有一位神

What if the last time you saw someone, she appeared fairly healthy and the doctors had given her many more months to live? What if all future plans were about possible cures, the alleviation of bedsore problems and what she would do after she got out of hospital? What if you planned to talk to her about her very recent declaration of faith? What if she had questions about God and suffering that you planned to answer in private and at leisure?

And what if you get an sms the very next day that tells you that all plans are off. She is dead.

What did she really believe in? Did she trust in the right God? Why didn't we just answer her questions there and then? There is shock. Then grief and sorrow. Then lamentation and regret.

Then realisation what trust in God is about:

• trusting in God is trusting in his grace to save. Salvation is not about ticking a theological box but about God's undeserved favour. We are all saved by his grace alone, not beause we are good and deserve to be saved, not because of anything that we have done or could ever do, but purely because of God's mercy;
• trusting in God is trusting in his character of goodness and faithfulness; that he will always do the right thing and that he will always gather those that are his to himself, no matter what they have or have not done;
• trusting in God is trusting in his ability to do all that his Son has promised: there are many rooms in his house and Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. We trust that if we believe in him, there is no fear in death and no dreadful judgement and painful emptiness after death, but confidence and assurance in death and salvation from God's wrath and life everlasting after death.
  

The song that Boon Yong sang at his ordination was on repeat mode in my mind:
(1)
有一位神
有權能創造宇宙萬物
也有溫柔雙手安慰受傷靈魂
有一位神
有權柄審判一切罪惡
也有慈悲體貼人的軟弱

(2)
有一位神
有權能創造宇宙萬物
也有溫柔雙手安慰受傷靈魂
有一位神
高坐在榮耀的寶座
卻死在十架挽救人墮落

有一位神
我們的神
唯一的神
名叫耶和華
有權威榮光
有恩典慈愛
是昔在今在永在的神

Some people resent Christians talking about the gospel at Christian funerals. But therein lies the truth, the good news, the hope and the comfort that only God, and no one else, can give! What miserable solace can you get from condolence cards that wish fruitlessly that "time may somehow ease your loss" or that "your memories may comfort you for tomorrow"? None. But that you too will die fearful, anxious and alone someday.