Just As I Am

 

Hermitage Museum

'Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.' Psalms 51:1-2

On the 2nd March 2022, this past Wednesday, Christians observed Ash Wednesday as the beginning of 40 days of contemplative repentance of sins until we all celebrate Easter on Sunday 17 April 2022.

The season of Lent is a practice of the churches for many centuries and attempts to emulate the 40-day period of fasting and prayer of Jesus Christ in the wilderness. The Rt Revd Titus Chung, Bishop of the Anglican Church in Singapore wrote, "Lent, a period of of self-examination and penance leading up to our Easter Day celebration, when we celebrate Christ's resurrection. This is the season in which we can come to grips with our human conditions and emphasises our need for a Saviour." (Ref 1)

Someone from the Old testament went through a similar, personal Lent period, the great King David. The background is David's adultery with Bathsheba. At the height of his glory David fell into a grievious sin. He was idle in Jerusalem having sent his army to battle. It was not the usual experience for David, enjoying the comforts of his palaces while his kingdom was at war. In that idleness, he caught sight of Bathsheba bathing, coveted her and committed adultery. He tried to cover up his sin by recalling the husband Uriah back from battle to sleep with his wife. When this failed, Uriah was sent back to the very heat of battle, wherein he was killed.

The Lord castigated David through the prophet Nathan. David must have spent many days of regret and self-reflection which finally brought him to repent and make a sincere confession of sin.

'Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. Against you and you only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.' Psalm  51:1-4a  

Emeritus Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore, Rev (Dr) Robert Solomon spoke on this passage at the Ash Wednesday combined service of Charis and Living Hope Methodist Churches. The Bishop described the Horrors of Sin using three words found in the passage:    

• Sin - which is an offense towards God's Laws. It may heinous act or any offensive behaviour, some even appearing innocuous. 
• Iniquity - which is an inner corruption in every human. Charles Wesley call this a 'bent to sinning' in his hymn, 'Love Divine All Love Excelling.'
• Transgression - which is a rebellion against God, breaking of a vital relationship with God.

The Bishop began his sermon by asking 'What is wrong with the World?' Some, thinking of what's happening in Ukraine these days may say Putin. Others may name equally evil men like Hitler. The Bishop's answer is all of us; all of us is what is wrong with the world. Since time immemorial we have corrupted the world with our sins, our iniquities and our transgressions.

However the Bishop also reminded that the Psalm 51 rendered Hope for Sinners as King David experienced and wrote in his confession.

'Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart and renew a right spirit within me.' Psalm 51:7,9,10

There is a solution for our sinful nature and a hope for sinners

• A cleansing of our sins  
• A creation of a clean heart - a regeneration from our iniquities
• A renewal of our spirits - a relationship that overcomes our transgressions   

You might asked, can David escape from such a heinous act? Can we escape from the clutches of sin? Jesus Saves! Yes, the answer is Jesus made the atonement for our sins as Saint Paul wrote matter-of-factly,

'For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 6:23

In Jesus we will find

• Real Forgiveness
• Lasting Transformation
• Renewed Relationship

The season of Lent will lead us to reflect on repentance and restoration, the same that were found by King David. Eventually Lent will point us to Christ, His death and resurrection. I am reminded of a song sung at the close of every Billy Graham crusade inviting sinners to come forward with repentance and receive restoration, Just As I Am. That song has been updated by Travis Cottrell, I Come Broken - Just As I Am.  

Just as I am, without one plea

But that Thy blood was shed for me

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot

O Lamb of God I come! I come!

I come broken to be mended

I come wounded to be healed

I come desperate to be rescued

I come empty to be filled

I come guilty to be pardoned

By the blood of Christ the Lamb

And I'm welcomed with open arms

Praise God, just as I am

Just as I am, I would be lost

But mercy and grace my freedom bought

And now to glory in Your cross

O Lamb of God I come! I come!

I thought we might also ponder over the original lyrics of Just As I Am

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot;

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt;

Fightings within, and fears without,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;

Sight, riches, healing of the mind;

Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, Thy love unknown

Has broken every barrier down;

Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

The Prophet Joel wrote Joel wrote,

'That is why the Lord says, "Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping and mourning." Joel 2:12

Lionel

Ref 1: Bishop Titus Chung, in Forward, Up From the Ashes Hope Will Arise, Daily Devotions for Lent 2022, Sower Publications.

Inspired by the Sermon 'Dealing Decisive With Sin' by Bishop Dr Robert Solomon on Ash Wednesday 2 March 2022

Look On Nature

‘When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him?  And the son of man, that thou visitest him?’  Psalms 8:3-4 (KJV)

Bishop Robert Solomon opined that one of the spiritual disciplines is to train the soul by immersing oneself in nature like taking quiet walks in the picturesque countryside.

We had a family holiday in Wales once, Pat, Debbie, John and I in Oct 2004. I insisted on making a detour to visit the ruins of Tintern Abbey. I needed to see the hills that rise up from the valley of the River Wye. This was the nature scene that captivated the poet William Wordsworth when he wrote the poetic essay ‘Tintern Abbey.’ I studied the poem in school when I was 15 years old. It so inspired me that I had an urge to stand in awe of the natural surroundings, as viewed from the ruins of Tintern Abbey.

Since reading ‘Tintern Abbey,’ I have learned to view nature enrapt by worshipful thoughts and attitudes. Wordsworth wrote:

“For I have learned

To look on nature, not as in the hour

Of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes

The still, sad music of humanity,

Nor harsh nor grating, though of ample power

To chasten and subdue. And I have felt

A presence that disturbs me with the joy

Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime

Of something far more deeply interfused,

Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,

And the round ocean and the living air,

And the blue sky, and in the mind of man;

A motion and a spirit, that impels

All thinking things, all objects of all thought,

And rolls through all things. Therefore am I still

A lover of the meadows and the woods,

And mountains; and of all that we behold.”

The Bishop and I know the secret that God is present in nature. Let us go out of our way to find those sublime moments that awaken our hearts and reach our souls. When surrounded by the simple beauty of the woods or the splendid panoramas of the Grand Canyon we will sense the subtle presence of God. It is a sweet and gentle presence. We come out of that experience matured, elevated, chastened and subdued.

When nature confronts us, we also sense the infinite gap between man and God; just how miniscule we are and how infinitely great God is. Like the Psalmist who contemplated the cosmos, we are left to wonder just why God would even consider us. 

"Reading about nature is fine, but when a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he experiences more than what is gathered from books, for they speak the voice of God." This quote from George Washington Carver, repeats the same realisation as found in Job, 

'But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.' Job 12:7-10

Yes, nature brings the realisation of the presence of God so we can confidently declare, "All things bright and beautiful; all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all!” Listen to this lovely song by John Rutter!

 

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colours,

He made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning,

That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one;

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Lionel

Updated article. 1st Published 27 Jul 2009

The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth

Saint Patrick

'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.' Matthew 5:5

Life is full of paradoxes and the most intriguing paradox is the statement 'The meek shall inherit the earth.' Given this dog-eat-dog societal mentality these days, it would have been most laughable if it had not indeed been uttered by Jesus Christ Himself in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:5. But if you have lived for three scores and ten years, like me, you will realise after observing life on this earth, that there is much truth in what Jesus said. 

Two messages I heard recently lend credence to this Beatitude. 

• The weak shall become strong - Nicky Gumbel
• Silence speaks louder than words. - Bishop (Dr) Gordon Wong

Both messages were about missions and missionaries. They bring much hope and confidence for the simple, ordinary folks who availed themselves to actualise God's calling to serve Him as missionaries. 

The Weak Shall Become Strong. Nicky Gumbel (Ref 1) shared about the life of  Saint Patrick. Patrick came from Cumbria in Northern England. At the age of 16 he was captured by Irish raiders who brought him to Ireland to serve as a slave herding and tending sheep. 

Nicky Gumbel wrote, 'Patrick was poorly educated, ineloquent and faced significant opposition throughout his ministry from those who felt that he wasn't up to the task. Even as an old man he admitted, "Today I still blush and fear more than anything to have my lack of learning brought out to the open." Yet despite all his disadvantages Patrick remained convinced that God had called him to be an evangelist.' 

Patrick wrote, 'We are a letter of Christ for salvation even to the back of beyond - and what does it matter if it is not a learned letter? For it is still to be found valid and plain for all to read, written in your very hearts and not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God!' 

Understanding his weakness, St Patrick said, "If I have any worth it is to live my life for God so as to teach these people; even though some of them still look down on me."

Nicky commented, 'Even Patrick's weakness was anointed! Today long after his more eloquent contemporaries have long been forgotten, the impact of St Patrick's ministry and mission to Ireland 1500 years ago is still recognised around the world.' 

Patrick became the patron saint of Ireland and is annually honoured in Ireland and many Catholics with the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day on March 17. 

Silence Speaks Louder Than Words. The Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore, Rev (Dr) Gordon gave the message on the 30th anniversary of the Methodist Missions Society. He entitled it, 'Spreading the News?' with a question mark on purpose. The Bishop said that contrary to all expectations, after performing miracles, Jesus cautioned his disciples against spreading the news. 

After healing a leper in Matthew 8:4 Jesus said to him, 'See that you don't tell anyone.'  After restoring the sight of two blind man, Jesus warned them sternly, 'See that no one knows about this.' Matthew 9:30. When he was healing large crowds in Matthew 12:15-16. Jesus warned them not to tell others about Him. In Matthew 16:20, Jesus ordered His disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Isaiah prophesied the coming of Jesus Christ,

'Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on Him and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout out or cry out or raise His voice in the streets.' Isaiah 42:1-2

In these days, of public relations, we might think it strange that Jesus preferred to do things the quiet way. Someone said, 'If you can't win by reason, you got to go for volume.' 

Similarly, Bishop Gordon Wong advised the Methodist Missionaries not to spread the gospel by shouting loudly in public but by being the good news. He said more powerful will be good deeds done with quiet love in secret. St Francis of Assisi was quoted.

'Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words' 

The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth. Bishop Emeritus Robert M Solomon in his book, the Sermon of Jesus wrote that meekness is not listlessness, a lack of courage nor the absence of strong convictions. In a world where people fight for supremacy, to be king of the heap, the person who is meek is someone who

• Trusts in God
• Gentle because strength is from God.
• Depends on God and not on own resources
• Strength under control, derived from submission to God
• Has a passionate delight in God
• Enjoys God's presence
• Knows and Obeys God's Word.
• Waits on God in stillness and patience
• Inner strength that need not be outwardly visible
• No drive for fleeting and temporary gains

Such a person, wrote the Bishop, has no need to emulate the winning ways of the world. That person is Jesus Christ as Graham Kendrick aptly described Him in the paradoxical mystery of this song Meekness and Majesty: 

 

Meekness and majesty,
Manhood and Deity,
In perfect harmony,
The Man who is God.
Lord of eternity
Dwells in humanity,
Kneels in humility
And washes our feet.

O what a mystery,
Meekness and majesty.
Bow down and worship
For this is your God,
This is your God.

Father's pure radiance,
Perfect in innocence,
Yet learns obedience
To death on a cross.
Suffering to give us life,
Conquering through sacrifice,
And as they crucify
Prays: 'Father forgive.'

Wisdom unsearchable,
God the invisible,
Love indestructible
In frailty appears.
Lord of infinity,
Stooping so tenderly,
Lifts our humanity
To the heights of His throne

Lionel

Ref 1. Nicky Gumbel The Bible in One Year Day 154

Ref 2. Robert M Solomon The Sermon of Jesus. Armour Publishing, 2013

The Enduring Word

'The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.' Isaiah 40:8

Bishop Robert Solomon entitled his book on the authority and reliability of the Bible, 'The Enduring Word.(Ref 1). No doubt the Bishop had in mind the passage from Isaiah Chapter 40 which compares the enduring impact of the God's Word to the fleeting influences of humanity.

The Bible is God's 'Enduring Word' in that it has moved in the hearts of people since the beginning of time and its inspiration has transformed us and people throughout history. The late, Dr Bobby Sng, former President of the Singapore Bible Society wrote in the foreword of Bishop Solomon's book, 'For the Christian, no book is more important than the Bible. It stands at the very heart of our faith. All of what we believe in and all of how we live stems from the teachings of this book.'

Today it is an international best seller, in print and in digital form. Credit for this should go to the Bible Society which was founded more than 200 years ago. Their endearing work is summed up in this statement, 'We take the Bible and find ways to translate and distribute it, create digital formats, advocate for its place in society and help people relate to and make sense of it in their everyday lives.' (Ref 2)

In 1800. a Welsh girl, Mary Jones, trekked 26 miles to buy a bible that was translated in her own language. That feat drew the inspiration of many clergymen including William Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect. On 7 Mar 1804 at a meeting in a London tavern at Bishopsgate, these gentlemen formed the British and Foreign Bible Society with the aim of making the Bible affordable to the people of the world in their own language. 

The Singapore Bible Society was started in 1837 as the Singapore Auxiliary Bible Society. Rev (Dr) Robert Morrison* who was instrumental in translating the Bible into Chinese became a founder member of the Singapore Bible Society. Thus, Singapore had a considerable influence in the distribution of the Bible to the Malay archipelago and to China. View the video the Bible Movement Story which outlines the often unknown role that the Singapore's Bible Society has in the distribution of the Bible in East Asia.

The Bible is now especially popular in digital form. Recently, YouVersion, an online Bible App celebrated 500 million installations on various devices all over the world. This Bible App is offered free and has 2,619 Bible versions in 1,757 languages.

Celebrating the widespread distribution of the Bible is one thing, but does the Bible a have personal and spiritual impact on our lives? In the Bible, God reveals Himself and His plans to save and restore humanity. Every section of Scripture has the power to counsel, convict and change us.

'For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul, spirit, joints and marrow; It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.' Hebrew 4:12

The YouVersion Mission is impressive and worth noting, 'To encourage and challenge people to seek intimacy with God every day.' Using an easily accessible online Bible, YouVersion hopes to engender 'biblically centred Bible, culturally relevant experiences that encourage and challenge people to seek God throughout the day. (Ref 3)

Now that the Bible is so readily available, how much will we value it? A familiar hymn Wonderful Words of Life put this across very simply,

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,

Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;

Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

Christ, the blessed One, gives to all wonderful words of life;

Sinner, list to the loving call, wonderful words of life;

All so freely given, wooing us to heaven.

Sweetly echo the Gospel call, wonderful words of life;

Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life;

Jesus, only Savior, sanctify us forever.

Yes, God intended His word to have an impact on our lives,

'As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that flows out from My mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.' Isaiah 55:10-11

"Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like hammer that breaks a rock in pieces." Jeremiah 23:29

'All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.' 2 Timothy 3:16-17

In his concluding remarks in the book, The Enduring Word, Bishop Solomon wrote, 'God has indeed brought His word close to us and invites us to make it very much a part of us (touching our mouth and heart) - so that when we read it, we can hear the Master's wonderful voice and feel the Spirit's life-giving breath.'

Lionel

Ref 1: Robert M Solomon. The Enduring Word - the Authority and Reliability of the Bible. Genesis Books and the Bible Society of Singapore. 2011.

Ref 2: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/about-us/

Ref 3: https://youversion.com/mission/

* Rev (Dr) Robert Morrison was also a Principal of Raffles Institution. Morrison House was named after him.

Take Me Deeper

 

'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.' 1 Cor 9:24

Calvin Miller in the introduction to his book 'Into The Depths of God' told of a family visit made to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Calvin and wife snorkeled in the shallow waters whilst their son scuba-dived. Mr Miller later wrote, “Ask me if I’ve been there, and I will hastily answer yes. So will my son. However, the truth is that the content of our experience was vastly different. We will both spend the rest of our lives talking about that experience and our enthusiasm will always be exuberant. But only our son really knows the Reef; only he understood the issue of depth.” (Ref 1)

We live our lives in the shallows. This is the era where communication by Twitter and information exchanges by 30 sec sound bites are preferred. We are ever so busy, moving from one place to another, skipping from one assignment to the next; Zooming and sending emails. We scarcely have time for each other, to talk and make conversation. We scarcely have time for ourselves.

It becomes serious when we apply the same hurry and superficiality to the nurturing of our spiritual selves, our souls. Spiritual depth needs time, contemplation and discipline. It had better be; we are touching the lives of others. Our testimony and witness shape the lives of our friends. We cannot be play-acting, dwelling on the peripherals and hope to get away with it. To be authentic we must go deep; into the very depths of our souls. 

Think of a huge tree with spreading branches giving shade. We know instinctively that the roots of this tree must be equally gigantic growing deep into the earth; giving it stability to weather any storm. The Bible described a fulfilled man in Psalm 1. 

'He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.' 

Bishop Robert Solomon in his book, The Race, called for discipline to train the soul and thereby achieve spiritual fitness. (Ref 2) He wrote, "An athlete has to put in hours of training before he or she can hope to excel in their sport and win a race. Spectators only see the final results, and feel the excitement of watching a race or an athlete perform new feats - going faster, jumping higher or throwing further. But behind these achievements lie hidden hours of private discipline and the hard work of constant training."

St Paul also urged the training of the soul 

‘You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.’ 1 Cor 9:24-27 The Message

To get deep, we need a teacher to make the dive with us. That teacher is the Holy Spirit.

'The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along.' 1 Cor 2:10 The Message

Bishop Solomon calls this coaching, "An athlete has a coach who pushes to his maximum potential. Being human, the athlete in training has to manage his own doubts, laziness, pride, stubbornness and blind spots. That is where the coach comes in. The coach offers a different perspective as he observes the strength and weaknesses of the athlete. He gives feedback and corrects mistakes and bad habits that he finds in the athlete. He offers motivation, and encourages his trainee when he feels like giving up or when the going gets tough."

The practice of meditation can help us go into the depths of our souls and make the deep dive. Father Laurence Freeman in his book, Light Within, wrote "Meditation is the way to be fully open to the power of the Spirit. All these different parts of our being come together under the guiding influence of a power that transcends both thinking and feeling and unites them both at a higher level of consciousness. This is the power of the Holy Spirit." (Ref 3)

'Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given to us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.' 1 Cor 2:12-13

John Wimber understood this as he wrote the Spirit Song.

Oh, let the Son of God enfold you with His Spirit and His love

Let Him fill your heart and satisfy your soul

Oh let Him have the things that hold you and His Spirit like a dove

Will descend upon your life and make you whole

Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your lambs

Oh, Come and sing the song with gladness as your hearts are filled with joy

Lift your hands in sweet surrender to His name

Oh, give Him all your tears and sadness, give Him all your years of pain

And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name

Lionel

Updated article: 1st published 6 Jul 2009

Ref 1: Calvin Miller, 'Into the Depths of God' Bethany House, 2000

Ref 2: Robert M Solomon. ''The Race - Finding the Real Journey in Life' Genesis Books, 2008
Ref 3: Laurence Freeman, 'Light Within. Meditation as Pure Prayer' Canterbury Press, 1986

Deep Dive Photo by Edmidentity

A Solitary Space

Garden at Kubota Ichiku Kimono Musuem

'Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.' Mark 1:35

In April 2007, I chanced upon this quiet wooded area just outside the Ichiku Kubota Kimono Art Musuem on the northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko in the Yamanashi, Japan. The extensive gardens designed by the artist himself stretch from the entrance gate far into the wooded slopes behind the museum buildings. I took a solitary stroll along quiet paths and hummed softly the Christian song, In The Garden. 

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am his own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing

The garden and the solitary walk epitomises man's need for silence, stillness and solitude. Emeritus Bishop Robert Solomon in his book 'Spiritual Disciplines for Urban Christians' (Ref 1) observed that the speed of life has increased in the crowded social environment and the soul cannot keep up with the body. Perhaps the enforced social distancing and the ban on overcrowding brought about by the current Covid-19 pandemic have brought us to recognise this need.

We need to find our God-given space to be alone with God. The Latin term 'Coram Deo' describes this space as being in the presence of God or before the face of God. We need not find a solitary place, just a solitary space, which Richard Foster reminded us as 'a state of mind and heart.' 

Being alone is not the same as being lonely. Being alone or finding solitude is a choice as in Jesus getting up early in the morning and to retire to a solitary place. Being lonely is an imposition much like not having friends, no fellowship and perhaps pining for the company of others.

Sometimes we go out of the way to find peace and quiet as in the case of the garden at the Ichiku Kubota museum. Other times it would suffice just to keep to ourselves in our rooms. Bishop Solomon added "It is not where we are that matters but who we are with. The place of solitude is where we are alone with God." 

The Hebrew word, 'Kavanah' convey the concept of being aware of God's presence. This is especially enhanced when we find a solitude which Henri Nouwen calls the "solitude of the heart, an inner quality or attitude that does not depend on physical isolation." (Ref 2) Dave Adamson wrote "The key is to intentionally focus on God in everything we do. Kavanah comes when you have a mindset that God is in every conversation, every step, every breath, every action and reaction, every relationship, every social media post, everything.' (Ref 3)

Solitude in a lonely garden, a desert or a crowded city engender a spiritual longing for God.

'You God are my God 

Earnestly I seek You

I thirst for You

My whole being longs for You." (Psalms 63:1)

A favourite worship song, written by Don Moen expresses this longing for God in more contemporary language and music - 'I Just Want To Be Where you Are.' 

I just want to be where you are

Dwelling daily in your presence

I don't want to worship from afar

Draw me near to where you are

I just want to be where you are

In your dwelling place

In your dwelling place forever

Take me to the place where you are

'Cause I just want to be with you

I want to be where you are

Dwelling in your presence

Feasting at your table

And surrounded by your glory

In your presence

That's where I always want to be

I just want to be

I just want to be with you

I just want to be where you are

Dwelling daily in your presence

Dwelling daily in your presence

I don't want to worship from afar

Draw me

Draw me near to where you are

Oh my God, you are my strength and my song

And when I'm in your presence

Though I'm weak, you're always strong

In your presence

That's where we always want to be

I just want to be

I just want to be with you

Lionel

 

Ref 1: Robert M Solomon, Spiritual Disciplines for Urban Christians. Genesis Books, 2021.

Ref 2: Henri J M Nouwen, Reaching Out - The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life. Doubleday 1975.

Ref 3: Dave Adamson, 52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know. Christian Art Gifts, 2018.

Eleanor Rigby - All The Lonely People

Statue of Eleanor Rigby, Liverpool

'The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar in Lebanon...They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.' Psalm 92:12, 14

 

In the St Peter's Church Graveyard in Woolton, Liverpool, a gravestone  bears the name Eleanor Rigby. Eleanor Rigby is the title of a familiar and catchy tune by the Beatles. Paul McCartney consistently denied that he took the name from the gravestone. It remains a favourite tune played over the airwaves and computer bytes to this day. 

Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby

Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been

Lives in a dream

Waits at the window

Wearing a face which she keeps in a jar by the door

Who is it for?

All the lonely people

 Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong

 

Father McKenzie

Writing the words of a sermon that no-one will hear

No-one comes near

Look at him working

Darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there

What does he care?

Eleanor Rigby

Died in the church and was buried along with her name

Nobody came

Father McKenzie

Wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave

No one was saved

Paul wrote that he lived in a housing estate in which there were lots of old ladies. He enjoyed sitting around with these dear ladies hearing their great stories. He surmised that these were lonely old ladies. Their loneliness connected him with them. 

This song released in 1966, paints a pathetic picture of the elderly, especially of Christians, who spent their time in empty churches listening to sermons that nobody wants to hear. When they die, they depart into oblivion; nobody remembers and nobody cares. It is an unfortunate and sad commentary of old age.

Shakespeare in the play As You Like It, described this decline.

'Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste and sans everything.'

But it need not and should not be this way. The back cover of Bishop Solomon's book Growing Old Gracefully (Ref 1) literally shouts, 'Growing old doesn't have to be about frailties, loneliness and loss of purpose.' In this book,  Bishop Robert Solomon urges old men and women to take on old age realistically by balancing frailties with continued optimism of useful service and activities.

J I Packer in the book, Finishing Our Course With Joy (Ref 2) wrote, 'Some grow old gracefully, meaning, fully in the grip of the grace of God. Increasingly they display a well-developed understanding with a well formed character; firm, resilient and unyielding.' Packer calls this 'Spiritual Ripeness' which he opines to be worth far more than material wealth. As we age, Packer suggests, like runners in a distance race, we should try to keep something in reserve for the final sprint. 

This final reserve lived with extreme poise and grace was well documented by Mitch Albom in his bestseller, Tuesdays with Morrie (Ref 3). Prof Morrie Swatch had ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a neurological condition affecting the muscles in slow progression and causing weakness and paralysis until it reaches the respiratory muscles; the victim dies of suffocation. Prof Swatch shared his wasting away, dying experience with Ted Koppel in ABC's Nightline and with his student, Mitch Albom. A reviewer, Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote, "A deeply moving account of courage and wisdom, shared by an inveterate mentor looking into the multi textured face of his own death. There is much to be learned by sitting in on this final class."  

Morrie Swatch shared his view on Aging, "I embrace aging. It's very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's also the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it."

Are we worried of the loneliness that comes with aging, leading to a death to which nobody would come? Reading Morrie's commentaries brings to mind another song written by a lesser known English duo Stuart Townend and Mark Edwards, 'There Is A Hope.' This song explores hope, Christian hope, instead of despair.      

There is a hope that burns within my heart

That gives me strength for every passing day

A glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part

Yet drives all doubt away

I stand in Christ with sins forgiven

And Christ in me the hope of heaven

My highest calling and my deepest joy

To make His will my home.

There is a hope that lifts my weary head

A consolation strong against despair

That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit

I find the Saviour there

Through present sufferings future's fear

He whispers courage in my ear

For I am safe in everlasting arms

And they will lead me home.

There is a hope that stands the test of time

That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave

To see the matchless beauty of a day divine

When I behold His face

When sufferings cease and sorrows die

And every longing satisfied

Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul

For I am truly home

In the story behind the song, Stuart Townend wrote, "When the Bible talks of hope, it talks of something that can be broken down into two certainties. The first is that no matter where we go and what we do in this life, God will be with us, and He will love us. The second is that when this life is over, we will not perish but will spend eternity at home with Christ. These certain hopes puts everything in our lives into perspective, and we can live by faith on the solid and certain hope that Christ gives us."

True, though it may be, we need to counterpoise the circumstances of Eleanor Rigby with the promise and expectation of There is a Hope. Then we may grow old gracefully. 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:19

Lionel

Ref 1: Robert Solomon. Growing Old Gracefully, Following Jesus to the End. Discovery House, 2019

Ref 2: J I Packer. Finishing Our Course With Joy, Crossway, 2014

Ref 3: Mitch Albom. Tuesdays with Morrie. Anchor Books, 1997

In Search Of Worship – Sanctity

Stain Glass Basel Cathedral

'Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.' Isaiah 6:5.

The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord God Almighty seated on a throne, high and exalted. A train of angels attended the Lord, worshiping and calling to one another, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sight of the majesty and grandeur in encountering God, Isaiah shuddered and uttered, "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 6:5. Isaiah recognised the sanctity of the moment. 

The Rev (Dr) Ben Witherington at the Singapore Aldersgate Convention (Ref 1) observed that an encounter with God in true worship simultaneously and paradoxically widens and narrows the gap between God and us. Worship happens when we realise the distance and distinction between the creator and the creation. This revelation smacked in Isaiah's face as he exclaimed, "Woe is me. I am a man of unclean lips yet I see the Lord." "Such encounter will make clear that God is God and we are so not god" said Dr Witherington, "and worship happens when the creature realizes he is not the creator and bows down to the One who is." 

Is this happening in our worship services? Today, our attitude to worship is to treat it as a consumer's product. The modern worship services are in danger of becoming more and more a show for man, directed to man, with man-pleasing songs, entertaining musical performances and speeches which tickle the ears of listeners. We come to church to consume, not to worship. It is all about ourselves, we need to be inspired, we need to learn, we need to feel good, we need to enjoy the singing, we need to enjoy the music. We approached worship as a consumer but we failed to be consumed by the presence of God. 

We have failed to recognise the sanctity of the moment, the hour that is hallowed and sacred. Perhaps this maybe the reason we are forced to reboot, to reconsider our worship at this time of restrictions due to the pandemic.

The 2020 Easter Season was perhaps the least celebratory we have witnessed for many decades. In his sermon on Palm Sunday, Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon shared that while we cannot enjoy the whole festivity of Palm Sunday, "I suspect it has forced us not just to join a crowd but to experience the Lord Jesus Christ riding into our hearts. The limitation we have today does not stop us from worshipping. lifting our hearts in praise of Jesus. It is as if the Lord has chosen to ride into our hearts so that we can focus our hearts on Jesus." (Ref 2)

These words from the Bishop inspired our niece-in-law, Angela Goh, to write the lyrics and music of this lovely, inspiring song, 'Hosanna.'

I sing Hosanna when at home

I sing Hosanna though alone

No palm to palm greeting we give

Confined to home so we can live

I sing Hosanna from the heart

From friends and family far apart

Uncertain times, when fears arise

Look at the world, God hears our cries

Hosanna, we lift our voice in praise

Hosanna, our prayers to you we raise

In trials, give us joy

This sickness, you destroy

Hosanna, we lift our voice in praise

Hosanna, our hearts to you we raise

Set our hearts ablaze

Hosanna till the end of our days

We sing Hosanna in one accord

From home to home to our Lord

United together, one spirit, strong

Distanced, not forlorn

We sing Hosanna loud and proud

Spirit united, we are a crowd

Bless the Lord oh my soul

Hosanna we extol 

Angela understood that congregational worship has been replaced by personal worship, at least for these times. And it does not matter where and how we worship, so long as we do this with reverence; as Angie said, "from the heart." In personal worship we will meet with God and it will do us well to know that God is to be met and listened to, not sat down and talked to. Here God communes with man and we become overwhelmed by the sheer presence of God. 'Let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.' Hebrew 12:28-29. We can sing 'Hosanna.'

Lionel

Ref 1 Methodist Message 110(7) Jul 08

Ref 2: The Methodist Message June 2020