Lord’s Day, Vol. 11 No. 8

Visitations

Thank God for a blessed time of fellowship with Mdm. Lim Mei Chan on 17 February 2023 at her home. It was Mdm. Lim’s 95^th birthday. A birthday card was presented to her. The Lord’s Supper was administrated. Psalm 121 was read for her encouragement.

^KJV Psalm 121:1 <A Song of degrees.> I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. ² My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. ³ He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. ⁴ Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. ⁵ The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. ⁶ The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. ⁷ The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. ⁸ The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. 

Mdm. Lim was with the church from the beginning since August 2013. Her name was submitted for the initial registration of the church. She is the oldest member of the church. She walks slowly now. Thank God for sustaining her. Thank God for giving her good health and strength. She affirmed her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. She enquired after my family. She sent her greetings to the church family. Mdm. Lim’s daughter Siok Lan requested a picture be taken to remember this blessed occasion.

The man, blind from birth, was gloriously healed by Jesus. This is an inspiring text for our spiritual strengthening. 

Jesus sought him out

¹And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. ² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? ³ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 

Notice that it was Jesus who came to the blind man to effect the miracle. The man was blind and so physically lost that life seemed so desperately hopeless. Can any good be spoken of such a disadvantaged life? Not until Jesus came into his life. The man was re-connected with his Creator. Jesus made his life wholesome from that day onwards. The physical healing is done for our spiritual benefit so that we may acknowledge Jesus as the Giver and Restorer of life. Life came given back to him in that he was able, for the first time in his life, to see. Sight is such a glorious gift but the greater gift of eternal life this man received, to know Jesus and to receive Him as Lord and Saviour.

I recalled sharing the biography of an Indian gentleman Mr Ron Chandran-Dudley (1934-2015) entitled “The Man With A Mission – A Life Well-Lived” during that outing. It was given to me by his dear Jewish wife Rena during a visitation to her home last year arranged by a close friend of hers, Sister Lillian Tiru, to share the gospel with her with the prayer that she will come to receive Jesus Christ as her only Lord and Saviour.

Ron was an only child born into a Ceylonese immigrant family who had to shelve his dreams of becoming a brain surgeon when he found out that he would not be able to see again. He overcame the challenges his disability presented and found love and the drive to fulfil his mission of helping others with disabilities in Singapore and overseas. He testified how he received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour after he saw a bright light in the corner of his room. He described the incident, “It was there (the light) for I know not how long but as long as I was kneeling in prayer. I felt calmer. With peace in my mind and heart, I went to bed. I was awakened by the warmth of the morning sun shining through my window. To this day, this phenomenon is scorched in my mind and I still hold this experience in awe. This is to me a sign of His everlasting love, protection and guidance in everything I do and everywhere I travelled. Some have asked me: “How did you possibly see the light when you are totally blind?” I reply, “Therein lies the Mystery.””

Jesus Is the Light of the World

⁴ I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

When a man knows Jesus Christ, even if he is blind, Jesus is the Light that guides such a life with strength, meaning and purpose. More than physical healing is spiritual healing from the ravages of sin in one’s life. With spiritual healing comes peace and joy in the heart. No physical ailment can dampen the spirit of a revived soul.

1 John 3:2-3 (KJV) ² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. ³ And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  

Jesus died for our sins and three days later rose from the dead, victorious over sin and death. The resurrection body has no blemish. When Jesus returns, He creates for us a glorious body like His that is perfect! No disability in this life can take away the hope of the eternal life to come when we meet Jesus at His return. This gives the Christian strength to live life and be that, holy life.

Jesus Heals

⁶ When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, ⁷  And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The process of healing was elaborate. The man understood that Jesus was the man who healed him. He felt the clay on his eyes mixed with Jesus’ spittle! He was able to make his way to a washing pool as instructed by Jesus to wash away the mud on his face. And lo and behold, he came seeing. Imagine the joy in the heart of this man. Indescribable! Jesus gave him eternal life that day. This is the crux of the miracle that all men may come and receive Jesus.

A visitation was made to Sister Lillian Tiru’s home on 17 February 2023. She has just been discharged from the hospital the day before after treatment for an ailment in the stomach. Thank God for a successful colonoscopy. The Lord’s Supper was administered. Sister Lillian Tiru was baptised on 19 July 2015 by our late Pastoral Advisor Rev Dr Tow Siang Hwa.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee