Grace

Earlier this week we had a funeral for a 99-year-old woman from church, Madame Tan Keok Neo.  One of her daughters is also a member of CERC, along with her (the daughter's) husband and children.  I asked one of the grandchildren at the funeral, "How long was your grandma a Christian?"  I was shocked by the answer.  "Three years."  She was converted at age 96!  She had been living with this daughter from CERC for years.  Another woman told me, "My mother-in-law has been living with us for years too, but we can hardly get her to set foot in a church."  These people in their 40s and 50s are first-generation Christians, whose parents and siblings in many cases still live in idolatry.  What a burden!  And what a BLESSING that this family who lost a loved one could have the comfort that their mother and grandmother is now in heaven!  As my husband said during his funeral speech on John 14:1-3, "Jesus does not come to take us to heaven until our place is prepared.  Madame Tan could not have gone to heaven five years ago.  Her place wasn't ready yet.  She didn't even know Jesus yet."  But now her place was ready, and she joined "the spirits of just men made perfect" (Hebrews 12:23).

I have been told a couple of times since moving here, referring to my Christian background, "You are more blessed than we are."  And I know what they mean, because who can deny the great blessing of growing up in a Christian family, with generations before me worshipping God and loving His truth, and myself knowing and loving God for as long as I can remember?  But I think that I am not "more blessed" than the people here--we are just blessed in different ways.  For what an amazing blessing to be chosen of God out of the heathen, idol-worshipping religions, and brought to the knowledge of the truth!  And then to be brought to the love of God at age 96!!  Wow.  That is amazing grace.  Each one of us can truly say, "By the grace of God I am what I am" (I Corinthians 15:10).

We thank God for "the word of his grace, which is able to build (us) up, and to give (us) an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32).