Behold the Lamb

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us: and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.

So we share in this Bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice,
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
Torn for you: eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life,
Paid the price to make us one.

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you: drink and remember
He drained death's cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.

And so with thankfulness and faith
We rise to respond: and to remember.
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.

As we share in His suffering,
We proclaim: Christ will come again!
And we'll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King.

We sang this song in church today. It's more a communion song, but we didn't have the Holy Communion today. Still I think it was very meaningful and parts of it made me cry.

I remember when The Passion of Christ just came out we cried buckets of tears over the crucifixion scene. I remember I cried primarily because such brutality was inflicted upon Christ because of my sins. I cried because of what He went through.

Today I cried because as always, I am reminded of His love for me and how miraculous, how undeserving, how powerful, that saving grace is. It's more than Christ just going through a brutal death so that we may live. It's so much more than that. Not just so that those who believe in Him passively escape hellfire into a safe place called heaven. No, if that is what you believe in you totally downplay the magnitude of your salvation.

If you're a believer you were saved unto justification, sanctification, and glorification. Men who before this hated God, and do not know Him; justified from the guilt of sin, sanctified to live a new life, and ultimately glorified with the ranks of being a 'child of God'. Absolute security, absolute love, absolute grace for each day, now and forever. No guilt in life, no fear in death. Freedom to escape condemnation from sin so that we may learn to live a life without sin. Security in knowing that God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Security in knowing we are loved with everlasting love, and nothing can move us from His love. All this done through the cross, so that whomsoever who believes, shall not perish (in sin), but have everlasting life.

How can the knowledge of this not change your life. How can this not just fill up your heart and your life and how can you not make knowing Him your priority after what He has done for you.

In the past two days, I've quietly listened through a series of conversations from someone I appreciate and respect that broke my heart. How do you respond to someone who has given up hope that he can be right with God again and that's the way it's going to stay? How do you encourage someone who has attempted to give up a vice for as long as a year, only to relapse into it again due to physical weakness (literally)? When serving in church is viewed as a burden because people 'pull you in' and you're obliged to do it again and again? When the main aim of working day in and day out is so that you get a decent pay and you improve your life and then what? Life is so short. Too short. And it's literally burning away.

The saddest thing is after hearing all this I don't know what to say. It's all and well to pull out Bible verses and say, "I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength." I believe in this, and it helps me, but will it help another who has given up in believing in this? Who has given up in depending on the Lord to saved him in saving him again? I do not know the right things to say and have only remained silent. Who am I to say I've been through the same struggles? I have not.

But thank God when words fail, I can still pray. And thank Him that when I don't understand - He does. And thank Him that although a man's love for God can fail, God's love for His chosen does not fail. It is an encouragement for me. And I still believe that there's room for grace even in what I think is a difficult situation for there is nothing too hard for God to overcome.

And I believe that even though I'm really bad at talking and encouraging people, I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

莫忘初衷

做工久了, 会时而麻木, 时而感慨.

得常提醒自己, 自己当初想进入药剂这行业是为什么, 自己个人在公司里想为上帝做什么.

当工作只是一个规律时, 看不见自己的小小贡献可以挽救生命, 或提高某人的生活素质.

看到自己的上司, 有时也会忘记自己在谁的权威下工作.

我事奉的要是上帝, 不是人.

我要进取不为了自己要往上升.

我的工作要进步, 因为我要为药物的使用者负责任.

做久了, 有时只想追求自己喜欢的事.

忘记 - 这个行业是个奉献, 是个责任.

忘记我是为了这个责任, 而选择在这个行业发展下去.

所以要提醒自己: 莫忘初衷.

这样才能达到我要进取的方向.

I Like This Quote

Still, I'm trying to finish my big, borrowed analytical instrument text book as soon as I can. And today I've leafed to page 100 ++! Because I skipped like 80 plus pages which was about electrical circuits.

Filling Up Those Time-Pockets

I think I should be pretty happy and satisfied now. I've got two things in my hand to fill up my time when I'm at home, and that doesn't include shopping (which I usually do).

Firstly, I got to serve as transcriber for my pastor's daily audio devotionals. Link as below.

http://www.youtube.com/evangelistmikeredick

The transcribing just started out so not every day is transcribed yet. There's also Pastor Jason's devotionals but so far I'm only doing Pastor Mike's, which I feel is the more challenging one because he talks quite quickly. Sometimes it is necessary for me to listen many times before I completely get what he says. And the speed at which he talks made me feel inclined to speed-type too, so my first transcribe ended with my last fingers of both hands feeling rather dead.

I'm glad to be able to serve in this area, as the devotionals are also spiritual food to my soul, and I hope, to many souls as well. As usual, I sometimes have my doubts about this non face-to-face outreach thing, always wondered that who would come across such devotionals besides regular church members (if they are interested), unless the pastor or preacher is a really famous one. Oh me of little faith! I always need to remind myself that God can use any channel, any vessel, in His own time and way to convict and convert. I need to learn to trust in His power and grace.

Another thing which I'm doing now is trying to read a 1,000 over page text book on laboratory instrumental analysis lent to me by my team leader. So far it has been three days and due to various reasons (such as need for huge sleep amounts for night shifts), I have only read 5 pages. Will try to be do better in the coming off-rest. :( Still I can see why this is going to be a useful book. I won't be ploughing through the whole book entirely, but at least I would be able to finish reading most of the relevant parts and it will help me develop in my job. I'm really thankful for my team leader's generosity in offering to lend me his book, and being willing to explain things that I don't understand.

Today was another of those Sundays where I go to church after night shift. My colleagues probably think it's a length too far to go for 'religious obligations', but I feel otherwise. I sustain myself to going to church after night shifts not because of any virtue of myself, but only because God is worthy of worship. Going to church weekly doesn't make us 'good' because it's some responsibility we managed to fulfill, but it is solely because God's greatness and goodness demands this worship.

When I was considering whether or not to take up this shift job this was my primary concern. Will I be missing church regularly because of shift work? Will I put my work before my worship? I think to some extent there is already some compromise. Like how I leave BS half-an hour early for night shift. Like how I miss Sunday service every once a month because of morning shifts. Therefore I make it a point not to miss any services that I could attend.

It is not easy to stay awake after night shifts. Because it's not enough just to drag myself to church, I need to stay alert all through as well, otherwise it will be meaningless. Thank God so far He has sustained me with His strength and love. Every time when I sing for worship after night shifts, I am so glad in my heart that I came, because I feel His sustaining power and grace. Because I feel His worthy-ship.