FORGET NOT ALL GOD'S BENEFITS

Shepherd’s Guidance 10/2020

25 April 2020

Forget Not all God’s Benefits

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2).

We may have heard bits and pieces of the emergency period in our country. Those were the days of strict control of movement. Security forces were on high alert to fight the enemies of the country. New villages were formed to bring the Chinese families especially those who were living in scattered locations to one location. Every movement in and out of the village will be checked in a stringent manner.

Days were hard; those were the days of our parents and grandparents. Our present generation may not know such living conditions. History is not an important subject of learning nowadays as it is considered as having no economic value. But what we are now is in the development of history. We do well to learn from history. Those who had gone through hard times are more appreciative of the basic necessities that we are enjoying now. Simple traditional food are welcomed as such food may be considered as a luxury in hard times. Plain rice with fried egg mixed with lard was considered a treat!

As we enter into the second month of Movement Control Order, we are more orientated with such kind of living. Those who love to go to the streets have adjusted to staying at home. Suddenly parents have to take the role of teacher at home, the professional teachers had become broadcasters. There is a long queue to buy meat and vegetables at the market with social distance applied. Those who feel that this a waste of time will choose to buy online. Barber service is not available to ladies and gentlemen. Some have used unorthodox ways to cut their hair. Some learned from YouTube and applied straight to their family members. It is not important to look smart now as long as their hair is trimmed. Basic necessities are being appreciated much now. The traditional grocery shop business has been revived in this period of time. People just want to buy basic things at the nearest location. After all, we have to give strong reasons to travel to a favourite shopping centre.

We may not enjoy this kind of lifestyle at this moment. This is a simple lifestyle, family members are brought together in an unusual way. Before this, each member may hardly have time together. Thanks to work, studies and other distractions. Now we are living together day and night. It is a blessing in disguise. Such days are hard to come by. It is a time for serious thought about life.

Our life will be different after this. The world will be different from now. We may see the new world order a bit clearer. The pandemic COVID-19 has shaken the world up to a harsh reality. Those nations who are ill-prepared for such pandemic are at the mercy of the virus and losing many precious lives. What will happen next is unknown to us. We can only look to God for grace and mercy. 

We just live one day at a time. His grace is sufficient to meet the daily trials. "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). Those who do not trust the Lord as their God and Helper are under undue stress. They are worried about the future of their business and their assets. It is pitiful they cannot sleep well. The psychiatric specialists may have their hands full after the semi lockdown. We who have Jesus Christ as our Saviour ought to be thankful for the peace we have. Otherwise we will be having sleepless nights like the unbelievers. May the Lord use us to reach out to such poor souls. Man is not captain of their own ship and master of their own fate. Sooner or later we will realise our frailty and limitations. How we need the salvation of the Lord. He is gracious to save us from the bondage of sin. He is also our present help.

We ought to count our blessings and name them one by one. First of all, we are thankful that we are still alive. The breath in our nostrils is given freely by God. Thank God for sparing our lives. This should cause us to worship God only and serve Him. May His good will be done in our life. The parents should rehearse the goodnesses of the Lord weekly to the next generation especially on the Lord’s Day. It is good to number the blessings received at the close of the Lord’s Day. If we were to maintain such practice weekly, our next generation will sense the presence of the Lord in our lives. The kindness of our neighbours should be appreciated. We are thankful to the Lord. Nothing happens by luck or fortune. The Lord uses different people even non-believers to do His bidding. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. May the Lord cultivate the grace of thankfulness in us. A thankful heart is appreciative of the Lord’s doing in life. Out of divine goodness, we receive many blessings for which we should take note. Let us sing the Doxology while we still have breath.

Rev. Lee Kim Shong