Devotional 020910

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning. I was saddened by the sudden passing of a beloved sister in Christ, who was killed in a hid and run traffic accident yesterday. Joyce Lau was a caring and active member of our church. She volunteered her retirement time to serve in our senior citizens’ fellowship and among the new immigrants in Chinatown. She will be remembered as a very caring and sincere sister in Christ. Yes, it is a tragic loss to her family and us, but she left a legacy of a committed Christian life – Joyce had made a difference in many people’s life ever since her life was impacted by the love of Christ. This incidence reminds me once again that life is so fragile and short. I need to treasure the time to love and serve God while I am still alive and alert. Indeed, my dear brothers and sisters, don’t give yourself excuse to put off another day or to procrastinate in your pursuit of the commissioning from God.

Everyday is a gift and a bonus – something we do not deserve. Our Creator God wants us to invest our lives to maximize the potentials that He has vested in us. Each one of us is a steward of God’s given resources. God expects us to invest those resources even though it may involve risk. Jesus wants His followers to calculate their cost to follow Him. Yes, following Christ involves risks – risk of our complacency, our time and money etc. But comparing with the eternal blessings to come, those risk and cost are nothing. Apostle Paul was a smart teacher. He knew what it took to follow Christ. He gave up his fame and social acceptance as a religious leader in Jerusalem for the sake of Christ. It might sound like he was giving up a lot to follow Jesus. But to him, it was nothing in comparing to what Christ has given up for him and us. Paul said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). I don’t want to regret for not spending my time wisely when opportunity is no longer available for me to serve Christ and live for Him.

Love you in Him,
Lawrence