Dear...
'....But I will trust in You.'
Psalm 55:23
Trust is a rare commodity in the corporate world today. In banking,
trust was the very basis for their existence, as trusted intermediaries.
Sadly, this is no longer the case where paradoxically, the best brains
from the Ivy League Universities with the best quality education seem
to have conveniently discarded strong moral fiber, the bedrock of any
decent society.
Trust in God. No issue here with our perfect Father in Heaven. Yet the
imperfect us often struggle with letting go and letting Him.
All of us will have gone through our "Mark" moment.
In the Gospel of Mark 4:35
Christ said to His disciples "let us cross over to the other side."
In the crossing of the Sea of Galilee, a severe storm hit, and the
fearful disciples pleaded with the seemingly nonchalant Christ.
And in Mark 4:40. Christ rebuked them
"Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"
And thanks be to God, this verse was what I read in the morning. God's
preparation for in the same morning a couple of hours later, a storm hit me, but I
was able to cross over confidently, because Christ was with me. And
hence begins a new leg of my life, a life that for the first time in my
career, I left a secular job with no next one planned. But on the
knowledge that God has called me to "step out and start with Japan."
Beyond this sentence, I know not what is next, but I know God does and I
know Him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUfytIUQ4s4&feature=youtu.be
(do listen to this wonderful song)
And on this note, while I now wait upon our Lord, and even in these few
days of being an FIT (free independent traveler), His presence and care
is very palpable. That every day is a testimony of His grace.
But do allow me to share my 2nd testimony of the past, this time on
God's call to me to write a book, more specifically an art book. To use
art to share the gospel.
It was in April 2009, at the lows of the financial markets, post
subprime. Our good Lord impressed upon me that He will return me
whatever I have lost in my prudent investments in the markets. But He
wanted me to do 4 things, one of which was to publish an art book. To
use creation to reflect God our Creator. A pretty tall order for me,
much as I love to write and have been collecting lovely Japanese art,
the key missing element was I needed a good publisher whose heart must
be for our Lord, to do this endeavor well.
Having suffered no serious collateral damage in the subprime, I knew and
experienced God's grace, and was unhesitating in obeying, much as I
wasn't sure of what comes beyond the next step. When we obey, God will provide and in less than 3 days, I received a greeting card from an art
book publisher whose heart is for our Lord. Now a dear sister in Christ
to me, this then stranger gladly came on board with me after hearing my
story and we were all set to go.
And indeed God provides, for the book "A traveler's muse" needed an apt
cover and our good Lord a week before He planted this art book idea, led
me to a gallery in Tanglin Shopping Centre, a place I had least expected to
find a lovely Japanese suzuribako ( lacquered writing box) decorated
with a scene of travelers on the old road to Edo( present day Tokyo)
With our Lord, there will always be many elements of surprise, for then
will we acknowledge that indeed all things are possible through Him. The
book was written in 6 short nights, possible only by His grace. But
came the day of printing, the cover picture ( see picture) which was
supposed to have an azure blue sky above the travelers, went missing, at
least the blue clouds.
Printing was halted for one night and in that night as I seek our Lord,
He brought me to the Book of Ezekiel. A verse I had never read before
but which aptly describe what the cover picture denoted. That most of us
in life's journey are so burdened by our pursuit of worldly issues,
that we have not been cognizance of God's loving omnipresence.
'This is the law of the temple. The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.'
Ezekiel 43:12
And our loving Father always affirms. And in that same reading, He brought me to Ezekiel 43:2
'And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the
east. His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone
with His glory.'
This verse was new to me as well. But it describes in vivid details the
vision I had a few years earlier of this same scene when our Lord lifted
me up from my son's bed.
And He gave me this word "orison" which means "to pray" A ministry God has placed me intimately in these past decade.
All glory to God our Father.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
20 Nov 2015
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