangerous earth. There is nothing that can happen to him in this world that can break or diminish his relationship with God, his heavenly Father.

To keep this joy vibrant and strong, he must pray without ceasing. He knows that his life is a spiritual warfare and he constantly needs God’s help to win every battle. He communes with God without ceasing. He asks God for wisdom before he makes any decision. He prays before he calls his client, before his children leave home for school, and he prays before he starts and ends his day.

The inevitable outcome is that he is able to give thanks in all things because he is able to see the hand of his mighty heavenly Father even in the smallest thing in his life. He knows there are no accidents; that even in hardship, persecution, sickness and pandemics, it will be for his spiritual good because nothing happens in his life without his heavenly Father’s permission. If God permits it he accepts it happily and humbly, trusting in his heavenly Father to bring about a better spiritual outcome that will bring glory to His blessed Name.

This is the Christian burger every believer needs to consume daily to walk closely with his Saviour and LORD.

• Let the Peace of God be the Sentinel of Your Heart – When Jesus left the disciples to go to the cross at Calvary, He instructed and assured them that though He had to leave, the divine peace that they had been enjoying the past three years with Him walking physically by their side would continue. Christ said He would leave this peace behind even though He is gone. The disciples need not be afraid even when the circumstances in life change drastically. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Everything in this world is in a constant flux of unending change and it is a matter of rapidity. Some are devastating like the Covid-19 pandemic; many others are just as or more significant even though they may not be global in nature. But they impact our lives forever like a loved one diagnosed with a terminal illness and suddenly the Covid-19 virus is not so important anymore.

In the midst of all these changes, we as God’s children must cast all our cares to God by prayer and supplication. We do not have to carry a single one of our challenges alone, small or big. We have a heavenly Father who has opened His door of mercy for us to enter in anytime, day or night. We can bring all our cares with thanksgiving in our hearts and place them before His throne of grace and mercy. Once they are passed over to God, our heavenly Father will give to us His peace that will be the sentinel guarding our hearts and minds against every fear or worry. All of God’s children will be able to rest and sleep in peace knowing that their heavenly Father neither slumbers nor sleeps. Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

• Keep the Fire of God’s Love and His Word Burning in Your Heart – To sustain the above two blessings, children of God must keep their love for the LORD burning brightly. This is experienced in our love for His holy and blessed Word of Life. With this love of God burning brightly, we can obey all of God’s Word joyfully all the time. Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” To love God is to love His Word and also to love our neighbour. Our neighbour is everyone whom God brings into our life. God loves in truth always.

With the above spiritual truths lived out in our lives, this temporary, God willing, absence from Worship, Prayer Meetings, Bible Study, Christian Fellowships, etc. ought to make our hearts grow fonder for these spiritual things. In fact, simply being able to go to church and be with God’s people should be sufficient to bring forth praise from our lips and hearts! May the LORD show mercy and grant to us the desire of our hearts, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor