Stress, Distress, Bless

A Special Edition of Sabbath Walk (incorporating a brief remembrance of Brother Eric Tan)

“In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me…” (Jonah 2)

The Presence of Stress and Distress
It is common knowledge that stress is a big and growing part of an adult life. Even kids nowadays have experienced pressures like never before. Some children get ushered quickly into adult demands when they exhibit ‘special’ gifts, like math prodigy or music gifting. It is sad when a child is not allowed to be a child, simply because he or she has qualities treasured by the grown-up world. Mentally, adult life at work can be extremely demanding. Emotionally, trying to balance our responsibilities to family, accountability to work and church can exact a toll to a previously carefree life. Physically, stress can weaken the body, exposing one from simple things like headache to more serious cases like stomach ulcers, even strokes. Those of us in ministry work are also not spared. Ministry to people is tough. Some even said that ministry demands can be higher. One of my seminary professors jokingly said to the class that if we have a choice to avoid ‘full-time’ ministry work, avoid it. Working with people can be more challenging than machines like computers. Stress can lead to anxiety. Worry can lead to distress. Who can we call? Who is our hero?

In my childhood days, I remember reading fairy tales where a beautiful damsel in distress waits for a knight in shining armor to rescue her from the evil witch. The plot is usually attractively laid out, with the damsel describes as beautiful, the knight as handsome and concludes with a ‘happily-ever-after’ ending. The lady has to call, even to cry and then to wait for her rescuer to turn up. Fairy tales makes our hearts feel good because the heroes and the good guys always win. Who can the damsel call? The knight, of course.

Adulthood is different. Tales now become reality where it is more like M Scott Peck’s famous words: “Life is Difficult.” Both employment and unemployment come with some tension, the former with meeting expectations of the company, the latter coping with expectations of society. A insensitive boss? Power hungry colleague? An unreasonable customer? A frustrating job interview? Marriages go through tough times too. Parent-teen relationships can be pretty rocky sometimes. These little tensions in life when amalgamated resembles a ticking time-bomb waiting to implode. Adult tales can be highly complex, often with unpredictable endings, like a lottery win, business failure, customer win, collapse of one’s dreams, or sudden death. Who are we gonna call? Stress-busters?

The Presence of God
Jonah is a prophet who ran away from his call. Instead of preaching repentance to the city of Nineveh, Jonah headed in the opposite direction. Yet, God followed him to Tarshish. God followed him via the great wind (Jon 1:4). God was present even as they cast lots on who to bump overboard. God was present with Jonah in the great fish (Jon 2:1a). In that moment, Jonah cried out to the LORD waiting nearby and was able to say, ‘he answered me’ (Jon 2:1b). Think about it. After all the running away, all it takes is a simple call, a gentle request and the multitude of God’s love and presence comes storming in. Jonah was able to sense not only the answer of the LORD, he hears God in the deepest grave (2:2). He knows that God listens to him even at the bottom of the ocean. He feels the presence of God amid the stormy waves sweeping around him. The beauty of it all is, before Jonah called, God is already there.

Remembering Eric Tan (1961-2009)
This week, we remember brother Eric Tan, who passed away in Malaysia at a tender age of 48. The passage of Scripture accompanying the funeral service was from 2 Tim 4:7, a special credit to a life well-lived:

“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

From the reading of Jonah, we can picture how God has been with him. As Eric was fighting the good fight, the LORD was with him. As he was finishing the race through his respective work responsibilities, the LORD was also with him. As he played his last badminton game in Kuala Lumpur on the 12th July 2009, even as he breathed his last breath, he kept the faith, knowing that the LORD was with him.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, the LORD’s presence is the best comfort we can ever receive. During the times of stress, as the LORD has been with Jonah, he will be with you. In places and situations of great distress, the LORD is there. As you sense the presence of the LORD, take off your shoes, for where the LORD is, the ground that you are standing is holy ground. Bless him.

Join with me to honour God with this song:

“Come bless the LORD. All ye servants of the LORD.
Who stands by night, in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands, in the holy place.
And Bless the LORD. And Bless the LORD.”

Thought: What comes to mind during times of distress? Do you feel alone amid the pressures and demands all around you? Who walks with you? Perhaps, during such moments, it is not doing more or working less. It is the recognition of the unseen person, the Good Shepherd who walks with us. Whether we ascend the mountain of doubt, or descend the valley of darkness, or simply feeling stuck in-between, God is present with us.

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Signs

"Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights." (Isa 7:11)

One of the things I appreciate when driving to my destination is the visibility of signs. It gives me a sense of direction that I am traveling closer to my desired address. It provides a sense of comfort that I am on the right track. It gives me some relief that I am not lost. In the Old Testament, signs can be a reminder of a covenant made (Gen 9); an omen (Jer 44:29); a warning (Exodus 4); or a monument for the next generation (Joshua 4). In the Isaiah passage, the sign is used as an assurance to trust God. At that time, Assyria was a looming threat not only to Judah but to its neighbors. The neighboring nations (including Northern Israel), were trying to pressure Judah to join the alliance against Assyria. The dilemma for King Ahaz is: Trust the alliance? or trust the LORD? If only he had taken heed from his spiritual director, the prophet Isaiah.

We need spiritual directors to help us read signs. Signs provide a sense of direction for our Christian growth. Typical advice that says: "All we need is God," can appear fluffy. Lots of 'correct' words but little sense of what it means for us. In Soulguide, Bruce Demarest points out two aspects of Christian growth. The first is a REDEMPTIVE aspect which I call 'growing inside.' This includes our personal individual walk with God, our spiritual disciplines and our awareness that we are saved by grace. This is something we all aim at. However, if we only focus on the redemptive aspect, we risk becoming self-absorbed. We need a second aspect, which is the MISSION-ORIENTED aspect. I call this 'growing outside.' This includes the expression of faith via service (to all). Likewise, if one only practices the second aspect without regard to the first, one becomes like an empty vessel, pretty on the outside, but hollow on the inside. One without the other is like walking only with one leg. Thus, authentic Christian growth can only come when there is adequate growing both inside as well as outside. Authentic spiritual growth means walking on both legs, obeying the signs for Internal and External growth.

LAMENTING THE LACK OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
In Isa 7, Ahaz was requested to ask for a sign. This is a gracious call extended to him. God asked Ahaz to call upon him anytime. Whether one feels deep down in dire straits, or experiencing ecstatic highs, the LORD is ready to show the way. All he needs is to ask. Unfortunately, Ahaz refused to ask the LORD for a sign, much to Isaiah's frustration. He didn't appreciate the presence of such a prominent spiritual director.

Such an attitude continues to run rampage in the modern church. Dallas Willard, laments the lack of desire to seek spiritual direction in the church:

"Spiritual Direction was understood by Jesus, taught by Paul, obeyed by the early church, followed with excesses in the medieval church, narrowed by the Reformers, recaptured by the Puritans, and virtually lost in the modern church." (Dallas Willard, Satisfy Your Soul)

Henri Nouwen adds:

"Many ministers today are excellent preachers, competent counselors, and good program administrators, but few feel comfortable giving spiritual direction to people who are searching for God's presence in their lives." (Henri Nouwen, The Living Reminder)

Christian. Do not despair. A lack of spiritual direction does not mean 'no' direction. There will always be a sign for the one who has a willing heart. God will supply signs and guides for us as we walk our Christian path. We need to discern the moving of the Spirit, who gives us signs to walk our journey of faith. We need spiritual directors to help us read spiritual signs.

THREE SUGGESTIONS FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
Signs are essential for spiritual direction. May I humbly suggest three ways toward reading and obeying the signs.

1) Pray and Read the Word regularly; (Inner growth signs)
2) Practice the Word regularly; (External growth signs)
3) Seek out spiritual director(s) (to help put both inner and outer aspects together).

In 1985, Henri Nouwen was at the end of his illustrious teaching career in a prestigious University at Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was seeking for signs on what is next for him. In seeking inner growth signs, he prayed. He wrote journals, expressing his fears, desires and deepest desires to obeying God's call. He asked for a sign. As he prayed to discern inside his heart, as he continues to be faithful through external acts of service (external growth signs), he found a community to help tie it altogether. It was a scary next step. His next opportunity has "no money to offer, no attractive living quarters, no prestige." Nouwen consulted many (spiritual directors), to read the signs that clearly pointed him toward a commitment to the L'Arche community (handicapped people) in Canada. Like Abraham when he was called, Nouwen had no idea what God had in store for him. All he knew was to obey the signs. Perhaps, there is another consideration as far as signs are concerned. Maybe, a lack of spiritual direction is linked to a lack of willingness to obey the signs......

Thought: Signs are key pointers in spiritual direction. Reading the Signs is one thing. Obeying the signs is another. It is no use learning to read signs, without a corresponding willingness to trust God and obey his calling. Could it be that we fail to see signs, because of our inner UNWILLINGNESS to obey?

"God's commands are designed to guide you to life's very best. You will not obey Him, if you do not believe Him and trust Him. You cannot believe Him if you do not love Him. You cannot love Him unless you know Him." (Henry Blackaby)

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Nostalgia or Lament?

“How deserted lies the city, once so full of people!..... ” (Lam 1:1a)

Regret – that it could have been better
Relief – that it could have been worse

When Wendy Murray Zoba’s husband committed adultery, her hopes of a near-ideal marriage crumbled. Everything else that made sense for her suddenly lose meaning. Her marriage was over. Her life was shattered. Her search for God became more teary and weary. She needed a miracle to ever recover emotionally and spiritually. What can she do? Did she regret what happened, or was she relieved that it was all over? Sometimes it is simply not possible to do either. One simply needs to go through the painful process. The question is: Where does our lament lead us to? More specifically, WHO does it lead us to?

We live in a world where there are many troubles. It does not take long for a young Christian to realize that the Christian life is often not like a nice bed of roses. There are challenges too. Israel learned it the hard way through its painful exile to Babylon. The biblical book of Lamentations is a detailed cry of pity over the loss of Jerusalem when the Babylonians sacked her around 586 BC. Written poetically and in acrostic manner, Lamentations is a structured form of poetry. Some people may even suspect that it was written for a funeral service. The sadness deepens as the author looks back at how Jerusalem lost its crown (1:1c), betrayed (2), exiled (3), abandoned (4), and utterly disgraced. The twin emotions or regret and relief play strong. Three observations can be made regarding this sense of lament. While Jeremiah laments, he is always looking back to God.

1) Lost Potential
Unlike the recent death of Michael Jackson, where some tries to milk his death buy selling more wares, the author Jeremiah makes no effort to ‘profit’ from the destruction of Jerusalem. The words in Lamentations reflect his grief over the loss of a once-great nation. Some of us who mourn, only have a few short words or phrases. Jeremiah on the other hand, wrote acrostic poetry, amounting to 5 chapters and 172 verses in Lamentations! A nation that was once 'great' among nations, has now become a forced laborer (Lam 1:1). What a loss.

2) Lost Promise
Not only has the nation lost its independence, it became subjected to the rule of its enemies (Lam 1:3). What happened to God’s promise about Israel becoming the nation of nations? Did God forsake Israel and his covenant? Will there ever be hope for mankind through Israel? At one look, it seems that it is the LORD who has 'caused her grief' (Lam 1:5). Verse 1:18 reveals the reason for Jerusalem's demise, their rebellion. Thus, it is Israel's rebellion that caused their own downfall. Israel has rejected not only the promise but the Promiser.

3) Lost Peace of God
The word ‘Jerusalem’ literally means ‘foundation of peace.’ How can a nation that is supposed to bring peace to the world, now becomes ravaged by war and drained of any power to bring peace? It is one thing not to be able to do something. It is yet another not to be able to live up to one’s name.

The sins of Jerusalem caused Israel to lose all three; Potential, Promise and Peace of God. In this state, life can seem meaningless and helpless. Lamentations is a call for us to mourn over the sad history of past Israel. Yet it should not be allowed to become an end in itself. We have a choice. We can remain trapped in the past or we can choose to look forward. The last verse of Lamentations is a guide for our prayers.

“Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days of old
Unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.” (Lam 5:21-22)

What About Our Own Regrets?

Did Wendy Murray Zoba remain in a state of limbo, lamenting her own personal losses? No. She pressed on in her faith. Her personal story debunks the myth that a Christian life ought to be one that is ‘untarnished and sublime.’ Our Christian life is not simply "Prayer of Jabez" nature where God gives us all the nice things in life when we ask for it. Sometimes, it needs to be "Prayer to Jesus," where we need to pray, 'Have mercy on me, O God, for I am a sinner." I believe the 'cry for Jesus' prayer is far more Christ-centered than the 'Prayer of Jabez.' The former seeks God's mercy, while the latter seeks God's prosperity. The former seeks to be released from the pressures of sin, while the latter seeks to indulge in the pleasures of multiple blessings. If we claim to follow Christ, we need to mirror his heart (for God!) and not become infatuated with material riches (for gods).

As Wendy Murray Zoba tries to climb out of the painful seasons of her life, she recognizes that it is not coming to the end of the tunnel that brings her hope. It is actually God walking next to her in the tunnel that brings frequent consolation. A precious lesson she learned was from St Francis of Assisi.

"He was a pilgrim, stripped of life's easy consolations. Life as a pilgrim had but a single purpose: to have eyes to look for the unexpected, to imagine possibilities, and to remain accessible to the voice that speaks." (Wendy Murray Zoba, On Broken Legs, NavPress, 2004 153)

Thought: If you are always asking for nice things, you are prepared only for nice results. Whether nostalgia or lament, if you learn to seek NOT mere things nor only niceness, but instead the Face of God, you would have learned that the Christian journey is not one of joy or sorrow, but of companionship with the One you love.

Question: Where does your personal lament or nostalgia lead you to? Does it end in self-pity or does it lead you back to God?

Quality

“and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.” (1 Cor 3:13b)

Main Point – Each of us need to take time to check the quality of the work we are doing. It is the attitude of the mind and heart that dictates the quality of the work of our hands.

One of our most used, or misused phrases in the Christian Life is Quality Time in the midst of a busy lifestyle. We use it liberally when we try to live a balanced life of work and family. It usually means making the best use of what little time we have. However, is that possible? When a person’s work expectations piles up high and the available time runs down low, everything on the to-do list gets done quickly, often superficially. If I am doing something to someone so that I can achieve a target, my accomplishments may be more short-term and will not last the journey. However, if I am finding the joy of spending ‘quality time,’ everything becomes peripheral to the desire to spend that quality time. The Apostle Paul reminds us that Christ has already laid the primary foundation. The rest of us need to build upon this cornerstone. The day will come when the fire of judgment will test the quality of every person’s work. How do we know if our work meets the required standards of excellence? Let me suggest three layers of work that we face daily.

Layer 1: To-Do List Layer
Layer 2: Purpose-Driven Layer
Layer 3: Enjoyment-Led Layer

LAYERS OF QUALITY
Layer 1: A To-Do List Motive.
Some of us go through life like checking off a grocery list of to-buy items or to-do list of activities. We clock in our reports. We achieve our sales quota. We kiss our kids good-night quickly so that we can go on to the next item on the list. We meet with employees simply because upper management tells us to do so. Like a mechanic who gets a repair slip, he simply goes through the motion and follows exactly the steps written in the manual. When things go wrong, he blames the manual saying that it is not his fault as he has merely been following instructions. As we all know, bad quality work only leads to more complaints and dissatisfaction.

Layer 2: A Purpose-Driven Motive
A better step is to be more purpose-driven in what we do. Many of us work for a purpose, often for pay. We plan our resources accordingly and allocate work according to the priorities needed per task. If we need to meet a client in order to get a sale, we prioritize them. In church, Sunday School superintendents try to set up coffee meetings so that they can persuade people to teach in the Sunday School. Some pastors call up individuals not exactly to know about their life, but to find out if they can fill a certain vacuum in various ministry roles that never seem to be permanently filled. Under heavy expectations, ministry leaders often become more social when they felt a need to involve people to get things done. Some of these tasks are honorable, but let me suggest that while they may work, they do not last. Individuals can feel ‘used.’ Others can feel that it is meaningless to continue to feel like a tool to meet other people’s ends. There is a better way.

Layer 3: An Enjoyment-Led Quality
Indeed, a To-Do motive emanates superficiality from all fronts. A Purpose-Driven Motive seems to dehumanize persons that they are only targets of usefulness regardless of how honorable the goals are. When I peel an onion, the first layer is usually the first one that is trashed. It is rather pleasing to remove the yucky outside to reveal the yummy inside. The process of peeling onions can be a tearful experience. If we persevere, it can be highly rewarding. The quality of one's work is linked tightly to the attitude of enjoyment.

• Quality time with loved ones and kids means to ENJOY listening to their inner desires, happiness and joys, to keep that moment sacrosanct from other cares and concerns;
  
• Quality time with our work means to ENJOY looking for the right resources, not only to do the right thing but to do the right thing in the right way;
  
• Quality time with our God means to ENJOY that holy moment, to render it untouchable by the world.

Keeping that moment sacred is a spiritual practice of ENJOYING the people we love. If we can learn to practice the presence of God in our quiet times, we train ourselves to be present to other people as well.

Brother Lawrence said: “…I do my work in simple faith before God, humbly and lovingly, and I carefully apply myself to avoid doing, saying or thinking anything that might displease him.” (Brother Lawrence, Practice of the Presence of God).

What then is the key to quality living? It is enjoyment of being present. My personal goal is for quality rather than quantity. I encourage you to do the same.

THOUGHT: What is your quality of life? How do you spend your Quality-Time with the people you love? Whatever it is, if it is a worthy person or a worthwhile effort, enjoy the process.

"Quality is not an act; It's a habit." (Aristotle)

Walking

"There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up." (Exodus 3:2)

I drive my car on a pretty regular basis. It could be sending my kids to school, or making a trip to the Supermarket. After all, a car is meant to be used, isn't it? Is it? Driving may save us some time, but it can also deprive us of the opportunity to slow down and observe the neighbourhood around me. I remember the walks I take with my wife in the early years when we do not have a car. Often we will say to each other things like:
- "I didn't know there is a community center here."
- "How convenient. There is a small shop that sells essential grocery items."
- "Hey, there is a church here."
- "I didn't see this small path. Beautiful flowers we missed."

We do miss out on a lot of things in our neighbourhood when we rush out each morning to work in a car, and return the same way late at night. Life on the fast lane can give us less opportunity to appreciate the surroundings. Walking can be a very good form of exercise. It can be done casually without much gear. It does not cost anything save calories. It can also be profoundly spiritual. The pace allows one to take time to notice the trees and plants around them. It perks up one's nose to smell the flowers. I notice cars parked in the same place every day. I see traffic attendant, faithfully doing her job of ensuring that vehicles stop to let kids cross the roads safely. I see notices pasted on lamp-posts and walls, hawking either wares or community activities.

If Moses was driving a car, he probably would have missed the burning bush. If Elijah has been too impatient, he will have become more attracted to the strong winds, earthquakes and the many loud noises and miss out the small still divine whisper. It takes an intentional heart to sift away the conventional sounds, in order to discover various gems embedded in daily life. Barbara Brown Taylor laments the loss of attention caused by a quick-fix modern lifestyle.

"The practice of paying attention really does take time. Most of us move so quickly that our surroundings become no more than the blurred scenery we fly past on our way to somewhere else. We pay attention to the speedometer, the wristwatch, the cell phone, the list of things to do, all of which feed our illusion that life is manageable. Meanwhile, none of them meets the first criterion for reverence, which is to remind us that we are not gods - if only we could find some way to do more faster."
(Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World, p24).

HOW DO WE PAY MORE ATTENTION?
One way is to walk rather than drive. Walk without having the pressing need for a destination. Make it casual. Take it easy. Let time simply pass by. If you like, take a small MP3 player, with some soothing music. Walk and be ready to stop and chat with neighbors. These small little acts can be hugely therapeutic and can effectively counter any terrible inner insecurity that drives us to constantly catch up with the Joneses.

I remember one night back in 1991, when I was struggling to find some sense of direction whether or not I should marry. I have fallen in love with this girl, and we have been enjoying each other's company. Yet, there was something that does not seem right. Where is the cross that God has asked me to carry? That night, with my heart heavy with questions, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood, quietly asking God to show me a sign. I walked past many blocks, quite intent to keep walking until I see some sign. I glanced at cars, stared at billboards and gazed at the dark skies. Nothing seems extraordinary in a very conventional night. It took more than an hour of aimless walking until I saw a large building hidden among some big trees. The leaves were thick and the lights were not bright enough to light up the surroundings. Apparently, something behind the trees seem to want to play hide and seek with me. The green tree is apparently a poor pretender that it has nothing to hide. Edging past some obstacles, I peered to check out what the trees are hiding. What I saw was a revelation not just for my eyes but cuts into my heart. A prominent cross stood proud under the moon's searing spotlight. It was like a heavenly stage played before my eyes for my enjoyment. The cross was the sign that spoke to my heart in ways no book can ever express. I would not have seen this cross if I have not taken a walk. I would not have noticed the building if I have simply rushed around from place to place. I married my wife in 1992, with our hearts united in Christ. That moment of heavenly revelation gave birth to many years of joyful celebration of marital blessing. To God be the glory.

Thought: How do we deal with frantic living or high expectations and low tolerance for error? Do we simply keep running to compete? Or have we learned to ground ourselves on solid ground, to learn to say 'no' when we ought to say no.

Take time to walk. While walking, pray our concerns and enjoy God's creation. Walk in the Lord, spiritually and literally. Perhaps, during one of our walks, we may chance upon an opportunity to see the 'burning bush' that burns but is not burned up. Like the parable of the treasured pearl, such an encounter will cause us to give up everything to buy the pearl; that divine moment with God.

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Looking Forward

“I was glad when they say to me: ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ ” (Ps 122:1)

I remember in my first job, someone asks the question: “So do you look forward to the weekend?” One said that he is looking forward to spending time with his family. Another said that he wanted to finish a personal project. Others simply appreciate the coming of a needed rest from work. Humourously, one engineer said: “Weekend? Oh No. It means: ‘Monday is coming!” Many of us certainly appreciate the weekend because it is a break from a week of work. Yet, for some, a week is simply a temporal respite from the stress and challenges of work. Like my funny colleague, weekends simply mean the coming of the dreaded Monday instead of anticipating optimistically a Saturday.

Do you look forward to weekends? Do you thank God it’s Friday or dread them because of the coming of Moody Monday? What does weekends mean for us? Is Sunday another day of trying to get ahead of others in terms of competitive advantage? Or is it another day to do a different kind of work? The Old Testament reminds the Israelites to take the Sabbath seriously; ‘ Six days you shall labor and do all your work,’ (Exodus 20:9). The longest commandment out of the Ten, appears to be the fifth commandment to keep the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath is considered mandatory to the Jewish people. An ancient legend tells us about the encounter of the children of Israel with God.

“My children, if you are willing to accept the Torah (the law) and observe its mitzvoth (precepts), I will grant you a most precious gift.’

Eagerly, the children asked: ‘What is this precious gift?’

God replied; ‘The world that is to come.’

The children: ‘Tell us more about this world that is to come.’

God said: ‘I have already given you the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a taste of the world-to-come.’ “
(adapted from Alfred Kolatch’s “The Jewish Book of Why”, NY: Penguin Compass, 2003, p154)

The Sabbath is a gift of the world that is to come. What an amazing thought. Although this is considered a legend, it does provide another angle to see what the Sabbath means. Sometimes we may see the Sabbath as another time to simply take a break. For the busy executive, it can be a needed rest from stress built up in the office. It can be a temporary pause from a crazy world of high expectations and competition. For many Jews, it means a time to enjoy the gift of looking-forward to that eternal rest in God. Many Christians take Sunday as their form of Sabbath, yet I know of many who see Sabbath as another day of accomplishing and doing work, albeit a different kind of work. David is a busy king heavily engaged with the political and national needs of the nation of Israel. The psalms describe many of his ups and downs of life expressed to God. Ps 122 starts off with an optimistic look toward the entering into the house of the Lord. He said: “I was glad.”

I know of people who do not look forward to church. Some shun church because they feel the church is a place of hypocrites. Others avoid church claiming that it is full of middle class or elite people merely wanting to gather in a rich-people-environment. Some go to church expecting to be pampered with an entertaining sermon or to be cuddled with nice songs during the worship service. Let me suggest that we do not confuse Church Sunday services with keeping the Sabbath rest. The Sabbath is an opportunity to glimpse the future. It begins in the heart. It fills the mind with expectations not of people but of God. It anticipates the reading of the Word of God and the contemplation of the kingdom together with the people of God.

Barbara Brown Taylor, a well-known Episcopal preacher even describes the Sabbath as a day in which we learn to say: “No!”
• Say ‘No’ to a culture of accumulating ‘more’ things by keeping ‘less’ stuff through giving away;
• Say ‘no’ to a world infatuated with ‘more-is-good;’
• Say ‘no’ to work at least one day a week;

Sabbath rest is a time to deny ourselves the pressures of getting ahead or accumulating stuff. Instead it is a time to allow us the pleasures of slowing down and giving up the work mindset we face each week. It is a time to learn to say to one another: “Enough. We have enough.” Like going to a buffet meal, rather than topping up our plate with loads of food, and then struggling to finish it all, we should not pile up our week with loads of work that we cannot joyfully finish. Remember that the Israelites who tried to look for manna on the seventh day found nothing? The sixth day they had double the normal amount of manna. The Swiss theologian Karl Barth said:

“A being is free only when it can determine and limit its activity.”

How true it is. We need to observe a day of rest each week, every week. For in doing so, we not only say no to the pressures of the office at least a day a week. We practice saying yes to the simple pleasures of life. We look forward to a future of a time with our heavenly Father, by reminding ourselves that we are not of this world. True. Sabbath time is a time to practice the enjoyment of God and what he has provided us. It is a time to look forward like David to a house of God. Yes, the house of God may be filled with people we may like or dislike. It can also be a place that we dread because certain persons irritate us. Let us not be troubled. Recognize we are often not angels ourselves. The house of God is not simply a gathering of people. It is a community of God’s people looking forward to meeting God. Eugene Peterson’s title of a book says it very well. We need to come together with an attitude of “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society.” We need to desire more of David’s heartbeat for God by saying:

“I am glad when they said unto me, Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Personally, one thing I do on Sabbath Day each week is to turn OFF the computer. I encourage you to do the same at least for one 24-hour cycle each week.

What should we do when someone gives us a wrapped present on a Sunday? Like little children, eagerly open it up! Keep the Sabbath and to keep it holy to the LORD.

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Lest We Forget

DT 8:10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Deut 8:10-14)

Capacity to Remember; Tendency to Forget
The human mind has an amazing capacity for memory. Ask a pianist who is capable to remembering precisely the key to the right note on the keyboard. Ask anyone who can remember their past. Ask anyone who can pinpoint exact places and faces straight from their memory bank. The human brain easily beats any world-class image processor, sound analyzer and technological gizmos that try to emulate the five major human senses.

Yet, one of the saddest things about human being is the tendency to forget. The gift of memory can be neglected so easily in our daily lives. There are many reasons for absent-mindedness. A BBC report says it is due to ‘early stress.’ It is a popular belief that old age is also another factor. Dr David Myers, a psychologist comments on an experiment, that early adulthood (before one turns 40) represents the peak in terms of the ability to recall and remember. In that same project, there was an amazing 3x improvement in memory recall when the activity is repeated the third time. The conclusion is that, if lack of use can cause memory loss, an increased use will enhance memory recall.

Deut 8 seems to emphasize this. God tells the Israelites that their duty is to regularly praise God for all the good providence showered upon them. In verse 11, there is a positive and a negative verbs, (a DO and a DO-NOT). Israel is to ‘keep watch’ or ‘be careful’ (positive verb); as well as ‘not forget’ (negative rendition of remember). In fact, Hebrew parallelism uses both to emphasize the main point, which is to honor God ESPECIALLY in times of multiple blessings. Lest we forget.

Two Ways to Remember
Let me suggest two ways. The first is the important act of rituals. We need to repeat our family rituals as often as possible. In our families, special events like Birthdays, Anniversaries, and all manner of remembrance should be celebrated. In Church, we should hold fast to traditions of worship, prayer and various recitations of the creeds and doctrines. In the office, we need to continue to center ourselves back on the mission and purposes of doing what we are doing. In fact, leaders in any organization are not primarily called to get things done. Their primary task, I feel is to be able to bring the whole company back to the founding principles of the company. That is why mission and vision statements are core competencies of any organization. The leader is the one who is able to recall straightaway, to anybody at anytime, what the company stands for and why they are doing what they are doing. The leader is expected to repeat this mantra continually to employees at all levels, and to train managers to do the same. Failing which, the cycle of forgetfulness will slowly and surely take charge and eventually destroy the company over time.

The second way to remember is actually a simple principle: De-cluttering. When we have too much responsibilities or things to do, our lives become cluttered and often confused. Not only will we face problems in prioritizing, we confuse the important with the urgent. What things are first in our lives? Who are the people that matter the most to us? What is our chief purpose in our daily work? Suppose you are asked to draw a 2-column table where these three questions are placed on the left side.

Write down all the activities on the right side of the table that support our statements of what’s important, who matters, and what’s our purpose in life. If it is a good list with solid details, good. If you find it difficult to fill in the right column, you are properly too cluttered up for long term good. If you feel cluttered, perhaps an exercise at decluttering your life will be helpful. Get down on your knees and pray. Talk to a friend. Read good books (including the Bible) pertaining to spiritual direction. Remember that de-cluttering means putting first things first, and to continually remind yourself of that. That way, we will remember.

"So little is clear. So much is fuzzy. Bring us to clarity, God. Lift one layer of confusion and clutter so that we may see. . . . . Remind us of all the times we have been lost before - and of all the times you have already found us." (Prayer by Donna Schaper, Sabbath Keeping, p41-42)

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Choices

QUESTION: Are we too caught up with the pressures of making right and wrong choices?

We face choices each day. Some are mundane everyday choices. Mundane choices can be deciding what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Salesmen look at their schedule wondering which clients to call. Shoppers look at the large variety of choices, deciding which shopping mall to go, what shops to patronize and what things to buy. The choices are so mindboggling that many people need help to decide. Others are more significant and can change our direction in life permanently. Helping people make intelligent choices can be a profitable enterprise. We have all kinds of books nowadays, from helping people with buying a car, to choosing a computer.

What about our own life choices? how do we going about making big decisions in life? Decisions about who do we marry? What school do we go to? Which University subject to major in? What am I going to do when I graduate? When are we going to have kids? These choices may seem ordinary, but under certain circumstances, they can be extremely difficult to make. Some people simply bulldoze through life, just like the Nike label that says: "JUST DO IT." Others seem to be permanently in a state of indecision, that NOT-MAKING-A-DECISION becomes a decision in itself. Some Christians believe that all the answers they ever need is in the Holy Bible. But does the Bible tell us exactly who we should marry, or what job we should apply for? It is quite obvious that such specific things are not in any of the 66 book of Scripture. Ha ha. Wouldn't it be easier if all our names were already written in the Bible and we do not then have to agonize over life choices? Not really.

In Genesis 13, we read about 2 men given life choices. Abram and his nephew Lot could not get along because the land could not support their two families and their possessions. As a kind uncle, Abram generously let Lot take the first choice. He said to Lot:

"Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; and if to the right, then I will go to the left." (Gen 13:8-9)

So Lot lifted up his eyes, saw the best land around and chose for himself the choicest part of the land, which is on the East side as far as Sodom.

If I am Abram, I will probably be thinking: "If Lot chooses the best part of the land, what about me? What about my family? Will there be anything left for me? Let's hope Lot make a bad choice."

Instead, after Lot chose what was pleasing in his eyes, Abram received this wonderful word from the LORD which says:

"Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever." (Gen 13:14-16)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Lot was given a first choice, and he was under pressure to choose the best for himself and his family. Abram on the other hand was given the FREEDOM to choose whatever. North, South, East or West, it doesn't matter. God assured Abram that when GOD IS WITH YOU, it doesn't really matter. When you have the GUIDE, why worry so much about guidance? Like lovers on a date, isn't it true that WHERE WE GO means nothing, when we know WHO WE WANT TO BE WITH?

In other words, God is telling Abram that it does not matter. It does not matter what choice you make. It does not matter whether your choice is right or wrong at the first selection. It does not matter whether you make a mistake or not. What matters is that if the LORD gives you, happily receive. If the LORD does not give, be thankful, knowing that God will supply us all we need according to the riches of his glory. Whatever it is, remember that God is with you. Isn't that liberating?

My College professor James Innell Packer, author of the well-known book called KNOWING GOD, says that the reason why Christians are anxious about making choices is because:

"a desire for guidance is linked with uncertainty about how to get it and fear of the consequences of not getting it." He then supplies 10 principles to go about dealing with this. Let me share with you his principle #10 which I personally find helpful:

"Never forget that it you make a bad decision, it is no the end. God forgives and restores. He is your covenant God and Savior. He will not let you go, however badly you may have slipped. "

Micah 7:8 reads
'Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. '
This is where I will leave you. Let us not be too caught up with the pressures of making right or wrong decisions. Lighten up. Things may not be as serious as your worries make them out to be. Let's enjoy the journey, believing that God will carry us through in his good time. Whatever wrong choices we think we have made, commit it to the LORD. As much as he can make our good decisions into BETTER decisions, he too is able to turn our wrong decisions into ways that can bring glory to his name. Let us not worry about which button to press, what shirt to wear or become anxious about the unknown future. Give thanks to God for all we have today, and let tomorrow worry about itself. Just make your best decision and leave the results to God. Apply wisdom and knowledge where appropriate. Talk to a trusted friend or a wise person. Most of all, the most important point is, no matter what choice we make, it is not the PRESENTS, but the PRESENCE OF GOD that is most important; for God is IMMANUEL. God is with us.

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Note: The podcast edition of this week's Sabbathwalk is available here.

A Spiritual Famine

"Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land." (Gen 12:10)

What do we do when we are hungry? We go eat food. What do we do when we are so hungry that the land we live in does not have any food that we need? We go in search of food, even if it means leaving familiar territory. What can force a person to go beyond familiar grounds? The Scriptures record the famine as very severe. It is a grim situation that demands serious planning and action.

At certain times of our lives, we too experience spiritual hunger and famine. Sometimes, when we are in such a state, even our regular spiritual 'gas stations' (like Sunday services, own Bible reading, prayer etc) are not able to fill our ravenous tank. We may surround ourselves up with sermons but remain unfulfilled. We may inject additives such as Christian books or self-help spiritual programs, but temporary measures do not last. Some people complain about the lack of feeding by the organization's shepherds and leaders. Others lament that whatever spiritual food dished out does not even whet one's appetite. The end result can be depressing. No solid food each week. Unappetizing and too plain for any enjoyment. So some people leave for supposedly 'greener' pastures. Before we come to any quick conclusions about the nature of one's spiritual hunger, it is good to ponder upon the following questions.

1. What has changed? Our usual provider of food, or our changing appetites?
   
2. Is our spiritual condition triggered by any single event?
   
3. What if our current 'spiritual hunger' is in itself a gift?

This week, I like to focus on the last point. I want to suggest that spiritual hunger can be a gift from God. I remember those times when a lack of appetite is a precursor to an impending physical illness. Whether it is influenza, stomach flu or all kinds emotional conditions such as depression, a loss of desire to eat is an early warning sign that one is about to fall ill. When my kids feel hungry, I am actually glad as it tells me that they are in a state of healthy growth. Growing children eat a lot. I've got three kids, so I know firsthand. Indeed, to feel hungry is one of the best gifts in life. It is not a time to complain about whether the church is able to deliver enough food that is catered to our tastes. Neither is it appropriate for us to compare which church or spiritual entities are best able to churn out the right food for us. The latter is appropriate especially when it not the Church but us who have changed. In all these things, to be thankful remains one of the chief ways to maintain a godly attitude towards God, neighbour and self. Let me conclude with the following.

BE THANKFUL

• When we feel our clothes getting tighter around us, for it means we have been eating well;
  
• When we are able to complain, be thankful for it means we have freedom of speech;
  
• When we wake up in the morning, be thankful that we have the gift of sleep;
  
• When we come back seeing our children watching TV or playing computer games, be thankful that they are not loitering about on the streets;
  
• When we experience disappointment in worldly life, be thankful because it reminds us our hope is not of this world;
  
• When we pay taxes, be thankful because it means we have a job.
  
• When we experience spiritual hunger, be thankful for it is a means to desire more of God.

Finally, be thankful that in the midst of all our struggles and through our spiritual ups and downs, it could be a way that God uses to seek us instead of us seeking him. Remember that God is constantly drawing his children toward him, if we let him. What do we hunger for? If we hunger for God's righteousness, the promise of God is clear. We shall be filled.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matt 5:6)

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Consider

“… See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.” (Matthew 6b, NIV)(Photo Credit: VanDusen Botanical Garden)

These past weeks I have been seeing and observing the cherry blossom (known as ‘Sakura’ in Japan) trees all over the neighbourhood. From mid-March to early April, a number of trees were already starting to bloom. In fact, the flowers blossomed so effortlessly that it is just a matter of days we see these big trees having more flowers than green leaves. Unfortunately, as quickly as they come, rapidly they fall as well. This is early May, and most of the cherry blossoms have dropped all their pretty petals. Cherry blossom flowers do not have a long life span. Soon, the streets are filled with decaying flowers fallen from the trees, just like trees that shed their leaves when Autumn arrives. Like the cherry blossoms and the autumn leaves, both eloquently testify how transient life is. Consider....

Touch-n-Go Culture
... the way Jesus talks about lilies being temporal flowers (Matt 6:30). The Greek word for ‘consider’ is (καταμανθάνω, katabaino), which means ‘to consider, to think about, to observe.’ Part of meaningful learning and thoughtful living has to do with the word ‘consider.’ I remember friends forwarding emails to me with simply three letters: “FYI.” It means ‘for your information.’ The modern paradigm is Information-Is-King, which is easily absorbed without question. As a result, many people live like thoughtless sponges soaking up all kinds of information, regardless of how helpful it can be. The internet for example is both a boon as well as a bane. While information is more easily available, the dark side is that it can dull our ability to discern the important from the trivial. Even more troubling is, when important information arrives, will there be any room left in us to receive them? Will we become so busy with the urgent-but-unimportant things that we lose the space and opportunity to tackle the important stuff in life? In our busy modern world infatuated with technological speed and business efficiency, our kind of living is often touch-and-go. No time to pause. No space to ponder. No priority to pray. One can appear to do a lot of things, but eventually accomplishing few meaningful objectives. Like a hamster running a busy workout on a hamster-wheel. The wheel spins very quickly, giving an aura of busy activities. Yet the hamster remains at the same place, accomplishing neither distance nor freedom. Sometimes, people can live like hamsters.

Consider a life of .... katabaino
Living a life without worry requires us to learn to actively consider life itself (katabaino). Like a camera, if we try to force the lens to take in both the near object and far backgrounds together at the same time, we get a pretty fuzzy overall photo. Experienced photographers will know that even complicated panoramic scenes will require the stitching together of several individually focused shots from different directions. Cameras need a focal point in which to zoom in, and to bring every other image relative to its central object. When we live a life of focus, learning to take one day at a time, or to enjoy one moment at a time, we appreciate life better. We understand the meaning behind why we do what we are doing. We avoid rushing through life doing a lot but gaining very little.

Consider.....

... The Person Behind the Creation
Learn from the teachings of Jesus. Life is not simply about doing more things in less time, to be more efficient or productive. That will make us like machines. Neither should life become simply about loitering around and complaining how unfair the world is. That will make one resemble a baby crying over spilt milk. The wisdom of Qohelet (Ecclesiastes) has taught us that reading great libraries will not satisfy our hunger for knowledge. Accumulating wealth may buy us great possessions but meaning cannot be purchased likewise. I urge you my reader to learn the art of consideration. If you have eyes, learn to see more clearly. If you have ears, try to listen more deeply. If you have tongues, try to speak more kindly. If you have noses, try to breathe in more calmly. If you have hands, try to use it more helpfully. An open hand is infinitely more healing than a clenched fist. Above all, keep that one thing, that one goal in your life as follows:

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek;
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD
And to meditate in His temple.” (Ps 27:4)

It starts with the word ‘consider’ (katabaino). Better still, ponder about the One behind the creation. Wonder over the Provider behind the providence. Be thankful for the Giver behind the gift.

THOUGHTS:

“Without any hesitation, and with a seemingly air of humility and thankfulness, the bird walked straight to her hand and began feeding. ‘Consider our little friend here,’ she began. ‘Most birds were created to fly. Being grounded for them is a limitation within their ability to fly, not the other way around.’ She paused to let Mack think about her statement. ‘You, on the other hand, were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were unloved is a limitation, not the other way around.’” (William P Young, The Shack, Newbury Park: Windblown Media, 2007, p99)

“No; we have been as usual asking the wrong question. It does not matter a hoot what the mockingbird on the chimney is singing. The real and proper question is: Why is it beautiful?” (Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek)

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