The day when I first started writing this week’s pastoral letter was my fifth day after testing positive to Covid.
For over two years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have all been vigilant to avoid contracting the virus. With the majority of the people in New South Wales vaccinated and the government lifting Covid restrictions, the chances of catching Covid have also increased. I honestly didn’t expect to catch the disease, given the fact that I had always been vigilant and had taken all three vaccination shots. When I began to feel unwell last week, then followed by a positive test result, it did take me by surprise. I asked: “Why me?” But on second thoughts, perhaps my question should have been “ Why not me?”
During this week of sickness and leave, I am very grateful to the brothers and sisters of the Mandarin congregation for their support and prayers. In particular, I am thankful to Pastor Esther Wang for her help in taking up the sermon and bible study duties on Sunday. Many brothers and sisters have also shared their care and concern. I am feeling much better now on the fifth day. Thank God for his healing grace!
I experienced a deep sense of love and care from family, brothers and sisters and friends during this time. The saying “Adversity is a test of true friendship” is real. When adversity happens, that’s when we know how precious our bond is.
On the other hand, when I was unwell and there was nothing much I could do, that’s an opportunity for me to be still and draw close to God. The Bible teaches us to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. It is indeed not easy to be thankful in times of adversity, but giving thanks is the way to help us change our focus from ourselves to God, so that we will no longer be immersed in our limitations and difficulties, but be open to what the Lord would like us to see and learn from the situation.
My biggest lesson learnt during this time is that the Lord is the One who opens our eyes to see our inner being during difficulties. There is no time to reflect on our life and our inner being in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But this week, I was able to once again reflect on my life and take stock of my inner being and refocus on the Lord Himself. When we are busy, we tend to push God aside. By God’s grace, this time of rest and recovery has allowed me to slow down and draw close to God again.
At the same time, I realised how fragile life is. The reality is that there is nothing we can really depend on in life – neither wealth, nor health. All things will pass one day, and we can only depend on our Lord Jesus Christ, who is with us from here to eternity. He should be the one whom we seek to follow and obey. We are thankful for the opportunity to know Him, to have our sins forgiven, to call Him our Saviour and to have eternal life. No matter what difficulties we face on this earth, they are only temporary; only Jesus Christ is our everything.
It is my prayer that all brothers and sisters can be filled with joy in Christ and stay healthy physically and spiritually. Let us learn to be thankful in all circumstances.
預備寫這周牧聲的時候,是我剛剛得了新冠肺炎的第五天。
從新冠病毒爆發到現在,兩年多的時間,我們都一直努力的避免被感染。但隨著紐省大部分人口都打了疫苗,政府對疫情放鬆之際,被傳染的可能性,也隨之增加。
但沒想到,一直努力的避免被感染,已經打了三針疫苗,守著兩年多後沒有感染,最後還是終於發生在自己身上。上星期感到身體不適, 驗出結果時,自己都不相信。我在問,為什麼會是我得病?但病毒不認人,想了想,或應該是問,為什麼不是我?
在這星期感染及請假期間,要感謝國語堂弟兄姊妹的幫忙及禱告,特別是王琰傳道,她臨時受命,幫忙代替我星期天的證道及查經。還有很多弟兄姊妹的愛心問候及支持。到了第五天,病情已經好很多了。感謝神的醫治。
在這生病的過程中,最大的體會,是家人,親人,弟兄姊姊及朋友之間的愛及關懷。患難見真情,是很真實的。無論平時我們的表現是怎樣,但到了有事情發生時,是更看到我們彼此之間的真情是何等的寶貴。
另外,在這星期,正當我什麼都不能做的時候,也就可以再次平靜的親近神的時候。想到,聖經中教導我們,凡事謝恩,因為這是神在我們身上的旨意。在患難中感恩,的確是不容易,但這種基督徒特有的舉動,卻是引導我們的眼光,從自己身上,轉移回神身上,不再看自己有限的處境及難處,而是看到神在這事情中,帶給我們的信息。
在這生病期間,對神最大的體會是,衪是在患難中,讓我們看到自己生命的神。平時很忙碌,可能都沒有時間檢視自己的生活及生命。但這星期,看到了自己生命的需要,重新檢視了生活的重點是應該再次回歸到神身上。在忙碌中,我們可以做很多事情。但卻把神忘了。這次生病,讓我停下來,再次親近神,實在是衪的恩典。
同時,也看到了,無論我們自己的生命是多麼的脆弱。我們在世,能靠得住的東西,真的沒有什麼,不是金錢,也不是健康。只有耶穌基督,是我們永遠的依靠,有一天我們什麼都會失去,但只有永恆的基督,是可以永遠與我們同在的主。只有衪是我們一生追求的主。感恩我們都有機會認識,而且信靠主成為我們的救主,我們的罪被赦免。我們可以得著永生,與衪永遠同在。無論在世上有怎樣的難處,都只是暫時的,一切都會過去,唯有耶穌基督,是我們的一切。
祝願每一位弟兄姊姊,在主耶穌基督裡,充滿喜樂,心身靈都健壯,讓我們一起學習凡事謝恩。
