‘The Silent Night’

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

31/12/2019

Once again, like many years in the past, we are in Tokyo during the year-end on holiday, and we have never missed out on the Tokyo Glee Club performance in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve in the Imperial Hotel.

It’s Japan’s Ivy League University students choir singing the Christmas Carols. Knowing that Christians are less than two per cent of the total population in Japan, I delighted that they are bringing out the spirit of Christmas, year after year.

The first time, I have moved into tears by Christmas music in front of a crowd and felt heavy on the fact that Christmas is all about baby Jesus who was born to die for the world, till I was off when they started to sing ‘The Santa Claus Coming to Town.’

This year, I have the other part of the family members were an entourage with me to Tokyo, like many pre-believers, after Glee Club, dinner, no one appeared keen to attend church with us.

Arthur and I are not catholic, but we both captivated by the reverence inside the Catholic church, and we wanted to make it to the midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The message was short and was about how to reach out to other people in love without relying on social media.

The most beautiful thing was that we sang a few of the Christmas Carol ss hymns in the mass. When the closing hymn, ‘Silent Night, ‘ was singing, the part of the lyrics ‘sleeping in heavenly, sleeping in heavenly peace, ‘ was actually singing into my soul.

I wonder is it too far fetched for people to conclude that spiritual root possible to have been the contributing factor for sleeping disorders? I need more wisdom and spirit of discernment to be able to expand on it further.

On Sunday, we went back to Tokyo Union Church for worship service. I was extremely emotional, first of all, I have missed the former senior pastor who has gone back to South Africa and the theme of the sermon was on how to love our God with all our whole beings, and I knew that I have failed flat on this.

The saving grace was the closing hymn of ‘This Is a Day of New Beginnings, that not only lifts me up again, also enables me with anticipation to usher into 2020, for I am deeply thankful.

The hymn reads :

‘With the spirit’s daring, step from the past, and leave behind our disappointment, guilt, and grieving, seeking new paths and sure to find Christ is alive and goes before us to show and share what love can do….

‘

A Story On Sleeplessness

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

12/12/2019

A Story of Sleeplessness

Recently, many friends shared with me on their struggle with their chronic sleeping disorder (at least for two weeks). Week after week, most of my patients come to me for treatment for their various physical pain, and I only found out that most of them also have problems with either falling or staying asleep at night. Many clinical conditions such as ‘the post Menopause syndrome,’ or the ‘Endocrine disorder,’ and so forth would affect our sleep. No one would be able to rest well if they suffered from any form of physical pain. 

Empirically, a TCM physician, can treat clinical pain condition along with the sleeping order. So, before I start the acupuncture, I would ask patients that ‘there is anything that bothering you?’. People seem to have tongue tight to answer my question for my Insomniac diagnosis, but they knew what is bothering them emotionally. Before scientific finding confirms the root cause of the Insomnia, people would accept emotional disorder could be one of the reasons for Insomnia. I would share a story as below to help people to evaluate their emotional state and also let’s see what ‘THE GREAT BOOK’ has to say about it. 

The Story

There is an old blacksmith who lives in an old part of town. As no one wouldn’t come to his shop for custom ironware, so he sold iron axes, iron pots and a few other iron products in his old blacksmith shop. He sits near the doorway, and he put all of his iron goods outside the door. He didn’t bother to close the door at night. Business was not good or bad; he earned enough to get by. Most importantly, he led on an undisturbed life. 

When people walk by the old blacksmiths’ door, they will see the old blacksmiths lying vivaciously on his bamboo chair with a radio in his hand and a purple teapot on a small wooden table next to him. One day, an antique dealer passed by the old street and spotted the purple sand kettle next to the blacksmith. He carefully examined it and decided that a famous maker made it in the Qing Dynasty. The dealer immediately made an offer of 100,000 yuan wanted to buy the sand teapot. 

The old blacksmith was stunned and then turned down the offer, for his grandfather had left the pot. The three-generation of their grandfather drank from this pot, but after the dealer left, the old blacksmith lost sleep for the first time in his life. He had used the teapot for sixty years and had considered it was an ordinary teapot, and now someone wanted to buy it with a hundred thousand dollars. 

He used to lie in his chair, and drink his tea, and put the pot on the table with his eyes closed and now he would sit up and see if the pot is still there. It makes him very scratchy and restless. What is more intolerable is that when the town know that he had an expensive antique teapot, they asked if there were other treasures in the shop. Some people even wanted to borrow money from him. Soon, then  the antique dealer paid him another visit and offered 200,000 and more on open negotiation, for his teapot.

Immediately, the poor old blacksmith’s life turned upside down, and not only he couldn’t sit still during the day, but also had a problem to sleep at night. He finally called in a crowd neighbour, took the hammer and smashed the purple teapot to pieces in front of the crowd. Finally, the old blacksmith’s day gradually calmed down, and gone back to sell his iron wares, lying down in his bamboo chair listening to the radio and drinking his tea. No more sleepless nights, the End

I have to admit it  honestly, that I admired the old blacksmith’s courageous move to smash the teapot. Can we conclude from the story than what falls on the ground was not all the broken pieces of the antique teapot, but the endless contemplation of greed, desires and infatuation? We easily allow situations or people in the world to rob off our joy and peace that usually results in sleep deprivation, knowing that not sleeping well and not sleeping enough whatever the reason, will affect our health and a general sense of well-being.

This year, I had a chance to study the life of King David in the Old Testament of the Bible. I concurrently study the book of Psalms that gives evidence of him as the man who after God’s own  heart. When he fled from his son Absalom, he openly articulates how his anxiety that affects his sleep while full confidence in the Lord for untroubled rest, even during his trying period;

Psalm 6: 7-8 JPS

I am weary with groaning; every night I drench my bed, I melt my couch with tears. My eyes are wasted by vexation, worn out because of all my foes.

Psalm 3: 6

I lie down and sleep and wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

Psalm 4:9

Safe and sound, I lie down and sleep, for YOU alone, O LORD, keep me secure.

The Closure

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

05/12/2019

Proverbs 5:21

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings -NKJV

I thought that I was led to pray a prayer of relinquishment, and yet I still had my self-indulgent despair over the Hong Kong situation. No wonder that’s what it says that ‘the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Currently, I am having the term break from Bible study class, and I wanted to take a short trip to Hong Kong in spite of the stun travel warnings.

Then, it started when Mike, my cousin, told me that my 86-year-old aunt was going to be baptised on December 2, 2019, after her sinner’s prayer last year, during my visit. Mike decided to fly back to attend the baptism. As for me, I wanted to spend time with her. I voiced my heart’s desire to Arthur, and I took his OK as the Divine clearance for me to take up the trip.

People told me that I should travel during the week, as most of the actions are over the weekend. Immediately, I told my 86-year-old aunt that I will be with her from 13/11/19 to 15/11/19. Little did I know that my stay would be too short to be able to enjoy any sweet deal on airfare. And every Monday, I have had duty call at the clinic.

Shortly before I log on to search further, my sister, Beatrice called from Taipei to inform me that our cousin passed away and survived by his 90-year-old mother, and the funeral was on 13/11/19. Flying to Taipei become my pressing need. It’s by God’s grace that I managed to have a ticket that combined commercial and redemption travel. Best of all, the clinic even approved my last-minute leave application for Monday, 12/11/19.

Without taking God’s protection for granted, I travelled with the bible passage of Psalm 91 and asked my friends to pray for me with Psalms 91. Finally, on Monday, 12/11/19, I was in transit in Hong Kong airport on my way to Taipei. I couldn’t envision on the day when twenty thousand of demonstrators occupied the entire airport that affected thousands of flights.

It probably due to the travel warnings, the airport didn’t’ strike me as one of the busiest airports in the world. It was a short flight, and I was in Taipei for less than 24 hours. The funeral was a Buddhism ceremony. Glory be to my dear Jesus that HE redeemed the time for me to be able to bring comfort to my aunt in Taipei who was in the deep grief of loss her only son.

After Taipei, I arrived in Hong Kong the evening on 13/11/19, ‘In His Time.‘ The minutes I stepped out the Hong Kong immigration checkpoint, the first time in my life, I saw uniformed police and barricade at the arrival hall. I was fearful of what if there were some degree of confrontation with the violent rioters, and I also was not sure about the airport transfer.

There was many empty taxis in front of the taxi bay. People warned me not to initiate any conversation with the cab driver as people in Hong Kong are very divided. With quite several detours due to the roadblock; the streets was nearly empty. No drama nor trauma, finally, hugging, teary eyes and late dinner were on the table; thanks be to my almighty God that I was home safely.

The uniqueness of my aunt’s place is the living room that has a cross-harbour view. All the Christmas lighting decorations would be on usually, before the Thanksgiving Weekend, later it would change to be in tune with the theme of the Chinese New Year. I was saddened to note that the lighting on the other side of the harbour front was not as illuminating as it has always been.

In attempt  to prepare my aunt to exercise her newfound faith, I urged her to go out to sample some restaurant foods together; asked her to accompany me to do a little bit of shopping and take a stroll in the park that she had not done that for months. The TV coverage was all bad news such as how the rioters vandalising shops and hollowing out bricks from the surface of the streets

Time flies, on Friday, 15/11/19, the day that I schedule to fly home, I woke up very early and felt led to visit my other aunt who is in her early 90’s and has been half bed-ridden for many years and needs two helpers to care for her. My cousin, Lynn, was on a trip. It meant a world to me when she could remember me and call out my name. I have always had her salvation in my mind, and her heart has always been hard to move.

I manipulatively reminded her that my uncle was promoted to glory before he died, so I told her that she could only rejoin him in heaven if she accepts Jesus as her Lord over her remaining days on earth. Still not moved a bit, so I started to feed her breakfast, read her pause and ask Jennifer, her helper about her physical conditions playing a little bit of doctor with her.

With a deep sense of urgency, I asked her again, and she finally nodded her head, wanting to accept Jesus. It’s the Holy Spirit that I started to weep so hard in front of her. Both helpers being Catholics also moved to tears. And they told me that they have kept the rosaries in my aunt’s bedroom and have been praying for her salvation.

Then, Jennifer told me that it’s easier for me to take the bus down the hill, provided if the bus is running, then get a cab to wherever I need to go afterwards. I kissed my aunt and said good-bye. The minute I walked out the main entrance of the building, bus #19 was coming down from the top of a hill. It took less than a half-hour. I was home with my 86-year-old.

She urged me to leave her place as early as possible as the rioters are totally unpredictable. I was moved to open the Bible to Proverbs Chapter 15 ( 15/11/19) and asked her to read it together with me. I told her that there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, and I challenged her to read one chapter of Proverbs a day. She was all set for her baptism.

The car ride to the airport was uneventful. As I looked around, the damage may seem beyond control, yet, I remembered one of the news that’s on how spontaneously keep ordinary people with cleaning efforts, picking up debris on some of the major streets. That’s the spirit of Hong Kong. After all, there are millions of people who call it home. And many people in Hong Kong continue to carry on with their lives in the midst of the chaos.

In reflection, it was a hit and a run kind of trip for me to travel both to Taipei and Hong Kong. It’s indeed a purpose-driven journey. God is faithful, in Hong Kong, I was far away from the war zone, in Taipei, I didn’t expect people stunned to see me travelling afar to be at my cousin’s funeral; it’s not for the departing, but for my aunt, who is advance in age and grieving.

Separation has always been painful, but both of my beloved aunts are in God’s loving care for eternality. My encounter with Jesus enables me to have a closure on my anxiousness over the situation in Hong Kong, knowing that the violence is going to continue, but my God is faithful and in control of all things on earth. I was born there, used to live and work there. Hong Kong would always take a special place in my heart, still is a beautiful city by any standard.

The Darkest Near The Dawn

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

31/10/2019

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”  Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

I have not been in the right frame of mind to write anything since August. When the initial peaceful demonstration in June has gone out of hands, I was able to have much of inner peace soon after I posted my last article, ‘This Present Darkness’ dated 20/08/2019. I am devasted and totally heartbroken when the level of violence has escalated, and it becomes the primetime news around the world. After more than four months of protest, the demand of 5-requests remains, even the extradition bill was officially ‘dead.’

I didn’t elaborate on protesters’ 5-requests in my previous posting because I had the faith that whoever had passed the ‘Critical Thinking 101’ would be able to discern the situation from a logical perspective. Soon, ten-thousands of demonstrators were mobilized by the grace of the social media to march-in and smash some government office buildings, to burn the national flags of China; occupy the Hong Kong International Airport that disrupted over thousands of flights and more.  

The same disruption extent to the Hong Kong MRT, the public subway systems. If the darkest near the dawn, then I thought that being young and restless the young masked protestors would have to go back and attend school when the Summer break was over in September, but that was not the case.  There may have been some ‘fake news,’ conspiracy theories and more, and it is needless for me to say any further if people had been following the latest updates from major news networks or YouTube.

Many countries sent out travel warnings to Hong Kong. It has been the most trying period in Hong Kong since the outbreak of SARS. Is the movement funded? Who’re the mighty black hands behind it? Any speculation wouldn’t help to put the end of this present ill-starred situation. Worst of all, a few of the ring leaders of the movement with their self-indulgent approach and emotional appeal turned to the US and other European countries seeking moral supports for their quests.  Ironically, we can conclude rioters’ sinfulness of moral value when they relentlessly show so much of their violent behaviours. 

It says in the bible that “human hearts are deceitful.” Recently many countries are also in the same chaos. People in countries like Chile, Spain and Indonesia are going onto the street and emulate the Hong Kong tactics to protest against their governments. The gloomiest of all is when a few of church pastors in Hong Kong led his congregation to participate in the demonstration. Don’t they fearful the stricter accountabilities that glue to their divine callings? Even with their selfish reason or weakness in the spirit, it would have made a world of difference if they would point their flocks to God’s word, for example, the Book of Romans chapter 13 that’s to uphold the government, to pray for wisdom to be upon the leader and to show love.

When enough is enough, it’s the time for me to pray with a prayer of relinquishment for the future of Hong Kong. As I prayed for my closing, suddenly, the hymn ‘The Prayer of St Francis” came to my mind. It was many years ago, when we were in Tokyo, the first time for Christmas. We need to find a church service must be in English, and the hotel concierge directed us to attend the Christmas Eve service in one local catholic church. It was the closing hymn for that glorious evening that brought me to tears. I thought that I was done and wanted to post this piece a few times but in vain. This morning I got up very early, and the following message came in for me from Samantha, who is one of my chat group friends.

“HE is the light in our lives!”

“In a moment You turn mourning into dancing. When I praise I can feel the darkness trembling. All my fear is swept away by perfect love. You fan my faith into flame

—

No darkness can stand against this brighter glory. HIS promise is sure, Jesus decides my story

The Prayer of St Francis

Make me a channel of your peace. 
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love. 
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, 
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.

Verse 2: 
Make me a channel of your peace. 
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. 
Where there is darkness only light, 
And where there’s sadness ever joy.

Refrain: 
Oh Master, grant that I may never seek 
So much to be consoled as to console. 
To be understood as to understand, 
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Verse 3: 
Make me a channel of your peace. 
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 
In giving of ourselves that we receive, 
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

‘This Present Darkness’

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

20/08/2019

Isaiah 60:2 -NLT

Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD rises and appears over you.

I noted that my last posting was on 13/06/2019. Is not that I didn’t have views to put out, but I was religiously following the news of a series of ongoing riots in Hong Kong, since early June 2019. Although I have left Hong Kong in the 80s’, I was born there. I can identify some of the discontent and grievance behind the demonstrators, but I was deeply troubled to see the demonstration of tenacious anger and hate in the whole situation.

It saddens me the most to know that many Christians were participating in the protect. Don’t they know that we have been set apart ‘to be the salt and the light‘ for our LORD in this fallen, and imperfect world that we live? Or has it ever occurred to them that they should resolve to ask for God’s extra dosage of His grace and His unfailing love in the wake of this present darkness?

I am not in the position to elaborate on the law, Especially when Clarrie Lam, the Chief Executive declared the bill is  ‘Dead’ on 9 July. Unfortunately, after a few violent clashed between the demonstrators and the Hong Kong police force, hundred thousands of Hong Kong residents joined street marches against the bill, and immobilise the city from day one. The complete mayhem at the Hong Kong International airport disrupted a few hundred flights for a few days. The movement further demands broader pro-democracy ambitions. 

According to the coverage by www.theguardin.com/world, ‘ the protests have gone from weekly to almost daily.’ In addition to ‘demanding the territory’s chief executive, Carrie Lam to resign and calling for:

The complete withdrawal of the proposed extradition bill; to withdraw the use of the word ”riot” in relation to protests; the unconditional release of arrested protester and charges against them dropped; an independent inquiry into police behaviour; and Implementation of genuine universal suffrage. ‘

I,  like most of the people outside of Hong Kong, have no idea when and how this whole chaotic situation is going to end. Suddenly, Mr Frank E. Peretti’s bestseller “This Present Darkness” came to mind. The title in line with the book of Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)- ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.’

Coincidently, since all the protestors are in black outfits wearing black facial masks, so I borrow Mr Peretti’s book title as mine for my blog. I am thankful that his book, which I read 20 some years ago enables me now to view this riots in perspective. However, I am still flesh and blood, I can off the news, but where can I find peace when my friends, relatives are still trapped in Hong Kong? Last Sunday, my dear Lord of God, Jesus sent His comfort from the pulpit during worship service:  

Luke 21:26 & 28

26..”Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth,… 28..When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads,… because your redemption is drawing near.”…Berean Study Bible · Download

An Emperor’s Heart

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

12/06/2019

I was trying hard to post my article on Emperor Akihito’s abdication a week before I was about to journey to Europe but in vain. In the end, Lester, my dear brother, in Christ, helped me to put it up while I was about to catch my flight. Then I received my BFF, Linda Lai’s comment, and she asked if I forgot to have a passage of scripture on my article. I was not rattled by her question, but I didn’t know why I gave the Bible verse a miss?Haven’t I seen Jesus in the event?

It’s probably because of what I thought that the Bible scripture is probably not relevant because historically, the emperor of Japan not only is the symbol of the state but also is the highest authoritative figurehead of the Shinto religion. Strangely, on the second day (21/05/2019) of my trip, in my hotel room, during my morning quiet time, the following scripture was popping up and it says from:

Proverbs 21:1

‘The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.’ – New Living Translation biblehub.com

I felt that God gave me the verse to mull it over, and immediately, I also started to ponder and wanted to trace if I could see my Jesus in Emperor Akihito’s life, his reign and his decision to abdicate. At first, I thought that he was pre-destined to be the Emperor of Japan before he was born, I quickly found the validation for his fate, from the book of

Romans 13:1b:

‘For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.’

With the image of the oversized rules in the imperial palace, and it was unheard of that the royal family would allow an American woman to invigorate the mind of the young prince, inside the castle. As for the royal marriage. Then the young prince headstrongly refused to yield to the imperial tradition and pressed for marrying Michiko, a commoner to be the empress, in the name of love, it says in:

Genesis 2:18

‘it is not good for man to be alone, and I will find him a suitable helper.’

I wonder who had a ‘heart of flesh’ in the imperial household, to give the blessing to the marriage? It says that every marriage is a refining process for both the husband and wife, the royal couple should be without exception. It must be a long trying period for the Empress to fit into the imperial family life. However, after being married to Empress Michiko for more than 60-years, evidently, the emperor has been a partaker of wisdom as what spells out in the book of

Proverbs 5:18

‘Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.’

In his reign of 30-years, he convicted of being the emperor to his people. Non-like any emperor in the past, the royal couple would pour out their hearts specially to visit the relief shelters in the country to reach down to those ordinary folks that were severely afflicted by various natural disasters, to talk to them, to lend them the sympathetic ears severally to listen to the people in front of the TV cameras. I only relate how Jesus feeding the 5000 out of compassion in

Matthew 14:13-21

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large group, he had compassion on them.

Luke 14: 11b

..and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’

As a committed pacifist, the couple frequently made conciliatory trips to Japan’s former enemies and victims with the attempt to atone for his father Emperor Hirohito’s fatal mistake to start the war. When the ruling government was trying to reinstate a militarised Japan, the emperor’s ‘apology diplomacy‘ was not shared and appreciated by the so-called ‘right’ wing group.

It is axiomatic that the big clash of philosophy with the ruling government would never be pleasant. After 30-years in reign, at 85, ‘health’ is the most perfect reason to relinquish his duty as the emperor of the people. The polls indicated that most people in Japan sympathised with him. I think most people would want to see their most ever beloved Emperor to be blissful as long as he lives.

I couldn’t get over what I saw at the end of the abdication ceremony, how the emperor suddenly turned back not to look at the people in the room, but to look at his wife and help her to leave the room. For me, as a woman
with starry-eyed emotion, the emperor’s in-depth affectionate look toward his wife, in a stately setting would lead me to conclude that his wife of more than 60-years probably was the real reason for his abdication.

Often I wonder if the emperor was a Christian or the couple was a Christian couple, then I have to admit it honestly that I don’t know. Only the LORD searches man’s heart and tests man’s mind (Jeremiah 17:10). But I would not be surprised to find out, one day that both of them are. Therefore, I would like to use the following passage as a prayer for the royal couple in my spirit that says in:

Proverbs 5:19 – Young’s Literal Translation

A hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually.

Emperor Akihito, Abdication by Choice

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

19/05/2019

We are in the half of the second quarter of 2019. But we continually have news on the complexity of the China/US trade war, it seems that we have found no exclusive and full perspective on Brexit. Furthermore, we had news coverage on hundreds of worshippers died when the bombing attack took place inside the church on the resurrection Sunday in Sri Lanka, and we have the ongoing tension between Iran and the US. It may deem wise for us not to follow the world news at all, probably including some of the local news. If what it says that the news of today is the history of tomorrow, then I would indulge myself in savouring the story on Emperor Akihito’s abdication and in reflection on the use 令和 (Reiwa) to mark the new era of Japan.

I regret that I was only able to watch Part 3 of the NHK documentary on Emperor Akihito. It starts from when he was a youth, an American private tutor was acredited with being the one to open his eyes to see the world outside of Japan. His school days on formal education both in UK and in America. Later, he met the love of his life at the tennis court in Karuizawa, Japan. It was revolutionary for an Emperor in transition wanting to marry a commoner as a wife. Finally, the captivating Royal Wedding, and later, they both agreed and insisted actively to raise their children on their own.

After being the symbol of the state for 30-years, the 85-year old Emperor Aikihito finally had the permission to adbicate. He is the first Japanese Emperor to stand down in more than 200 years. The Emperor has known as a staunch pacist and he travelled extensively making efforts to reach out Japan’s fomer enemies and victims to mend the wounded nations. During his ground breaking Royal visit to Bejing in 1992, he openly shared how much he had admired the Chinese cultural and what were the Chinese Classical literatures he read. And in his speach, he openly shared his deep heart-felt remorse for the scars inflicted the Chinese people under his father during the war.

Unlike most of the Japanese politicians, the Emperor and Empress Michiko did no emperor had ever done before. It was after the 2011 disaster, people were camped on the floor only with a few personal belongings next to them. They had left almost everything behind, in a hurry, didn’t know when they would be able to return to their hometowns. The Royal couple arrived at an evacuation center, knelt on the ground with each affected family and softly spoke directly to his people in front of a TV camera. He was an Emperor with compassion and wanted to be the emperor close to his people. He would always be remembered for his loving kindness.

As to why the emperor chose to abdicate, in his own statement in 2016, that he feared his age would make it difficult for him to carry his duties, and strongly hinted that he wanted to step down. The polls showed that most people sympathised with him, and in 2017, parliament enacted the law that made it possible for him to abdicate. The emperor’s ‘apology diplomacy‘ as is pacifism is no more in vogue. The current prime minster, Shinzo Abe and others the ‘right,’ the ultra-nationalistic group of people want to bring back patriotic education, and make no secret of wanting a remilitarised Japan.

令和 (Reiwa), which is the name of the new Japanese era. I was intrigued to learn from the documentary, that they derived the two characters from the book of 中庸 (Zhōngyōng), which is the Book of Mean. The doctrine of Mean is a core value of Confucianism. The simpliest way to put it would be ‘to act middle.’ It also says that in all words and deeds one must be firmly entreched to moderation. The Japanese must know the word 令 reads (Ling) in Chinese, which can be a noun or a verb such as ‘order,”cause,”allow, ”expand,”spread out, and ‘ream. ‘ A new era called Reiwa, meaning ‘Order and Harmony’ to mark the new Japanese calendar.

I have to say that even for the Part 3 of the documentary that merits a few of replays, simply because I was personally mesmerised by the togetherness of the Royal Couple in all of their public appearances and their Royal visits. Empress Michiko has never failed to be the exemplary of a submissive wife with her forever gracious, elegant body language. I was moved by the end of the abdication ceremony, the Emperor suddenly turned back not to look at the people in the room but to look at his wife and help her to leave the room. That’s a legendary look and it’s a revolutionary look at the end.

More Of The ‘R’ Words To Live By

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

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…





Ruth – the woman in the Bible

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

14/04/2019

My recent book study was the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It’s the book that forever familiar to many Christians. With the Cinderella ending, I know that many God-fearing, God serving single sisters in Christ would specifically pray that one day they would meet with their Boaz as their partners in life. I remembered how the story of Ruth, in the Bible mesmerising the 5-year-old kids in my Sunday school class, many years ago, especially the girls who were doing the class role play for Ruth and Naom

‘I will go wherever you go, your people be my people, and your God is going to be my God. Where you die, I will die.’ Ruth 1:16-17 (roleplay dialogue)

Would Ruth meet Boaz by a quirk fate? Did she just by chance to work in his field? How would Naomi, a Judahites from Bethlehem find out that her family was related to Boaz? Did the story end it with Boaz marrying Ruth all by chance? Superfluously, the invisible hand of God was the master-mind to bring all these things to pass, especially when we think of that King David and Jesus, Himself, as the Son of Man descended from Ruth.

If I were to do the homiletic for this entire book, three ‘R’ words would come in handy. In addition to ‘Ruth’ the second ‘R’ word is ‘Relationship,‘ the relationship among Ruth, Naomi and Boaz and the final ‘R’is the ‘Redemption,’ as Boaz was the Kinsman Redeemer. Although the book is named after Ruth, but we can’t over look Naomi and her role in the whole story. Being a woman, a widow lived in the country of Moab with her two sons and their wives of the Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah were their names. In the midst of famine, Naomi’s two sons also died.

Why would Ruth decide to cleave to Naomi to settle in a foreign land? To begin with, I think that Naomi must have wholeheartedly welcomed two of the Moabite women into her family. Amid famine, lost everything and she had no root of bitterness, but still had the welfare of her two daughters in mind; the separation was heart-wrenching for three of them. From the scriptures, the mother/daughter-in-law relationship was intimately close. It’s heartwarming that Naomi to share beauty-tips with Ruth before she guided her how to present herself under the feet of Boaz.

Would any woman do as what her mother-in-law told her to do? Would her reputation be at risk? Immediately, I recalled how Jesus praises the woman who kisses and anoints His feel with tears and expensive oil (Luke 7:36-50). But Ruth took heed and said that “All that you told me I would do.”(Ruth3:3). The scripture didn’t give any clue in terms of how long Naomi had lived with Ruth. However, Naomi must have loved Ruth dearly and impacted her life significantly. And both of them have showed case what it calls the ‘real Sarah’s daughter with the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit‘ (First Peter 3).

I attend the Chinese BSF class here in Singapore. Last week, homework question asks us to expound the Chinese character 贖 (Shú), which means Redemption. I was intrigued to note that the Chinese charater is the make-up of three identical parts/radicals. It has the word of 貝 (Bèi), the shell on the left that’s the currency for trade in ancient China; on top is 士 (Shi) the nobleman/ gentleman/scholar and the word of 買 (Mǎi ) buy/atone for, at the bottom. Profoundly I am grateful to be able to understand the deep scriptural meaning of redemption in the filter of the etymology of the Chinese word.

Currently, the Chinese authority starts to voice their concerns on what if any foreign religious movement would be contradictory to either the Chinese tradition or the value system? First of all, many Chinese main lander don’t know that Christianity is not a Western Religion, and it is also not a phisophical Religion but is of a Relationship between the Heavenly and His people on earth. Secondly, China has had an unbroken history for 5000 years, it has had many folk religions that are more like the traditional veneration of saints or ancestors throughout. 

Most amazingly, deep within, Chinese people, in geeral, all have believed in an unnamed supreme divinity that calls 老天爷 (Lǎotiānyé), which is the God who lives in heaven. Take for example, there’s no idol found inside the Temple of Heaven (天壇 – Tiāntán), Beijing, China, where the emperor would go to worship annually in the old days. Thus, it’s not far fetched to believe what it has been said that the Hebrew God in the Old Testament time was probably also in ancient China. In fact, many Chinese traditions are perfectly in tune with the Biblical truth, but is not for me to expound them here now.

Psalms 19:1b

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” KJV




‘Green Book’​​ – the movie

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

01/03/2019

‘Green Book, the Academy’s Best Picture of 2019

When people around the world are peering on the US-North Korea summit; China/US trade talk and the ramification of the Brexit the forever billions of click ‘Like’ and glamorous event, the 2019 Oscar Award seems now like ancient history, comparatively. But I still mull over with the result of it. Probably because I only managed to watch two movies (the ‘Green Book’ and ‘The Wife’) and had missed most of the films, which were being nominated. And regrettably, I didn’t watch the Oscar night, the high fashion parade on the Red carpet, which I seldom missed them in the past. 

Comments from foreign and local newspapers and social media say that it’s ‘an embracement, ‘ it’s ‘upsetting,’ and it’s the Academy trying to play the ‘diversity’ card for the ‘Green Book’ to be awarded as the Best Picture of 2019. I happened to watch it before the nominations. The movie profoundly moved me, plus the fact that it was based upon an actual event. The story also humbled me on why an African American Classical/Jazz pianist would purposely decide to have a concert tour down to the American Deep South during the segregation in the 1960s.

For days, after watching the movie, I couldn’t get over with Mahershala Ali ‘s perfect ten (10)  performance to showcase of how a man, a gay can be so naked, so broken and so helplessness when he was under arrest by the police with another white gay man. But I laughed out loud when the two disparity men (black, rich/poor white working class) start to connect over the fried chicken when they reached to Kentucky. And of how Ali teased Viggo’s letter to his wife was like writing ransom notes, and Ali proofread most Viggo’s love notes thereon.

Almost towards the last leg of the tour, we saw Ali, the pianist shouldered the driving to allow Viggo, the driver, to have some rest at the back seat of the car, so he can rejoin his family, on time, for Christmas dinner. Viggo in thankfulness, extended the invite for Ali to join in, of course, immediately the pianist declined it graciously, and went back to his posh living quarter, in Manhattan, New York but after contemplating, he finally rang the door-bell. So, the film ends with love and friendship.

By the Hollywood Academy, ‘Green Book’ is the ‘Best Picture of 2019.’  It’s a low-cost production based on a heartwarming, God-glorifying story. We don’t know how true whether some of the small incidents were, but we saw in the movie the ‘bad cops/good cops’ in American highways. We saw that a phone call made to Mr. Bobby Kennedy that the two were freed from detention due to a traffic offense on the state highway that probably was not fictional at that time.

We saw a Concert pianist who painstakingly wouldn’t want to settle to play with other than the Steinway piano, at the end he spontaneously was playing at a tacky Jazz bar. My 2 cents of it that it’s a true embracement, if in any given period in history that the actuality of ‘Green Book’ reigned. I was upset that Mr. Mortensen was nominated for his acting, but he didn’t walk away with the Oscar. With Mr. Ali’s frame, the color story and the tailoring, all of his outfits on the film are picture-perfect, but was not nominated for ‘The Best Costume Design.’

I didn’t know that ‘Alibaba Pictures’ was also funding the success of this production. Mr. Jack Ma said that he had watched the movie three times and he said that he was reflective. It is a love story, and only HIS love can melt away all prejudice and pride in the human heart. I would want to watch the film again, and I also shall pray the ‘After Oscar Glow’ box office for ‘Green Book’ in China, as socially, and culturally it can be a reality of ‘Hit or Miss.‘

Isaiah55:9esv

‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’