Writing to Us
Thursday, September 11, 2008 2:29 AM
From: "kimguat goh"

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Dear All,

I was told that many of you wanted to write but were afraid that you would be intruding into our space and grief or that we would be inundated with too many emails . . please don't ever feel that . . we are very encouraged when you write, even if you do not know what to say . . it is not the words that are important to us, but the fact that you care enough to pray for us and support us through this time. . and to want to write.

So do feel free to write anytime . . thank you again for all your love and concern.

Love

kim guat and siu yin


On Thu, Sep 11, 2008 at 1:32 AM, kimguat goh wrote:

Dear All,

My apologies for being late in getting this out. I have been sitting and waiting upon the Lord, pondering in my heart as to what the Lord might want me to write.

As I have shared before, we have now entered a period of waiting . . it is a waiting upon Him, to seek Him and to allow Him to continue to teach us, mould and refine us as we try to process what He is doing through all this . . . and a waiting for Him to fulfil His promise regarding Yi Jien when His time is complete. So both Siu Yin and I have settled down, guarded in our hearts by His peace, to wait and learn His precious lessons . . . .

Waiting is one of them . . . Waiting is not always easy because you want the end to come and yet you do not know when it will come. When God says 'Soon' or 'it is coming', we learn again that His timing is not the same as our timing. We learn not to fret, not to ask that question always so dear to our hearts of 'Why' . . . but instead we have learned to accept this waiting as part of His larger purposes, a gift from Him to draw us closer to seek Him, and to learn from Him and about Him . . . and every day He continues to surprise us with His unfailing love. This phrase 'unfailing love' has stayed in my heart for a few days, from Psalm 147:11. Siu Yin has been encountering that unfailing love in her experience with God . . . I am processing that in my thoughts and allowing it to sink into my heart (you can see how very different we both are in how we relate to God and how He relates to us :-))

The importance of community and friends is another . . . we may all never fully realise the eternal signifcance of what has happened or is happening when through one single incident, God has drawn so many people together (probably in the thousands now), crossing the boundaries of age, race, gender, country and even religion . . and (for those who know Him), to pray in unity of heart, mind and purpose, not just that Yi Jien be delivered from death but also that His name be ultimately glorified. We leave that in His hands even as we continue to pray as He leads.

On a human level though, the prayer and emotional support and encouragement from this very extended community of faith has really kept us in faith, strength, peace and quiet joy. We would never have come to where we are without you all, and we really mean that.

Secondly, having good friends who journey with you, even if it is just one or two, helping you discern together what God is doing and process what you are going through, is very precious. Siu Yin and I are blessed not only to have one another to journey together but also a few good friends who are always there for us. May we all learn to be that kind of friend to one another, willing to walk alongside one another for as long as it takes, not necessarily always knowing what to say but being open to learn from His Spirit as we journey together. And may we also learn, where we are, to form and become that kind of loving community in Christ for one another . . . and for the many in this world who are looking for that kind of love, acceptance, and healing. To that end, we need each of us to allow the Lord to 'bend me, break me, mould me and use me.'

And so in the words of Spafford's hymn, it is still 'well with our souls.' God continues to encourage us through our daily times in His Word . . in the psalms (which many of you are also still encouraging us with) and for me in Isaiah 54 and 55.

May I leave us again with a song, this one sent to us yesterday from a young friend of Yi Jien. In her words, ". . . it felt like a gift . . . because it dwarfed my petty little discomforts so overwhelmingly, and because it was simply so beautiful in its truths."

This hymn was known as the love song of the 1904 Wesh revival. I am including the lyrics as well because the youtube version does not have the complete hymn.

(singer prefaces for about a minute before singing in English): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APrUPPC8bFY&feature=related


Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav'n's eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God's mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav'n's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.


At the end of it all, it is really all about God and His amazing love for us, isn't it . . to Him be all praise and glory forevermore.

His shalom, love and hope be with each of us,

Love

kim guat and siu yin