DEATH AND LIFE
Emilyn Tan
Between all that death and duplicity that’s lately been in the news, which has been the more disturbing for you?
The former is shrouded by finality, the latter is a sheath for darkness and dearth. One is a physical end, the other is its spiritual equivalent.
Neither is heartening.
“No one wants to die,” declared the headline of a mid-March BBC story on Ukraine’s teenage soldiers gearing up for their country’s war effort.1
The motley crew of young men interviewed did not have many words for their emotions, but it was clear they felt that duty was calling, honor was beckoning.
“Like any bunch of young lads who had decided they were no longer boys, laughing too loudly when told jokes to hide their nerves, or trying a bit of bravado”, they displayed a discomfort about how highly the odds would be stacked against them, down on the frontlines.
And yet, there they were in Kyiv, standing in line to be suited up after just 72 hours of basic military training. Surrender? Never.
Fight? Forever.
Even if nobody wanted to die.
A day later, there was news on the death of a pregnant woman wounded in a Russian air strike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol – a city by then mired in the clutches of a siege. Pelvis crushed and hip detached, the woman had been rescued but succumbed after losing her baby.2
The report included the detail that the Russian embassy in London had claimed the military assault was a hoax pulled by Ukraine – only to have Twitter remove its posts. There reportedly was clear evidence to the contrary, plain for all to see.
Lie? Not so clever.
What gives?
Let the politics of war be what it may. We can’t control what goes on there, but we can get a hold of our own response to all this dying and lying.
Surely it must be fear we feel; the chill of its grip has a hold on our hearts where the biblical prophecies converge.
With our ears we have heard of wars and rumors of wars. With our eyes we have seen nation rising against nation. There are famines and earthquakes in various places.
We cannot help but be reminded of Jesus’ forewarning that these are signs of “the beginning of birth pains”.3
“This must take place,” Jesus said. “But the end is not yet.”
There will be tribulation and death, hatred and betrayal, a falling away by many from the faith. Indeed, the increase in lawlessness will cause the love of many to grow cold.
We are alarmed in spite of His counsel not to be, because our true confession is: As individuals, a country, a Church, we are nowhere near braced for the testing that is to come.
The carnage in Ukraine is so horrifying that it has been described as hell.4 And, you mean, there’s worse?
Yet, the crux remains: The tomb is empty.
Christ is risen from the dead. His promise is: “The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.”5
While it will take the grace of holy courage to “not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”,6 in truth, we who call Jesus “Lord” have already tasted death – and been saved.
“Once we were dead in the trespasses and sins in which we once walked. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”7
The only war that really matters has already been won.
Surrender? Never.
Fight? Forever.
_______________
1 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60724560
2 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60734706
3 Matthew 24:6-7
4 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60651801
5 John 11:25
6 Matthew 10:28
7 Ephesians 2:1-10
UP NEXT
Good Friday is “good” because as terrible as our present situation and circumstance is, it is God’s greatest triumph over evil with the resurrection of Christ. It is this message of hope that we want to declare to the world.
When troubles grip and doubts abound
When help is nowhere to be found
I’ll remember
It’s only Friday
by Dr Kenny Tan
The poem is taken from “R A I S E D – Sunday is Coming” an online evangelistic presentation of music, poems, scriptures and declaration of the gospel. The video can be viewed from April 15, Good Friday to June 5, Pentecost Sunday. Participation and tickets to watch the concert will be made available at eagles.org.sg. Peter Chao, Founder of Eagles and evangelist will give an invitation for viewers to make a commitment or rededication to Christ.
The production is staged by a team of volunteers and staff consisting of singers, narrator, music arrangers, sound engineers, videographers and AV crew who labored to make the message of Easter meaningful and impactful. We would like to appeal to your kind consideration as we plan to raise $50,000 for this evangelistic undertaking. As the Lord enables, may you give as He has bestowed upon you abundantly. You can click to DONATE.
Thank you for your partnership in helping us share the joy of Easter found in Christ.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity
(A song to be sung at R A I S E D)
https://tinyurl.com/27AprNexTimeout
For Non-NEXLeaders subscribers, register at:
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Many spoke on their seasons of living abroad and how homesickness affected them, but particularly poignant was the experience of a person from Myanmar (and currently in Thailand) recounting living with war in 1993. The current conflict in Ukraine has confronted him with the memories of the suffering he endured as well as witnessed, and has brought back fear.
Peter wrapped up the hour-long session by saying: “When we talk about space and place we are talking about where we feel most ourselves and where we feel most fulfilled. The idea of homesickness is an indication that we are made for someplace else: Home is really in the abode of God’s presence.”
DEATH AND LIFE
Emily Tan
The former is shrouded by finality, the latter is a sheath for darkness and dearth. One is a physical end, the other is its spiritual equivalent.
Neither is heartening.
“No one wants to die,” declared the headline of a mid-March BBC story on Ukraine’s teenage soldiers gearing up for their country’s war effort.1
The motley crew of young men interviewed did not have many words for their emotions, but it was clear they felt that duty was calling, honour was beckoning.
“Like any bunch of young lads who had decided they were no longer boys, laughing too loudly when told jokes to hide their nerves, or trying a bit of bravado”, they displayed a discomfort about how highly the odds would be stacked against them, down on the frontlines.
And yet, there they were in Kyiv, standing in line to be suited up after just 72 hours of basic military training.
Surrender? Never.
Fight? Forever.
Even if nobody wanted to die.
A day later, there was news on the death of a pregnant woman wounded in a Russian air strike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol – a city by then mired in the clutches of a siege. Pelvis crushed and hip detached, the woman had been rescued but succumbed after losing her baby.2
The report included the detail that the Russian embassy in London had claimed the military assault was a hoax pulled by Ukraine – only to have Twitter remove its posts. There reportedly was clear evidence to the contrary, plain for all to see.
Lie? Not so clever.
What gives?
Let the politics of war be what it may. We can’t control what goes on there, but we can get a hold of our own response to all this dying and lying.
Surely it must be fear we feel; the chill of its grip has a hold on our hearts where the biblical prophecies converge.
With our ears we have heard of wars and rumors of wars. With our eyes we have seen nation rising against nation. There are famines and earthquakes in various places.
We cannot help but be reminded of Jesus’ forewarning that these are signs of “the beginning of birth pains”.3
“This must take place,” Jesus said. “But the end is not yet.”
There will be tribulation and death, hatred and betrayal, a falling away by many from the faith. Indeed, the increase in lawlessness will cause the love of many to grow cold.
We are alarmed in spite of His counsel not to be, because our true confession is: As individuals, a country, a Church, we are nowhere near braced for the testing that is to come.
The carnage in Ukraine is so horrifying that it has been described as hell.4 And, you mean, there’s worse?
Yet, the crux remains: The tomb is empty.
Christ is risen from the dead. His promise is: “The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.”5
While it will take the grace of holy courage to “not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”,6 in truth, we who call Jesus “Lord” have already tasted death – and been saved.
“Once we were dead in the trespasses and sins in which we once walked. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”7
The only war that really matters has already been won.
Surrender? Never.
Fight? Forever.
_______________
1 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60724560
2 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60734706
3 Matthew 24:6-7
4 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60651801
5 John 11:25
6 Matthew 10:28
7 Ephesians 2:1-10
UP NEXT
We are about 2 weeks away from Good Friday, April 15. What is so good about Good Friday when the future seems bleak and dark as we struggle to recover from the prolonged virus that has devastated many lives? The conflict in Europe also adds to the uncertainty and fear that might spiral into a worldwide catastrophe.
Good Friday is “good” because as terrible as our present situation and circumstance is, it is God’s greatest triumph over evil with the resurrection of Christ. It is this message of hope that we want to declare to the world.
When troubles grip and doubts abound
When help is nowhere to be found
I’ll remember
It’s only Friday
by Dr Kenny Tan
The poem is taken from “R A I S E D – Sunday is Coming” an online evangelistic presentation of music, poems, scriptures and declaration of the gospel. The video can be viewed from April 15, Good Friday to June 5, Pentecost Sunday. Participation and tickets to watch the concert will be made available at eagles.org.sg. Peter Chao, Founder of Eagles and evangelist will give an invitation for viewers to make a commitment or rededication to Christ.
The production is staged by a team of volunteers and staff consisting of singers, narrator, music arrangers, sound engineers, videographers and AV crew who labored to make the message of Easter meaningful and impactful. We would like to appeal to your kind consideration as we plan to raise $50,000 for this evangelistic undertaking. As the Lord enables, may you give as He has bestowed upon you abundantly. You can click to DONATE.
Thank you for your partnership in helping us share the joy of Easter found in Christ.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity
(A song to be sung at R A I S E D)
https://tinyurl.com/27AprNexTimeout
For Non-NEXLeaders subscribers, register at:
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Many spoke on their seasons of living abroad and how homesickness affected them, but particularly poignant was the experience of a person from Myanmar (and currently in Thailand) recounting living with war in 1993. The current conflict in Ukraine has confronted him with the memories of the suffering he endured as well as witnessed, and has brought back fear.
Peter wrapped up the hour-long session by saying: “When we talk about space and place we are talking about where we feel most ourselves and where we feel most fulfilled. The idea of homesickness is an indication that we are made for someplace else: Home is really in the abode of God’s presence.”