21/04/2019

‘Ruth,’ ‘Relationship,’ and ‘Redemption,’ are the three ‘R’ words that enable me to understand the essence of the book of ‘Ruth‘ in the Old Testament. Whereas, I also have had three ‘R‘ words that have impacted my walk of faith forever since that day when my husband and I attended the Campus Crusade for Christ (1) retreat in Batam, Indonesia for supporters, 25-years ago. Rev. Henry Tan, one of the keynote speaker, gave three ‘R’ words that are ‘Relate,’Repent,’ and ‘Rely on‘ for us to reflect on our lives as Christians.

I was then a toddler Christian, new to Singapore. I was confounded by the thoughts of how to Relate who Jesus is ? What does ‘Repent’ mean? And how to Rely on Jesus in all things? It was by the power of God’s Holy Spirit that I was called in to study and serve in BSF (International Bible Study Fellowship). One of the structures of study in BSF is to recount God’s attributes in every leaders’ training session. And the Spirit would have constantly convicted me, and found that I tripped all the times and fell short of HIS glory. Soon I found a little grace and comfort in the book of One John1: 9 (2). But I was always insomniac on my part of ‘Rely’ upon.

After 13-years in BSF, I was called to study the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). It’s a 5-years (it took me 6-years at the end), intensive, full-time course study and practical training. As a matured student, it was impossible for me to study without having God’s sustaining power to carry on. It was the result of my entire reliance on HIM that I was led to see the light of faith and thereon to be able to see HIM in all things. It was by HIS grace that I was able to obtain my local practice license. It has been more than 8-years, and now, more than ever, I have to rely on HIS wisdom and discerning spirit to treat my patients at the local charitable TCM clinic.

What about the part of ‘Repent’? As long as I know that ‘Repentance’ often involves an act of confession of a sinful acts or wrong doings to God and ask for HIS forgiveness. But what if all my past, present and future sins were nailed to the Cross, would more the passage of 1 John 1:9 sound like giving people license to sin? In 2008, we were called to leave IBC (International Baptist Church), our home church for more than 17-years. Although we have missed our friends there, in faith, we took heed and to make an immediate transfer to attend the New Creation Church (NCC) .

The Senior Pastor, Joseph Prince would often point us to the Greek root of (metanoia) to expound the true meaning of ‘Repentence‘ that involves a personal commitment to change our mind sets. Pastor Joseph Prince further contends that when much are forgiven, much would love. Whenever we sin either intentionally, or unintentionally our confession to God is not to ask HIM for forgiveness, but to confess that we have hurted HIS feeling and ask to be enable not to hurt HIS feeling or sin against HIM again. It’s so true that if we have ever grasped how deep is the love of Jesus, we wouldn’t want to sin against HIM to hurt HIS feeling.

It doesn’t mean that I will sin no more, but at least that I have learned and understand what ‘Repent‘ is all about from the teaching of Pastor Prince, a preacher of Grace. Without feeling too comfortable for too long, I was put into a challenge situation that I have to face a test on the part of my ‘Rely on.’ A few weeks ago, it was the Sunday morning 10/03/2019. As usual, I put my phone on a silent mode, to attend church, without knowing that Beatrice, my sister was frantically calling me from Taipei, Taiwan, as Elysia, my niece was having complication to deliver her baby girl in the hospital.

Finally, I managed to talk to Taipei, Beatrice kept me well informed with all the painful details. The embiblical core was around the baby’s neck, and she came out almost with no heartbeat, after resacitation, but in vain so the little baby died at 3-hours-old. The young father was sobbing so hard, and refused to let the doctor taking the baby away from him. I was also crying bitterly on the phone. Then Beatrice asked me to talk to Elysia with words of comfort. And I didn’t know why I couldn’t find anything to come out from my mouth.

I disdain myself for not being able to comfort Elysia and only giving her the to-do list, such as to continue with her one-month confinement rest and eat all the nutritious food to regain her strength but not too eager to trim off the weight, which she gained during the pregnancy. I was feeling very down for almost two weeks. Then I felt in need of log-on to the media power of Tokyo Union Church, which is our church when we are in Tokyo. I was always able to have the timely validation that I need via listening to Pastor, Johana Symington’s spirit-led sermons, especially as I was an out-of-towner.

I had my shares of asking God ‘Why‘ in agony during this difficult time. I was totally stunned to note that the title of the sermon was ‘Do Bad Things Happen To Bad People.’ Superfluously I was much being ministered to by the sermon. Thankfully, my sister, Beatrice is also a born again Christian. Soon we have started to Relate the goodness of our dear God to this tragic incident with our thankful hearts. I was ulterly convicted to ‘Repent‘ of self-condemnation and not to exercising my faith more.

Finally, when I realized that nothing I can possibly do to the situation, it was by Pastor Symington’s sermon via the tube to move me into a prayer of Relinquishment, which I reckon it that’s my part of ‘Rely Upon.’ I know that it would take a long while for me to finish my race on this world. But I can’t image if I didn’t have the three ‘R’ words to live by. It would be sad that with years of study God’s Word, yet not knowing the God of the Word. It’s also like to be able to pass the exam and yet to fail the test.

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this this impossible; but with God all things are possible . ESV

1. https://www.washiingtonpost.com/…/campus-crusade-for-christ-changes-name…cru..
2. 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to gorgive us our sings, and to cleanse from all unrightesousness. ESV
3. Tokyo Union Church Media Player http://www.tokyounion.org…