Dear Brethren,
Drought in Singapore
February was Singapore’s driest month since 1869, according to Singapore’s National Environment Agency. During the month, there were only seven days of short showers, with some areas receiving as little as 0.2mm of rain. Many of us would have noticed many patches of grass have turned dry and yellow. Indeed without the rain, the grasses around us have all withered away so quickly. This verse from the Bible always rings in my mind and heart when I see all these withered grasses.
“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” 1 Peter 1:24
How true is the description of the Word of God about us who are flesh and blood, mere mortal man. In a quick moment, like grass, our life will wither away whether it is through sickness or accident or old age. No one can escape this reality that our life is as grass.
Yet we find man boasting of their achievements and success and material possessions. Apparently we see all these glory of man and think they are forever. But listen to what God has to say in His Holy Bible – man’s glory is like the flower of the grass. Tell me how long can a flower last in its beauty? The flower will fall away and perish in a quick moment too. Where can we place our hope then? Not in man who is as grass neither in man’s glory which is as flower of the grass. The Bible gives us the answer in the next verse.
“But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
1 Peter 1:25
Put your trust in what will endure and last forever. This is none other than the Word of God. The true and living God has given us His Word for us to know and believe in Him. His way is the everlasting way to eternity in Heaven. Let the Word of God be our hope and light in life always!
Malaysian Airline MH370
We are all saddened by the disappearance of the Malaysian airline MH370 with 239 passengers and crew on board. In a moment, the plane just disappeared from the radar screen and the lives on board are all feared dead. All holiday plans on earth; all hopes of getting a higher education; all hopes of making more money; all hopes of buying a house or car; these hopes vanish in that moment from all these 239 lives. How scary and fearful if it should happen to us. But the reality is that it can happen to any of us any time. This verse from the Bible immediately rings in me when I heard of this sad news.
“For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time,
and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14b.
Beloved, we have only one short and brief life. How do you want to spend it? We come into this world empty-handed and we will depart empty too. Dust we are made and dust we will return. Only our soul is eternal and one day we will face God to answer for what we have done in this world. Whenever we read of such disaster like this airplane incident, there must be only one response from us as taught by the Lord Jesus Christ :
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
Elder John Leong