JAN 2009

Beloved Evangel Family,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

The year 2008 has just ended. Like other years, tragic and sad things had happened in 2008. But unlike other years, many of these events that happened in 2008 did seem to be magnified in proportion. The reason is because they happened on a global scale, affecting all nations of the world.

It is against this backdrop of gloom that the new year of 2009 has just been ushered in. But praise to the Lord. At our Watch Night Sharing on 31 Dec 2008, many came to share of the Lord’s grace and goodness. Though we ended at about 10.30 pm which was slightly later than scheduled, we all left with encouraged hearts and praising lips. Indeed, even in the mess of life, we see the Master at work.

It is with this spirit of thanksgiving and gratitude that I wish to share with you an excerpt of what I had shared with those who came that evening.

1. My ordination.

Though I had reservations about ordination in my early years of ministry, I have now overcome them and accepted ordination as God’s affirmation of my calling through the local church. My prayer is that whenever time and opportunities allow, I can serve beyond Evangel as our partnership with the bigger community of God’s people both within and without the Baptist denomination.

While writing my ordination papers, I was actually struggling to regain by visual sharpness because I had cataract surgeries on both eyes. The left eye was operated in Dec 2007 and it was a difficult recovery. The right eye was operated in April 2008, and thankfully, the recovery was very much faster. Trying to read and write my ordination papers was quite a challenge because of my diminished visual sharpness. But praise the Lord that I was able to complete and submit the papers on time.

This experience has taught me to thank God for His gift of sight and other physical faculties of my body. I am also grateful for His grace in keeping me going even in times when I feel weakened in body, mind and spirit.

2. My daughters in Evangel.

One main concern I had when I returned to Evangel was how my girls would integrate with the young people. They left Cherith almost immediately after a very exciting mission trip with the young people of that church to Northern Thailand. Just when they seemed to have bonded well together, I brought them back to Evangel in 2007. It seemed a cruel thing for a father to do to his children—taking them away from their friends.

The year of 2008 had been a very active year for my girls as they participated in the various youth activities, very much without the cajoling of their parents. I could sense their enthusiasm whenever the young people had things coming up or going on. I praise God that they are now definitely more comfortable with the other young people of this church. I pray that our young people will continue to grow in fellowship with one another and in service for the Lord.

I want to thank God for the young people of Evangel who have accepted my girls as teens like them who need friends, fun, and faith in the Lord even though they are pastor’s kids.     

3. Church love in action.

There were many calls to render financial help in 2008—to people whom we know and whom we don’t know. Those devastated by the cyclone in Myanmar had suffered much loss and pain. When the call came, we gave. Even when this killer cyclone had hardly died down, a massive earthquake rocked Sichuan in China. Again, many people were killed, injured, or scarred for life both physically and emotionally. When the call came, we gave. When it was openly clear to us that Junkiat’s health would need the best medical attention he could get, we gave.

I want to thank God for the spirit of giving in the Evangel family. We give with charity and generosity yet with a good measure of prudence. May He continue to help us be a church that receives His blessings with thanksgiving and gives in His Name with faith.

How has the Lord challenged and encouraged me in the light of these happenings as I step into 2009? Here are some closing thoughts as I respond to this question:

• I want to affirm the Lord’s promise in Psalm 60:5—“Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.”
  
  
• The righteous right hand of God is always able. Uncertainties are always there in life. Perhaps, even more so in the year of 2009. But the Lord promises to be with us.
  
  
• The Lord delivers those whom He loves. I cannot earn the love of God with what I do. But I can certainly show my love of God by pleasing Him with what I do.
  
  
• I want to resolve not to allow difficult circumstances determine how I should respond, but to respond to these according to how the Lord wants me to.

I trust that this short sharing will go a long way in encouraging you to step into 2009 with an eye on God working in the midst of many uncertainties. May we all move into 2009 with faith in Him and not fear in our circumstances.

I wish you all a BLESSED NEW YEAR.

A Fellow Pilgrim in Him,
Pastor John

Tel: 6749-2990 (O) 9789-2414 (HP) Email: johnyuencw@gmail.com