Death does not have the final word - life does

Just this 22nd, Elder Chou Choon King went to be with the Lord. Despite his infirmities, Elder Chou was a man who care deeply for others. Many have testified to that from the number who came up to give him the tributes. Each time I met him in church, he would never fail to enquire about my family and I. He was genuinely concerned for Juliana's health. I remembered him calling up and talking with me on the phone when Juliana was called home. Among the many things he said for which I was straining to make out, he apologised for not being able to come and visit me and said he'll pray for the comfort of God to be on me. That touched me deeply for one who himself is coping with his own illnesses. Well, I'm glad that Elder Chou is now free from all ills and sufferings and is enjoying eternal peace with God!

This just reminded me again on what Sittser said in one of his chapters: "...we live in the present, which is often full of sorrow and pain. Suffering engenders a certain degree of ambivalence in those of us who believe in the resurrection. We feel the pain of our present circumstances, which reminds us of what we have lost; yet we hope for future release and victory. We doubt, yet try to believe; we suffer, yet long for real healing; we inch hesitantly toward death, yet see death as the door to resurrection. ...We are creatures made of dust; yet we know we were made for something more. A sense of eternity resides in our hearts. Living with this ambivalence is both difficult and vital. It stretches our souls, challenging us to acknowledge our mortality and yet to continue to hope for final victory -- the victory Jesus won for us in His death and resurrection, a victory that awaits us only on the other side of the grave."

Like Sittser, my soul increases its capacity for hope as well as for sadness. I end up believing with greater depth and joy than I had before, even in my sorrow!

More on Bill Stuntz...

For those who would like to read what else did Bill Stuntz say, here is the rest of his sermon. Bill is not writing academically here although he's a Harvard law professor. He writes from the depths of his heart. Read on, and you'll know that he has been through much suffering himself! Here's the link: http://intervarsity.org/gfm/resource/three-lessons-on-suffering I do hope it will minister to those who are suffering.

Wise Words from William Stuntz

Today, I'd like to share some wise words from Bill Stuntz and this was what he said: "Christians err when we imagine that God is supposed to heal all our diseases. That is not promised to us, not in this life. More the opposite: Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” — not “might have,” but “will have.” But while God does not offer to take my cancer or my pain away, He offers something even better: that good will come from those illnesses, and that the good will be larger than the suffering it redeems. Romans 8:28 says that “in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.” Cancer and chronic pain remain ugly, killing things, enemies of all who love life and beauty. But try as they might, those enemies do not get the last word. Our pain is not empty; we do not suffer in vain. When life strikes hard blows, what we do has value. God sees to it. That is an enormous mercy."

How do I overcome? My eyes must always be fixed on Jesus!

Sittser again...

The Lord continues to bless through the pen of Jerry Sittser! Consider these impactful words ...

"Loss provides an opportunity to take inventory of our lives, to reconsider priorities and to determine new directions. Loss invites us to ask basic questions about ourselves – such as “What do I believe?” “Is there life after death?” “Is there a God?” “What kind of person am I? “Do I really care about other people?” “How have I used my resources – my time, money and talent?” “Where am I headed with my life?” Deep sorrow is good for the soul for another reason too. It can make us more alive to the present moment.

Gifts of grace come to all of us. But we must be ready to see and willing to receive these gifts. It will require a kind of sacrifice, the sacrifice of believing that, however painful our losses, life can still be good – good in a different way than before, but nevertheless good. I will never recover from my loss and I will never get over the missing ones I lost. But I still cherish life.

I will always want the ones I lost back again. I long for them with all my soul. But I still celebrate the life I have found because they are gone. I have lost, but I have also gained. I lost the world I loved, but I gained a deeper awareness of grace. That grace has enabled me to clarify my purpose in life and rediscover the wonder of the present moment."

In my next post, I will share some photos of our recent church camp in KL.

More nuggets from Sittser...

Someone asked me if I had recovered. It's difficult to say "yes" as that would not speaking the truth.

This is what Sittser wrote: "Recovery is a misleading and empty expectation. We recover from broken limbs, not amputation. Catastrophic loss by definition precludes recovery. It will transform or destroy us, but it will never leave us the same. There is no going back to the past, which is gone forever, only going ahead to the future which has yet to be discovered. Whatever that future is, it will and must, include the pain of the past with it. Sorrow never entirely leaves the soul of those who have suffered a severe loss. If anything, it may keep going deeper.

But this depth of sorrow is a sign of a healthy soul, not a sick soul. It does not have to be morbid or fatalistic. It is not something to escape but something to embrace. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Sorrow indicates that people who have suffered loss are living authentically in a world of misery, and it expresses the emotional anguish of people who feel pain for themselves or for others. Sorrow is noble and gracious. It enlarges the soul until the soul is capable of mourning and rejoicing simultaneously, of feeling the world's pain and hoping for the world's healing at the same time. However painful, sorrow is good for the soul.

Deep sorrow often has the effect of stripping life of pretense, vanity, and waste. It forces us to ask basic questions what is mot important in life. Suffering can lead to a simpler life, less cluttered with nonessentials. It is wonderfully clarifying. That is why many people who suffer sudden and severe loss often become different people. They spend more time with their children or spouses, express more affection and appreciation to their friends, show more concern for other wounded people, give more time to a worthy cause, or enjoy more of the ordinariness of life."