A Decade of Blogging

I have been blogging for ten years! The unsettling events of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 had so distracted me that that I almost let such an important anniversary slipped my mind! I started this blog on 21 January 2006. I posted my 1000th post on 20 July 2008, 2001st post on 1 Jan 2010, and 3000th post on 11 Feb 2015. One of the features I like about blog is that I can easily retrieve previous posts, unlike Facebook or twitters. Blogging is part of my digital Great Commission activities.

My very first post Why I begin blogging in 2006 states the reasons why I started the blog.

• With the numerous viewpoints available, I want to add a distinctive Christian one
• I support the open access of knowledge that the Internet offers
• Use Web 2.0 as a platform to sharing our learning experiences
• Be part of an online community

In time, my blogging activities expanded and so did my number of blogs. Aside from this blog, I also administer the following blogs, reflecting my diverse interests.

• Random Writing from a Doctor’s Chair
• Random Sermon from a Doctor’s Chair
• Random Spirituality from a Doctor’s Chair
• Random Photos from a Doctor’s Chair

My postings in the blogs have lessen in the last few years because of my increased involvement in Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Google Plus and Youtube. This does not mean that I think that the importance of blogs has decreased. In fact, I believe that blogging has settled into the distinctive niche it was meant to be. Where Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest and Google Plus deal with the daily, social online interactions, blogs offers a place for longer, more reflective and reasoned articles to be posted.

I will continue to blog 

•  Spiritual discipline. Blogging is a spiritual discipline as I try to write at least 1,000 words daily. Not all of what I have written will be posted. Some will be published elsewhere. I find writing helps me to think and understand myself. It also helps me to experience God and engage with his creation.

• Teaching. The Internet has grown tremendously in the last two decades. It has become the largest depository of knowledge mankind has ever created. It is also the largest collection of hubris. I will continue to present a Christian viewpoint from as far as I understand it. I do not pretend to know it all but I see the need for Christian counterpoint especially from an Asian perspective.

• Recommending. I will continue to recommend good books, blog postings and websites. I find open sharing is very useful as others may also come across articles or post I am not aware of.

• Interaction. I value interactions on my blogs and other social media. I value open minds and fellow seekers. However, I will not waste my time with biased, opinionated, rude bigots. We learn more in our interactions. 

• Community. My readers and friends are my online tribe and community. I value every one of them. Their comments and likes are much appreciated. I love the friendships we have formed online and in some cases in the physical world. It is always a pleasure to meet someone in the flesh whom we have met online. I am slowly going down the list and praying for each of my Facebook friends.

Dear friends, thank you for reading this far and being part of my life. God bless you all. 



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Free eBook on Spiritual Formation of a People of God

This is an ebook based on reflections on 1 Chronicles

Please download here

This is offered free in the hope that you will be edified by reading it. Please accept this gift and also send it to your friends.

Blessings,

Alex

Influence of Globalisation on Spiritual Formation

The Influence of Globalisation on Christian Spiritual Formation in Churches in Malaysia and Singapore

The technological advances in telecommunication and the Internet have shrunk the world into a global village. Malaysia and Singapore are actively involved in the globalisation process and its subset glocalisation. While there is no agreed definition of globalisation, it is often understood to have the following characteristics: increasing speed in communication, the interconnected world become smaller, the blurring of national borders, reciprocity, manageable risk, and presence of trust. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the influence of globalisation on Christian spiritual formation in the churches in Malaysia and Singapore, and suggest some possible measures for these churches to enhance the positive effects while limiting the negative ones.

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more of my articles on Glocalisation and Spiritual Formation

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Reframing Discipleship, Spiritual Formation, Christian Spiritual Formation

There has been much confusion about the meaning and usage of these words: discipleship, spiritual formation, and Christian spiritual formation. These words are sometimes used interchangeably by some teachers while others offered a more nuanced definition. Here I will offer some definitions of these terms.

Spiritual formation is the process of forming our inner spiritual beings (soul) which manifest outwardly as our character. This is an ongoing process which starts when we are in our mothers’ womb and continues until we die. There are numerous influences that affect our spiritual formation which includes our cultural legacy, our childhood experiences, our ethnicity, the socio-political environments in which we live in, the dominant culture in our society, and our social interactions with other people, including our family members. Often these influences act subconsciously by a process of socialization or enculturation. In other words, all of us are undergoing spiritual formation all the time, whether we are conscious of it or not.

Christian conversion (accepting Christ) involves a change in status by our justification by faith, and of the formative regeneration of our souls (sanctification). Christian spiritual formation starts after conversion. Christian spiritual formation is the process of the redemptive inner transformation of the character of a person to reflect the character of Christ himself. There are two components to Christian spiritual formation: (1) the work of the Holy Spirit, and (2) the willingness of a person to follow Christ in discipleship. Christian spiritual formation is a collaborative divine-human interaction. The influences that act on Christian spiritual formation are similar to those experiences by all living human beings. Additional influences are the formative practices of the Christian faith communities (Christian education) and the Word of God.

Discipleship is the part of Christian spiritual formation where we can be actively involved in. The Holy Spirit is ever willing to be involved but respect our choices and will not force us to be disciples. Discipleship is following and obeying the teachings of Jesus Christ and in doing so, we become Christ-like in our character. Jesus summarizes this by saying that, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). To be his follower, Jesus points out that there is a part about denying self, and there is another part about following him. Luke helpfully gives us some essential features on discipleship. These essentials are trust (Lk 9:37-43); suffering (Lk 9:44-45); humility (Lk 9:46-50); purpose (Lk 9: 51-56); commitment (Lk 9: 57-62); involvement (Lk 10:1-20), and prayer (Lk 10:21-24). However all these need the work of the Holy Spirit if Christian spiritual formation is to take place. We cannot will or discipline our bodies into spiritual transformation.

The purpose (telos) of Christian spiritual formation is three-fold reflecting the economy of the Triune God. Christian spiritual formation is (1) to restore image of God (imago Dei) within us so that we reflect the character of Christ; (2) to form a people of God –the body of Christ; and (3) to be part of God’s plan of reconciliation with all of creation (missio Dei). Christian spiritual formation is Trinitarian in basis as it is an invitation to join in the perichoresis or eternal dance of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

So let us embark on the journey of Christian spiritual formation, availing ourselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, and intentionally becoming disciples of Jesus Christ with “informed minds, hearts on fire, and contemplative in actions” until “we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

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Spiritual Formation on the Run

My book, Spiritual Formation on the Run has been selling steadily since it's launch in January this year. Many persons have been blessed by reading it and I am so happy. I pray that the Lord will continue to use the book to touch lives.

2nd print of the books arrived today.


I hope you will support the ministry by buying copies for friends to give as Christmas presents.
I do not receive a single cent from my writing and publishing. The proceeds for this book goes to support the 1st Johor Bahru Boys Brigade's activities.

You can order copies from your local bookstores (it will help me if you ask them to order if they do not have stock), Amazon.com or from me via draltang@yahoo.com

More about the book here




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A Call to Spiritual Formation

Background

A small group in the Denver area felt called to facilitate the development of a simple and straight forward two-page statement which addresses the importance -- the absolute necessity -- of an intentional process of spiritual formation for each and every Christian. Their objective was to develop a document that would clearly and simply describe spiritual formation and call the Christian community to embrace the lifelong spiritual growth personally and in our churches. The work of this “Drafter Group” was reviewed by a “Crafter Group” of over 150 writers and leaders in the area of spiritual formation. Our shared desire is that the Call to Spiritual Formation might represent a consensus of the spiritual formation thought leaders across the nation. Ultimately, two hundred of these individuals participated in the development of the document.

Approximately fifty representatives of this group met at the recent Renovaré International Conference in June of 2009, at San Antonio, to complete final edits and affirm the document. It was then presented at the conference for additional signatures. It is our prayer that this document might serve as a defining call and a rallying point for the spiritual formation movement in the decades to come. The document is written so that it can easily be read and understood by all Christians, not just “leaders,” and so can be used for individual reflection, group discussion, teaching, etc.

(http://acalltospiritualformation.info/history.aspx accessed 20 July 2009)

A Call to Spiritual Formation

San Antonio, 2009

Christian spiritual formation is the process of being shaped by the Spirit

into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.

God calls us all to become like Jesus. Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”* We experience this abundance of life – here and now – as our passions, character, understanding, and relationships are increasingly aligned with those of Christ. This lifelong transformation within and among us is the continual gift of God’s Spirit. We are called to be renewed into the likeness of Jesus – but we do not always fully embrace this calling. Sometimes we seem content to be known as “Christians” without intentionally engaging with this work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Other times we desperately long for a new way of life, wanting to grow in our walk with Jesus, but needing help and encouragement. We, therefore, commit to pursue passionately and to receive joyfully God’s grace to be more fully transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

(John 7:37–39;*John 10:10;Romans 8:29;1 Corinthians 11:1;1 Corinthians 15:49; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18;2 Corinthians 4:16–18; 2 Corinthians 5:16–21;Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 3:16–19;1 John 3:2;1 John 4:17)

As we are rooted in Jesus and in the kingdom he proclaims, we are progressively transformed. Jesus is the center of all life and history, both the source and goal of all creation. God shaped this universe as a place where the love and life of Jesus Christ might flourish. Because we are formed in the divine image, we have the capacity to receive and express this life and love. Although human disobedience corrupts the divine image in us, God still forms a people able to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbors as themselves. Jesus makes this possible through his life, death, and resurrection. In him we experience a restored relationship of love with God and one another, and continual transformation into his likeness. We are becoming a reconciled and renewed community – which is both the goal and the substance of life in God’s kingdom. This is the good news we proclaim with joy to the whole world.

(Genesis 1:26–28; Genesis 3:1–7;Proverbs 8:22–31;Isaiah 42:5–9;Jeremiah 31:33–34;Mark12:28–34;John 1:1–18; John 13:34–35;Romans 5:9–11;Romans 8:1–11;Romans 8:19–23;Ephesians 2:11–22;Colossians 1:9–23;1 Thessalonians 5:23;1 John 2:7–11)

Our engagement with God’s transforming grace is vital. Renewal into the image of Christ is not a human attainment; it is a gift of grace. God mercifully uses all our experiences, including our suffering and trials, to teach and transform us. Even so, transformation requires our involvement and effort. We need to make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit’s work in all our life experiences, particularly through intentional engagement with historical Christian disciplines, including Word and sacrament. These practices open us to the presence and grace of God. As a result, we become, through time and experience, the kind of persons who naturally express love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self‐control.

(Matthew 5:43–48; Matthew 11:29–30; Luke 6:40; John 7:38; John 15:5–17; Romans 12:1–2; Galatians 5:16–25;

Philippians 2:12–13; Philippians 3:12–16; Titus 2:11–14; Hebrews 5:13–6:1;Hebrews 12:7–13; James 4:7–8;1 Peter 2:2;1 Peter 4:1–2)

Spiritual formation happens in community. As we long to know and follow Jesus and be formed into his likeness, we journey with those who share this longing. God is calling the church to be a place of transformation. Here we struggle to fulfill our calling to love. Here we learn to attend to the invitations of God’s Spirit. Here we follow the presence of God in our midst. Spiritual community is the catalyst for our transformation and a sending base for our mission of love to the world.

(Matthew 18:20; Luke 6:12–19; John 17:20–26; Acts 2:42–47; Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:1–7; Galatians 6:1–2; Ephesians 4:1–16; Hebrews 10:23–25;1 Peter 2:4–10)

Spiritual formation is, by its very nature, missional. As we are formed into the likeness of Christ, we increasingly share God’s infinitely tender love for others. We deepen in our compassion for the poor, the broken, and the lost. We ache and pray and labor for others in a new way, a selfless way, a joy‐filled way. Our hearts are enlarged toward all people and toward all of creation.

(Isaiah 60:1–4; Matthew 5:14–16; Matthew 28:18–20; John 3:16–21; John 20:21–23; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Galatians 6:10; 1 John 4:7–21)

We invite all people, everywhere, to embrace with us this calling to become like Jesus. By God’s grace, we will seek to become lovers: lovers of God, lovers of people, and lovers of all creation. We will immerse ourselves in a lifestyle that is attentive and

responsive to the gracious presence of God. We commit ourselves to the community of Christ’s beloved, the church, so that we can learn this way of love together. We entreat you to join us.

(Matthew 5:1–10; Matthew 13:44–46; Mark 1:15;Luke 9:23–24;Romans 12:1–2; 2 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Timothy 6:11–12; Revelation 21:2;Revelation 22:17)

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Why the Hulk should be Red not Green

The fictional comic book character, The Incredible Hulk was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962. The Hulk is the alter ego of mild mannered physicist Dr Bruce Banner who was accidentally irradiated by gamma radiation. Whenever he gets angry, he turned into the Hulk, a creature consisting of pure rage which is invincible and incredibly strong. The angrier the Hulk gets, the stronger and bigger he becomes. I guess he was green because of the gamma radiation. Why green and not red? The English expression of becoming angry is “seeing red.” A red Hulk will be more appropriate.

Many of us are aware of the beast within us. And of the thin veneer of civility that makes us respectable citizens. Occasionally someone will snap and the beast breaks out. Then we are all horrified at the violence done to persons and properties. Sometimes it is not a person but a mob or a nation. And in the aftermath amidst the carnage, we are again reminded of the evil that lurks the heart of human beings. In our hectic, chaotic and stressful lifestyles, anger is our constant emotional companion. While some of us are aware of it, others are not. Many try to repress their daily anger. Doing so they become impatient, irritable and aggressive. Repressing anger does not make it go away. Like energy, emotions can be converted into other forms. Repressed energy is converted into hatred, bitterness and anxiety.

“Please don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry" is a famous byline from the Hulk television series which turned up in every comic, television and movies involving the not-so jolly green man. What makes you angry? Could it be social injustice, exploitation of the poor, religious intolerance, and maybe, abuse of political privileges? My reasons for getting angry are often not so righteous. I get angry because I do not get things my own way; why people do not behave the way I expect them to, why projects do not go the way I planned it to, and why the universe do not happen the way I want it to. I get angry and then I feel guilty. I remember what Paul wrote to the Ephesians: "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold (Eph.4:26-27). Paul was referring to Psalm 4:4: In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Furthermore, I remember this old Cherokee story named “The Two Wolves”:
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed.”

I reflected upon this and drew some wisdom. The psalmist, Apostle Paul and the old Cherokee did not deny the existence of anger or being angry. In fact, they all acknowledge it. Furthermore, they taught me the only way to deal with anger is not to feed it. The only way to deal with anger is to starve it of attention and other emotions. The Hulk is pure rage, violent raw energy and red is the appropriate colour. Green reminds me of leafy meadows, peacefulness and calm. Methinks the Hulk should be red in colour. Or even better blue…


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Something to Ruin Your Day

of being angry and choice

“Whoa,” yelped junior disciple Ah Lek in surprise. “Arrgh!” shouted junior disciple Ah Kow as senior disciple Ah Moo pushed his way between them and sent both of them falling off the straight and narrow path that leads to the Sow Lin monastery chapel. Ah Kow fell to the left into a bush of yellow daffodil. “Wow,” he thought, “the sky is so blue.” “Ouch, ouch” shouted Ah Lek who fell to the right into a rose garden.
“I so hate senior disciple Ah Moo,” said Ah Lek as he extricated himself from the thorns. “He makes me so angry”
“Leave him be. He just a big bully,” said Ah Kow as he dusted his robe clean.
“I am so furious. One day I will get even. Vengeance is mine said the Lord, and Ah Lek will be My instrument,” Ah Lek told Ah Kow. “Hey, don’t simply quote the Bible. No play, play, you know,” replied Ah Kow in alarm, waiting for a thunderbolt to strike.

“I am still angry” said Ah Lek to Ah Kow during supper that evening in the refectory. Paused in the act of placing a piece of meat into his mouth, Ah Kow blinked and said. “You’re still angry?” “Yeah, I am so angry that I cannot enjoy my meat.” The disciples have just finished their meat-week where they fast from eating meat for two weeks before Lent.
“See there. I can’t stand it. That bully is enjoying himself,” said Ah Lek pointing to the senior disciple table where Ah Moo just cracked a joke and all the other senior disciples are laughing. “I can’t stand being in the same room as him!”
“Didn’t Our Lord teach us to forgive and forget?” Ah Kow pointed out. “Forgive, yes. Forget, no” declared Ah Lek with firm conviction. “Aah…?” Ah Kow tailed off in confusion.

“I am so angry that I didn’t sleep a wink last night,” declared Ah Lek to Ah Kow as they meet the next morning for prayers. “I was thinking of all the ways I can cheket his scrawny neck.” “You're still at it?” asked Ah Kow sleepily. “What about St.Paul’s teaching about not letting the sun goes down on your anger?”
“That don’t count,” said Ah Lek smugly, “Somewhere in the world, the sun is always shining so it can never go down on my anger. Maybe I shall get a big stick and hit Ah Moo on the head. Do you think he will forgive me?” “Donno,” said Ah Kow cautiously as he slowly back away.

“Aiyuh , my stomach hurts,” yells Ah Lek as he rolled on his bed later that day. “Let me fetch Abba Ah Beng” said Ah Kow as he hurried to his sifu’s room. Abba Ah Beng called in the services of Abba Thomas who is a bivocational Abba. His other vocation is as a doctor. “He has a gastric ulcer,” said Abba Thomas after he finished his examination, “I wonder what brought this on?” “Must be his anger,” whispered Ah Kow.

“What anger?” thundered Abba Ah Beng who has superb hearing, especially for the dinner bell. “Ah Lek has been angry at senior disciple Ah Moo since he pushed us into the bushes yesterday!” Ah Kow said, pointing his skinny finger at Ah Moo. “I did?” Ah Moo sounded surprised. “Yes,” Ah Moo said after a moment’s pause. “That was in the morning when I was rushing for the toilet because I have diarrhoea. Almost didn’t make it in time!”

“And you have been angry since.” Abba Ah Beng turned and faced Ah Kow. “And you?” asked Abba Ah Beng. “I was a b-bit..angry but I f-forgive and f-forgot about the innnnncident” stammered Ah Kow, turning red in the face.

“Ah Lek, Ah Lek, what shall I do with you?” Abba Ah Beng said turning back to face Ah Lek with a shake of his head, “You have let your anger control your heart and your mind. You allowed anger to dwell in your soul. A small incident gets blown out of proportion. A small push by your senior disciple had taken control of your life, poisoned your soul and gave you an ulcer.”
After a short pause for dramatic effect, Abba Ah Beng continued, “In life, you may not have control over what other people do to you. However, you do have the control over how you react to their provocations. You can choose to forgive, forget and move on. Or, you can choose to allow other people control your life. Why should you let others ruin your life?”

endnotes
"don't play play" -Singapore slang made famous by Phua Chu Kang, a Singaporean sitcom. Means “taking something seriously”
"cheket"-Malay word for “strangle”.
"aiyuh"-Malaysian and Singaporean word for “ouch”

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Listening To The Voice Of Jesus

From Rachel: Dr Gordon Smith recently gave a 2 night seminar in Singapore based on his latest book: "Listening to the Voice of Jesus: On Prayer and Discernment". (Night 1 Message & Night 2 Message). These recordings were meant for those who were not able to attend and interested in Christian Spirituality & Spiritual Direction, thanks to the PA crew of True Way Presbyterian Church.

Dr Gordon Smith is the President of reSource Leadership International and the Former Dean of Regent College.

The Bible is Like...

“Going to the cinema to watch movies is sinful,” declared Disciple Ah Kow. “No, it’s not,” countered Disciple Ah Lek who loves to watch movies, “It’s educational.” Both disciples were washing toilets in the Sow-lin Monastery. The monastery has this policy that its disciples should share in the maintenance of the premises. The policy was instituted for building character in its disciples. The monastery also saves by not employing more janitorial staff.

“Watching movies corrupts the soul,” Ah Kow continued, “Did not the Apostle Peter said, ‘Do not love the world or anything in the world.[1]’” “But the Apostle Paul said, ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind.[2]’ Going to movies will renew our minds.” responded Ah Lek. “Sinner!” shouted Ah Kow, “You just want to watch semi-naked girls.” “Do not,” Ah Lek shouted back, “I want to watch the movie The Passion of the Christ.” “Liar!” screamed Ah Kow pushing Ah Lek. Ah Lek responded with a well executed ‘drunken tiger falling down the hill’ roundhouse kick.

Abba Ah Beng was sitting crossed legged eating durian[3] in the main hall when his two disciples were brought before him. He looked up at Ah Kow and Ah Lek with a gleam in his eyes, which set the two disciples’ knees quaking[4]. “Fighting again, I see,” sighed Abba Ah Beng, “Ah Kow, open this durian with this screwdriver.” Ah Kow reached out to grab the durian and tried to open the fruit. All he managed to get were lots of painful scratches. “Here, let me,” said Ah Lek as he reached out and grab the screwdriver. With a skilful poke and twist, he opened the fruit into two pieces revealing the seeds with its golden fleshy outer layer.

A rich aroma filled the hall. Both Abba Ah Beng and Ah Lek inhaled with a satisfied “Hmm.” Ah Kow gagged. “Such a wonderful smell” sighs Ah Lek. “So horrible-lah. Like rotten eggs!” Ah Kow complained. “Here,” Abba Ah Beng said, “eat, eat.” Ah Lek took a seed and ate its luscious flesh with a look of ecstasy on his face. “Very good-lah” he commented. Abba Ah Beng beamed. “Sure good-lah. Special tree, B94” he explained. Meanwhile, Ah Kow shut his eyes as he put the fleshy seed in his mouth. “Urgh!” he croaked, “the inner seed is so hard.” Then he choked and turned blue as he had accidentally swallowed the seed.

“The Bible is like a durian,” explained Abba Ah Beng, as he performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on Ah Kow. “To apply it, you have to know how to open it. Otherwise all you get are some painful wounds. With the correct technique, which is the Holy Spirit, you can open the Bible and taste of its teachings. The succulent fleshy part of the seed is the interpretations and traditions of the church. These are the negotiable part of the Bible; like going to the movies, wearing jeans to church, or playing drums during worship. Some people love it, others hate it. The hard seed is the inner core of Biblical teaching. It is non-negotiable and consists of truths such as God is three and one (the Trinity), Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus is fully human and fully God. This seed when planted in the right soil will grow into a tree and bear good fruits.”

Both disciples blinked in awe at Abba Ah Bang’s insight, the durian forgotten. Abba Ah Beng calmly finished his durian, burped and said, “I’m going to town, my movie starts in an hour.”


Endnotes:
[1] 1 John 2:15a
[2] Romans 12:2b
[3] A durian is a round fruit with thorns on the outside. It is the King of fruits. Either you love it or hate it. Want to know more, google ‘durian’ and hope your computer do not smell.
[4] Disciple Ah Kow later set up the Christian group called Quakers.


read more here

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Beowulf Retold

Beowulf is the oldest epic poem in the English language. Dated around 700 AD, it is the source from which most of the Western mythology and ‘heroes’ stories originate. The epic starts in Denmark. King Hrothgar’s palace (mead hall) named Heorot was under nightly attacks by a monster called Grendel for 12 years. Grendel attacked them every night and carried off his warriors as food. Beowulf, a prince of the Geats of southern Sweden arrived with a small band of warriors to aid King Hrothgar. That night Beowulf engaged Grendel in fierce hand to hand combat. Grendel could not match the strength of Beowulf, was mortally injured and escaped by tearing off his arm. The next day was a day of rejoicing. However that night, Heorot was attacked by Grendel’s mother. The next morning, Beowulf tracked her to her cave and killed her, bringing back to King Hrothgar, Grendel’s head.

In second part of the epic, Beowulf returned home to King Hygelac. After the death of the king and his son, Beowulf succeeded to the throne and ruled for 50 years. The country was attacked by a fire-breathing dragon. An aged Beowulf fought the dragon, finally killing it with the loss of his own life. The epic ends with his funereal rites and lament. Unlike most early epics, Beowulf is an altruistic hero. Most scholars agree that the epic was gradually infused with Christian symbolism as the monks duplicated the manuscript. Some scholars regard the epic as a Christian allegory; as a battle between good and evil. It is significant that Beowulf’s three battles are not against man but against a monster, an evil demon, and a destroyer of civilization. His sacrificial death is the fulfillment of a hero’s life.

In the movie, Beowulf (2007), screenwriter Avery and Gaiman went beyond the epic to show us a very different portrait of Beowulf. Their Beowulf was not the altruistic hero of the epic but a flawed human being. He was a fighter with an appetite for glory, land, gold, women and be immortalized in songs by their bards. He enjoyed the stories being told about him and was not above embellishing some details to make himself look better. In the movie, after killing Grendel and in turn attacked by Grendel’s mother, Beowulf tracked her to her cave. There instead of killing her, he was seduced by her promise of a kingdom, land, gold, women and invincibility in return for impregnating her. This sin will come back to plague him. The movie continued with Grendel’s mother fulfilling her part of the bargain. Beowulf became king.

The kingship, glory, land, gold, women and invincibility became wearisome as King Beowulf soon discovered. He was constantly in battle with those who wanted to kill him and thus become legend themselves. Then the country was attacked by a dragon which turned out to be his son (by Grendel’s mother). Beowulf succeeded in killing the dragon by sacrificing his life. It was interesting how Avery and Gaiman turned the epic story about good versus evil to an examination of personal sin and its consequences.

Beowulf was led down the path of self destruction by his pride. Thus he was unable to resist the temptations of kingship, lands, gold, women, invincibility and celebrity. By his Faustian pact with Grendel’s mother, he laid the seed for his own self destruction. He sold his soul for worldly success. A small sin grew into a big one. Beowulf redeemed himself in his final act of self sacrifice to save those he loved.

This movie version of Beowulf reminds me of another action hero in the Bible- Samson (Judges 13-16). Samson was proud, and arrogant about his great strength. Thus he was unable to resist the temptations of beautiful Philistine women and wealth. He sinned by marrying them thus breaking the Mosaic Law. The consequences of his sin was that he was blinded and chained like an animal. His redemption came when he sacrificed himself by pulling down Dagon’s temple, killing himself and many Philistines. In spite of his flawed nature, Samson is considered a Judge and a leader of the Israelites. Beowulf and Samson revealed a flawed humanity, prone to pride and sin. Before we are too quick to judge them, we must remind ourselves that we too shared the same flawed humanity.

The lesson is how not to sin and suffer its consequences; to avoid the temptation to sin. 1 Peter 5:8 and James 1:14-15 warns us about the danger of temptations to sin. Our vulnerable to temptations arise from our false self (also called old nature and old man). Our false nature tells us that we can only be happy if we have power, lands, gold, sex, fame or invincibility. When temptations appear, it whispers in our ears that it is okay to commit a small sin so that we can get what we want. “It is only a small sin,” it croons, “probably no one will notice.” It quotes Scriptures to show us that all our sins have been forgiven, so just do it! Our false self neglect to tell us what our true self already knew. We are forgiven for our sins but we still have to bear its consequences. Sometimes the consequences of our sins may affect many generations. King David, the apple of God’s eye had to watch his newborn child (conceived in adultery) die, and suffer the treachery of his son Absalom. When we sin, it is often not only we who suffer but those whom we love. So when temptations to sin appear, run away as fast as you can; in the opposite direction! G.K. Chesterston remarks, “It is always simple to fall; there is an infinity of angles at which one falls, only one at which one stands.”

Reflection Questions
1. What are some temptations to sin that are facing you at this moment? Is that in a relationship that should not be developed further? Some aspect of your work? Your ambition? Your priorities?
2. How will you go about resisting temptations to sin?
3. Are you accountable to anybody? Accountability groups of two or three persons are very helpful to help us resist temptations to sin.

Lord,
We acknowledge that we are flawed beings. We thank you that you have redeemed us and given us a true self (new nature). Yet we know our false self (old nature) is still working on us. We know the temptations of the world are very strong. There are also those who will trip us to watch us fall. Father, we ask for the help of your Holy Spirit to strengthen us to resist temptations to sin. We also ask that you will send us brothers and sisters to whom we can be accountable to. Help us, we pray.
Amen.

.

Tragedy Of Restlessness

By Y.Y.Yap
"The Tragedy of Restlesness" was delivered at the Headstart Leaders' Spiritual Retreat, 16-18 September 2005.

If I were to ask you to just rest and do nothing all of today, what
will you do? Grab a newspaper, turn on the TV, logon the web, maybe do some shopping or balance your accounts?

If I told you, your food & clothing for all of this year is taken care of - what will you do with your life? Book a holiday? Climb the Himalayas? Read all the books you've bought in the last year? The tragedy of our ultra-modern life is there simply is no time for rest, and even if there was - we no longer know how to.

Our culture is such that we are constantly distracted - by ads, news
flashes, SMS-es, latest movie releases, etc. We have made life so
zippingly fast-paced, that we can't catch up with ourselves any more. Anything we do, buy, read today is obsolete by the time we lay hands on it - somebody is inventing something better right now, a new discovery is being published today, the way you operate has been superceded by a smarter method.

Sadly, though we are so breathless playing catch-up trying to stay focussed we no longer know what is rest much less how to get it.

At a time when we need to recover our humanity and meaning the most, we are swept away by a tide of artificial substitutes. Hollywood, MTV, the tourism and food industry make sure of that. What entertainment and every kind of sensual indulgence offers is a quick-fix, temporary relief, fleeting moments of pleasurable but imaginary escape which leaves us only more hungry, empty and lonely than before. But then, we've got to get back to work - who has time to think about it?

In a similar situation of exhaustion and starvation, Jesus, recognising the urgent need for recovery and nourishment intervened:
'"Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while." (For
there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves. (Mark 6:31-32, NASB)'

I love the passage for what it doesn't say as much as what it does.
Jesus doesn't say, 'Go away for awhile and come back ready to work again.' He doesn't send you away only when you are fatigued beyond use, and for the sole purpose of rehabilitating the workforce. And it isn't one of those company motivation and indoctrination retreats just to make you more aggressive and productive.

The invitation is threefold: it is to 'come away' (NASB) - drawing
away/detaching ourselves from the work when it has become damaging to the soul. Work itself is not the enemy, it is when work has overtaken the heart that perspective sorely needs to be restored. There are warning signs and we must learn to recognise them.

Secondly it is to 'come with me' (NIV) - a leaving of the things that have robbed you of your inner joy and tunneled your spiritual vision, to return to the real heart, purpose and goal of our lives, Jesus.

And thirdly, for a good reason: 'they had no leisure so much as to eat' (KJV). No leisure, so much as to eat! This rendition in the KJV makes a sharp point and Maslow would be quick to point out - that if the disciples were so consumed by the work they couldn't even eat, you can imagine how spiritually and emotionally starved they must have already become.

We will explore in further sessions this important invitation. What are the things that erodes our lives, keeping us from our true identity and a growing intimacy with God?

In the face of massive opposition and danger, David says: 'One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,' but if he can't get that, he'll settle for just one day. 'Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.' (Psalm 84:10, NIV). He makes the difficult choice of choosing, like Mary, 'the better thing.'

In my final year of Masters, I suffered a serious health problem. I was so stressed from working on my final dissertation, and studying for the exit exams, and leading a church, and speaking in the student CF, I developed peptic ulcer disease that required large doses of opioids for pain-relief.

In that difficult period going through gastroscopies, ultrasounds and drug therapy - I discovered I also had gallstones and fatty deposits in the liver. I was obese, and the repressed stress had been burning away at my stomach lining. I was forced to work through the deeper issues at work.

By God's grace and much, much love from my wife and others around me, I soon realised I was chronically depressed, easily irritable, quietly bitter and prone to rage. Compulsive overeating was one of the complications of my masked depression. Coming to terms with my adrenaline addiction and stress-burnout pattern, I learnt some crucial skills for early recognition and intervention. The first few months were tough-going, subjecting myself to rigid monitoring and journaling my feelings, but in time the hard labor bore fruits of much peace, improved relationships, and best of all - I lost
20kgs of weight!

You may not have come to such serious consequences of stress-burnout in your life, but we all need to learn the skills of recognizing it, hearing Jesus' invitation to 'come away' and give ourselves permission to rest. We need to move from denial, through anger (blaming everyone else for our restlessness), to acceptance (that we need rest), to change (taking responsibility for getting rest.)

For Reflection and dialog:
1. Have you suffered burnout recently?
2. What steps led to it? What were its consequences for you?
3. Were there early signs of stress and burnout for you?
4. What steps do you need to take to 'give yourself permission' to rest - do you have difficulty doing that?

The Historical Reliability of the Old Testament

By Dr Leong Tien Fock, B.E. (Hons) in Civil Engineering from the University of Malaya, M.A. in Old Testament Studies from Wheaton College, M.A. and Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from University of California, Los Angeles.

The Bible has been subjected to an incredibly extensive and intensive scrutiny by critics. Yet, unless one only reads the critics' work, it has not only survived the trial but has in fact thrived in it. Christians should be familiar with a defense of the Bible even in the absence of an offense. For the intellectual and spiritual climate we live in is such that the claims of the Bible do not seem or feel real. We need to be able to consciously affirm in our heart that the Bible is reliable and trustworthy.

The reliability of the Bible is fundamental to the credibility of the Christian faith. All Christian doctrines, including the doctrine of the Bible as the Word of God, are based on the Bible. Given the often vicious and seemingly credible attacks on the Bible, a Christian who is confronted with them may find his faith shaken or even shattered. This essay is written with the conviction that it is possible for anyone who is not already prejudiced against the Bible (or who is at least willing to temporarily suspend such a bias) to see that there is a remarkably solid basis to believe in the reliability of the Bible.

We will focus only on the Old Testament and use three criteria to establish the its reliability: the bibliographical test, the internal evidence test, and the external evidence test. These common-sense tests, often used to test the reliability of the New Testament, cannot be said to be biased towards the Bible. For they are postulated by military historian C. Sanders in his 1952 book, Introduction to Research in English Literary History. The tests are most suitable for our purpose not only because they are not biased towards the Bible. Since they are employed in testing the reliability of general historical and literary documents, they are also most suitable because we are testing the reliability of the OT as a literary-historical and not as a religious document (thus its claim to divine origin will not be assumed).

Read on for more information on:

Bibliographical Test
Internal Evidence Test
External Evidence Test
Concluding Remarks

Habits Of A Healthy Heart

by Wong Fook Meng, GCF ecommentary

"Your heart is where you dream, deliberate and decide.
It's how you think and process life.
Your heart is the real you when you take all the layers off."
– Dr Joseph Stowell, resident of Moody Bible Institute

"To get to the core of our beings, it is imperative that we take off all the layers, of possession, power, pleasures..." he mused as he sipped his teh tarik kurang manis. We were sitting opposite one another in the court canteen, enjoying a chat over drinks.

He's a religious kind of guy and my tea-break conversation with this senior lawyer was moving from legal practice to spirituality. Lowering his glass, he peered at me and asked, "Is there a similar concept in Christianity? The inner person? The 'real us'?"

"As we sit here in this canteen, I can see your face and hear your voice," I began to say. "But, there is a deeper part of you which I cannot see. It is that part of you which is thinking, feeling and making responses to what I am saying. That is what the Bible calls 'soul'. As a Christian, I believe the soul is eternal and is a mirror of the image of a Creator."

He nodded to my response in satisfaction. We bade farewell and agreed to continue our theological discussion another day. But as I moved away, I began to wonder...

Have I neglected the inner world within me? Am I losing touch with my thoughts and emotions in the time-squeezed schedule I keep? Are the endless work demands draining my spirit? Have financial responsibilities and interpersonal conflicts sapped my joy? The complexities of life loom like giants to dwarf my soul.

My conversation with this friend was a wake-up call to take stock of my inner person.

The heart is the most important part of us. The writer of Proverbs counsels, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23). Dr John Maxwell, a leading motivational speaker, says that our attitude is the key to success. All that we are going to accomplish in life – whether in our family, ministry or work, hinges on the attitude of our hearts. Our heart is the wellspring of life – the fountain head of all that we will have or experience in this life. Which is why we it is of paramount importance that we guard it well.

But there are enemies of the heart on the prowl. Jesus, knowing what lurks within a man, asked "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your heart?" (Matthew 9:4). Our hearts can be the breeding ground for evil. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." (Matthew 15:19). In the course of my work, I see the full blown consequences of sin regularly – criminals suffering custodial sentences, marriages wrecked by unfaithfulness, siblings fighting over inheritance and business partners slinging mud at each other. All these originate from hearts tainted and poisoned by sinful thoughts and desires.

As we are still in the early part of the year, it is good that we pause and take an inventory of the secret chamber of our hearts where our thoughts and desires often roam freely. Let us take a look within and ask some tough questions like:

1. Over the past week, what were my dominants thoughts? Were my thoughts focused more on God or other things?

2. Were there any fantasies, immoral thought patterns or illicit desires? What do my desires and passions reveal about me?

3. Do I harbour resentment, anger and bitterness against others? Is there jealousy in my heart?

Paul, a first century missionary, told of a coming day when God will judge the world by "bringing to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart." (1 Cor 4:5).

The next time I talk to my lawyer friend, I'll tell him that the greatest case any lawyer will undertake is to stand before God as Judge and to give an account of the matters of the heart.

Playing On The Winning Team

by Wong Fook Meng, GCF ecommentary

"My dream has always been to to work in a large company and travel around the world. I hope they will send me to their office in China. I don't want to be stuck in a small company forever doing mundane work."

Those were my friend's parting words. She is heading for the big city to live out her corporate dream.

Lou Gerstner, former CEO of IBM, said in his book, "Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?", that leaders must be passionate about winning. According to him, no one wants to work for a loser. I think he is right. Everyone wants to be playing on a winning team.

During high school reunions, the first question we ask each other is usually, "Where are you working now?" It is a question which usually comes before how is your family, how is your walk with God, etc. But, what if you don't have an impressive answer? What if you're "stuck" in a small company doing insignificant work and you are embarrassed with your present career path?

Each of us have a deep need to know that what we do will be significant and has lasting consequences. Jesus Christ knows our need and reminds us that He has chosen everyone of us to be on His team, the winning team:

"You did not choose me, but I have chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide."

We are appointed to go and bear fruit that will abide. Eternal fruit. There is no corporation that can promise its employee that what they do will last forever. None, that is, except the movement of the gospel, where we are called to transform eternities and change lives. There is no higher stake in town than the eternities of men and women whom we must touch for the Kingdom of Christ.

Joan Maragall says,
"What can be more rewarding than devoting a lifetime to a work that will far outlive you, a work that will see future generations come and go? What peace work of this kind brings to a man! What disregard for time and death! What anticipation of eternity!"

But, what about our secular work? Is there any intrinsic value in our work as engineers, IT specialists, sales personnel, civil servants, doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc? Do our daily tasks fall under the ambit of "eternal fruit"?

Reading the Scriptures, I find that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself was a carpenter for eighteen years before He became an itinerant preacher. Were the eighteen years spent sweating out in the carpenter's shop less valuable to God compared to the three years of "full time Christian vocational ministry"? Was there any intrinsic and eternal value created when the Son of God hammers away at the work bench (did He ever accidentally hit His thumb?) , haggles over the price of raw materials and delivers furniture to customers? Did Jesus carry a name card? Was He proud of His "career"?

I believe that in God's economy, there is value in all we do. There's an amazing variety of work that Christians can be involved in. Paul Stevens, Alvin Ung's professor at Regent, argues that the only jobs that the Bible prohibits are witchcraft, prostitution and extortion. The Scriptures maintains a very open stance as to what kind of work we should be doing. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord," Paul urges Christians in Asia Minor. However, God does not attribute values to our work as the world does. In God's economy, all work is of equal value when it is done "as for the Lord". Thus, in God's estimation, a CEO's work is no more valuable than the tea lady's. A doctor's work is no more important than a char keow teow man's. A high level management decision is no more spectacular than the routine typing of a simple letter.

The true test of the value of our work is not the curriculum vitea, the size of the paycheck or the titles / name cards that we carry. The true test is whether the work we do is "as for the Lord" or as to ourselves.

As such, whatever work we do, whether in a large listed company on the KLSE or in a small and unknown "Chinaman" enterprise, let us remember that as long as we play on Jesus' team, we're playing on the winning team!


Questions

1. Do you sometimes feel your work has no significance or lasting consequences? Do you have a tendency to judge a person's value by the namecard / job title (or the lack of one) that he / she carries?

2. Do you think God values Jesus' carpentry work? Is it as significant as His ministries like teaching and healing ? Is there an eternal value in your secular work?

3. Work can involve many mundane duties like reading through correspondence, meeting clients, being on the road, etc. What can you do to remind yourself that the routine things that you do have eternal value?

Celebrating Love

by Millie Chan, GCF Ecommentary

A climb up Mount Kinabalu has always been on my itinerary this side of heaven. When a date was finally scheduled for the climb, Tze-Lin my 12-year-old daughter expressed keen interest to participate in the adventure.

My husband thought it a great idea for her to attempt the challenge with me. But I was hesitant to include her, citing my concern over how difficult the journey would prove for her. If truth be told, I was worried she might not finish her climb and might cause me to give up on my attempt. So I warned her that if she should decide to abandon the climb, she would have to return to the base with the guide as I
would want to proceed on. She agreed.

The 6km trek to Laban Rata (mid-camp) was strenuous, but it was the 2.7km ascent to the summit that proved to be the real challenge. We started at 2.30am in pitch darkness and chilling temperature.

20 minutes into the climb, Tze-Lin told me the disturbing news that she was nursing a tummy ache. Every time the pain attacked, we were torn with the dilemma whether she should return with the guide or continue with us. With each step towards the summit, I became more obsessed with finishing the climb but Tze-Lin was progressively
inclined to turn back as exhaustion diminished her resolve.

When the peak was 1km within reach, she told me she was too tired to go further. At that moment, I decided to abandon the climb and take her back. She was aghast that I should give up what I had wanted so badly to achieve and told me she wanted me to reach the peak. But I was adamant about going back with her.

That was the defining moment for the both of us. From then on, she did not speak again of turning back. We moved step by step and hand in hand. 1 1/2 hours later we reached the peak together and stood above the clouds amidst the Lord's great works of wonder.

What were the dynamics at work between us that morning?

When we set out to climb, we were working on parallel priorities: my goal was to reach the top at all costs; hers, albeit similar, was diluted with a child's inclination to cater for her own immediate physical comfort. All my initial verbal expressions of love, encouragement and cajoling did nothing to bridge the gap. She merely responded by telling me how difficult it was to carry on.

However when I set aside my own agenda to make her comfort my priority, she instinctively responded to that act of love by forsaking her own comfort so as to see me reach my goal. How strange we behave when our love for each other is at work.

Jesus urges us to love one another as He loves us (John 15:12). There is nothing new about the command to love, since Leviticus 19:18 teaches us to "love your neighbor as yourself". But the new element is the change from "as yourself" to "as I have loved you". How does Jesus love us?

He gives us a foretaste of what His love entails when He says in the next verse "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). The call to love is not a passive command engaging us only on an emotional level. It is to be acted out – the putting aside of oneself for the other.

Christian love now has Christ's sacrificial love as its model. His love is characterized by giving and glad surrender. And when we receive Christ, this capacity to love sacrificially is imprinted in our human hearts. The act of service not only communicates our love, it completes the love; it is love's appointed consummation. The difficult part is to overcome our self-serving nature. This is a day by day, moment by moment endeavor. The goal is to look beyond our own space long enough to discern the circumstances of those around us.

The minute I put Tze-Lin's needs before mine, I felt strangely right. There was a sense of order in my inner landscape. I was released from the bondage of my selfish pursuits. But her response took me by complete surprise. She appeared to have been spurred on to greater resolve by my (unconscious) demonstration of love for her. It was as if she found more meaning to her effort. To see me reach my goal became a greater driving force than her own comfort.

Indeed children are more skilful in recognizing our feelings by our behavior. Probably because they are less distracted. They "listen" to the way we behave and can easily detect acts of love. When their emotional tank is filled, they give generously in return.

God has gone to extravagant lengths to love us. Not all of us will be called upon to lay down our lives for others. But daily there will be opportunities to set aside our own needs to respond to others. Usually it doesn't involve anything dramatic but when we reach out in love, our act of service never returns empty even if the other party does not know it. We will be soaked in His love.

Just read Jesus' promise given in John 15:10 before He gives us the commandment to love: "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love".

On that summit, we celebrated not just a successful climb. We celebrated LOVE.

The Greatest Malaysian Christian

Looking Up To God
Wong Fook Meng (wfm75@pd.jaring.my), GCF ecommentary

"Who is the greatest Christian living in Malaysia today?". What will your answer be if this question is posed to you? My guess is that for most of us, we will be making mental lists of famous leaders, popular preachers,pastors of large thriving churches or some generous benefactors. But,when Jesus was asked "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?", He replied with an astounding answer, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven". As usual, He shatters our common notions of what constitute greatness and completed adjusts our perception of what is truly important in God's measurements.

I have to honestly admit that humility is not one of my favourite virtues though I personally do not have much to be proud of. Pride often rears its ugly head when I am at the receiving end of a harsh remark, poor service or bad road manners. There is something within me that seeks to let the whole world know how important I am and how I must not be ill-treated. But, the more serious form of pride is when I suspend my perception of God's greatness and view life as if I am the captain of my own destiny and God has no part in the driving centre of my life.

C.S. Lewis makes this poignant remark in Mere Christianity:

"There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which any people, except Christians, ever imagine they are guilty themselves...There is no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. The vice I am talking of is pride or self conceit. Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.

In God you come up with something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that - and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison- you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you."

When was the last time we pause to take an upward look and catch a glimpse of God's greatness? I wonder how "effective" our Sunday worship services are in bringing us close to the throne of God where we can see Him high and lifted up? Did we leave the worship services and enter the marketplace with a greater awareness of the attributes of our great God?If we have a right perspective of God's greatness,
it will radically change the way we view our bosses, peers, subordinates, competitors, big and small clients and the economic outlook. Some things which appear big will be cut down to size. Some things which appear small will be inflated to its true proportion.

It's time to look up to God. Then, we can look around us and within us with the right lenses.

Is Your Mammon Serving God?

by Millie Chan, GCF icommentary

We are called to serve the Lord. But knowing that the greatest challenge to this call is the lure of mammon, we are particularly warned that we "cannot serve God and mammon" at the same time (Matthew 6:24).

In real term, it is not possible to serve money. We cannot enrich money, nor assist money nor can we be a benefactor to money. We are however conditioned into believing that money holds the promise to great happiness. It is touted as the solution to many of our heartaches and difficulties. It is our passport to a blessed lifestyle. Thus enamoured, we strive to place ourselves in a position so that money's power can be at our disposal.

In other words, money beckons us with its promise of happiness and we serve mammon by believing its promise and walking in the faith of that promise. In order to avoid the snare of mammon, we must learn to recognise the great economic lie. We must constantly stay alert to its insidious lure which can lead us to an addictive and destructive existence.

But our success in not labouring our lives in pursuit of mammon does not mean our lives are rendered in service of God. The primary call to serve God remains to be lived out. And for many of us the last stronghold in the battle is learning to release the money which is already in our pocket for His purpose.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:8 : "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work". Heed the spending formula: spend on need but abound in good work. Enough for us but abundance for others.

God delights to prosper us in all manner of life. But when He enlarges our income, it is not so we can move from a semi-detached house to a bungalow. Our wealth is to be released to reach the needy. The evil is not caused by huge salaries. The evil is in being deceived into believing that a $100,000 salary must be matched by a $100,000 lifestyle. God has made us the conduit of His grace. The danger is in thinking that the conduit should lead back to our own backyard.

In Ephesians 4:28, Paul says, "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labour, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need".

This verse tells of 3 ways to make and live with our money:
a) we steal money for our livelihood;
b) we work for our livelihood; or
c) we work so as to get money for our livelihood and to share with others in need.

Many of us dwell and thrive in scenario 2. We are deceived into thinking that the only sin in relation to money is stealing. So we commit ourselves to make our living honestly. But when it comes to spending the income we make, we are the chief beneficiaries. Our giving is marginalised, overshadowed by our ever-expanding "wants" which are dressed down to appear as "needs".

The Lord calls us relentlessly to move into scenario 3. Work, spend on our real needs and share the rest abundantly with others. Our generosity (or the lack of it) is the gauge to determine where we place our hope and trust: in the Lord and His eternal promise of happiness or in the mammon and its false claim.

So if we run a check on our lifestyle, we will see whom we are serving, God or mammon. And if we run a check on our spending habit, we will see whom our mammon is serving, us or God.

Reel Spirituality

Seeds of Hope from the Silver Screen - Spirituality from the Movies?
by Dr Yap Yoke Yeow, GCF iCommentary 2005

When the lights dim and curtains part, something magical happens. Raptured into stories of joy, sorrow, triumph and disappointment,movies can change us. I remember watching The English Patient many years ago. When the credits rolled up, my legs wouldn't move. I was paralysed by the sheer poetry of the tale. The irony of love - a power that gave life to one man plunges another to his death - gripped me for a long time after.

Movies are often frowned upon for the crass materialism, libertine sexuality, and hedonism they manipulate into our minds. We rightly reject them. Yet not throwing the baby out with the bathwater, I believe many good movies can be watched redemptively. Listening at once to the story, to ourselves and to God - we may leave enlightened and strengthened in our journey of faith.

Listening to the story

While we don't have to swallow all that is fed to us, I find movies enriching when I'm thoughtfully receptive rather than censoriously judgmental. Movies, like the world we live in, reflect the full spectrum of evils of our fallenness. We can hardly expect movies to champion 'good Christian values' ala Sunday School!

In one of my favorites, Gladiator, Maximus (Russel Crowe) is Marcus Aurelius' trusted general who later defies his murderous tyrant son. His wife and child brutally slain, himself a wounded fugitive, he becomes a slave-warrior in Rome's Coliseum fighting for his life and freedom. Blow by blow, duel after duel, he emerges through the dust as 'Maximus the Beloved'- shadowing even the new Caesar's popularity. The fallen general remains a courageous but compassionate man throughout - albeit as a slave behind bars.

Finally, in the ultimate duel between Emperor and Gladiator, he is sent into the ring already viciously wounded. In a clash nearly Messianic in proportion, he vanquishes the evil emperor with his own royal dagger and then breathes his last after crying, "Free my men! There was a dream that was Rome that must be realized! It is the wish of Marcus Aurelius."

As he lay lifeless in the dust, the words were spoken: "Is Rome worth one good man's life? He believed it once; make us believe in it again."

Movies awaken us to our captive state by highlighting our human condition. They also compel us to cry out, and sometimes give voice to our primeval yearning for God's beauty, truth and goodness. The Eden we have been banished from has not left our breasts. The Pauline trinity of faith, hope and love is so central to many stories precisely because we are image-bearers of God homesick for a better reality.

Good stories draw us to Calvary for our freedom and catapult our imagination to the new heaven and earth.

Listening to ourselves

We are emotional beings. Movies can penetrate our guarded consciousness and help us 'feel aloud' those repressed feelings we keep from breaking through. Seeing ourselves in the characters of a movie helps us explore our unfulfilled emotions, and reclaim our total experience of humanity - rational, physical, emotional and spiritual.

In Contact, Jodie Foster is Dr. Araway, a hardcore physicist whose premise for life is rejecting the scientifically unknowable and pursuing truth through the empirical. But through her persecuted search for extra-terrestrial life, she finally decodes the 'message from the sky' and is internationally backed to make an inter-stellar trip to meet it! Yet upon her return, with no proof in hand, the world mocks her unsubstantiable claims. In that moment she discovers the faith that had brought her thus far was also all that she needed.

Faith is self-justifying. She had no answers for her interrogators, but she needed none. In times of darkness, I find Dr. Araway's journey analogous to my own - fraught with doubt at every turn, sometimes faced with mocking and opposition from those closest to you. The road forward seems to get narrower and lonelier with every step. In times like these, our God-given ability to believe is all we have to put one foot ahead of the other.


With open heart

Awakenings - a heart-wrenching screenplay of Oliver Sacks' book by the same title - defined me in a way nothing else could have. It appeared in that time of my life where, as a pre-university student, I struggled to chalk the best grades for a future I couldn't decide upon! Robin Williams plays Dr. Malcolm Sayer, the experimental neurologist who unsuspectingly ends up devoting his life to victims of post-encephalitic coma. In a chance discovery of the then wonder drug L-DOPA, he brings a whole ward of statues back to life! They have a short but exciting lease at recapturing their lost decades. They learnt from their patients to celebrate life and to nurture it even in the comatose. But alas, they are doomed to slip, through tormenting tics and fits, into a prison of catatonia again: living zombies, locked within frozen, empty stares.

I wept bitterly. I was choked by the anguish of victim and family. But I was moved most of all by the impassioned life of Dr. Sayer and his staff.

Working through the tragedy, he declares: "We can hide behind the veil of science,.. but.. reality is we don't know what went wrong anymore than we know what went right. What we do know is as the chemical window closed, another awakening took place. The human spirit is more powerful than any drug and that is what needs to be nourished." Unbeknownst to me, a vocation was being defined: to embroil myself passionately in lives, walk alongside the afflicted, share in their struggle to keep alive their God-breathed identity. Almost a decade now into my career as a physician, I need to watch Awakenings again - lest I forget the calling to be scientist, healer and friend.

Movies, like all things around us are burning bushes to-be. They can inspire us to travel further in our journeys and reach higher through our dreams. But we need the eyes to see. We need to grow mindful hearts to hear. Cultivate an openness to receive. Like the soil in Jesus' parable of the sower, how we till our hearts determines how well seeds of new growth take root. So, with popcorn in one hand and ticket stub in the other, movies continue to be a companion for life - images that sometimes point us to the Way, the Truth and the Life in ways we least expect.