by Admin | Dec 16, 2022 | Leong Chee Lu, • Timely Word •
Background:
Lazarus has died. Mary and Martha were grieving for their dead brother. Mary particularly refused to be comforted. She was perplexed as to why Jesus had not come earlier.
Martha went out half-way to meet Jesus, but not Mary. The Lord particularly understood Mary’s agony. Martha was comforted that Lazarus would be resurrected again. With this mind-boggling assurance she returned and told Mary.
“The teacher has come and calls for you”. As His sheep let us listen to His voice (John 10:27).
Indeed, our God has come and calls us too. (John 11:28): –
(a)He has come and calls us to take up our cross and follow him
(b)He has come and calls us to enter His Rest (Heb 4:3) and Peace (John 19:19, 21) what we need most in this broken world is soul rest and peace
(c)He has come to send us out as His ambassadors for His spiritual kingdom (John 20:21)
The response of Mary? Mary got up quickly and went. She has found the only answer that satisfies all our “whys” that can give our messed-up and broken world a fresh beginning. “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest”. (Exodus 33:14)
By brother Leong Chee Lu
by Admin | Nov 20, 2021 | Leong Chee Lu, • Timely Word •
As I turned 80 on 17 October, I turned to read Hebrews 12:1-3. Some of you will remember that I am recovering from 4th stage cancer. So, reaching 80 is indeed God’s grace.
Reading Hebrews 12:1, we can surely say we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. Brothers and sisters both in YCKC and the wider church who had run and finished the race well. I remember in particular my own spiritual father, Dr David Adeney, who had been a missionary in the 1930s; Elder Peter Yap (David Yap’s father) and Elder Goh Ewe Kheng (Beow Chu’s father). These three were truly examples of disciples and models of faith to me; they had run and finished the race for the Glory of their Master. It led me to always pray and remind myself constantly, “that may those who come after us find us equally faithful”.
These forerunners inspired Mrs Leong and I to go into the mission field, where we were tentmakers and helped brought a number of young people to Christ. Mrs Leong also taught the word of God to many underground churches there. All Glory to Him! We still keep in touch with a number of them to encourage them to press on despite very difficult circumstances, including persecution.
On returning to Singapore we helped start our Palm Green Fellowship for seniors. We were grateful to our Lord to serve, as we were then in our 60s. The fellowship attracted many from other churches who found our programme meaningful and spiritual.
When my race is finished, I pray that I might be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith”. I personally look forward to the day when I will again see those faithful brothers and sisters from YCKC and elsewhere who have gone before me.
By brother Dr Leong Chee Lu
by Admin | Mar 23, 2019 | Leong Chee Lu, • Timely Word •
Hosea 2:14-20
Hosea prophesied in the last years of the northern Kingdom, of unfaithful Israel. Israel was dismembered by Assyria as God’s punishment in 733BC. Hosea was asked to marry an unfaithful woman, Gomer, who bore him 3 children. The marriage was symbolic of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God chasing after Canaan’s deities, forgetting their one true God. Despite that, God never forgot His marriage vows to Israel. It was Gomer’s (Israel) reform that God sought, not its riddance.
His Love for His people, is symbolized by the marriage vow – God will never forsake!
He will court her (Israel) again with love, by leading her tenderly to a desert place. He brought Israel to the place of reconciliation, a desert place – symbolic of spiritual dryness. It will turn into a place of Spring. The new covenant bride (v19 – 20) will be betrothed to God forever. God promises righteousness, justice, love, compassion and faithfulness. He will restore Israel’s vineyard. He will put a protective wall around it.
Have we been unfaithful to our Lord? – Broken promises, unfulfilled tasks, lured by the temptations of idols around us.
Come to your desert place; A place of quiet and reflection, repentance, and a place of reconciliation.
“Never will I forsake you” says the Lord.
By Dr Leong Chee Lu (YCKC Bulletin 23&24 March 2019)
by Admin | Dec 15, 2018 | Leong Chee Lu, • Timely Word •
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of man” – John 1:4
Two men Dr. Francis Crick and Dr. Watson were credited with the discovery of the double-helical structure of DNA that lay the foundation to understand the secret of life. That happened in 1953 in Cambridge, UK and for that they were awarded the Nobel prize.
Dr Watson has told the story that when they made the breakthrough, Dr Crick burst into the local pub (the Eagle) and told everyone: “We have discovered the secret of life!”
Dr Crick was smart enough to know that, for all his achievements, while they could claim to have discovered the secret of life, he had not found the meaning of life. In other words they had discovered how life works, i.e. how living organisms, including ourselves, reproduce, pass on genetic characteristics to our descendants etc. These could be largely explained by chemical and physical processes etc.
Several decades have passed. Now scientists understand how genes/parts of our genes are responsible for many of our illnesses. We hope to use gene therapy to somehow improve our lives. Amazing indeed!
But as to the Meaning of life? The purpose of Life?
Is there a Grand Designer (a divine hand) such that our sun must be the one (out of trillions of stars) with intelligent life, intelligent enough to ask the age-old questions such as:
Who am I? Is there a purpose of our being here?
As for purpose, many will agree with the beautiful sentiment:
“If I have helped a broken heart
And help a fainting robin into it’s nest again
I have not live in vain..”
But, why is it that there seems to be a longing for something, someone bigger than ourselves that we cannot satisfy…not in and with the things around us?
While we congratulate ourselves on our human wisdom, no breakthroughs in the sciences nor in any human endeavor, can ever provide answers to these fundamental questions.
What better frame of philosophical reference best integrate the world if not one that has God as its beginning? Forget that and we may be engaged in fruitless philosophical shadow boxing.
Indeed the world overflows with both beauty and ugliness, with warm intimacy and cruel terror. How can those who think only from below (without taking into consideration the Existence and Sovereignty of God and the reality of Sin) sort this out (Ecc 9:2-3)?
In the words of CS Lewis: “I believe in the Sun as I see it rise, but also because I can see the things around by its light”
In the same way, Christianity helps us to integrate, explain the world, both material and spiritual very well. It explains the evil around us it also clearly states that it’s final destruction when good and righteousness will triumph. There is a Divine righteous Creator, our Heavenly Father and our God.
We are still lost and we will remain so until we acknowledge we are spiritual beings and bring our Creator God in. For did not St. Augustine remind us, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Him”
Our meaning can only be discovered and recovered in Jesus:
Jesus said:
“I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6), “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10)
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of man” (John 1:4)
We can only find the Why in Him who created us.
By Dr Leong Chee Lu (YCKC Bulletin 15&16 December 2018)
by Admin | Mar 24, 2018 | Leong Chee Lu, • Timely Word •
Background:
Lazarus had died. Mary and Martha were grieving for their dear brother. They were in deep despair. Mary particularly refused to be comforted. She was perplexed why Jesus did not come earlier?
Martha went out half-way to meet Jesus, but not Mary. The Lord particularly knew and understood Mary’s agony.
Martha met and was comforted by Jesus assurance that Lazarus would be resurrected again. With the mind-boggling assurance she returned and told Mary:
”The Teacher has come and call for you”
Indeed, our God and Master and Teacher has come and call for us too! (Jn 11:28).
He has come to call us:
- Into His Kingdom and see His Glory. “Did I not tell you that if you believed you will see the Glory of God” (Jn 11:40).
- He has come to give us a new resurrected life in His Kingdom.
- He has come and called us to seek and return to the ancient paths (Jer 6:16). God’s people had shaken Him off and gone after the gods around them. God’s bleeding heart longs for their return to seek His ways and His commandments again. Jeremiah foresaw the impending judgment on Jerusalem and God’s people if they don’t repent.
- He has come and called us to enter into His rest (Heb 4:3) and peace (Jn 19:19,21). What we need most in this broken unjust world is soul rest and peace.
- He has come and called us to return to Him and surrender to Him as Master and Lord.
- He has come to send us out as His ambassadors for His spiritual Kingdom (Jn 20:21).
The response of Mary?
Mary got up quickly and go. Mary has found the only answer that satisfies all our “whys” and that can give a messed-up world a fresh beginning.
And we go with this assurance from our Lord Himself:
“My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest” (Ex 33:14)
By Dr Leong Chee Lu (YCKC Bulletin 24&25 March 2018)
by Admin | Sep 2, 2017 | Leong Chee Lu, • Timely Word •
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast” Psalms 57:7
When The Psalmist says my heart is steadfast, it reminds me of the Yangtze Jiang River in China. Yangtze Jiang, the world’s third river, starts as a tiny bubbling spring way up in the frozen highlands of Tibet/Qinghai. From the moment of it’s birth, the river relentlessly and steadfastly flow Eastwards, first as a tiny gurgling brook, then as a small stream; next, when joined by other streams, it transformed itself into a sizeable river, cutting through flatlands then gorges, but steadfastly maintaining it’s set course, never changing or wavering.
Come wind, come weather, through storms and droughts, it maintains it’s Eastward course towards the sea. When it finally emptied into the sea, it has been transformed into the mighty “Chang Jiang”, the “Long River” serving for tens of thousands of years as the life-line towards the interior, serving a region accounting for a sizeable part of China’s trade. It has been so for the last thousand years and will be likely to be so for many more…
Steadfastness also reminds me of the words of George MacDonald, the Christian mystic and poet:
“Go, my beloved children, live your life.
Wounded, faint, bleeding, never yield the strife.
Stunned, fallen-awake, arise, and fight again.
Before you victory stands, with shinning train
Of hopes not credible until they are.
Beyond morass and mountain swells the star
Of perfect love-the home of longing heart and brain.”
Macdonald was steadfast, unmovable (even though he lost two children within the space of a year). He was wholeheartedly devoted to a ripe old age and was a great inspiration to CS Lewis who came after him.
Steadfastness especially speaks to me of William Borden of Yale, of the “No Reserves, No Retreat, …” fame. A steadfastness and perseverance in the face of unknowns in a far distant land, was only possible because he was sustained by “seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27), “looking forward to a city with foundations whose architectand builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
A man matching words with his deeds, because of a living vital relationship and fellowship with God. Borden set sail for China (Lanzhou) as a missionary but died on the way in Cairo in December 1912.
“No Regrets” was found scribbled in his Bible after his death. Part of his fortune that he bequeathed to CIM was used to build the “Borden Memorial Hospital” in Lanzhou. Many have been brought to the Lord through it’s ministry, both Chinese and other tribal groups. The hospital still exists (no. 2 hospital) as a testament to a man who had the vision and the steadfastness to accomplish great things for God.
Alas, some of us are weary and heavy laden. Isaiah 40:31 comes to me afresh: “those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles..” Then, only then have we the power to avoid being described:
“ .. as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels” (Job 6:15-17)
“Therefore, my dear brother, stand firm (steadfast). Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain” 1 Corinthians 15:58
By Dr Leong Chee Lu (YCKC Bulletin 2&3 September 2017)
