Reflections

As some of you know, the past month has been a bit rough

The inside of a hospital room, I have seen more than enough

Like my energy levels, my weekly poems ground to a halt 

Missing several good sermons I wish I had been able to exalt

Not using my computer for a week was a shock to the system

But perhaps I needed the time to refocus and get some wisdom

In that vein, Jimmy Nedham’s song keeps coming into my mind

“Clear The Stage” lyrics are ones with which I should be aligned

“Take a break from all the plans that you have made

And sit at home along and wait for God to whisper

Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak

And pray for real upon your knees until they blister"

…

'Cause I can sing all I want to

Yes, I can sing all I want to

And we can sing all we want to

We can sing all we want to

We can sing all we want to

And still get it wrong

Worship is more than a song

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze

If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols”

Your prayers really have helped me through this test

As I try to learn the meaning of the words patience and rest

I guess what I am really saying as I attempt to wax lyrical

Nothing is more important than health, physical and spiritual 

13 February 2024 - Second Wind

Looking through the SQ App from an earlier date

Sometimes we wonder if it might in fact be too late

To find a new purpose in life we can always pray

God can always change our trajectory in a big way

Remember eighty year old Moses who was on the run

God had a plan for him despite what he had earlier done

Moses found a new purpose and changed Israel’s destiny

In both the Old and New Testaments we can clearly see

As per Second Corinthians five, whoever does believe

Is a new creation and about the past should not grieve

For no matter our age, we can always have a fresh start

Learning from mistakes and following God with our heart

23 January 2024 - The Ghosting Trap

The other morning as I scrolled through my SQ App

There was a devotion entitled "The Ghosting Trap”

Engaging relationships can suddenly just disappear

Like a disconnected internet that becomes unclear

But as written in Deuteronomy chapter thirty one

Abandoning us is something God has never done

And per Isaiah forty one, we should never fear

For the Lord God and His strength are always near

13 January 2024 - ENCS

Pastor Josh shared some thoughts at a get-together

That seem appropriate whether in fair or foul weather

The prophet Isaiah, in chapter sixty three verse seven

Mentions the all-loving kindness of God in heaven

We should remember all of our answered prayers

A testimony to how much our Lord God for us cares

All that God has bestowed on us, Isaiah did continue

Opportunities and talents that help in all that we do

So we thank God for blessings on our life’s trip

As we all pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship

25 December 2023 - Blessed Christmas

“Why do…the peoples plot in vain?” says Psalm two

The Lord and His Anointed One the leaders try to outdo

From heaven, the Lord scoffs and rebukes them all

For His King on Zion – the holy hill - God did install

“You are my Son…and I [am] your Father,” God said

God will make “the nations [His] inheritance” instead

“Therefore, you kings, be wise [and] be warned”

For they should serve the Lord they once scorned

 

The Lord said to Jesus, according to Psalm one hundred ten

To “sit at [His] right hand” and rule over all earthly men

For on “the day of battle”, “[His] troops will be willing”

Jesus is a “priest forever”, thus old prophecies fulfilling

God “will crush kings on the day of His wrath”

For Jesus will always be found on God’s path

There have been many priests, per Hebrews seven

But only one lives forever, He was sent from heaven

“Therefore he is able to save completely” any person

“He lives to intercede for them” before their lives worsen

 

The birth of Jesus is briefly written about in Luke two

Joseph went to Bethlehem, for a census all had to do

He went with Mary, his betrothed who was expecting

She gave birth to her son in a stable without objecting

There were shepherds in the nearby fields with their flock

The glory of the Lord shone, and their knees did all knock

But an angel came and told them about the good news

That in Bethlehem had been born the King of the Jews

They were told to rejoice, for they were not in any danger

They would find Jesus wrapped in clothes lying in a manger

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem,” per Matthew two

Magi from the east came, a star in the sky was the clue

The king of the Jews is who they wanted to worship

So they brought gifts with them on the very long trip

King Herod was disturbed; the Magi in secret he did call

They were to report back to him; his evil plans not to stall

The child they did find as to the star they did refer

They worshipped him with gold, incense, and myrrh

About Herod’s evil plot from a dream they did learn

So by another route to their country they did return

19 June 2022 - Father's Day

As around the world today most celebrate Father’s Day

For inspiration, I looked at what the Bible has to say

Proverbs twenty two says show children the way to go

They will not turn from the path when older they grow

Per Ephesians six, our children to anger do not provoke

But raise them with discipline and words God hath spoke

A righteous child has joyous father, per Proverbs twenty three

And he rejoices if wise his child eventually turns out to be

Have compassion on children, per Psalm one hundred three

As God does with those of us who fear Him, we clearly see

God will be our Father, Second Corinthians does say

So when in doubt, we can turn to Him and earnestly pray

I am blessed to have an earthly father who raised me well

And with whom so many memories we shared and now tell

Re Exodus twenty, I respect and honor him and my mother

The right balance of love and discipline they did us smother

Without their guidance along my life’s challenging way

I know that I would not be the person that I am today

I can only hope that with my children I have done the same

Prayerfully I have given them more than just my surname

For the many mistakes made, to them I sincerely apologise

They should know that love and pride fill their father’s eyes

And God, thank you for your guidance, patience, and love

It’s always comforting to know I have an eternal father above

Habakkuk and Prayer

Today about Habakkuk Mark Chew did share

Focusing on different perspectives of prayer

Like Job, Habakkuk did to the Lord complain

He shared his feelings and expressed pain

Looking at verse seventeen of chapter three

Habakkuk spoke of no sheep and a barren tree

This was a fair assessment of the situation

He was being real with God in his frustration

But in verse eighteen, Habakkuk then rejoiced

“I will be joyful in God my Savior”, he voiced

Implying quite clearly that he did speak in faith

Knowing that God is able, Pastor Mark sayeth

Habakkuk goes even further in verse nineteen

He will rely on God’s strength, it is clearly seen

By doing so, a mountain can look like a molehill

As this is effectively submitting to the Lord's will

As I contemplated Pastor Mark’s observations

It seems this is applicable to earthly relations

Share our feelings, both positive and frustrations

Be real with the assessments of our situations

Trust God has given talents to all His creations

These enable us to restore and build foundations

2 April 2021 - Good Friday

Many words have been shared about Good Friday

There are hundreds of messages for us to take away

The day reminds us that Jesus suffered much pain

During his trials and on the cross again and again

Jesus did all that for us, willingly atoning for our sin

Even though He was God’s only son, the next of kin

I am thankful yet saddened, as I am guilty I know

This is increasingly evident as my faith does grow

Jesus’ last words convey strong messages as well

Seven phrases from the cross, the four gospels tell

In Luke twenty three, forgiveness Jesus does imbue

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”

And a few verses later comes the promise of salvation

Said to the criminal but applicable for all of creation

The importance of relationship is quite clearly seen

“Woman, behold thy son” He said in John nineteen

Jesus felt abandonment, asking why God did forsake

A point Matthew twenty seven and Mark fifteen make

Beyond emotions, Jesus’ physical distress was severe

In John nineteen, Jesus saying “I thirst” others did hear

The magnitude of His triumph cannot be diminished

A mere two verses later, He stated that “it is finished”

A promised reunion with God, per Luke twenty three

“Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” we do see 

I derive a message when I contemplate those seven

A reminder of some of what God offers from heaven

God promises forgiveness, salvation, and a relationship

Even when we feel abandonment and distress on life’s trip

Then Jesus’ triumph on the cross and His resurrection

Promise us a reunion with God instead of condemnation 

24 April 2020 - Anxiety

Anxiety should never be underestimated

It leaves individuals struggling and debilitated

Anxiety comes in many forms and is not gentle

Be it physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental

Each individual’s battle is naturally unique

But we are not alone, and definitely not weak

As Asaph wrote in Psalm number seventy three

“God is the strength of my heart” we do see

And even if “my flesh and my heart may fail”

God’s strength and plans will always prevail

So on His presence and people, let me rely

Also to help others rid their anxiety goodbye

12 April 2020 - Easter

As the morning sun rises in the eastern sky

Jesus’ resurrection we celebrate and magnify

For our sins, we understand He chose to die

For our eternal life, He returned to sanctify

Without His life, how to live we would not know

Without His death, to heaven we would not go

Without His resurrection, victory goes to the foe

Without His love, to others we could not show

So here’s wishing a large blessed Easter call

For despite the covid-19-linked gloom and pall

Stopping us from eating out or going to the mall

Jesus’ resurrection is truly good news for all

9 April 2020 - Maundy Thursday

On Passover, Jesus and His disciples did meet

To fellowship, to celebrate the day, and to eat

After Judas had left, Jesus did break the bread

“Take and eat, this is my body”, He then said

Then saying His blood, the wine did represent

For the forgiveness of sins, why Jesus was sent

In Singapore, we are now in circuit breaker mode

Everyone is effectively confined to their own abode

Perhaps we should take this time to fervently pray

Per Matthew six, as Jesus taught us the right way

Giving thanks, repenting, and asking for His grace

And may His love be seen by the entire human race

21 April 2019 - Easter

Walking into a sunrise service this morning at six twenty

I looked around the room, there were seats a-plenty

Then I walked over and tried to sit in my normal spot

Only to be instructed by an usher that I could not

But no reason was provided when I asked him why

Feeling rather unwelcome there, I then said goodbye

It made me wonder how often this happens to others

Who may feel unwelcome by some Christian brothers

We all have interactions with unbelievers every day

Do our actions or words welcome or drive them away?

Remembering that we were lost before Jesus we found

Do we accept them despite their looks or background?

When we are given the opportunity to meet a new face

Do we focus on their sin or convey God’s love and grace?

God created and loves us all, so wants a relationship

The Bible tells us how to pray, to live, and to worship

On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ resurrection we celebrate

To the world, He brought redemption and love great

So in unison we say “He is risen. He is risen indeed”

Thanks to the empty tomb, that is all that we need

19 April 2019 - Good Friday

In the midst of the first Lord’s Supper and Holy Communion

To betray Jesus, the disciple Judas left the sacred union

To Gethsemane, Jesus and the other disciples did retreat

“Your will be done” to God in prayer Jesus did then repeat

Jesus the human was in agony and like blood He sweat

He knew what was forthcoming to pay for our sinful debt

Being crucified would be the Son's ultimate act of obedience

For the Holy Jesus was not allowed a path of expedience

He earnestly prayed for the cup of suffering to be removed

By sending an angel, God’s love for His Son was proved

Strength was provided, as only an angel of the Lord could

For per Isaiah, this anguish would result in eternal good

So as I reflect on this Maundy Thursday and Good Friday

I again realise that obedience to the Lord is the only way

And when facing challenges, I may be tempted to complain

I remind myself of Jesus’ undeserved suffering and pain

Knowing that after two days of the enemy’s celebration

Jesus would be resurrected, offering hope and salvation

25 December 2018 - Luke 2:1-11

At Keene UCC, my mother read Luke two, one to eleven

The background and the arrival of Jesus from heaven

A census for the empire, Caesar Augustus did decree

Everyone returned to their hometown, per verse three

So to Bethlehem, Joseph and his fiancé Mary did travel

From Nazareth in Galilee, on roads made just of gravel

There were no rooms, so in a manger Jesus was born

He was wrapped in cloths, no crown our King did adorn

Shepherds were watching over their flocks that night

And the glory of the Lord around the angel was bright

The shepherds were terrified at the extraordinary sight

But the angel said not to be afraid, verse ten does cite

For the angel was bringing good news and great joy

The long awaited Messiah was actually the baby boy

"In the town of David a Saviour has been born to you”

Little did the shepherds know everything He would do

Christ humbled himself as a human in a lowly manger

To most at the time, He was just the son of a a stranger

But He came to show the world the right way to live

And then gave his life so our sins God would forgive

To follow the example of Jesus Christ the servant king

We should humble ourselves as a sign of worshiping

Remembering the humbling that Jesus did not deserve

We should have no complaints no matter how we serve

26 December 2016 - Perspectives

Some reflection and prayer provide an interesting perspective

Thinking about communication, actions, and how I often live

Before I get irritated when someone does try to me cheat

I should remember what Jesus sees from his heavenly seat

Before fretting if someone does my earthly possessions steal

I should remember the eternal ones are so much more real

Before I get worked up about someone telling another lie

I should remember that my own sins caused Jesus to die

Before complaining that someone causes a schedule delay

I should remember that it gives me another chance to pray

Before I get insulted when not being shown proper respect

I should remember that my behaviour is even more suspect

Before I get affected by others and any unjust accusation

I should remember that via Jesus there is no condemnation

So before a minuscule speck in someone else's eye I do magnify

Per Matthew seven, I must remove the plank from my own eye

Dear Jesus, please forgive me for all the pain I have caused you

And give me the strength to live a life that is to your word true

25 October 2015 - Walking with Integrity

In Ruth chapter two, Boaz commended Ruth’s integrity

Saying that her actions had made it clear for all to see

She stood by her mother-in-law Naomi in a foreign land

As a result, in marriage Boaz eventually took Ruth’s hand

From a solid foundation of values, integrity does flow

To stand by one’s beliefs, one’s strength must show

God’s Word should always provide the foundation

Telling right from wrong without any consternation

In this way, integrity leads to a top-notch reputation

And we often get earthly as well as Godly affirmation

Integrity can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes

But bottom line, perhaps it really means no surprises

For if you do what you say and actually say what you did

Then people will trust you much more than Billy the Kid

20 September 2015 - James 3

I am out of the country so will not hear the sermon today

But know that James chapter three is the topic of the day

With his direct and forceful style, James does continue

About “taming the tongue” many points he clearly knew

He warns that those who teach are judged more strictly

So to be careful as none of us can live our lives perfectly

James reminds us of the power of the bit in a horse’s mouth

And of a ship’s small rudder which can turn it east or south

One small spark can set off a forest fire killing trees very tall

Similarly, the tongue is powerful despite being quite small

James points out that many animals humans can tame

But taming the tongue's ‘deadly poison’ is not the same

With our words, we praise God and yet also curse others

Despite the fact that as God’s creations, all are brothers

In verse ten, James says that this dichotomy should not be

For from a spring, both salt and fresh water we do not see

About different types of wisdom James writes from verse thirteen

“Who is wise and understanding among you?” is the question seen

Wisdom is demonstrated by good deeds done with humility

“Bitter envy and selfish ambition" others should not see

For that is earthly, unspiritual, and not from heaven above

Wisdom from heaven is full of peace, sincerity, and love

Those "who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness”

And of course prevent themselves from causing a big mess

This chapter is a good reminder about words and actions for me

For both can uplift others for God or act as tools of the enemy

I must remember that words, once spoken, cannot be deleted

So it is better to hold my tongue until thoughts are completed

I must also remember that good deeds do not need to be viewed

For God sees all, whereas others’ observations can be skewed

Excellence vs Perfectionism

The topic of “Excellence vs Perfectionism” was last night discussed

At Awaken Generation, where participation by students was a must

Excellence is of course a core kingdom principle

Whereas living a perfect life is somewhat mythical

Something on which we should all reflect

Is that only God and His Son are perfect

This of course is consistent with from the Old Testament we learn

That nobody can follow all of God’s commandments at every turn

Most scholars would agree that this set the stage for Jesus’ birth

Which was proof of God’s love and His view of our immense worth

So living our lives excellently is something to which we can strive

Even if perfection is a place that we can on this earth never arrive

For excellence relates to our heart, our effort, and our approach

We should do the right things right, and do all above reproach

This applies to our home, our friendships, and our workplace

This is what God expects and to others presents a good face

For others will see that we put in effort honest and complete

Thus influencing them as well as helping to the enemy defeat

6 April 2015 - Grace Changes Everything

Second Corinthians chapter nine verse eight does imbue

That our "God is able to make all grace abound to you"

"So that in all things at all times, having all that you need"

"You will abound in every good work" and thus succeed

 

Per the ENCS sermon series, "Grace Changes Everything"

That reality should lead us to daily give praise and to sing

For in the words of one popular song, "I've been set free"

Gone are my chains, "My God, my Savior has ransomed me"

 

What does this mean for us at a given time on any given day?

It does not mean that our problems will necessarily go away

But it means that our view of them can for the better change

For God's plans for us are good, and solutions He will arrange

3 April 2015 - Good Friday

John chapters 18 and 19 tell us what happened on that day

Jesus was tormented in both a physical and an emotional way

In Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, and Luke 22-23 there is more

All about Jesus' death on the cross, what He came to earth for

He was betrayed, arrested, put on trial, mocked, and beaten

Disowned by Peter, with whom the Last Supper He had eaten

But throughout it all, only positive things Jesus had to say

And even at the end, for others Jesus did continue to pray

His crucifixion clearly fulfilled Old Testament prophecies

And forgiveness of our multitude of sins He guarantees

 

When I think of the flogging and His nail-pierced hands and feet

And knowing that because of Jesus, my life can be complete

Reading the words, let alone watching screen adaptations

Hits me hard, shaking my supposed strong foundations

I realize that words of thanks can never really be enough

I should do as Jesus would do, even when times are tough

What I do and how I respond is my testimony and tribute

And one measure is how much to society I do contribute

 

But no matter how much I may do or even poetically say

I know that this is one debt that I can never fully repay

Fortunately, that is not what God wants from any believer

He wants us to be faithful to Him and to be a grace receiver

So on this Good Friday I humbly say thanks for His grace

And with faith, against challenges I move forward to face