...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...
Extracted from Hebrews 12 : 1 - 2 (NKJV), the above quote was the theme verse for the Sunday School outing held on 17 May, a public holiday in Singapore in line with Vesak Day. Held at Labrador Park, more than 200 students, with their parents, enjoyed a sunny fun-filled half-day of food, family and fellowship. Games were played, and bountiful food was provided and eaten beside sun-reflected waters that occasionally showered waves upon nearby onlookers when boats swept too close to the shores.
Prior to the games which naturally involved much running and looking, the children spent some time learning some truths from God's word. For the very young ones (children up to Primary 2), the Swallow shared the stories of Zacchaeus and Peter.
The story of Zacchaeus can be found in Luke 19 : 1 - 10. The story tells how Zacchaeus, described as a chief tax collector, rich and short, was running around, looking for Jesus whom he had heard was coming into his town. Tax collectors were usually not well-liked. People shunned them as they tended to take more tax than what was required. Zacchaeus must have heard of how Jesus befriended those that were generally not accepted by others, thus he was quick to seek after Jesus. Alas, due to his short stature, it was difficult. His view was blocked by those that were taller, and maybe due to no one liking him, they did not give way to him. Did he give up? No! Thus the link to 'run with endurance'. Zacchaeus was an example of someone who did not give up easily when looking for Jesus. In order to see Jesus, he climbed up into a sycamore tree. His reward? He reached his goal of meeting Jesus, and from that day on, Zacchaeus was a changed man as evidenced by his declaration to give half of his goods to the poor; and to restore fourfold anything that had been taken from anyone by false accusation.
The story of Peter can be found in Matthew 14 : 22 - 33. Peter was a fisherman, a disciple of Jesus and one of the three found in the inner circle of Jesus' friends. Quick off his mouth and generally described as impulsive, he was a natural leader of the twelve disciples. This story of Peter happened when Jesus, after performing the miracle of feeding the five thousand, asked the disciples to cross to the other side of the sea while He went up to a mountain by Himself to pray. Late in the night, when the boat was in the middle of the sea and being tossed by the waves, Jesus appeared before the disciples, walking on the sea. The natural reaction? "It is a ghost!", they cried out in fear. When Jesus proclaimed who He was, Peter was quick to ask Jesus to command him to go to Him. Given the command, Peter got out of the boat and walked on water. Wow! Alas, Peter took his eyes off His Lord and saw the boisterous wind instead. Though he began to sink, he remembered to cry out to Jesus to save him, and Jesus did.
The children were reminded that they too can be like Zacchaeus or Peter. Like Zacchaeus, not to give up easily when looking for Jesus. He is the One who can and who will meet all their needs. He will be found if they seek Him with all their hearts. Like Peter, having found Jesus, they need to continue looking to Him to meet all their needs. In the storms of life, they need to cry out to Jesus for help. He will save them.
RUN, RUN, LET US RUN by jadeswallow
Run, run, let us run
Run the race today
Looking unto Jesus Christ
who helps us all the way. (Yea!)
(sung to the tune of 'Row, row, row your boat')
For all believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, may they too be like Zacchaeus or Peter, never giving up but running with endurance the race that is set before them, looking unto Jesus, the One who will always help them so that they may be found faithful even to the end of their lives. In storms of life, may they remember to turn their eyes back to Jesus, and call out to Him to save them.
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Tuesday 3 May 2011
Making the Right Choice
Life is about choices.
Choosing what to eat, what to wear and what to do are daily tasks in life. As one grows older, there are the choices of school, career and life partner. Come 7 May 2011, the Swallow, along with her fellow Singaporeans, will need to choose whom they wish to give their support to for the next five years.
Choices are usually non-essentials...choosing to eat fish instead of chicken, or choosing to wear blue instead of black, or reading a book instead of watching the television. In fact, one can even have the best of both...eat fish and chicken, or wear blue and black, or read a book when the advertisements are being shown on television.
There are times, however, when the choices made could mean the giving up of something for another (which may not necessarily be the better choice). In such situations, fear of not making the right choice becomes real. There is an unknown factor because one would not know whether the thing he gave up would actually have been a better choice.
What is one to do then? Refrain from choosing? Allow others to dictate one's choices?
The answers boil down to a very basic choice that affects all other choices...
Joshua 24 : 15b (NKJV)
...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...
Joshua 24 : 15e (NKJV)
But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
When the Swallow was in the final year of secondary school, she made a choice to serve her Lord God - to follow His call wherever He would lead her. She did not anticipate what a major impact that choice would have on her life. She did not realise that it would mean the giving up of close family and friends.
When the time came to join the working force, no doors were opened for her in Malaysia. Applications for employment were either rejected or ignored. "Lord, what should I do? Where should I go?" was a constant cry to her Lord. His answer came through wise counsel from her dad. "Why not consider Singapore? It's just a train ride away."
Making the choice of taking up employment in Singapore was not easy. There were days of anxiety and sleeplessness. Days of fearing the unknown. When she finally decided, with the Lord's peace in her heart, it was with the thought that the leaving would only be a temporal one. "Just three years. I'll be back before you know it." was the answer she gave to family and friends before she left. However, the Lord's plans were not her plans. Gradually, during the three years, the Lord taught her to put her reliance on Him, to look to Him for comfort in times of loneliness. He gently taught her that He alone would provide for her daily needs and necessities. Through His Word, He reminded her daily that her trust must be in Him and Him alone.
Looking back, the Lord was in control at all times. He knew the fears the Swallow had. He lead her, slowly, step by step, to trust in Him. Days of despair often followed days of trust. But the Lord was steadfast. His love for her never failed. He helped her to shift her former dependence on her parents to a full dependence on Him. Now, as she makes her choice on polling day, it is no longer with fear of the unknown. He has shown Himself as the Sovereign One, the One who knows and holds the future. Whatever choice she makes, He already knows the outcome. He will see her and her family through the days ahead. How wonderful it is to serve a God whom one can trust!
Choosing what to eat, what to wear and what to do are daily tasks in life. As one grows older, there are the choices of school, career and life partner. Come 7 May 2011, the Swallow, along with her fellow Singaporeans, will need to choose whom they wish to give their support to for the next five years.
Choices are usually non-essentials...choosing to eat fish instead of chicken, or choosing to wear blue instead of black, or reading a book instead of watching the television. In fact, one can even have the best of both...eat fish and chicken, or wear blue and black, or read a book when the advertisements are being shown on television.
There are times, however, when the choices made could mean the giving up of something for another (which may not necessarily be the better choice). In such situations, fear of not making the right choice becomes real. There is an unknown factor because one would not know whether the thing he gave up would actually have been a better choice.
What is one to do then? Refrain from choosing? Allow others to dictate one's choices?
The answers boil down to a very basic choice that affects all other choices...
Joshua 24 : 15b (NKJV)
...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...
Joshua 24 : 15e (NKJV)
But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
When the Swallow was in the final year of secondary school, she made a choice to serve her Lord God - to follow His call wherever He would lead her. She did not anticipate what a major impact that choice would have on her life. She did not realise that it would mean the giving up of close family and friends.
When the time came to join the working force, no doors were opened for her in Malaysia. Applications for employment were either rejected or ignored. "Lord, what should I do? Where should I go?" was a constant cry to her Lord. His answer came through wise counsel from her dad. "Why not consider Singapore? It's just a train ride away."
Making the choice of taking up employment in Singapore was not easy. There were days of anxiety and sleeplessness. Days of fearing the unknown. When she finally decided, with the Lord's peace in her heart, it was with the thought that the leaving would only be a temporal one. "Just three years. I'll be back before you know it." was the answer she gave to family and friends before she left. However, the Lord's plans were not her plans. Gradually, during the three years, the Lord taught her to put her reliance on Him, to look to Him for comfort in times of loneliness. He gently taught her that He alone would provide for her daily needs and necessities. Through His Word, He reminded her daily that her trust must be in Him and Him alone.
Looking back, the Lord was in control at all times. He knew the fears the Swallow had. He lead her, slowly, step by step, to trust in Him. Days of despair often followed days of trust. But the Lord was steadfast. His love for her never failed. He helped her to shift her former dependence on her parents to a full dependence on Him. Now, as she makes her choice on polling day, it is no longer with fear of the unknown. He has shown Himself as the Sovereign One, the One who knows and holds the future. Whatever choice she makes, He already knows the outcome. He will see her and her family through the days ahead. How wonderful it is to serve a God whom one can trust!
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