#82a The long march(4apr06)

‘Hear O Israel : Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven’
Deuteronomy 9:1

In 1934, some 80,000 communists, in Jiangxi province, led by Mao Tse Tung were surrounded by the superior Nationalist forces of General Chiang Kai-Shek. What followed was an epic ordeal, as the communists made an ardous 6000 miles trek, to break-out of the pincer-like grasps of the enemy.

The journey ended a year later, in Shaanxi province, with just a few thousand survivors.

‘Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?
So run, that ye may obtain.
….I therefore so run, not as uncertainty…..’
1 Corinthians 9:24-26

From this rag-tag band of hardened and strong-willed men and women, were to emerge, 15 years later, in the flight of Chiang and his nationalist troops, across the Taiwan Straits to Taiwan, and the dawn of the communist party and Chairman Mao, as undisputed leader of mainland China.

‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!’
Acts 8:20

The Israelites of old were a disobedient and whimsical lot. Despite having witnessed first-hand, God’s grace and awesomeness in their flight from Eygpt, they still quickly descended into debauchery and lusts the moment Moses was not with them. While Moses was with God, receiving the 10 Commandments, the Israelites shifted their allegiance to a self-made golden bull.

‘…For they could not walk in His ways…………’
Isaiah 42:24

Recalcitrance became second nature, when they again chose to disobey God and not enter the promised land(as in the above verse: Deuteronomy 9:1). Forty years going round and round the Sinai desert, did not make many of them clear-headed, but it cleared the land of all those who disobeyed God.

‘The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative’
Ruth 4:14

In our difficult moments, when life seems dreary and overwhelming, having a close friend or loved one, for us to lean on is indeed a true blessing. Yet, nothing can compare to the love and grace God shows us all, when on reflection, seemingly difficult roads, are never made alone, but with God’s presence and provisions.


‘These things …..were written for our admonition’
1 Corinthians 10:11

To be a Christian is to be not just a believer in Christ and God, but a willingness and commitment to follow Jesus as He leads us, on a journey of faith.






I first accepted Jesus Christ and God when I was aged 15. In the intermingling years, I do occasionally, make detours back to God and Jesus Christ, when life’s smooth highway runs a little bit more bumpy. But for most of my 1st 40 years, God was a pit-stop, rather than the focal point of my journey in the material world.

‘Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?
Job 2:10

Adversities do bring about the shrinkage of the many diverse distractions in one’s life.
As the bright illusionary lights of the sinful world dims, when one gropes in the encapsulating darkeness of deep despair, the illuminating light of God’s love glows with the warmth that we have never noticed.

‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit’
Psalm 40:1-2

It has been 5 wonderful years of journeying with Jesus Christ. The paths are not always smooth, yet the storms that comes along, does wash away the dross that still clings on to my heart. The waves of trouble that pound me ever so frequently, is starting to have the same sculpting effect, that we see in those beautiful nature-hewned rock formations.

‘When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee……
…For I am the Lord thy God…’
Isaiah 43:1-3

Men, by nature are goal oriented. They like to know what is the light at the end of the tunnel.
Not too long ago, a dear friend and faithful follower of Jesus Christ entered what seemed like a very dark tunnel, for she was down with incurable spleen cancer. In the midst of her struggles, she asked God ‘why??”

Jesus said to her, “the end matters not, what matters is I will journey with you.”
My friend has since been taken out of the long march of this sinful world. She will be brought to her rightful place in God’s kingdom. Yet, because of her obedience, many more lives including that of her loved ones have now firmly grasped the hand of Jesus Christ, as they too now partake in the long march, with great assurances, not disturbances.

‘..that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith…’
Ephesians 4:12-13

God Blesses

Eng Hieang