I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

Church Bells, Corfu

'You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst forth into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.' Isaiah 55:12

This will be the second Christmas we will have under Covid-19 restrictions. The shops bravely open and Orchard Road is lighted up. But I doubt that there will be much festivities this Christmas. The number of tourists will be almost negligible, there will be no singing of carols in the churches nor in the shops.

It will be quite a dismal celebration of Christmas. But these two years are not without precedence. Christmas was hardly celebrated in the two World Wars and during world crises throughout history.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, America's celebrated poet lived through a tragic Christmas season during the American Civil War, when he wrote the Christmas carol, 'I heard the Bells on Christmas Day.' in 1863. Bishop Gordon Wong introduced me to this carol in a recent sermon. 

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

I thought how, as the day had come

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along th' unbroken song

Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:

"There is no peace on earth," I said,

"For hate is strong, and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, goodwill to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; 

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, goodwill to men."

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

When we peruse the lyrics of the carol, we will probably conclude that this carol is most appropriate for this Covid-19 Christmas, although we are not sure how many church bells will be pealing on the 25 Dec 2021. The carol started with despair but ended in hope. 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Longfellow had fallen into a depression in 1861 when his wife Frances died in a fire. She had been sealing envelopes with hot wax when her clothes caught fire. The death marked a low point in Longfellow’s life. His physical appearance changed dramatically as he began growing his beard because the burns disfigured his face.

In 1863, Longfellow suffered another blow. His son Charley ran off to enlist in the 1st Massachusetts Artillery. In November, Charley was wounded in battle. Henry Longfellow was full of grief and started questioning the promise of peace announced at the first and every Christmas. In despair he wrote, 'There is no peace on earth, for hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men. 

But in the pealing of the bells, he found a message that peace would come to the troubled nation as well as to Longfellow's troubled mind. He started a follow on stanza with the conclusion, 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail. With peace on earth, the right prevail.' 

Longfellow's message was penned in the poem Christmas Bells. The Christian group Casting Crowns provided an updated version of the old carol.  

   

Christmas cards featuring the manger scene, with angels, shepherds and barn animals well positioned around the Holy Family give us the wrong impression that at the time of Jesus' birth it was a peaceful. In reality, Jesus lived through a time that was a powder keg for rebellion and terrorist activities. The Romans occupied Israel and with it came oppressive rule. The Judeans were subjected to tyrannical governors and puppet kings such as Pontius Pilate and Herod. Those times were anything but peaceful. Nevertheless Jesus' birth brought the hope for peace,

'For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on His shoulders. And He shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end.' Isaiah 9:6-7 

How can we find peace despite dismal circumstances with every Christmas? Peace during turmoil? Perhaps it should first be found in a person. After having inner peace, we can be at peace with others. Father John Main (Ref 1) stated, 'Peace is a noble objective and a unifying one. In many of the sacred scriptures of both the eastern and western traditions this goal is described as the state of blessedness, of glory, of salvation or simply of life. The sense of being fully, humanly alive.' 

It takes courage to express a time for peace in the midst turmoil, crisis, disaster and war. Even so, every Christmas before, during and after wars and pandemics continues to express the message: Peace on earth, goodwill towards men. The Christmas bells rang out in the last stanza of the carol,

 

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

Shalom!

Lionel

Ref 1. Paul Tharris and Laurence Freeman (editors), Silence and Stillness in Every Season, Daily Readings with John Main.

Overcoming Giants

The Coronavirus

The virus is infinitesimal in size, only  80 to 120 nm in diameter. But it has caused a gigantic public health problem, which by today 261,369,507 citizens of this world were infected and 5,212,341 people died.

Put yourself in the shoes of the Scientists, Public Health and Infectious Diseases experts helping the various governments deal with the scourge of the Covid-19 virus. They faced, waves after waves of infections, one lock down after another as the virus like a chameleon start to morph into different strains each threatening to be deadlier than the former. 

Recently a new variant, the Omicron from South Africa is causing a scare as it was reported to have multiple mutations on the spike protein, an essential pathway for the virus to gain entry into the cells. Countries in Europe that open up for travel and business now face new lockdowns and record infections as winter approaches

A world war has been launched against the pandemic. The challenges and obstacles for the virus fighters seem to be almost insurmountable. How will we overcome this giant? I am reminded about another battle of unequal odds, David and Goliath. We could draw lessons from this epic battle described in the Bible to encourage us as we face our own clear and present dangers. 

Goliath was a giant. He was 9 feet tall and a champion of the Philistines. He looked formidable and towering. Facing him was a young shepherd boy, David who had chosen to come at Goliath with 5 stones and his sling. There was never a match in history that was so one-sided. 

But David had God on his side. David said to the Philistine,

'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty... This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down.' 1 Samuel 17:45-46.

We all know how this battle ended. We all sang the familiar Sunday School tune, 'Only A Boy Called David' and his little sling and five stones. But just knowing the narrative and singing the simple Sunday school tune fails to elicit fundamental truths that ultimately led to David's victory.

These are the qualities David brought into the battle 

• Courage to face huge risks and dangers.
• Tenacity to stay in the fight against all odds
• Belief in the miracle of a winning outcome
• Faith in God who gives strength.

A new song, 'God of the Impossible' features these qualities of David: 

Oh oh oh

Oh oh oh

Just a boy with a sling and a stone,

But the heart of a lion dared him to go.

To hear the sound of the cynical,

Die out with the sound of the giant's fall.

Ohhh, oh oh!

I dare to believe in incredible things

Ohhh, oh oh!

I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go

Here I am! Lord send me!

I won't look back, cause I was made

To be a part, of the, impossible!

You're God, of the, impossible!

Here I am! Lord send me!

I won't back down, cause I believe

You are the God, of the, impossible!

Here, I, am, send me!

Empty bones and a thirsty soul,

Dreaming for more than the life I have known.

'Til I tasted a burning coal,

And my guilt was erased, and my sin was atoned!

Ohhh, oh oh!

I dare to believe in incredible things.

Ohhh, oh oh!

I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go!

Here I am! Lord send me!

I won't look back, cause I was made

To be a part, of the, impossible!

You're God, of the, impossible!

Here I am! Lord send me!

I won't back down, cause I believe

You are the God, of the, impossible!

Here, I, am, send me!

Yet, by just looking at the battle from the qualities of David, we will miss the most important lesson of all. There is another reason why we can win this Battle of the Pandemic and overcome this giant just as David won against Goliath. This insight was not lost to David.

'All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the the battle belongs to the Lord.

This is the fundamental reality when we battle the giants of the day whether it be personal giants, national giants or global giants, The Battle Belongs To The Lord. 

The toll of the pandemic is felt by the ordinary person, countries and globally. It is like a giant tsunami over sweeping our daily and personal lives. Against the mountains of trouble afflicted on us we may feel overwhelmed, too weak to fight against this giant of a threat to our lives. However, Goliaths of today are not without precedence, pandemics have occurred in the past and no doubt will occur in the future just as the experts have predicted.

It is best that we look to God and His promise to be an ever present help in such times:

 

'God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.' Psalm 46:1-3

The battle belongs to the Lord!

Lionel

How Great Is Our God

Butterflies Will Soon Be Free

'Great Is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty.' Psalms 145:3-5

These are uncertain times. When will the Covid pandemic end? Can we return to the normalcy of pre-Covid days? When will we be able to travel? Will the vaccinations confer adequate personal and herd immunity? Can we eradicate the Coronavirus from the face of the earth? 

At such times, Christians turn to God holding on to the promises God has given us. We reflect on the greatness and goodness of God, convincing ourselves that in the end God is greater than the Covid-19 pandemic and he will deliver us from this scourge. 

In a virtual format, the Charis Methodist Church choir sang a lovely hymn, extolling the promises of God, The Hymn Of Promise. Drawing on God's creative powers, this hymn reminds us, even in these uncertain days, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, for at last will come a victory.

In the bulb, there is a flower

In the seed, an apple tree

In cocoons, a hidden promise

Butterflies will soon be free

In the cold and snow of winter

There's a spring that waits to be

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see

There's a song in every silence

Seeking word and melody

There's a dawn in every darkness

Bringing hope to you and me

From the past will come the future

What it holds, a mystery

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see

In our end is our beginning

In our time, infinity

In our doubt, there is believing

In our life, eternity

In our death, a resurrection

At the last, a victory

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see

With the uncertainty of these times in mind, our choir director, Rosalind Goh, made these comments in introducing this hymn,

 

"Against the bleak background of an uncertain future, we, God’s children, can rest securely on His unbreakable promises. God’s promises reflect His limitless power as Creator God, His loving faithfulness as a caring Father and His omnipotent rule as Sovereign God.The assurance that God fulfills His promises in His season, is our blessedness and enduring hope."

Rosalind explained that in a surprisingly gentle and flowing manner, this hymn that celebrates the Greatness of God which is  

• Evident in the activity of creation 
• Unravelled in processes of nature
• Displayed in the turning of the seasons
• Secured in the fulfillment of every promise
• Experienced in the resurrection after death

Those who have eyes will see the greatness of God and enjoy His goodness. Isaiah 40:25-31 declared:

 

"To whom will you compare me? 

Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One. 

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? 

He brings them out one after another, 

calling each by its name. 

And he counts them to see that none are lost

 or have strayed away. 

O Israel, how can you say 

the LORD does not see your troubles? 

How can you say God refuses to hear your case? 

Have you never heard or understood? 

Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, 

the Creator of all the earth? 

He never grows faint or weary. 

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; 

he offers strength to the weak. 

Even youths will become exhausted, 

and young men will give up. 

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. 

They will fly high on wings like eagles. 

They will run and not grow weary. 

They will walk and not faint.

Do we worry about the uncertainties, pain and suffering of the Covid crisis? 

While in prison facing the uncertainty of death the apostle Paul recalled his personal deprivations and hardships, wrote:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38  

God is a God of Promise. How great is our God!

Lionel

The Blame Game

Straits Times Illustration: Miel

'Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?' Job 2:10

Who takes responsibility for the Covid-19 pandemic? In the anniversary of the pandemic it has devastated public health, hospitals and economies around the world. By 14 Mar 2021 it has claimed 120,033,813 victims and 2,658,861 lives. There were plenty of blame -  countries blaming countries, people blaming governments, citizens blaming each other. Was it a failure of public health? We are all playing the blame game. 

The modern world seems unable to accept disasters. We see ourselves as being able to improve the world, able to control its destiny. We see God as being obligated to arrange things for the good of this world to everyone's benefit. Hence when things go wrong some blame God. Every new major tragedy evokes the same kind of public questions and challenges to faith; questioning God and even blaming Him in the face of the disaster. 

It may be easier for many of us who are bystanders to the Covid Pandemic to just become oblivious to it although we may realise that it has changed society and the way we live. But for those who were infected or who have lost loved ones, the suffering is real. 

Considering the experience of Job, Charles Swindoll (ref 1), wrote 

• There are days too dark for the sufferer to see light
• There are experiences too extreme for the hurting to have hope
• There are valleys too deep for the anguished to find relief. 

No wonder people lay blame for their difficulties and some blame God.  

The disastrous experience of Job and his family, evoked Job's wife to enter into the Blame Game. She said to Job, "Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!" Job 2:9

The self righteous friends of Job posited that Job's suffering was his fault, Job was not right with God.  

Job replied to these accusations with a profound question, "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" Job 2:10. The suffering was so hideous that Job came close to blaming God and he questioned His Maker but he eventually refused to lay any blame on anyone, least of all on God.

But the whole world will still ask questions of this plague and finding fault. 

In the book 'Walking with God through pain and suffering' (Ref 1) Timothy Keller introduced the position of Peter Berger that every society and culture must make sense of the suffering and disaster inflicted on them. 

Peter saw in the Bible two ways of resolving this inner and eternal struggle:

• The Suffering of Job. Here we have the most difficult and severe truth, that in the face of disasters and suffering in this world we cannot question God. When Job, attempting to find a reason for the calamity, asked God to explain the sorrows and griefs that had come upon him, God's response was Job had no right to pose the question in the first place.

• The Solution of Christ. Against the harsh reality of Job's experience which many would be unable to understand nor withstand, there is a second position, Jesus Christ who came to suffer for all. In this suffering, Christ provided empathy, sympathy and comfort for all subsequent sufferers so that we can withstand and understand the disasters that may befall us.

Timothy Keller wrote, 'The book of Job rightly points to human unworthiness and finitude and calls for complete surrender to the sovereignty of God. But taken by itself the call might seem more than a sufferer could bear. Then the New Testament comes filled with an unimaginable comfort for those who are trusting in God's sovereignty. The sovereign God Himself came down into this world and experienced its darkness. He personally drank the cup of suffering down to the dregs. And He did it not to justify himself but to justify us, that is to bear the suffering, death and curse for the sin that we have earned. He takes the punishment on Himself so that someday He can return and end all the evil (and plagues) without having to condemn and punish us. God voluntarily become weak and plunges Himself into vulnerability and darkness out of love for us.' 

God is with us in this pandemic.  How Great Thou Art! 

Lionel

Ref 1: Charles Swindoll. Job, A Man of Heroic Endurance. Thomas Nelson 2004

Ref 2: Timothy Keller. Walking with God through Pain and suffering. Hodder and Stoughton 2013

   

The Masking of Nations

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and Love your neighbour as yourself' Luke 10:27

Covid-19 pandemic forces several countries in the world to mandate mask wearing as a preventive health measure. It was felt that since this Corona virus spread by way of droplets, mask wearing could prevent infection from coughing and sneezing whilst at the same time protect the wearer. While many obeyed this rule dutifully, many others revolted against it claiming that mask wearing cramped their styles.

The masking of nations exacerbates a well-known but largely ignored condition of modern society - loneliness, withdrawal, seclusion and self-imposed confinement. In crowded urban societies individuals exist with glassy looks speaking to no one, glued to their computers, TVs and reduced to texting on their mobile phones. These individuals eventually become very depressed and suicidal. The social distancing and mask wearing imposed in the wake of the pandemic invoked a wave of suicides.

This condition is not new, the masking of nations only serves to unmask a condition which, as early as 1963, Paul Simon starting writing about. In 1964 the famous duo Simon and Garfunkel recorded the 'Sounds of Silence'.

 

Hello darkness, my old friend

I've come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping

Left its seed while I was sleeping

And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains

Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone

Narrow streets of cobblestone

'Neath the halo of a streetlamp

I turned my collar to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed 

By the flash of a neon light that split the night

And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more

People talking without speaking

People hearing without listening

People writing songs that voices never shared

No one dared disturb the sound of silence

"Fools," said I, "you do not know

Silence like a cancer grows

Hear my words that I might teach you

Take my arms that I might reach you"

But my words like silent raindrops fell

And echoed in the well of silence

And the people bowed and prayed

To the neon god they made

And the sign said, "The words of the prophets

Are written on the subway walls

and tenement halls."

and whispered in the sound of silence

Paul Simon was expressing his angst towards the extent of alienation in this modern world. Garfunkel summed up the meaning of the song as the inability of people to communicate with each other. In the end these become people who are unable to love each other.

Nothing was done to alleviate this condition and in the 2019-2021 pandemic, the mask became symbolic of people unable to speak to each other. 

In this silent crowded world, the Bible speaks loudly of love and of being brotherly, sisterly and neighbourly. We learnt about reaching out to the lonely, the marginalised and ignored people of this world by way of a trick question posed to Jesus Christ, Who is my neighbour? In response, a parable was told by Him. It will do well for the world and especially Christians, to learn and live the way of the Good Samaritan:

• Help a friend, a stranger, even an enemy
• Render assistance at  anytime and anywhere
• Give personal care and attention 
• Act from good underlying attitudes and inner beliefs
• Be consistent and not just offer a one-off act of kindness         

Yes Jesus Christ emphasised a deep abiding community spirit and rejected the  alienation in modern societies, Luke 6:35-38:

"But love your enemies, do good to them

and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.

Then your reward will be great

and you will be children of the Most High

because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Do not judge and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven

Give and it will be given to you. 

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap."

There is an old forgotten song, a favourite of the late Rev Martin Luther King, that is worth listening to once again at these times when people are hearing without listening, 'If I Can Help Somebody As I Pass Along'.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,

If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,

If I can show somebody that they're travelling wrong

Then my living shall not be in vain

Then my living shall not be in vain

Then my living shall not be in vain

If I can help somebody as I pass along

Then my living shall not be in vain

If I can do my duty as a Christian ought

If I can bring back beauty to a world up wrought

If I can spread love's message as the Master taught

Then my living shall not be in vain

Lionel

The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow

Sunrise over Corfu

'Why my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Pit your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my saviour and my God.' Psalms 42:5

The sun will come up tomorrow. This is not a statement of inevitability, it is a statement of hope, optimism and expectation. The phrase comes from the title of a song in the 1977 musical 'Annie.' Li'l Orphan Annie is an eleven-year-old girl; a plucky, generous, compassionate, and optimistic youngster. In 2014, modern version of the motion picture 'Annie', starring Quvenzhané Wallis was released.

It was this song 'The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow' that captures her optimism and enthusiasm 

The sun will come out tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow

There'll be sun

Just thinkin' about tomorrow

Clears away the cobwebs and the the sorrow

'Til there's none

When I'm stuck with a day 

That's gray and lonely

I just stick out my chin 

And grin and say, oh

The sun'll come out tomorrow

So ya gotta hang on 'til tomorrow

Come what may

Tomorrow, tomorrow

I love ya tomorrow

Your're always a day away

Today we are stuck with this horrendous Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the potential of second and other waves, many of us hang on to prospect that it will disappear one day. There will be a tomorrow where the Covid-19 virus will be eradicated. We refuse to be brought to heel and those who believe in tomorrow can live better today.

 

This is Christianity, a religion of hope. The Lord assures us in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Indeed those of us who have no hope for the future cannot live creative and purposeful lives today.

Martyn Lloyd Jones described a living hope that, " not only enables a man to go through the very worst that hell can produce against him. This lively hope also enables him to do so with assurance, and with a sense of triumph." He quotes from Romans 8:37-39, 'No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' 

This optimistic hope is witness of true Christianity and opens up an avenue for evangelising. The hope in every Christian even in the darkest of times can be a beacon of light. 'Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asked you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear' 1 Peter 3:15

So what is the reason for the hope that is in us? The love of Christ

Lionel

Shipwrecked!

"...You may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith". 1 Tim 1:18-19

In Ezekiel 27, there was a graphic description of a shipwreck involving heavily laden ships from Tyre, meeting a storm at sea. Mariners, sailors, merchandise and wealth and everyone on board sank. The prophecy spelled the doom of the mercantile trade of Tyre and broke the back of Tyre, a once prosperous city. It did not survive history and lie in ruins today.

Reflecting on the sudden, unexpected COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the whole world over the last month and threatening a global recession, one wonders how many businesses will be bankrupted. An infection tsunami followed by a sudden economic tornado will leave behind much devastation. Lives, families and businesses will lie in ruins, shipwrecked.

This sudden downturn can also affect the spiritual life. At times of difficulties and even during times of plenty, Paul warned that we must guard our faith, hold on tightly to it or else we may lose it all. The Boys Brigade hymn places a question for us, "Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?" This pandemic requires us to send an affirmative answer, "We have an anchor that keeps our souls, steadfast and sure while the billows roll". Our faith can be fragile and we need to be properly anchored.

Byron Bay Lighthouse

Innumerable shipwrecks have been prevented by lighthouses. The ships were warned to steer clear of the rocky shores. Similarly we have a lighthouse in Jesus Christ warning us to steer clear of the pitfalls of life; of temptations and wrongdoings that can lead us astray.

I have always been fascinated by lighthouses. I have a collection of photographs of different lighthouses that I have visited, all over the world. The latest visit was to the Byron Bay Lighthouse in New South Wales, Australia. When one pictures the strong light that beams from the lighthouse, Jesus' proclamation comes to mind, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of of life". These visits to the lighthouses assure me of the steadfast guidance of God. His light is constantly warning us of hidden dangers which can come so suddenly and unexpectedly.

The suddenness of the COVID-19 pandemic unsettled us. We took extraordinary precautions to guard our health. The Rev Sng Chong Hui observed, "If only we 

• monitor our spiritual temperature as regularly as we do our physical temperature
• wash our souls like we wash our hands
• mask ourselves to stop sin from infecting ourselves and others
• read God's Word like we read daily updates about COVID-19
• fear God like we fear COVID-19". 

When Life is good, it pays to keep in touch with God so that with any downturn we need not become unsettled but can rely on our immutable Saviour. The whole world was enjoying peace and prosperity when suddenly this COVID-19 descended upon us. Like Charlie Brown said, "This world is suddenly crazy".  Will your anchor hold?

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,

will your anchor drift or firm remain?

Refrain:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

steadfast and sure while the billows roll,

fastened to the rock which cannot move,

grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love!

Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear,

when the breakers roar and the reef is near?

While the surges rave and the wild winds blow,

shall the angry waves then your bark o'er flow?

Will your eyes behold through the morning light

the city of gold and the harbour bright?

Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore,

when life's storms are past forever more?

Lionel

Written at the start of the Covid-19 epidemic just before the global lockdowns

Out Of Chaos Comes A Calm

'I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber' Psalms 121:1-3

On 11 Mar 2020, the World Health Organisation declared the Corona Virus, COVID-19 infection a pandemic which affected many countries and continents. Many are afraid to contract the virus. Although for the most parts, the disease is quite mild, mortality rate is significant in older people who have underlying health concerns. The death rates among the elderly in China, South Korea, Iran and Italy are extremely high. The virus is highly contagious and some countries resorted to closure of schools, large public events and curtailed travel. It may even derail the Olympic Games to be held in Japan later this year. Several churches in Singapore and other countries are no longer meeting but virtually beam the worship services to parishioners through the Internet.

In times like these, people of all faiths turn to prayer. Christians pray, expectantly, that God will answer just as the Psalmist declared in Psalms 121. This assurance of help from God is the cornerstone for our confidence which allows us to live a full life even in periods of adversity. 

There is a favourite anthem of the Charis Methodist Church Choir. Noel Ong, who helps select songs for the choir wrote, "On Path to Answered Prayer' is a beautiful and touching piece that Heidi Fuller wrote after going through much trial and seeming unanswered prayer, as well as helping a close friend through similar issues. Their specific circumstances were different, but the underlying issues of faith in God, whether he hears and answers prayer, and waiting for God's timing and plan, were underlying both their journeys. Indeed, they underlie the journeys that each one of us Christians would take in our respective life journeys. Indeed, we can be encouraged through the message of this song because God brings amazing things through the trials of life and we need to 'learn to trust Him as you (we) travel on the path to answered prayer."

My favourite phrase in this song is "Out of chaos comes a calm". It assures me that the COVID-19 pandemic will dissipate, this world will return to normal, the economic recession will pass and God will restore the earth.

"Have you ever wondered if your prayers are really heard?

Why is your path so lonely if God listens to each word?

When answers seem so distant through years of faithful pleas.

Still your Guide is right beside you each moment on your knees.

In the wilderness He’s working, in the dark, do not despair.

In the storms, He’s sanctifying, in the thunder He is there!

Out of valleys, He gives vict’ries, out of chaos, comes a calm.

Out of testing, He brings triumph, out of sorrow, comes a song.

There comes a song.

So find power in His promise, though at times not understood,

as you love the God who leads you He will guide your paths to good.

Though there’s weeping in the waiting, in the morning, joy is there.

Learn to trust Him as you travel, learn to trust Him as you travel,

learn to trust Him as you travel on the path to answered prayer.

He answers prayer."

It is this song that the chairperson of our choir, Raymond Chiang clung to as he lived through cancer affecting his health. He prayed for healing of a colon cancer he suffered which had spread to his liver and subsequently he lived a normal and active life through two surgeries and chemotherapy. Click to hear, Raymond's encouraging testimony, how God gave him the faith to overcome his illness. 

Raymond spoke about trusting God and praying for healing. After a colectomy, it was found a year later, that there was a secondary to the liver. He underwent surgery to remove the tumour in the liver. After the surgery, the surgeon asked whether he had undergone chemotherapy prior because 70% of the tumour cells from the liver was found to be not viable on the biopsy. Raymond answered negatively which surprised the surgeon. When informed, the oncologist replied, "A supernatural force is at work here". Today Raymond has completed the post-surgery chemotherapy and he is hale and hearty.

The response to the corona virus pandemic in almost every country, underlies the innate fear and panic in many people, they run to the supermarkets and pharmacies to hoard daily essentials. People were jostling for rice and canned food, masks and alcohol wipes and even toilet paper to the point where nothing was available on the shelves and the national stockpiles were depleted.

Fear and panic are not the ways we should confront the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic; instead of fear there should be faith and instead of panic there should be prayer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Lionel