Dear..
'Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.'
Psalm 61:1
"Cry my beloved country" is a fiction book written in 1948, by South African author, Alan Paton, chronicling the inequitability of the South African society of the 1940s, a prelude to the imposition of the apartheid system in South Africa(from 1948-1994), where the white minority enjoyed the largess of this well endowed country, and the majority black population were left to wallow in abject poverty. And where the color of your skin determined which side of the road you should be walking on.
Fewer of us might remember who the once famous South African Dr Christian Barnard was, for medical science has since progressed from his pioneering days(in Dec 1967) of open heart transplant.
Memories might be fleeting, but there are matters of the heart like deeply ingrained biasedness and long submerged tribal faultlines, that might be nonchalantly dismissed as irrelevant in progressive societies, but can be easily drawn to the forth, as President Obama recently found out, in his comments on the case of the colored Harvard Professor and the white police officer.
'To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.'
Isaiah 42:7
Nelson Mandela, most of us would have heard of him. And by next year, more would for South Africa, long a great sporting nation, but till recently, a pariah in the international community(as a result of its apartheid policy) will host for the first time, the World Cup, the premier event for soccer afiociondos..Mr Mandela spent most of his life in prison, the price he paid for standing up to a repressive and unfair regime.
As a believer, we are asked by God to be used by Him to share His love, to reflect in our lives, the likeness of Jesus Christ, that His light can shine forth into the darkness encapsulating the hearts of many. But will we be truly prepared to be like Christ, who gave his life for us, or even like Nelson Mandela, who was prepared to be imprisoned for his beliefs? Or simply, just to move out of our comfort zone, so that we are able to emphathize with the people God placed in our lives?
And I will bring the blind by the way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known, I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. They shall be turned back….'
Isaiah 42:16-18
On this, as I spent time last night reading the Lord's Word, I was convicted of my failing, for truly, like some, I tend to be more comfortable amongst my "own" ie people whom I feel comfortable with. For just yesterday, I have avoided responding to a communication from a brother in Christ, who in my mind, is "quirky" and his request is likely to be frivolous, and so not worth my time.
Jesus Christ never left out anyone in His ministry, and it is whoever God places in his life. Sinned I have, but repentance I can still exercise and indeed the good Lord has corrected me well, and respond I did finally to the brother(note: just in case some of you on my mail list figured that it might be you, rest assured, the brother in question is not on my mailing and this incident was a few months back)
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with good, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and the naked.'
Revelation 3:17
Materially rich or poor, we are all encumbered with perspective of things as defined by our finite understanding and flawed experiences. Light turns into colors as it is split by the receptor cells that resides in our visual system. Light in its original form is colorless. A defintion from the internet Wilkepedia site states that Color derives from the spectrum of light (distribution of light energy versus wavelength) interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors.
As the imperfect man, we will judge everything from the our flawed perspective, using the experiences garnered in a fallen world, driven by our selfishness rather than selflessness. Much as some might differ, reality is, can we be truly unbiased and love others as much as ourselves? Harmony in society comes when there is a strong artificial grip where any deviation from the imposed norm will lead to serious personal peril. But like the animals released into the wild, will we not revert to our primal instincts, in the multi-faceeted jungle of deceit, desire, pride, envy and selfishness, once the iron hand is lifted? The late communist dictator, Josip Tito might have some comments on that given that Yugloslavia, which was once a shining symbol of not just enlightened communism, but also racial harmony from what was once, a divisive historical divide amongst its diverse cultures and people, reverted to its ethnic cleansing ways once the artifical glue came unstuck with his passing.
"Those whom the world rejects, should move you the most"
St Louis de Monfort (from Boys' Town Blue Ribbon Project)
Men can truly love their fellows as much as themselves when they totally discard such ingrained receptors of biasedness(by letting go of their own understanding) and letting light filter through unfiltered(ie to let God, to let His light shine forth into our hearts). With man, things are impossible, with God, through His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, all things are possible.
'You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.'
Psalm 73:24
Much as most of us think that it is not possible to just follow, and not weigh in with our views, with God all things are possible, and much as we might struggle with letting go and letting God, God is preparing us and while one knows not when His Spirit will sanctify us and bring us closer and deeper in our faith with Him, every step we take unto His presence brings us nearer to being the lamp that His light will shine forth from.
'I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.'
Psalm 119:14
Christ is the panacea for the world's ills. Man is selfish, Christ is selfless.
In today's increasingly restless world, the challenge for believers is not the machinations and perceptions of the world that seems to not just misunderstand what Christianity stood for, but ourselves.
Are we willing to obey the command of God, ie to seek Him always with our all, and to love others as much as ourselves?
No longer must we look at the world from our colored lens, but to be the lamp upon which the light of God shines forth, be it into darkness, shades of grey or whatever configurations that might exist in the hearts of many?
'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'
John 8:12
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(26th Oct 09)
Note
This sharing was written in july 09, but till now do I truly felt led to bring it out into the light. These are interesting times. If we learn to put aside our own desires, and look at things with a perspective not colored by our greed and fear. Clearly the news coming forth are quite disturbing. The latest attempt at delusions is that of the way ships are being valued. Instead of valuing on a market basis which is down 50% from peak levels, , the proposal put forth is that market at this juncture of pessimism are not reflective of normal circumstances and one should value a ship on future earnings. Everyone is buying time and hoping that things will improve. Healing starts when once is honest with one's past follies, and continued denial is not a solution but a deferment of future problems. With God, the veil of blindness gets lifted and we see Christ when we truly repent, With men, rare is one who repents by choice, and it is often by circumstances forced upon us. Will this be the same for this present bubbly delusions?
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