Water On the Rock

      A few months ago, my family had a day trip, driving out of the city into the villages. It was a hot day, and we were glad we got to take a stop at a river. We cooled ourselves off with the cold water, and then we spent a few peaceful moments by the riverside.

      After a while, my mother, with her ever-present wisdom and insight, called me and drew my attention to the water running over and falling on the rocks. At this point, you may be confused as to why she would call my attention to the obvious fact that the water ran over the rocks, as it happened right before our eyes. But in reality, she was telling me to focus on that part of nature that was too often accepted at normal and overlooked. I can’t remember her exact words, but the concept of what she said to me next is as follows:

      Look at the rock blanketed by the tireless flow of the water. Unlike the surrounding dry, rough rocks, this one was smooth to the touch. Why? Because the running waters of the river eroded the surface and smoothed the rough edges, apparently. Now, notice that the force of the stream was not very strong. It was a considerably quiet river, in fact. Definitely nothing like the strength of a waterfall. So how did the river succeed in eroding the rock? One word: persistence. Continuous flowing changed the face of the rock significantly.

Photo taken by Nathanael Chong

      Do you want to impact the world? Do you want to effect a change in people’s lives? Your greatest weapon is not strength, power, or prestige. It is persistence, perseverance, and determination. You do not need to have all the knowledge in the world, the best persuasion techniques, or the best theology. You just need to be consistent in your work, and make sure that your life is not hypocritical. Persevere with the grace of God, and in due time, you will start to see the results. Let us continue to persist in our faith, like water on the rock.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Shine Like a Lighthouse

      Two months ago, a group of friends and I visited a lighthouse in Malacca, Malaysia. One of the workers who was on shift at that time took us on a tour around the historical, and still operating, building, telling us various interesting facts about it and the surroundings. At one point, he led us to a small replica of the lighthouse’s lighting system. He showed us how the structure has many light bulbs that rotate, each taking its turn to shine for a moment, which is what gives the lighthouse its blinking characteristic. We later learned that, at night, the light could be seen about 42.6 kilometres away!

Photo by Eliza Tan; used with permission

      That fact reminded us how brightly we can shine in this dark world with the light of Christ, and how we are called to be such a light of the world. In the stormy seas of life, with the terrible waves of the oppression of evil, with the opaque night that renders us lost, how comforting is the light on the shore, the steady beam amongst the shifting waves, the beacon that radiates and reaches out.

      Also remember that the light is at its best when it does not conform to the darkness at all. Light and darkness stands in stark contrast to each other, and the light does not give way. We have to be careful that the Christian faith is not diluted with the influences of the world. The beams from the lighthouse does not give in to peer pressure. Will we be able to exhibit such strength? By God’s grace, we can—and we will.

      Let’s keep this challenge ever before us, and as a Christian community, let us continue to encourage one another and push one another on in the Christian walk.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 7: SUCCESS (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      Today, I would like to share with you a personal struggle that I have been facing. Like many people, I am not sure what I would do when I grow up. But I somewhat know what I would like to do in the future. I know what I enjoy doing, and it would be great to be able to have them in a career.

      But then comes the problem. Many of the occupations that involve the things I enjoy have certain setbacks that I do not wish to endure. For example, a part of my passion is in writing, but as a general rule, writers starve. Writing is a highly competitive field, and only a handful of authors can live on writing alone. As a male, one of my priorities is the assurance that my family, if I end up raising one, would be well provided for. Another thing I have an interest in is digital illustration. However, the art industry is highly demanding, involving tight deadlines and working around the clock. Such working conditions are things I may not easily thrive in, and it may often take time away from my family. Someone once suggested being a speaker. My hesitation to pursue that occupation is due to the fact that many speakers are called away from home many times.

      There you go. That is my struggle. I often end up feeling lost, as each door I look at is decorated by thorns that threatens to prick me should I decide to walk through. Sometimes I wonder why God would give me interests and passions that either may not be able to support me financially or requires a lifestyle I do not want. In addition, I don’t want to settle on average income. I want to be able to make more than the average, so that I can have a comfortable lifestyle and not have financial restrictions. I want all that, but the path my interests offer does not look promising, with differing setbacks I do not want.

      However, as I reflect on myself, I realize that I have been viewing life and the situation from one restricted point of view. In fact, I am looking from man’s point of view. It is ultimately a struggle between the spirit and the flesh, as God continued, time and time again, to invade my closed-up viewpoint and remind me of the larger view that He has. By nature, I’m an idealist, having personal visions of success for my life. But God is telling me that He is the greatest idealist, and His ways of getting to His goals are different from mine. He reminds me of what true success really is. He brings to remembrance the stories I’ve heard of how He has guided people’s paths to reach a life of true fulfilment. He wants me to trust Him with my life.

      Again, it is a war between spirit and flesh. Should wealth be the guiding force for my career choice, or the work that God has planned to be the best fit for me, regardless of income and financial status? Deep down, I know that I must choose the latter. I realize that I am not concerned about money primarily for my needs, but primarily for my wants. Of course, finance should not be left out of my consideration, but I must always remember that God has a way of providing for me. He may surprise me with a whole new possibility that I may not have been aware of before. What I must always keep in mind is that, if I want success, the answer does not lie in the pursuit of high income, but in the pursuit of the kingdom of God.

      Whether the Lord will bless me financially on this earth, I do not know. But I do know that peace, joy, and fulfilment will be mine should I choose to follow His leading all the way. I have to learn to say in every circumstance: “Thy will be done.”

Prayer:

      Heavenly Father, we just want to thank You and to praise You for the works You are doing in our lives. Teach us, O Lord, to trust You more and more. Guide us, O Lord, on the path You have for us. Help us, O Lord, to remember what true success is—the fulfilment of our purposes in accordance to Your plan. Help us to walk by faith. In all things, may Your will be done. We pray all this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

      We have reached the end of the blog post series that was inspired by the Children’s Institute curriculum. I hope that the various topics have blessed you in a certain personal way. I am open to differing viewpoints, should anyone wish to express theirs. May God continue to walk with you and draw you closer to Him, as you learn to walk with Him.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong

Children’s Institute Series PART 6: FREEDOM (Inspired by the IBLP Children’s Institute Curriculum)

      Freedom has been the great search of civilizations throughout the centuries. National independence, personal rights, and liberty for all have been and are being fought for globally, especially in the western world. The desire for freedom drives a person to participate in civil rights movements, wars for independence, and street demonstrations. But I believe that we are fighting for freedom so much and in such a way that we are in danger of putting ourselves into bondage.

      What kind of freedom are people fighting for? Two types of freedom are external freedom and internal freedom. Most mentions of freedom refer to external freedom (i.e. liberation from confinements or rules). In fact, there are hardly any big talks about internal freedom (i.e. liberation from depression or guilt). Os Guinness, an English author, stated that there are also negative freedom and positive freedom. Negative freedom is freedom from: freedom from government, from laws, and from restrictions. Positive freedom is freedom for, and freedom to be. Os Guinness pointed out that we have focussed so much on freedom from that we have hardly thought about freedom for, and therein lies the problem, as will be explained in the remainder of the post.

      True freedom requires some form of restraint. It has a framework or a boundary. And what is the best kind of restraint? The best restraint is self-restraint. Self-restraint stems from obedience and, ultimately, faith. Faith in what? Faith in the most high God, who has originally given us the gift of freedom.

      Movements for freedom have been rampant. But we have primarily been fighting for external freedom, negative freedom, and total, boundless freedom. And that is how we, in our attempt to gain liberty, have placed ourselves in danger of falling into a bondage and captivity we have not thought of: internal bondage. Without restraints, we would fall into a destructive lifestyle of sin. Without restraints, civilizations would fall into disorder. Without restraints, and without determining what we are fighting for freedom for, we would lose our course in life, just as a car would drift off-course without a defined path. What we must remember is that the freedom Christ gives us involves walking with Him, surrendering to Him, and living in accordance to the guidelines He has set for us, because true freedom is not the right to do what you want, but the power to do what you ought.

Shouts for liberty fill the air,
Colourful flags in the wind flew;
Help me, Lord, to remember that
True freedom comes from You.

Blessings,
Nathanael Chong