by Wong Fook Meng, ecommentary from the Brand New iBRIDGEwebsite
My wife and I spent our 3D/2N honeymoon in a beautiful beach resort in Port Dickson. The resort had a private lagoon for canoeing. As we put on the life jackets, the canoe operator told us that canoeing is a safe sport and there's nothing to worry about. After paddling our little canoe around the lagoon several times, we saw that it was indeed very safe. So safe, in fact,
that it was boring.
"Let's be more adventurous," I said to Joo Li. "Let's row out to the open sea and see how it's like on the 'other side.'" She agreed.
As we paddled out of the private lagoon and into open sea, I suddenly felt adventurous and daring. I wondered why so many people were content with life in the lagoon, and did not venture out into the open seas. But, before long, my "wisdom" was questioned. The sea waves buffeted our canoe, dashed our new-found confidence, and swept us further away from the safety of the private lagoon. I could see the newspaper headlines in my head: "Honeymoon Couple Drowned While Canoeing." Suddenly, my young wife and I were fighting for our lives.
As we reflect on our lives on Planet Earth, it seems that most of our lives are spent in the open seas rather than in a lagoon. Life is difficult. It is difficult because the storms and challenges of life often break upon a man or woman like the relentless waves of the sea which are often unpredictable and barely controllable. Gordon MacDonald said:
"Some people insist that life isn't supposed to be difficult and that struggle isn't suppose to happen. Thus, when the difficulties show themselves, these people are surprised and not a little angry. They assume that what they are experiencing is an exception when, in actuality, they are experiencing the rule."
If we take the blinder off from our eyes, we will have to conclude that the real world is a mad, bad and sad place to live in. Most of humanity do not think in terms of vacations, bonuses, handphones, latest furniture from IKEA and ice- blended coffee at Coffee Bean. Rather, people like those in Iraq and Palestine are thinking in terms of survival - food, shelter and protection.
Among the affluent, there is a less discernible sadness. It is a sadness disguised beneath the surface of financial success, expensive condominiums, cocktail parties and wide media coverage. What lies beneath the surface? The fear of being used, growing old and forfeiting hard earned fame and fortune. And, worst of all, the fear of dying. It is what MacDonald calls a "more sophisticated sadness". But, it is very real.
I knew that life is difficult the day I was told that my mother-in-law, 53, had fourth-stage lung cancer. I knew that life is sad (and scary) when the paramedics rushed to my sister's house to bring my two-year-old nephew (the cutest toddler in the world) to the emergency room. And I knew that life is unpredictable when I sat listening to the couple whose business failures led them to the brink of bankruptcy. And as I sat with my auntie who was mourning over the death of my cousin, I knew that life is short and fragile.
After a lot of furious paddling, my wife and I managed to bring our canoe back into the calm waters of the private lagoon. And we breathed a huge sigh of relief.
But life, with its multifaceted responsibilities, isn't like that. We can't just escape from difficulties and sadness by paddling into our private lagoons. A large part of life is spent gritting our teeth, rolling up our sleeves and getting on with life no matter what happens. No boss would accept the phone call from an employee who says, "I am not coming to work today. It is too much of a hassle."
But God is with us. He's with us not only when we are praying in the church sanctuary. He is with us as we fight the battles of life in the business, social and political fronts. He is with us in every trial and challenge of life. He is our unseen friend (1 Peter 1:.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," wrote the Psalmist in Psalm 46. "Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress."
I know God was present when we prayed for my mum-in-law. God was there when my nephew spent four hours in the emergency room (he has since recovered from the high fever caused by bacterial infection). And I pray that my friends in business, who are not Christians, will know God in a special way in their times of brokenness. That God loves them and wants to wipe away their tears.
I also know that there is a coming day when God will dwell with us and will "wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21: 4).
No, life is not a private lagoon.
But, as the old Sunday School song says, we can smile at the storm because God is in the boat (or canoe).
Questions
1. What's your normal response when you encounter difficulties in life? Is God prompting you in any way to repent of your attitude and lean on Him for understanding?
2. Are you going through a difficult patch right now? Pray that God's presence will be real to you as you go through this time of trial. Call someone to ask him/her to pray for you.
3. Spend the rest of today thinking of people who are going through a particularly rough patch in life and pray for them. If possible, visit, call or SMS someone and tell that person you are praying for him/her.
My wife and I spent our 3D/2N honeymoon in a beautiful beach resort in Port Dickson. The resort had a private lagoon for canoeing. As we put on the life jackets, the canoe operator told us that canoeing is a safe sport and there's nothing to worry about. After paddling our little canoe around the lagoon several times, we saw that it was indeed very safe. So safe, in fact,that it was boring.
"Let's be more adventurous," I said to Joo Li. "Let's row out to the open sea and see how it's like on the 'other side.'" She agreed.
As we paddled out of the private lagoon and into open sea, I suddenly felt adventurous and daring. I wondered why so many people were content with life in the lagoon, and did not venture out into the open seas. But, before long, my "wisdom" was questioned. The sea waves buffeted our canoe, dashed our new-found confidence, and swept us further away from the safety of the private lagoon. I could see the newspaper headlines in my head: "Honeymoon Couple Drowned While Canoeing." Suddenly, my young wife and I were fighting for our lives.
As we reflect on our lives on Planet Earth, it seems that most of our lives are spent in the open seas rather than in a lagoon. Life is difficult. It is difficult because the storms and challenges of life often break upon a man or woman like the relentless waves of the sea which are often unpredictable and barely controllable. Gordon MacDonald said:
"Some people insist that life isn't supposed to be difficult and that struggle isn't suppose to happen. Thus, when the difficulties show themselves, these people are surprised and not a little angry. They assume that what they are experiencing is an exception when, in actuality, they are experiencing the rule."
If we take the blinder off from our eyes, we will have to conclude that the real world is a mad, bad and sad place to live in. Most of humanity do not think in terms of vacations, bonuses, handphones, latest furniture from IKEA and ice- blended coffee at Coffee Bean. Rather, people like those in Iraq and Palestine are thinking in terms of survival - food, shelter and protection.
Among the affluent, there is a less discernible sadness. It is a sadness disguised beneath the surface of financial success, expensive condominiums, cocktail parties and wide media coverage. What lies beneath the surface? The fear of being used, growing old and forfeiting hard earned fame and fortune. And, worst of all, the fear of dying. It is what MacDonald calls a "more sophisticated sadness". But, it is very real.
I knew that life is difficult the day I was told that my mother-in-law, 53, had fourth-stage lung cancer. I knew that life is sad (and scary) when the paramedics rushed to my sister's house to bring my two-year-old nephew (the cutest toddler in the world) to the emergency room. And I knew that life is unpredictable when I sat listening to the couple whose business failures led them to the brink of bankruptcy. And as I sat with my auntie who was mourning over the death of my cousin, I knew that life is short and fragile.
After a lot of furious paddling, my wife and I managed to bring our canoe back into the calm waters of the private lagoon. And we breathed a huge sigh of relief.
But life, with its multifaceted responsibilities, isn't like that. We can't just escape from difficulties and sadness by paddling into our private lagoons. A large part of life is spent gritting our teeth, rolling up our sleeves and getting on with life no matter what happens. No boss would accept the phone call from an employee who says, "I am not coming to work today. It is too much of a hassle."
But God is with us. He's with us not only when we are praying in the church sanctuary. He is with us as we fight the battles of life in the business, social and political fronts. He is with us in every trial and challenge of life. He is our unseen friend (1 Peter 1:.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," wrote the Psalmist in Psalm 46. "Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress."
I know God was present when we prayed for my mum-in-law. God was there when my nephew spent four hours in the emergency room (he has since recovered from the high fever caused by bacterial infection). And I pray that my friends in business, who are not Christians, will know God in a special way in their times of brokenness. That God loves them and wants to wipe away their tears.
I also know that there is a coming day when God will dwell with us and will "wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21: 4).
No, life is not a private lagoon.
But, as the old Sunday School song says, we can smile at the storm because God is in the boat (or canoe).
Questions
1. What's your normal response when you encounter difficulties in life? Is God prompting you in any way to repent of your attitude and lean on Him for understanding?
2. Are you going through a difficult patch right now? Pray that God's presence will be real to you as you go through this time of trial. Call someone to ask him/her to pray for you.
3. Spend the rest of today thinking of people who are going through a particularly rough patch in life and pray for them. If possible, visit, call or SMS someone and tell that person you are praying for him/her.
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