The Purpose of Suffering

I was last week struck with a note taken about eight months ago when I was in India. It was a lecture on suffering given by a Christian Indian leader.

The Purposes (Benefits?) of Suffering: 1. Suffering helps us to shape our characters 2. Suffering helps us to recognize our true friends 3. Suffering reveals the truth inside us 4. Suffering helps us to hope on the more glorious eternity 5. Suffering helps us to be free from the bound with earthly things 6. Suffering gives us opportunity to think about God 7. Suffering helps us to understand that God suffers with us 8. Suffering helps us to be more sensitive with others who are suffering 9. Suffering helps us to be more open in relationship with others 10. Through suffering, God is working for our good

My Dissertation Supervisor

My dissertation supervisor hold two doctorates. He completed his PhD in physic before entering the wild world of theology and end up with another PhD. We had a long conversation concerning my draft last Friday. Some of you may already know that conversation with dissertation supervisor will normally results in the encouragement to improve the quality, to modify the argument, or worse to rework what you have submitted. Academic supervisors normally say that our methodology needs to be modified, our argument needs to be more focus, that we need more resources to support that argument, or again worse that we do not pose any distinguish and significant argument in our work. I was reminded that as students, we should be expecting to receive more criticism rather than praise and appreciation. A friend of mine who just completed his PhD with distinction said that many if not all research students have been verbally 'abused' and 'insulted' - harsh and sarcastic criticism is not unusual. I myself went through similar experiences - and please accept my apology since sometimes I do the same thing to my own students. What can we say? Attending academic institution is not aimed to prove, but to improve our academic ability. To achieve this purpose, often 'abusive' words are needed if not required. As students we sometimes are in the state of uncertainty, posed by so many unanswerable questions beyond our highest possible rationale. We often feel being so stupid and unworthy. Many students think about giving up their study. The 'promised land' seems to be very far away - and the road to that land seems to be thorny. I benefited from the conversation with my supervisor last Friday and I am so grateful for that. I learnt from his critical thought and the depth of his reflection. His contribution certainly will improve the quality of my dissertation and avoid unnecessary shameful 'blunder' arguments. More interestingly however is his unfailing commitment not to separate academy from the church. Academic achievement should not end in itself. To be honest, Christianity has suffered from the discontinuity of academic theological education from the pastoral responsibilities of the church. Similar but in different setting, many Christians unfortunately live in discontinuity from the message of the Bible. The most impressive experience with my supervisor happened a few days before the conversation. In public (small group prayer of 10 faculty and students), he prayed for me and my study. Wow!!!! What a wonderful treasure to have an academic supervisor who prays for his own pupil! He sharply criticizes me but at the same time he compassionately prays for me. He does what we understand as 'ora et labora.'

God is Beyond Our Description

In 1986, Mark Altrogge wrote a very beautiful song picturing the depth of God's wisdom and love. Here is the lyric: You are beautiful beyond description, too marvellous for words, too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? Who can fathom the depth of Your love? You are beautiful beyond description, Majesty, enthroned above. And I stand, I stand in awe of You; I stand, I stand in awe of You. Holy God, to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of You. I first heard and sang this song in December 1993 during the funerary mourning service of an influential evangelist and close friend of mine, Jerimia Rim. The wisdom and the love of God are truly beyond my description. Why God decided to end a life of a very fruitful evangelist in his most productive years (he was only 41 when he was died)? We do not have the answer. We cannot ask 'why' to God. To reconstruct the mind of God will result in futility. I believe that this strangeness was experienced by his family, close friends and those who love him. Altrogge's beautiful song carries two significant messages. First, the author knows that God is great, and he therefore desires to picture God's greatness. Unfortunately, as indicated by the lyric, the author fails: God is beyond description. His wisdom is too high to be grasped; His love is too deep to be comprehended. So, instead of successfully picturing God, the author of this song has to admit that he fails. His failure however is the very point where we can see and experience the beauty of God. We often if not always fail to comprehend God. 'Readers, please be careful if you feel that you understand God!' Once we claim that we understand God, we may fall into a manipulative process of formulating idea about God. Our conception of God is often driven by our self-centred desires. To be honest, we often create an unbiblical image of God. Instead of making God like an laboratory object of research, the song invites us to let God alone in His infinite beauty. Second, regardless of our 'permanent' disability to comprehend the wisdom and love of God, the author rightly encourages us to keep 'standing in awe of God.' Praising God is wthout question our 'unpaid' duty even if God does not fit with our expectation. While the song indicates the failure of the author to comprehend God - to be fair - the song also shows that the author is successful in keeping his commitment to worship God. This is in fact the true worship: a thanksgiving and praise to God even in the midst of difficult situation, when God seems to be far away from our desire. This reflection is written in remembrance of our brother, Jerimia Rim. Thirteen years ago (few months before he died), he led me a personal tour in the brand new church building in Putat Gede, and shared me his vision for the city of Surabaya. For Meliani, JR, and all people who love and respect him, may this song brings comfort and renewal in our commitment to serve God that is not always easily comprehended.

Living in God's Light - Living by Grace (1 Jn 1.5-2.8)

The first epistle of John believes that Christian identity is straightly related to living in the light as a contrast against living in darkness (1 Jn 1.5-2.8). 1. Jesus came to the world to preach that 'God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all' (1 Jn 1.5). To believe in God through Jesus, His Son means to live (literally: 'to walk') not in darkness (1 Jn 1.6-7). Our Christian identity is defined by our fellowship with both God and other believers; and our fellowship with God and with other believers is described by the way we live. Note: the fellowship with other believers is discussed in 1 Jn 2.9-11). 2. Through the blood of Jesus, we who believe in Him are cleansed and purified (1 Jn 1.7). The blood of Jesus is effective only to those who admit and confess their sins before God (1 Jn 1.8-9). The blood of Jesus enables believers to live in the light over against the darkness. The community of believers is the fellowship of women and men who have been purified and cleansed by the blood of Jesus and called to walk a righteous life. Believers are women and men with new identity and new ethics. The very foundation of Christian ethics is therefore the cleansing by the precious blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus is the prime motivation and the only enabler for believers to live in God's light. 3. The fellowship in God is marked by consistently keeping and obeying the truth of the Word of God (1 Jn 2.4-6). The old era has passed, now we live in a new era (1 Jn 2.8). Living in God's light means stop sinning and discontinue to live in sinful behaviour! (1 Jn 2.1). But even if we fail to live a righteous life, the forgiveness of God prevails and is available for those who admit and confess their sins (1 Jn 2.2). The main point of the text is without question a calling and encouragement to live a righteous living. It is not a choice for those who claim to be the follower of Jesus - it is related to the very foundation of Christian identity. At the same time, the text also recognizes the power of God's grace over the human weaknesses. The text assures us that forgivenss is always available at any time. John seems to believe not only in a single possible repentance. Sanctification by the blood of Jesus is an ongoing process that begins with crucial decision to believe God in and through Jesus. 4. At one point, the focus of this passage is a strong ethical encouragement. Christian ethics is not additional in nature. Christian ethics is attached at the very heart of our Christian identity. Being and doing cannot be separated. At the other point John strongly believes in the abundance grace of God. This grace is unlimited and available even for the whole world (1 Jn 2.2). The passage indicates that the blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse the sinners not only once at the beginning, but also continuously as we live in Him. Notice the parallelism of 1 Jn1.10 and 1 Jn 2.6 which I think serves as the very foundation of the passage. God's commandment is not impossible commandment because God's grace first and continually cleanses, empowers and enables believers to live in obedience. The source of command is at the same time the source of the empowerment. What we as believers need to do is simply to live by God's grace and in obediece to His command. May I invite you?

'The Darkness is Passing Away, and the True Light is Already Shinning' (1 Jn 2.8).

Trust and Obey

On Wednesday morning, we sang the old classic song 'Trust and Obey' in our chapel. The last time I sang this song was probably some 20 years ago when I regularly attended youth services in my high school - but amazingly God through this song has been doing a lot of comfort and encouragement to me and my family here and now (especially these last few days). Please read the words attentively, and let God speaks to our heart.

To accompanny this song, my Bible reading this morning straight forwardly proclaims the core of Christian discipleship: 'Whoever claims to live in Jesus must walk as Jesus did' (1 Jn 1.6).

'Trust and Obey' (John H. Sammis & Daniel B. Towner) When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Refrain: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away; Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey. But we never can prove the delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet. Or we’ll walk by His side in the way. What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.