Dear...
'Teach me, O Lord, to follow Your decrees, then I will keep them to the end...'
Psalm 119:33
This short sharing was never intentioned. Thought that I will put the finishing touches to a planned reflection on "Stagflation", not sure if that will be any great economic insight, but after my planned trip to Shanghai tomorrow, I should be able to complete my thoughts and swing it by you next week when I return.
God has other plans and He leads, we respond. This evening, a non believer friend called me and we had a good conversation. He sounded surprisingly chirpy, for I know he has not been well for the past couple of years, in particular the past one year. As the conversation neared a cheery end, I felt led to ask him on his medical condition, for by his tone, it seems that all is well since we last spoke last year.
How would you react if you are told by a friend that he has only a year to live, and in actual fact, ten months remaining, since the prognosis was made by his doctor a couple of months back, before today's conversation?
'What are you doing, O devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you, they seek your life.'
Jeremiah 4:30
My friend said that his doctor asked him to use the one year to clean up his affairs, before the cancer overwhelms him. Strange is not it? There is in fact a finite time-line for all of us imperfect humans. Strange because like the present euphoria in our property markets, many are increasingly ensnarled in not just asset accumulation, but soon to be up to their oogles in debt. What if the same time dateline is given to those caught up with the desires of the world? Will you have time or even the capability to unwind a web of misery of one's own doing? The devil does love us the sinful men to burden ourselves with his great material delusions, for such dalliances will bring us further away from God and nearer to the devil.
'Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things, preserve my life according to Your word. Fulfill Your promise to Your servant...'
Psalm 119:36-38
Psalm 119 is a very meaningful and important reminder to all of us of the need to focus our all on the Lord our God. To be fully devoted to our Abba Father. It is not just a question of peace and joy. Nor is it just a question of a longer and healthier life, for simplicity does lessen the stresses that brings with it ails and woes upon our health and very being. But Psalm 119 is also a reminder that God will fulfill His promise to us, to preserve our life for eternity. But will we be prepared to respond as He leads.?
Like my non believer friend who is settling his worldly affairs before going into the great unknown, bur to us the believer we do know where he will be going, to a place where we wish that they would not have to go. There is still hope till the last breath for my friend. And I plan and more importantly pray that God will use me and others to lead my friend to Him, for God will speak to Him and heal Him, if not in the body, but definitely in the Spirit, but my friend must want to respond. Your prayers are much appreciated.
But we need not be spending our known last days cleaning up the garbage of our lives or for many, it seems like accouterments of a once materially rich if not wearisome life.. For us who know and seek to follow God every living moment of our lives, till the Lord takes us home, every day, in fact, every minute is lived with joy and peace, as we allow God to lead us in being a living sacrifice upon which His glory will shine forth.
There is no cleaning up for a true follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, for He has already refined us and when He takes us home, God knows that we are ready, and we know that we have been a good and faithful servant.
'My comfort in my suffering is this. Your promise preserves my life.'
Psalm 119:50
If the above story was a joke, then happy April fools day. But IT IS NOT, nor is eternity is a figment of man's imagination, much as the secular men might choose to believe so.
God Blesses
Eng Hieang
(31st Mar 2010)
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