His Sovereignty in My Uncertainty – A Testimony

Photo by Eliza Tan

         2016. This past year has been eventful, with many mountains to climb, valleys to travel, and rivers to cross. There have been times of drought and times of storm. And yet, through it all, I find that this is one of the years for which I am most grateful. It was during the past twelve months when I see God come to the forefront of the tapestry of my life. There were many crossroads, which stressed me out and drove me crazy, but I could see that the hand of the Lord has always been there. I think I could summarize my year as: God working in His sovereignty in the midst of my uncertainty.

          Choosing a college was difficult. I was unable to visit any of the campuses I was considering as they lied half a world away. I could only make my decision based on the colleges’ websites, other “college review” webpages, emails with admission counselors, and financial information. Choosing the university I did was a big step of faith for me, and I was pleasantly surprised as I saw how God, in His small, special ways, confirmed that decision multiple times.

          The Lord has reminded me time and time again that He is always with me and that He is all I need. One time, early in my first semester at college, I was emotionally down in the dumps. It was one of the times when I was on the verge of depression. I was sitting alone at lunch when a senior student I had never met before unexpectedly joined me at the table. We talked and I shared with him what I was going through. As the conversation went on, he encouraged me, and I left feeling that he was God-sent and that perhaps it was God’s way of saying that He was still with me. This example, in addition to a number of other instances, showed me how God could speak through situations, events, and people. I am learning to tune my spirit to His and to find His message even in the smallest things.

         I struggled a lot, and I learned many things. I saw myself in a new light, and I am working to see others as Christ sees them. Now, at the end of the year, I continue to meet many people and experience new things. My life is continuing to unfold, and I’m excited to see where God takes me. I am starting to see life as an adventure with my Heavenly Father. Many things are still uncertain, with many decisions to make, but I believe that one day I will look back and say that the Lord has been faithful, always with me at every crossroad.

I walk by faith and not by sight,
For the Spirit of God will be my light.
In times of need, I call to Him,
For He is faithful, through thick and thin.
When I am lost, He is my guide;
When in the dark, He is my light.
He is my strength; He takes my hand;
He picks me up, just as I am.

When times are tough, and skies are bleak,
When roads are long, and stars are hid,
I will reach out, grasping all around,
And find that though I was searching, I was actually found.
I’ll find my grip on His outstretched hand,
And I’ll hold on, knowing He has a plan.
I’ll walk by faith and not by sight,
For the Spirit of God will be my light.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Plymouth colonists came to a new world to start a new life, uncertain, finding their way about a strange environment. They built, worked, and grew. God blessed them with a plentiful harvest and they celebrated in thanksgiving by strengthening a bond with the native American Indians in the land. New land -- God’s faithfulness -- response of gratitude.

I came to the States to start college, uncertain, finding my way about a brand new environment. I built relationships, I worked, and I definitely grew relationally, mentally, and spiritually. And all through my time in this land so far, the Lord has shown His faithfulness and hand in my life. He was with me from the beginning, walked with me through the first semester, and I believe He will lead me through the years to come. He provided a place for me to stay with a local family, where I experienced my first Thanksgiving celebration. I want to respond to His goodness with whole-hearted gratitude. New land -- God’s faithfulness -- response of thanksgiving.

The Lord will bring us to new places many times in our lives, and when we continue to walk with Him, we will see His faithfulness every season and every morning. Our natural response would then be one of thankfulness. So let us keep our eyes open to see His hand at work, and celebrate Thanksgiving with love in our hearts for God and for those around us.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 4]

Vs. 39-42

     The woman testified, and the people believed. So when they arrived to meet Jesus, they urged Him to stay with them. I can only imagine, but perhaps they were saying in their hearts: “We want to experience You the way this woman did. Stay with us, so that You may teach us and touch us.” So Jesus stayed there for two days. Remember that He was originally on His way to Galilee, but He seized the moment of this “interruption” to minister to a despised people. I believe that many opportunities for ministry occur as “interruptions” to our plans and daily life. As a result of His staying and teaching, many more believed.

     Look at the transformation of a single woman that spilled over to the salvation of a city. In his book Jesus Among Other Gods, apologist Ravi Zacharias made this comment on the story of the Samaritan woman:

“The transaction was fascinating.

She had come with a bucket. He sent her back with a spring of living water.

She had come as a reject. He sent her back being accepted by God Himself.

She came wounded. He sent her back whole.

She came laden with questions. He sent her back as a source for answer.

She came living a life of quiet desperation. She ran back overflowing with hope.”

     I would like to add: She encountered the Christ spiritually barren, and she returned to Him with a multitude of converts. She said to the people, in essence, “See for yourself.” And they saw. And they heard. And they believed all the more.

“It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 3]

Vs. 27-30

      The disciples came strolling out of the city toward the well, lunch bags in hand. As they sighted the well, they were shocked to see the man they respected talking to a Samaritan woman. They cautiously approached them, not sure what to say. The things going through their minds might have been something like, “Um, Jesus, did You know that You’ve broken two cultural taboos by talking to this woman? This is unthinkable for a respectable man like You.” However, they couldn’t bring themselves to discuss the issue with Jesus.

      The woman was so excited that she didn’t bother taking her water pot with her, as she ran back into the city and called the people. The text says she spoke to the men, which is even more amazing. When she found Christ, who gave her the life she needed, she just had to share the good news. She didn’t care anymore about her reputation, nor did she worry about talking to men. She had a message, and she gave it well. “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”

      Her message was in the form of a testimony. But not only did she say what Christ did for her, she also gave a call to come and meet Him. Don’t you think that a testimony should be a call to a certain action, whether to praise God or to come to Him?

      Why the people believed her and came out, I do not know. Perhaps they were amazed at her boldness despite her status, and wanted to know what gave her that life she never had before. Perhaps it was also because of the special act she claimed she experienced. But they nevertheless came out to meet the proclaimed Messiah.

Vs. 31-38

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”

      Notice something here: the disciples were urging Jesus to eat! The fact that they had to urge (some translations say “beg”) Him to eat tells us that Jesus had no desire to eat at that moment. Imagine how puzzling it must have been for the disciples. Shortly before, Jesus was tired in the afternoon heat, and it was lunchtime. Surely he must had been hungry. But now, after talking to a Samaritan woman, he did not want to eat! Furthermore, He said He had food! What was He talking about?

      Jesus made it clear: His food was to do the will of the Father. Isn’t it interesting that He had probably forgotten, or even lost, His physical hunger when He ministered to the social outcast and watch her run back into the city? How is it that doing the will of God brings a satisfaction so great that everything else seem so insignificant? Is it possible that the reason for that is because the answer for true fulfilment is found in being filled from the inside out?

      However, just two chapters later, Jesus fed the five thousand. So physical food is not absent from His mind. He provides and nourishes us both within and without.

      Then He goes on to say, in effect, “As each season passes, you wait for the harvest to come. But look up! See that the harvest is already here! Will you not go and reap, just as I have done with the woman so despised? Go and harvest, for that shall be food unto you!”

      Next, Jesus says something interesting. He quotes the saying, “One sows and another reaps.” Please don’t take this to counter the other saying, “You reap what you sow.” We all reap what we sow, but, if we work for it, we also reap what has been sown by others before us. “Standing on the shoulders of giants” is another good saying with the same meaning. Jesus was urging the disciples to harvest what had been sown by the prophets and men of God before them, and in so doing sow more seeds. The Christians today have the opportunity to reap what was sown by the apostles and other believers throughout the ages, as well as sowing seeds for future generations.

      Now the people from the city arrived at the well . . . led by the Samaritan woman.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 2]

Vs. 10-14

“You have nothing to draw water with and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?”

      The woman must have been really puzzled, because the man before her claimed to have living water and yet asked her for a drink. Furthermore, can He provide better water than the one her ancestor did? This well had been used for centuries, and here is a man who says he could give something better to her.

      Here we also see Christ making His move to bring the conversation past physical satisfaction to spiritual satisfaction. As we know, even the best pleasures and satisfaction this world can offer would not last. Deep down, we all have a need, a craving, for something lasting, but we need to realize that eternal satisfaction can only come from an eternal Giver, an eternal Fullness, an eternal Joy, an eternal Well of Living Water.

“. . . but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

      The woman came to the well, but Christ wanted to place the well within her.

      What are the wells we go to for fulfilment? Do we find ourselves searching for wells of riches, wells of entertainment, wells of lust? The Lord wants us to come to Him, the Eternal Well, and place in us wells of living water to overflow onto those around us.

Vs. 15-20

      But this Samaritan woman had a difficult time grasping the words of our Lord. She was still thinking of the water in the well.

“Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

      The prospect of eternal fulfilment attracted her, but her focus still needed to shift to a different dimension—the realm of the soul.

      So Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” And when she said she had none, He pointed out her sinful life. He was moving the subject from physical thirst to spiritual emptiness.

      Perhaps the Samaritan woman was uncomfortable with where the conversation was going, so she changed the subject: the right place of worship. The Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim while the Jews worshiped in Jerusalem. Is there a right location to worship?

Vs. 21-24

      Christ said no. “Salvation is from the Jews” because the Messiah was a Jew, and the Jews were the first messengers of the Gospel. But we will worship neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem, because the true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth, regardless of location. However, does this mean that we can stop going to a physical church building every Sunday? Although it is not a sin to stop going to church, we know that God desires that everyone of us will join in the fellowship of His people, and there is power in a gathering of believers.

      What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? Worship is primarily an intimate communion and communication with our Heavenly Father. And since God is spirit, we must worship, or communicate, with Him in spirit. Can we then still worship with our bodies and minds? Of course! Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, so use it for worship! “Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and with all your strength.” The intellect and physicality were not excluded in worship. And we must worship God the right way—in truth, not falsehood.

      I am reminded of what Archbishop William Temple of Canterbury said about worship, and I believe it is the best definition I’ve come across:

                                        “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God.
                                        It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness,
                                        Nourishment of mind by His truth,
                                        Purifying of imagination by His beauty,
                                        Opening of the heart to His love,
                                        And submission of will to His purpose.
                                        And all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human
                                        expressions of which we are capable.”

      The woman at the well must have been confused at all this. Perhaps this was too deep for her limited understanding. “I know that the Messiah is coming, and that He will explain all these things to us.”

      This is where Jesus made one of the clearest declarations of His identity in the Bible. “I who speak to you am He.”

      We can learn a lot from Jesus’ method of conversation. We cannot give water to one who is not thirsty. We cannot give food to one who is not hungry. We need to help that person come to realize and acknowledge his need so that he would be able to receive the fulfilment that we present to him in the person of Jesus Christ. Though the woman attempted to change the subject, He used the new topic to continue revealing Himself as the answer to all of life’s questions. By declaring “I am He,” Jesus was explicitly offering the living water which He was speaking of, and the soil of the woman’s heart was ready to receive.

Next, the disciples arrived on the scene. . .

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

John 4 (The Samaritan Woman) [Part 1]

Vs. 3-4

      Judea was further south, Galilee was up north, and Samaria lay between them in the middle. We have to remember that the Jews despised the Samaritans. In fact, the Pharisees and many Jewish people normally avoided Samaria by crossing to the east of the Jordan River to travel from Judea to Galilee. So in actuality, Jesus was going against the status quo by travelling through Samaria, even though there were occasional Jews who do so. I’m sure even His disciples were wondering what He had in mind. Indeed, every thing Christ did was done with a purpose, and this case was no exception.

Vs. 5-6

      Jesus stopped at Jacob’s well, near the city of Sychar. It was about the sixth hour, which is around noon, the hottest time of the day. Not surprisingly, Jesus was weary from both the travelling and the heat. Because the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans was a hostile one, the Jews did not eat food that was produced by Samaritans. Thus, it is interesting that the disciples went into the city to buy food. Perhaps Jesus told them to buy food there, or maybe they were being influenced by His kindness to all men. Whichever was the case, Jesus was left alone to rest at the well. Our Lord was also at the well for a reason, for it was at this time that an unlikely encounter took place.

Vs. 7-9

      A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. The fact that no one else was drawing water showed that this was an unusual time to come to the well. Exactly why she came to the well, we cannot say for sure. Perhaps she had an unexpected need for more water, or, more likely, she wanted to avoid meeting the other women. Her life was in a mess, as we shall see later in the chapter, and it makes sense for her to want to avoid being the subject of gossip at the well. As though being a Samaritan were not lowly enough in the eyes of society, she was among the lowest of Samaritans.

      So this woman, the outcast of the outcasts, came to the well at noontime. We can picture her reaction at seeing a Jewish man sitting at the well. As she quietly and timidly went about her business, the man suddenly spoke to her saying, “Give Me a drink.”

      One can only imagine her surprise. First, Jews had no dealings with Samaritans (v.9). Second, Jewish men were not allowed to speak to women in public. Apparently, Jesus broke both cultural taboos with one statement. The woman probably had lots of questions going through her head. Why is He speaking to me? Doesn’t He care about His reputation? Aren’t Jews supposed to scoff at us? And yet, this man is asking me for a favor! So she replied, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?”

      What Jesus said next was a step toward crossing the bridge from her head to her heart, and ultimately reveal to her that God was not as concerned with the kind of person she was then as He was with transforming her into the person she could be.

      Jesus chose to pass through Samaria because He wanted to meet a person who led a life devoid of meaning. He wanted to feed and fill the hungry, find the lost, and give life to those who are dead in spirit. Christ first comes to us, and waits for us to come to Him.

      Next, we will look deeper into how Jesus used water to reveal the woman’s spiritual thirst.

Father

I love my dad because he is the man

Who cares for his family all he can;

He loves us enough to take the effort

To help us become better and better.

He is the principal of our school at home,

He keeps us in check when we need to be told;

But I remember when he led our family

To establish devotions daily.

Though it was often difficult for him, I'll never forget his commitment to his family;

He makes mistakes as do we all,

But he desires to answer the father's call.

And that's what I admire about my dad;

He's part of my family and I'm glad.

"Final" Chapter

      I signed my name and closed the book. Putting my pen down, I viewed the front cover: “Home School.” It was a big book. Probably too big for my shelf to hold. It’s a strange feeling, finishing that last chapter.

      I sat back and sighed. “What a book,” I said to myself. Indeed, it was a wild book, almost crazy, I would say. I thought back on all the things that happened, all the people I met, and all the lessons I learned. All of those things led me here today. They shaped me and my life.

      I flipped through the whole book, taking a look back at how the past years unfolded, and what I saw was amazing. It was like a tapestry, weaved on a loom, with an array of different colors twisted in intricate design. I thought, “How did this come to be? All I did was the normal, step-by-step tasks. I was almost walking blind, so to speak. How could my life be weaved in this way?”

      Then I realized, with a growing sense of awe, that everything was controlled by a Master Designer, the Grand Weaver. Behind every page in that big book, I could see a hidden hand at work.

      I made mistakes. There were some blotches of ink that resulted from my attempt to write things I thought would be nice but actually weren’t. Those marks will stay there, I was sure, and they will forever be a reminder of the bad decisions I had made. But I have hope that the future will be better, as I learn and grow in wisdom more and more.

      I found myself staring at the last page. I moved to close the cover, but something caught my eye. I looked closer. Right after the last sentence . . . was a comma. That was weird. I didn’t remember putting that there. But as I was wondering about it, I suddenly noticed another book nearby. I picked it up, and there on the front cover was this word: “College.” Suddenly, I realized why the comma was there: the story wasn’t supposed to end. . .

      . . . There would be more.

Salvation Through the Cross

God’s ways are not our ways,

His thoughts are not our thoughts;

They appear as contradictions,

But they’re treasures to be caught.

When God enters the paradigm,

And we surrender our lives to Him,

We will see how He transforms

Our minds and hearts within.

There is joy in sorrow,

There is victory in surrender;

There is strength in weakness,

There is righteousness for the sinner.

There is peace in the storm,

Love in the face of hate;

There is mercy for the guilty,

There is holiness for the depraved.

The humble will be exalted,

The proud will be cast down;

The leader is a servant,

Meekness will be a crown.

God became man

To find those who are lost,

To make blind eyes see,

To bring salvation through the cross.

Mother

When I was hungry, she fed me.

When I was sick, she cared for me.

When I was weak, she nurtured me.

When I was lost, she guided me.

When I was hurt, she stood by me.

When I was blind, she helped me see.

When I was a boy, she made me a man.

When I was alone, she was my biggest fan.

She is not perfect; she does make mistakes.

She shed tears and sweat; life is not a piece of cake.

But I’ll never forget her strength of character,

And how she’s always working to make us better.

Without her, I wouldn’t be the person I am.

Because of her, I will do what I can.

No one in this world can replace her,

And I love her, because she’s my mother.

Is It Ever Right to Lie?

      This is a difficult question. Conducting my own research, I found that even pastors don’t find it easy to address it in its entirety. There are many variables to consider that the Bible doesn’t say anything about. Since it would take too long to include every detail and circumstance in this post, I plan to address just some of the more important aspects of the question. Please understand, also, that I am in no way an expert in this area, and that I’m bound to making mistakes as well. From what I concluded from my search, though, I hold to my belief that lying is not the best way to face any situation.

      Firstly, I would like to establish the definition of a lie: A lie is a false statement told with the intention to deceive. We also understand that the Bible explicitly commands us not to lie.

      Here comes the difficult part. Many would argue that there are times when lying is acceptable, or even permitted. One such case would be when you have to protect someone. Two of the most famous Bible scenarios that are often brought up are found in the book of Joshua, when Rahab the harlot lied to protect the Israelite spies, and in the book of Exodus, when the Israelite midwives lied to Pharaoh to save the male babies. The supporters for conditional lying, or lying when “necessary,” would go on to say that these people were blessed for what they did.

      However, nowhere in the Scriptures do we find God’s commending their act of lying, no matter how good their intentions may had been. The Bible never approves of it, but it didn’t condemn these particular persons for it either. Rahab was blessed. She was even mentioned in the “faith chapter” of Hebrews 11. A plain study of what Scripture says, however, would tell us that Rahab was commended and blessed for her heart of faith. Her lie was not mentioned. Scripture also says that the midwives in Egypt were blessed “because [they] feared God.” Again, their lie was neither commended nor condemned. From here, we cannot say that lying was permitted or condoned.

      Another famous example of lying to protect someone is the story of Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie lived in the Netherlands during the Nazi takeover of the country, and she is known for rescuing and hiding Jews from the Germans. Nazi soldiers repeatedly came to her house and asked if she were hiding Jews, and she always denied it. Ironically, it was Corrie’s own sister, Nollie, who believed in being truthful at all times. One day, when the Nazis once again came to inquire about any Jews they might be harbouring, they had hidden the Jews in an underground cellar, the door of which was under a table. When Nollie was asked the question point-blank, she said yes. When asked where, she said, “Under the table.” The soldiers looked, saw nothing there, and thought that Nollie was playing a joke on them. They left without spotting the cellar door, and Nollie was faithful to her conviction of truthfulness.

      Previously we talked about lying to protect others. What about lying to protect ourselves? My answer to that is quite simple. If we did something wrong, we know we shouldn’t cover it up with a lie. A sin leads to another sin. If we did something right, why would we need to lie? We should rejoice in persecutions!

      Finally, I would like to leave you with a thought. Is it possible that lying, whether to protect ourselves or others, reflects a lack of faith in God? In His will? In His power? If the Lord rescues us physically, like He did for Nollie, praise be to Him! If He doesn’t, is that reason enough to take the situation into our own hands by means of falsehood?

      These are just the main aspects of the question that are commonly raised. As I said, there are other scenarios. Nevertheless, this is a matter that lies (pun not intended) between you and God. Search Him and His Word, and I pray that He will lead you in all righteousness and wisdom.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

"Walk This Way, Trust Me"

      Just recently, I was watching a Chinese talent show with my family, and one particular act caught our attention. It was an apprehensive act in which a little girl of five years climbed a wall, using darts that her father threw into it as leverage. The following video from the show recounts the event.

      As you could see, the father gave all he had. He knew what was at stake. His daughter’s success was dependent on how well and how strongly he paved the way for her climb. Everyone in the audience was worried. It is not shown in the shortened video above, but one of the judges wanted to inspect the darts himself. Everything in the show was spoken in the Chinese language, so my aunt translated for me, and I learned that the darts were buried into the wall at an average of half an inch. The little girl weighed 30 kilograms, and, ideally, the darts had to be able to bear a weight of about 40 kilograms. The father’s job was done. Now the rest fell upon the shoulders of his daughter, and she succeeded.

      My aunt said that there was a meaning behind this act. The father paved the way for his daughter, but the girl had to independently climb the wall herself. She went on to say that this is like how our parents do what they can to guide us and teach us, but, in the end, the responsibility ultimately falls on us.

      Pondering on this, I took the observation further. This little girl of five years placed in her father a trust that we older folks struggle to have. Her father set up her steps and anchor points, and said, in effect, “Climb this wall. Trust me.” It was then her decision to do her part, and she did.

      Doesn’t this also reflect our relationship with our Heavenly Father in some way? He gave us instruction through His Word, and gave us wisdom and strength through the Holy Spirit. He paved our way, both to salvation and to the life He wants us to live. He gave all He had—His life—and now He calls to us, “Walk this way. Trust me.” And everything in our lives waits with bated breaths for our answer to the question: “Will we?”

      Is it possible that the trust portrayed by the child reflects what is meant by “childlike faith”? As we grow older, we start thinking for ourselves and learning about reality. And as a result, we tend to think that we know everything, and that our judgements and decisions are the best. Now, understand that I’m not saying we should be simpleminded or gullible. In fact, quite the contrary. The Bible warns against simplemindedness, and instructs us to live wisely, discreetly, and prudently. However, childlike faith is an appropriate state of the heart when it concerns our walk with the Lord. This will be explained in the next point.

      There is a difference between the talent act described above and our walk with God. The darts thrown by the father is fallible. There are chances that some of the darts are weakly embedded, and thus risk the girl’s safety and success. Not so with God. The stepping stones He lays before us are firm and true. Because God knows what is truly best and He loves us enough to give us that best, we can confidently believe that His ways are infallible. This is why we can, and should, have childlike faith in Him—because He never fails us when He does His part. The blame, then, for any failure is ours (Real failure; not what seems like failure. There are things that appear to be failures but are actually victories in God’s plan). The path is sure; it is our choice whether to walk on it or not. We will reap the rewards if we do, and the consequences if we don’t.

      Finally, as we think of how the Heavenly Father gave all He had to provide us a path to salvation, we should never forget how He set His Son’s path to Calvary. The time was right, the world was ready, and the stage was set. The Father paved the way, but Christ had to bear the weight by Himself, just as the little girl had to climb the wall by herself.

      Will we have such faith? Will we let God set the path instead of insisting on doing it ourselves? Will we let God write our story? When God says, “Walk this way. Trust me,” will we do it?

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Seek God’s Face, Not God’s Hand

      Senator Ted Cruz is a Christian Republican who is running for the Presidency of the United States in the current election. His father, Rafael Cruz, told the story of how Ted decided to join the Presidential race:

My son Ted and his family spent six months in prayer seeking God's will for this decision. [...] It was a Sunday. We were all at his church, First Baptist Church in Houston, including his senior staff. After the church service, we all gathered at the pastor's office. We were on our knees for two hours seeking God's will. At the end of that time, a word came through his wife, Heidi. And the word came, just saying, "Seek God's face, not God's hand." And I'll tell you, it was as if there was a cloud of the Holy Spirit filling that place. Some of us were weeping, and Ted just looked up and said, "Lord, here am I, use me. I surrender to you, whatever you want." And he felt that was a green light to move forward.

      The sentence that Heidi Cruz gave, which they believe to be divinely inspired, is the subject of this post. Before I continue, however, I want to clarify that what I’m going to say is by no means meant to explain what Ted Cruz received from the Lord. I do not know what this sentence means to Ted personally and how it spoke to him. Instead, I will use this post to share what it means to me personally.

      What does “God’s hand” refer to? It refers to His works, His miracles, and His personal workings in the world (“The hand of God”). What is “God’s face”? I believe it is His person, His character. It’s Who He is.

      Seek not for God’s miracles. They should not be our primary focus. Instead, seek His person. Learning more about the character of our Heavenly Father should be our focus. Don’t seek primarily for what God does; seek for Who He is. There are times when God will not give us miracles, but we know that His faithfulness endures.

      This was the problem for many of Jesus’ “followers,” the crowds that gathered around Him everywhere He went. While some of them genuinely wanted to learn from Christ and be His disciples, the majority of the people followed Him mainly because of the great miracles He can perform. They sought for the miraculous signs as proof that Jesus was the Christ. They went after Him because He could give them bread. They wanted to see Him overthrow the oppressive Roman government. The Messiah’s power would be able to give them physical freedom, glory, and wealth as the nation of Israel. Jesus, however, wanted to point out to them that the supernatural manifestation of His Divine power will never satisfy, as man will keep asking for more miracles, and that what they really needed was to know Christ as a person.

      In John 14, Jesus was teaching His disciples, and He said, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

      Philip requested, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

      I have a feeling that Philip was asking for an explicit sign or revelation. But Jesus replied by asking how Philip could not see the Father in Christ Himself after being with Him all this time. The very revelation Philip asked for was standing before him. Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

      From what I can draw from this passage, Christ was telling His disciples that they do not need a sign to understand His Divinity. If they had known His person well, with the contribution of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 16:16), they would have comprehended Who He was.

      Does this mean, however, that we should not pay attention to God’s works? Definitely not! Jesus also said that if the people will not believe Him, they should at least believe His works. The miracles of Christ also testify to Who He is and to the authority with which He carried out His ministry.

      The sentence “Seek God’s face, not God’s hand” means something to me because it is what I need to remind myself many times. Especially during this period of time in my life when I’m seeking God’s direction in my life, I often find myself seeking for a sign. Most of my prayers are basically saying, “Show me something, Lord.” Although there is nothing wrong with asking God to give me a sign, something needs fixing if that is my main focus. I need to remind myself that the surest answer I can have comes from knowing God intimately. Signs can be questioned and doubted later, but the reassurance that we have from knowing the character of God is lasting. As the saying goes: Don’t search for the miracle; search for the Miracle-Worker.

      It is natural and human to desire explicit signs and expressions, but we need to constantly remind ourselves not to be like the multitudes who depend on miracles, but to remember that it is much more important to seek the face of God and to understand His character. Also, God often do not give us the miracles we ask for because He wants us to learn to trust Him. Our faith should not be in the works, but in the Person. That is what will get us through in the path of life.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 6]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

      King David closes this chapter by reiterating his security in the Lord and his joy at having God as his shepherd. All through the psalm, David expresses how the Lord cares for him, protects him, and provides for him. The Lord brings us to green pastures and still waters. He restores our souls and leads us in the path of righteousness. His grace covers us as we journey through times of trials and danger, and He honors us. Surely His goodness and mercy will be with us all the days of our lives. We will abide in Him, and He will abide with us, in the house of the Lord forever.

      This promise that God’s Word presents to us is for the Lord’s sheep. Are we His sheep? Jesus said, “My sheep hears my voice.” Are we hearing the Lord’s voice? Do we listen to His teachings and commands? A shepherd’s sheep follow him faithfully and trustingly. Are we the Lord’s sheep? Let us reflect on our lives and follow Him.

As we walk with Him, may we remember that He is not just any shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 5]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse five: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

      Think about that for a moment. Wouldn’t it be cool for God Himself to prepare a banquet? And when God prepares a banquet, it won’t be a simple meal—it will be a feast! All this in front of your enemies. David goes on expressing how God honors this person: “Thou anointest my head with oil.” During the time of the ancient Hebrews, anointing a person with oil is also a mark of hospitality, an act of honoring the guest. So God sets up an elaborate feast for us, and even honors us as guests by anointing us with oil. David accurately says, “My cup runneth over.” This is more than we will ever need.

      Would God do this to anyone? I believe He would only do this for those who faithfully follow in His steps. Just as 1 Samuel 2:30 states, God honors those who honor Him. In Proverbs 29:23 and 22:4, God promises to reward the humble. The prospect of God honoring us would make “turning the other cheek” easier, wouldn’t it? The people who mistreat us today will soon watch us be honored by the Lord, if only we would faithfully develop the character of Christ.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 4]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse four: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

      If we walk in the footsteps of Christ and genuinely live the Christian life, we are bound to face strong opposition. Sometimes we may even find ourselves in physical danger. Also, as is often the case for many evangelists, God may call us into places where dangers loom in every corner.

      This verse uses the word “valley,” which is translated to be “steep valley” and “narrow gorge,” because the term reflects the shadows, gloominess, and depression that one would likely feel in such a place, as opposed to the feeling of strolling on the mountain top. The shadow of death refers to danger, distress, and darkness.

      But even in such treacherous situations, the psalmist says that he will fear nothing. No evil, danger, or threat will place fear in his heart, and he goes on to explain why: “For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The rod and the staff are two different objects. The rod is used to fight off danger, and the staff is used to guide straying sheep with its crook. We can be fearless under the hand of Christ because we know that He will guide our steps and defend us from evil.

      We are comforted by that knowledge, and we can rest secured by His grace. God will give us the strength to live out His perfect will in our lives. No matter where we go, as long as our Shepherd is with us as we walk in His way, we have nothing to fear.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

New Year Prayer

Heavenly Father,

      We look back on the past year, and we see all that we have been through. We also see the many things You have done and how Your hand had been in our lives ever since the beginning. We want to say "thank you" for everything, just everything. We have grown so much in those experiences, and we thank You for them. Though we had both successes and failures, victories and struggles, good times and bad times, we know that You had always been with us and will continue to walk with us.

      As we step into this new year with faith, we ask that You will continue to work in our lives. We believe that this year will be filled with new opportunities to grow even more in our walk with You. Continue to lead us, guide us, and reveal to us Your will. Take us by the hand and bring us through the adventures the year will bring us. Let us not walk astray, but may we always keep You as our focus in life.

      We enter this new year with great expectations and with hope for a great journey with You.

We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.