Look Forward

 

Heliconia Bird Of Paradise: Look Forward

'One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press on  toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ.' Philippians 3:13-14

When King Solomon was an old man he had an advice for younger men,

'Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them." Ecclesiastes 12:1

Solomon was holding out a daunting prospect to growing old. There was nothing to look forward to other than disappointment and unhappiness. His book of Ecclesiastes started out very grimly by stating that all of life is futile and full of vanities. Towards the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon discovered the life that is worth living. He remembered God. Solomon advised the young to do the same so as to avoid futility but find fulfilment.

In 2021, our dear brother Lim Chin Leng was diagnosed to have cancer. In a New Year message for 2022, Chin Leng wrote, "Looking back, although 2021 has been a difficult year, I’m thankful that God has never forsaken me or my family as we walked through the valley of the shadow of death. God also sent many people to make sure we won’t go through this scary journey alone. Our cell group, and many in Charis, fasted and prayed for us. Many also blessed us with much needed practical help. We experienced the importance of being connected to a spiritual community during this crisis.

God is still at work in our lives as we prepare to face the unknown ahead. At the end of the day, we believe that God will show us His glory, whether I get healed or not. Thank you, church, for your love and encouragement. We appreciate you all! My prayer for you is that you too will be able to experience the presence of God in every season of your life, regardless of the challenges you face. May God bless you! The Best is Yet to Be. To God be the Glory!"

It takes much courage to battle cancer. Chin Leng demonstrated this because  God is at work in his life. Despite this setback, Chin Leng remained undaunted, he looked forward. Looking forward is looking to God.

'Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'  Isaiah 41:10

Bishop Solomon wrote a book (Ref 1), 'We Are Pilgrims' on the 15 Songs of Ascent (Psalms 130-134). These are the songs sung by the Jewish pilgrims as they climbed their way up to Jerusalem. These songs, wrote the Bishop, "contain profound thoughts about God amid the painful realities of life". They are filled with trusting and very poignant prayers.  These prayerful songs help us to face life, its pain as well as its joy.

'I lift up my eyes to You, to You who sit enthroned in heaven' Psalm 123:1

Like the pilgrims of old singing their songs of ascent, we can carry on the upward way just as this song, 'Higher Ground' encourages us to press on. St Paul encouraged the Philippi Christians to reach forward to the things ahead and press on towards the goal, the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.

I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day;

Still praying as I onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
  Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found,
“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 

Lionel

Lift Up Mine Eyes To The Hills

Look to the Hills

 'I lift up mine eyes to the hills and I wonder from where comes my help? My help, it comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let you stumble, He will not let you fall, the Lord is your keeper. The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night, the Lord will keep your life. I lift up mine eyes to the hills and I wonder, I wonder where comes my help.' Psalm 121

Psalms 121 is a wonderful promise and assurance of the Lord God protecting His people. There is a wonderful hymn 'I Lift Up Mine Eyes' by Allen Pote which so beautifully captivates this reassuring message of the Lord's protection. God’s protection is ubiquitous and all-encompassing, at all times of the day and in every hour. 

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, 

and I wonder from where comes my help? 

My help, it comes from the Lord, 

The maker of heaven and earth. 

I lift up my eyes to the hills and I wonder,

I wonder, where is my help

He will not let you stumble, 

He will not let you fall, the Lord is your keeper. 

The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night,

The Lord will keep your life.

I lift up mine eyes to the hills, 

And I wonder, I wonder where is my help? 

The Lord will keep you from all evil. 

He will keep your life.

 The Lord will keep you from all evil. 

He will keep your life.

He will keep your going out, 

and your coming in from this time forth, 

And forevermore. 

He will not let you stumble, 

He will not let you fall, The Lord is your keeper. 

The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 

The Lord will keep your life. 

I lift up mine eyes to the hills, 

And I wonder from where comes my help? 

My help it comes from the Lord, 

The maker of heaven and earth.

I lift up mine eyes to the hills 

And I wonder, I wonder where is my help?

What was the Lord God protecting us against when the Bible made mention of the sun striking by the day and the moon by night? The Psalm points to two negative emotions, fear and guilt, described as a night time terror and a day time shame.

When we are young, we are all afraid of the dark. Darkness can hide things - secrets, sins, sinister motives, evil intentions. Night brings a dark foreboding feeling of terror and evil. We all have experienced the pilo-erection of the hairs on the skin and the cold sweat on our brow when we walk down lonely, dark lanes. It is the fear of the unknown, of danger lurking in dark corners.

My grandson, James, learned to sleep by himself from about 6 months old. He used to require us to pat him to sleep and I would sing to him a simple chorus, 'I love You Lord.' However, I often had visions of James waking up at night fearing the darkness. But James is a brave boy and he settled back to sleep quickly; secured in the knowledge that his parents and grandparents are always there for him, even when he cannot see nor feel our presence. 

Like James, most of us learn to deal with our fears although some can be crippled by irrational and chronic anxieties. Such people conceive impending doom and worry over every little thing. When and if that happens,  the Shepherd's Psalm often comes to mind

'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.' Psalms 23:4 

In contrast to darkness, light exposes everything. When the sun rises, other threats loom, guilt and shame. Light exposes sin, even the hidden ones. In the Garden of Eden after committing the original sin, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness with fig leaves and hid from God. Why? Sin produces shame.

The way most Christians deal with their shame is to confess our sins and accept Christ’s forgiveness. But some continue to remain crippled by their guilt. They enter into a deep misery; feeling they must pay for their sin. Jesus has already paid the price and penalty; we confess our sin, we must let Jesus forgive.

Forgiveness brings release but guilt brings remorse. Some never experience release and they remain trapped in their remorse. They go around perpetually feeling bad about themselves. This is probably what is meant with the statement 'the sun will strike you by day.' Every morning after waking up with the sunrise, they wallow in their shame.

Fear and guilt, the threats of the sun by day and the moon by night; How do we deal with these? The Bible says to look to God. He will protect us. Dr Robert Solomon, Bishop Emeritus of the Methodist Church in Singapore advised to

• Repent, 
• Renounce
• Relinquish

these feelings of fear, guilt and shame. Then we will find Release.

Lionel

Look At The World - God's Vineyard

 

'In that day - Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, the LORD, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it.' Isaiah 27:2-3

We visited Rutherglen in April 2009, a town in Australia’s Murray Valley famous for the vineyards around it. The first planting of grapes for wine occurred in the 1850s. The green scenery, clean air and clean rivers make the valley a perfect backdrop for inspirational food and wine tasting tours.

In Oct 2017, Pat and I sailed down the Douro River in Portugal. On both sides of the river are the pleasing sights of grapes growing in rows and rows of neatly placed vines.

14 Oct 2017 the Douro River Valley

Vineyards bring to mind the environment and milieu for Christian growth. The Bible uses the vineyard as an agricultural imagery in many references relating to the nurture of Christians and Churches. Jesus Christ spoke of His relationship with God and the Church as the Vine, the Gardener and the Branches in Gospel of John Chapter 15

'I am the true grapevine and my Father is the gardener.' John 15:1 (NLT)

'Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. those who remain in me, and I in them will produce much fruit.' John 15:5a (NLT)

Individually, the grape vine is not impressive. They are spindly and weak plants. They need to be supported on the wires. They have to be pruned every year for the branches to bear fruit. But together, rows and rows of the grape vines planted on the hillsides, are a beautiful sight to behold. 

Thus, it was not surprising when our church wanted to start a Senior Adult Fellowship, that we should call this fellowship the Charis Vineyard League. It is a recognition that individually we are very weak and unimpressive individuals. But hopefully being supported in the fellowship and expressing our interdependence for one another we will become that fruitful vineyard.

There is much God has to work at with our individual and corporate lives. As the gardener, God will prune the branches to the very centre of the mother stem of the vine. This will encourage the growth of new shoots which will grow through winter, spring and summer until the vines become laden with bunches of grapes. At which time the vineyard will become aglow in the evening sun. 

Then in autumn, the ripened grapes are gathered, mixed and pressed. From this milieu the fruit of the vines become distilled into vintage, much valued wines. 

This is how we hope to see ourselves as the Charis Vineyard League. All of us having matured and ripened at the prime of our lives would be brought into a Christian fellowship, each bringing the different experiences, so that new wines - products of service, will venture forth as fruits of God’s vineyard.

During the inauguration of the Charis Vineyard League, the Bishop Robert Solomon remarked, “As we grow older, as our strength and abilities begin to decline, we learn to lean more heavily on God. The spiritual lesson is to know that apart from Him we cannot do anything of significance."

Robertson McQuillan wrote, “God planned the strength and beauty of youth to be physical. But the strength and beauty of age is spiritual. We gradually lose the strength and beauty that is temporary so that we may concentrate on the strength and beauty that is forever.”

When we assesses ourselves at the autumnal periods of our lives, let us be mindful of how God has shaped our lives, caused us to grow and mature. In a poem, Rabbi Ben Ezra by Robert Browning, there is a phrase, "Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be."

Whether it be vineyards, beautiful sunsets, surging waves, wonderful nature, God has blessed us with all these wonderful gifts. All the gifts we share, all the blessings we received, like vintage wine, distilled from God's Vineyard let us savor every moment. 

'Look at the World' even if with eyes now dimmed and be thankful. 

Look at the world

Everything all around us

Look at the world

And marvel every day

Look at the world

So many joys and wonders

So many miracles

Along our way

Praise to thee O Lord for all creation

Give us thankful hearts that we may see

All the gifts we share and every blessing

All things come of thee

Look at the earth

Bringing forth fruit and flowers

Look at the sky

The sunshine and the rain

Look at the hills

Look at the trees and mountains

Valley and flowing river

Field and plain

Think of the spring

Think of the warmth of summer

Bringing the harvest

Before the winter's cold

Everything grows

Everything has a season

Till it is gathered to the fathers fold

Every good gift

All that we need and cherish

Comes from the Lord

In token of his love

We are his hands

Stewards of all his bounty

His is the earth and his the heavens above

Praise to thee O Lord for all creation

Give us thankful hearts that we may see

All the gifts we share and every blessing

All things come of thee

All things come of thee

Lionel

Updated, 1st Published 26 Apr 2009

In the Palm of God’s Hand

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

'Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.' Isaiah 64:8

We have seen those pictures by trick photography where the subject would stick out his palm and a miniature image of himself or others would be standing on the palm. That image does not impress me. It connotes control or lording over the other person. It makes the person standing on the palm look so small.

Instead there is an old Irish Blessing that goes like this: 

"May the roads rise to meet you,

May the wind be ever at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rain fall soft upon your fields,

And, until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand".

I was particularly struck by the last phrase, 'May God hold you in the palm of His hand.' It is an endearing, refreshing feeling that God will care for us in such a way that he holds us in the palm of His hand.

There is also another imagery of God's hands upon us and that is the interaction of the Lord as the potter and we, the clay. The potter painstakingly moulds the clay into shape. The clay is at first nondescript without form or definition. Yet the potter already visualises the final product; using his hands moulds and defines the clay, smoothening and embellishing it; giving the clay shape and character.

For permanence and glaze, the product is not finished until it is fired inside a kiln. The Bible speaks often about a test of fire, wherein anything without value, will be eventually burnt. That which is intended to last for eternity will come out of the fire a finished product, brilliant and unique.

Once, I attended the Ministry of Education’s investiture for new school principals. The theme of the appointment ceremony was “Through Your Hands Passes The Future Of Our Nation”. This slogan encapsulates the vocational calling of teachers and educators. 

The first paragraph of the letter of appointment to these principals read, "In your charge are many lives in the making, each one different, every one important, all with hopes and dreams for the future. They depend on you to guide, mould and nurture them to become better individuals and useful citizens."

The hand of God shaping, guiding and comforting us is often spoken of in the Bible:

'You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.' Psalm 16:11

'My times are in Your hands;' Psalm 31:15a

'The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hands.' Psalm 37:23-24

'Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go to the heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depth you are there....even there Your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.' Psalm139:7,8 and 10

'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am Your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:10

'Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands..' Isaiah 49:16a

'I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.' John 10:28

'Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,' 1 Peter 5:6

In 2008, Pat and I were at Li Jiang, Yunnan Province, China. All around the countryside, there is the surrounding presence of the beautiful, majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountains with its ice-capped peak. The scenery is magnificent and the mountains make me recall the commanding presence of the Lord and Psalms 121. 

'I lift up mine eyes to the hills and I wonder from where comes my help? My help, it comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let you stumble, He will not let you fall, the Lord is your keeper. The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night, the Lord will keep your life.' Psalm 121:1-2 and 6-7

The Irish Blessing wishes the best for us, everywhere we go, anywhere we wander, that God will keep a constant watch over us. 

And so may I wish that you will ever be found 'In the palm of God's hand.' 

Lionel

Updated 1st published 31 Dec 2008

From Fear to Faith

St Sava Church, Belgrade 'Christus Pantokrator' Χριστὸς Παντοκράτωρ

'Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.' Habakkuk 3:17-18

Pat and I have just completed a river cruise down the Danube from Hungary to Romania. We visited the poorer towns and villages of the former Eastern European Bloc, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Serbia. 

Bullet riddled Water Tower, Vukovar

These countries survived the harsh conditions of Communism, some under punishing dictatorships. Tourist guides told stories of their difficult past lives but never fought shy of expressing the hope for a better age for them. They told of massacres during the civil wars in the former Yugoslavia states, neighbours killing each other. 

At Vukovar, Croatia, we visited a massacre and memorial site on a remote farm. Around 400 patients and hideaways from Vukovar's hospital were captured. About 200 of these captives were taken to that farm at Ovcara and massacred.

Today, the same thing is happening in the war in Ukraine. The world awaits a global recession precipitated by both the unrelenting Covid-19 pandemic and that war in Ukraine. These are difficult times for most people. Many question Why?

Such times were also recorded in the Bible. Around 600 B.C. the prophet Habakkuk surveyed the prospects of the Kingdom of Judah, looked at the dismal conditions and was both perplexed and fearful. He cried out "How long, Lord, must I cry for help, but you do not listen?" (Habakkuk 1:2a) He saw

• Violence. 'Or I cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?' (Habakkuk 1:2b)

• Injustice. 'Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?' (Habakkuk 1:3a)

• Destruction. 'Destruction and violence are before me?' (Habakkuk 1:3b)

• Conflicts. 'There is strife and violence are before me.' (Habakkuk 1:3c)

At such times it is natural to be fearful. Believers have the tendency to ask God these heartfelt questions, expecting answers. (Ref 1).

From the pages of history, we learnt that these troublesome times will pass. We move from fear to faith, which was the experience of the Eastern European countries we travelled in. We noticed that these villages and townships kept the flame of their Orthodox Christianity. Small churches in various villages such as Arbanassi survived despite the atheistic communist regimes. How did these Christians keep their faith in spite of living in fear under draconian regimes?

Churches in Arbanassi, 

Quoting Habakkuk, Nicky Gumbel stated that, "Faith involves believing what God has said in spite of the difficulties you face." (Ref 1)

'The righteous will live by their faith' Habakkuk 2:4b

 

What is especially encouraging is that the faith of these Christians came back with a vengeance. The cupola or apse of churches or cathedrals have been restored along with the large mosaics or frescoes of 'Christ Pantokrator' as an emphatic statement of their faith.

The icon of Christ Pantokrator occupies the central dome of the Orthodox churches and cathedrals. It celebrates Christ as God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts. It draws the attention of the congregation to sing 'O Worship the King' 

O worship the King, all glorious above,

O gratefully sing God's power and God's love;

our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,

pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

O tell of God's might, O sing of God's grace,

whose robe is the light, whose canopy space,

whose chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,

and dark is God's path on the wings of the storm.

The earth with its store of wonders untold,

Almighty, thy power hath founded of old;

hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree,

and round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?

It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;

it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,

in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail;

thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,

our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

Lionel

Ref 1: Nicky Gumbel YouVersion Bible in One Year Day 300.