And Miles To Go Before I Sleep

St Martin et Lofer, Austria 30 Apr 2006

'A time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend. A time to plant and a time to uproot. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them together.' Ecc 3:6-7

We were holidaying in the picturesque Austrian village of St Martin et Lofer in April 2006 and this scene confronted us from our window in a chateau where we stayed. At once the second poem of Robert Frost which I had memorised as a teenager  came to mind, 

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

A traveller, perhaps a villager, farmer or woodsman, chanced upon a beautiful scene by some woods on a snowy evening. He was captivated by the near-silent atmosphere and scene, was tempted to stay longer. It was enticing to pause for a while to survey the scene, to rest and to linger. Perhaps, he was a retiree and had the time to linger awhile. Instead, after a short reminiscent moment, he acknowledged the pull of other obligations. There was a considerable distance yet to be travelled before he could rest for the night.

That snowy woods scene in Austria stopped me in my tracks to consider my retirement from the Singapore Armed Forces Medical Corps on 1 July 2001 and now, two other retirements since. As we stand on the threshold of change in retirement, some like this traveler, may be tempted to opt out of the challenges of life. We may prefer to linger in the alluring attraction of life's more comforting moments.

The same sentiments were echoed by Solomon in Ecc 3:9-14:

 

"What does a worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in his time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and to do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men may revere him.”

In the necessary farewell rounds, we are often asked two questions. What are our achievements and what will we miss most in the job? 

Achievements? There should be nothing much to boast about or to recount achievements. They were quickly forgotten. Some years down the road what we thought were our crowning achievements would have lost their significance and lustre. These achievements would be surpassed by others who follow after. To recount them would be pointless.  

The Bible in Ecc 3:12 says that 'I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live'. What can be longer lasting than to have touched the lives of others? When asked what would he leave behind when he retires from politics, Mr Rajaratnam, past deputy Prime Minister of Singapore said that like the Cheshire cat, he wished to leave behind a smile. 

So what will we miss most? I think, people and friendships that have touched our lives - the esprit d'corps, the camaraderie, the mutual respect and esteem for each other. In the time that God had given in my three jobs, I have learnt to appreciate friends. Friendships made the work a calling and a joy, giving tremendous personal satisfaction. At my last retirement from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, I said the lasting legacy I hope to leave behind and take with me are the fond memories. 

We all wish that good careers would last could last forever. We got our relationships, security and hope that this will not end. But God has ordained a cycle of life and a season for change, 'A time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend. A time to plant and a time to uproot. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them together.' Ecc 3:6-7

So three retirements will not stop me in my tracks. Now, I have more time to turn my attention to the opportunities God may provide in the 'silver years' of life.

For many younger readers, who have longer runaways, find God's will in all you do and meet the challenges, embrace the toils of life and overcome. Remember what Solomon said, 'This is the gift of God that you may find satisfaction in all your toil.' Ecc 3:13. Find fulfillment; the toil is the process by which we grow.

The Rev Tony Tan once told that there are trees in Australia call the Yarra trees. There at the Australian outback; they grow strong and healthy. These trees are much sought after because the wood is very strong and yet flexible and therefore, good for building houses.

Some years ago, an African agricultural delegation arrived in Australia to looks for trees that could grow well in their country. Located at about the same latitude in the northern hemisphere,  it was deemed that the climate and conditions must be quite similar. They thought what can grow well in Australia would do likewise in their own country. They exported the Yarra tree seeds back to Africa and planted them there.

The trees did grow fast and tall. However when they used the wood to build the houses, in no time at all, the wood would crack. It did not have the same tensile strength as those grown in Australia and cracked under pressure. That was puzzling. These trees are of the same genetic strain and the temperature and rainfall patterns are similar. The Africans finally discovered that there was one difference. It is very windy in the Australian outback whilst in Africa the place where they planted the trees was in a valley. There protected, between two mountains, there were no strong gales.

The Australian Yarra when growing from seedlings had to withstand and bend under the strong winds. The samplings were constantly buffeted by these storms and they had to grow under pressure. It was this constant friction and bending that made the Australian wood strong and resilient. Not so the African Yarra which grew quickly and easily but lacked the tensile strength.

There is a principle of the Yarra trees that we can apply. The tension, the storms of life and the hard work that we have to weather will in turn strengthen our resolve, build our ethos and make us strong and resilient. 

In the same way complete retirement and rest is not an option. Life goes on with all its attending challenges. In the words of Robert Frost, 'These woods are lovely dark and deep but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep.' There, by the grace of God, go I.  

Lionel

Acknowledgment: Story of the Yarra trees came from the Rev Tony Tan

Updated article. First published 3 Nov 2007

Lionel

I Will Walk With God

'For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,  Do not fear; I will help you' Isaiah 41:13

When I was in Pre-University Medicine class in Raffles Institution, we had an American Peace Corps volunteer who taught us literature. That was when I was introduced to the poetry of Robert Frost, one of whose famous poems is The Road Not Taken.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that made all the difference

This is a poem about options and choices. A traveler in a forest chanced upon a fork; a divergence and he had to make a choice. He chose the one less travelled. Years later he would reflect on this choice, which he said made all the difference. To be sure there was no indication in the poem whether the choice was better or worse, right or wrong, good or bad. If the fork presented a choice of life options, that decision shaped his life in one direction whereas the other path not chosen would have shaped it altogether differently.

The take home lesson I learnt from this poem is that we will be faced with a few life choices that will be game-changing. Around that time in school, I made my life-changing decision which was to ask Jesus to come into my life as my Saviour and Lord. I have not looked back ever since and have not travelled down another road.

All Christians would have made that choice. After the exodus from Egypt and just before they were to settle in the land of Canaan there was a decision for the people of Israel, a reckoning for them. For forty years they were migrating across the wilderness and now they were on the verge of nationhood and to take a vast territory that was promised to them. Joshua, their leader, forced a momentous decision as recorded in Joshua 24:15 'Choose you this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.'

In the story of the Student Prince, there was another setting in which such a crossroads decision had to be made. The student prince pondered his options for the future as he ascended to the throne after the death of his father. He decided like Joshua of old that he will walk with God from that day forth, as he started his reign. There is a wonderful song sung by the great tenor-actor Mario Lanza entitled 'I'll walk with God'.  

I'll walk with God

From this day on

His helping hand, I'll lean upon

This is my prayer my humble plea

May the Lord be ever with me

There is no death though eyes grow dim

There is no fear when I'm near to him

I'll lean on Him forever

And He'll forsake me never

He will not fail me as long as my faith is strong

Whatever road I may walk along

I'll walk with God

I'll take His hand

I'll talk with God He'll understand

I'll pray to him

Each day to Him

And He'll hear the words that I say

His hand will guide my throne and rod

And I'll never walk alone

While I walk with God.

The traveler in the woods, the student prince and Joshua considered their choices carefully. The poem indicated that the traveler studied his options. Did he regret it? Did he find the going tough? Did he ever think of going back? 

It does not appear from the poem that the traveler ever changed his mind. In the same way, my whole extended family chose to convert to Christianity decades ago and since then not one of us - spouses, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews ever looked back. 

We took the hand of the Lord and we have not and will never walk alone.

Lionel

  

His Sheep Am I

 

'The shepherd opens the gate, calls his own sheep by name and leads them out...  he goes ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.' John 10: 3 - 4

Christianity is not so much a religion of dogmas and doctrines as an experience and a relationship with God. The Bible describes the relationship between God and the Christian in many ways but one of the most endearing is the relationship of a shepherd with his sheep. A favourite psalm for many, Psalm 23 describes this relationship so clearly,

'The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me besides peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along rights paths, bringing honour to His name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast before me in the presence of my enemies.
You honour me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.'

There are many imageries describing Jesus as the Shepherd and of His relationship with believers, His sheep.

The Shepherd knows His sheep. Rev Lui Yuan Tze in a sermon on 3 May 2020 said that in the Middle East, the shepherds communicate with their sheep in a sing-song voice. In John 10:3,4 Jesus mentioned that the sheep knows the shepherd's voice and that the shepherd calls each sheep out by name, '..the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.. his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger.' 

The Shepherd is the gatekeeper of the sheep pen. Rev Lui also told us that the Middle Eastern sheep pens do not have any doors. The shepherd is the door to the pen and he sleeps at the entrance of the pen. This is how the shepherd protects his sheep. Jesus said in John 10:7-8 "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate whoever enters through me will be saved." Many of us are seekers for the truth. At one time we knocked on the door and Jesus let us in as noted in Luke 11:10 'For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the the one who knocks, the door will be opened.' 

The Shepherd searches for His lost sheep. We used to sing an old hymn, now almost forgotten, There were Ninety and Nine

There were ninety and nine that safely lay

In the shelter of the fold;

But one was out on the hills away,

Far off from the gates of gold.

Away on the mountains wild and bare;

Away from the tender Shepherd's care.

"Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;

Are they not enough for Thee?"

But the Shepherd made answer: 

"This of Mine has wandered away from Me.

And although the road be rough and steep,

I go to the desert to find My sheep."

This is the parable that Jesus told in Luke 15:4-7. 'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over the sinner who repents....' Doesn't this hymn and parable attest to the value Jesus placed on everyone of us? We were once lost and now are back in the fold because Jesus searched and found us.

The Shepherd as the Guide. Not so long ago, we were like sheep without a shepherd to guide us as we make life's journey. The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed the Lord God as saying, "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains." Jeremiah 50:6. Matthew recorded that when Jesus saw the crowds, 'He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.' Matthew 9:36. Mark added that Jesus 'began to teach them many things.' Mark 6:34. 

There is a popular hymn, Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us.

Savior, like a shepherd lead us
Much we need Thy tender care
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us
For our use Thy folds prepare

We are Thine, who Thou befriend us
Be the guardian of our way
Keep Thy flock from sin defend us
Seek us when we go astray

Psalms 23 assures us that the Lord is our shepherd, He leads us beside still waters and guides us along the right paths. He guides us with his rod and staff so that even if we walk through the darkest valley, we need fear no evil because He is with us.

The Good Shepherd sacrifices Himself for His sheep.

Jesus made a startling statement, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep." John 10:11. His listeners did not realise that he was speaking of his own death on the cross, a lamb brought to the slaughter as a sacrifice for us all, atoning for our sins. Jesus was emphasising that there exists a real deep, special and genuine relationship with all true believers to such an extent that he will risk his life to save us, like a good shepherd would for his sheep. He spoke of loving us unconditionally to the point of death. "I have loved you," Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends."

Lionel

I Found It - Discipleship

'Jesus said, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.' Luke 9:23

In 1976 the Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) launched a world evangelism campaign, 'I Found It.' CCC, Singapore, partnering 200 churches used this theme to bring the gospel to as many as 71,841 persons. Of these 36% indicated decisions for Christ and more than 5000 enrolled in follow-up classes. It was a very successful campaign perhaps the first of its kind to use the mass media extensively.

On 24 May 1738 an earlier I Found It moment occurred. John Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed and recorded in his journal, "I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins." The Methodist Church was born that day and today there are 40.5 million of 'the people who call themselves Methodist' in 138 countries.

Why the name Methodist? Bishop Solomon explained, 'the word "Method" comes from two Greek words - meta (after) and hodos (way). It means "following after a way." In this regard it is noted that in the Gospels, our Lord described Himself as 'the Way' (John 14:6).' Ref 1. Methodists, so to speak, have found found the Way, Jesus.

Finding Christ is not just a simple slogan of I Found It. Finding Jesus in Jesus' time meant to go with him, observe him, study him and follow him by imitation and obedience. My brother Quek Koh Eng, in contemplating Luke 9:23 wrote "the challenge is for all who are called by God to take their faith seriously, grow as disciples of Christ, and not be content to be merely pew warmers but true believers who know and serve the will of God." Like a true army Colonel, Koh Eng said "God’s order has always been that every believer should be a witness; "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 

Of this John Wesley said “we are all at it and at it always.” It means having a desire and  making a decision to be a follower of Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book the cost of discipleship, pointed out that one cannot be a disciple of Christ without forfeiting things normally sought in human life. On the other hand, Dallas Willard wrote that the cost of non-discipleship will be much more than what a disciple might forfeit. Willard wrote, non-discipleship costs 

• abiding peace, 
• a life penetrated throughout by love, 
• faith that sees everything in the light of God's over-riding governance for good, 
• hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances
• power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil.

Willard wrote, "non-discipleship costs you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10)." Ref 2

During the 'I Found It' campaign many found salvation in Jesus Christ but they stopped there. No doubt, it is a very important first step; the Chinese have a saying, 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.' However there are innumerable more steps to take. The Christian journey will go on through eternity, so we cannot stop there, congratulating ourselves. The 'I Found It' campaign was not just to get people a ticket to heaven but to bring them to God.

Salvation alone does not define a Christ follower and does not lead to Christian witness and testimony. The last imperative Jesus gave whilst on earth, is recorded in Matthew 28:19 and 20 "Therefore go and make disciples....teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

Being a disciple is a inner transformation of our core being in such a way that the we take on the character of Christ. This inner transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit aptly described by this hymn, Breathe on Me, Breath of God

1. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Fill me with life anew,
   That I may love what Thou dost love,
   And do what Thou wouldst do.
2. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Until my heart is pure,
   Until with Thee I will one will,
   To do and to endure.
3. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   Till I am wholly Thine,
   Until this earthly part of me
   Glows with Thy fire divine.
4. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
   So shall I never die,
   But live with Thee the perfect life
   Of Thine eternity.

There is a the car decal that states, 'Don't Follow Me. I'm Lost.' This is terrible testimony but articulates the pathetic situation of the modern society. On the other hand, the transformed Christian disciple lives by the example of St Paul the apostle, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." 1 Cor 10:34. In other words, 'Follow me. I'm Found.'

Lionel        

  

Ref 1: Robert M Solomon. Following Jesus in a Fallen World. Chapter 20, Beyond Method; Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism. Genesis Book 2009

Ref 2: Dallas Willard. The Great Omission- Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship. Chapter 1, Discipleship, For Super Christians only? HarperOne, 2006

You Don't Know Me

' Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' Psalm 46:10

In 1956 Cynthia Walker and Eddie Arnold wrote this song You Don't Know Me set to a rather haunting and lamenting a melody. It is a song about unfulfilled relationship, a man was too shy to approach the woman he loved, too afraid to start a relationship. He stood in the shadows and watched as the woman walked away with another man. 

You give your hand to me,

And then you say hello

And I can hardly speak,

My heart is beating so

You think you know me well

But you don't know me, 

No you don't know me.

You give your hand to me

And then you say goodbye

I watch you walk away 

Beside the lucky guy

Oh you will never know

The one who loves you so

Well you won't know me

What a missed opportunity! A relationship did not develop because one party was too afraid to commit. 

There is another man who could say to us, "You don't know me." Jesus warned that some may face that prospect. This revelation in Matthew 7:21-23 will be very devastating for some.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers.'

We think we know God but many nominal Christians miss the opportunity of really knowing because we cannot commit to a meaningful relationship. A meaningful relationship with God through the person of Jesus requires our undivided attention, our absolute obedience and our sincere hearts. 

King David had a special relationship with God, a longing to know God deeply. He expressed this beautifully in Psalm 139 with an opening sentence, Psalm 139:1

"You have searched me, Lord, and you know me." 

David realised that there was no escaping the presence of God Psalm 139:7

"Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?"

David recognised that God knew him thoroughly, Psalm 139:14-15

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of God."

David reconciled to the full exposure of his life before God, Psalms 139:23-24

"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."

When Jesus was on earth He told His followers, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:14. Knowing God and being known by God is an existential imperative. It is the highest goal for every Christian.

Lionel