Jason and Susan » Christianity/Faith

A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman

admin — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:59:03 +0000

A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman is a post from: Jason and Susan

Luke 8:40-56

40Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

45″Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

46But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 47Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

49While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher any more.”

50Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

51When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

53They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Thoughts and Reflections

Two people were healed. One was healed because she had the faith to believe that by touching Jesus’ cloak, she’d be healed. And she was. The other was healed because her parents believed that Jesus could heal. And she was healed. She was risen from the dead! It’s the solid believe that Jesus can heal you and your loved one(s).
Why would anyone think that by touching a man’s cloak, that he/she could be healed? This woman had a strange belief, but it was that belief that healed her, not so much the “touching” part. The next sick person that touches Jesus probably wouldn’t have been healed. It’s the power of believing in something.
What if the girl hadn’t died yet? Jesus could have healed her just the same, but he allowed the darkest hour to come to this family so that many, not just this family, will come to believe.
The stories not told here. The formerly known as the “bleeding woman” spent the rest of her life praising God and sharing with everyone what God has done for her. The parents of the once-dead girl did the same too despite what Jesus told them. How can you NOT tell anyone that your daughter died, but was returned to you completely healed?

A Movement Toward New life

admin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:53:03 +0000

A Movement Toward New life is a post from: Jason and Susan

Excerpt from Henri Nouwen’s Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings:

The mystery of God’s love is not that he takes our pains away, but that he first wants to share them with us. Out of this divine solidarity comes new life. Jesus’ being moved in the center of his being by human pain is indeed a movement toward new life . . . The truly good news is that God is not a distant God, a God to be feared and avoided, a God of revenge, but a God who is moved by our pains and participates in the fullness of the human struggle.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. Luke 23:8-9

In the hours leading to Jesus’ crucifixion, He was brought before King Herod for questioning. It’s strange that Herod was ‘greatly pleased’ to see Jesus. He knew about Jesus’ reputation and it was as one who performed miracles. News of all the miracles Jesus performed must have reached Herod’s ears, despite Jesus always being careful about where, how, and to/for whom He performed them. Jesus rarely performed miracles in front of a large audience nor did he ever seek public recognition or acknowledgement when he did. Matter of fact, He always told people not to tell anyone about the miracles.

But news of Jesus performing miracles traveled very quickly even without our modern day channels of media/communication. All the people Jesus specifically told not to tell anyone about the miracles, they probably all did. Why wouldn’t they? Those that were sick, dying, crippled, blind, bleeding, demon-possessed, or lost a son/daughter/brother/servant, Jesus turned their life (and their family) around by healing them. Jesus did something so extraordinary that there was no way these people could remain silent and not share with the whole world about their miraculous healing/deliverance. Herod’s ears must have been tickled when he heard rumors about a miracle man amongst their midst.

And so there He was, Jesus the miracle performer, standing right in front of one of the most important and prominent political figures of the time. King Herod wanted to see for himself all the hype about what Jesus is able to do. He wanted to see miracles performed with his very own eyes, inside his court. This was no “trial of the century.” It was the excitement and anticipation of watching David Copperfield perform! Oh, what a royal treat! And he was probably thinking, “While He’s at it, He can cure my syphilis!”

Needless to say, Jesus could have wooed and impressed Herod if He had chosen to flash His divine abilities. Herod probably would have taken Jesus to be a member of his “cabinet staff” and appointed him as the royal magician, the royal physician, or something of that sort. Then Jesus would have been safeguarded from whatever persecution and charges that were being brought forth this very moment by those who called themselves teachers of the Law.

Instead, Jesus did nothing and remained silent. He pissed off Herod, the man who could turn his fate around, and was flogged, tortured, nailed, and hung on the cross. The greatest miracle in history was about to occur in three days, but only to be witnessed by a selected few people—mostly social outcasts—that had absolutely no political power or influence.

What was He thinking?!

We are left to ponder upon the descending ways of Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God, embraced humanity at its worst in the form of human suffering, endured the pain of rejection, and sentenced to death as a convict. And yet, we see back then and today, the many new lives that were brought forth because of the life He gave to us.

The good news for us is that God is not a distant God, but a God who understands, empathizes, and is moved by the pains and struggles of what it means to be human. He’s walked down that road before.

A Promise Too Good to Be True

jswong — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:40:28 +0000

A Promise Too Good to Be True is a post from: Jason and Susan

This was an email that Susan sent out to a few family and friends on December 6th while we were in Hong Kong. For those who weren’t in the loop, Jason had a series of health complications all throughout 2008. We went to Hong Kong for a few weeks in November/December to see the best specialists and doctors. As mentioned in our December newsletter, we experienced yet another miraculous healing. The email below summed up a prayer made nine months ago. We promised to post the email/story on our blog as another installment of our Blindman’s Faith stories. Sorry for the long delay.

December 6, 2008

Dear Family & Friends,

This week, I (Susan) started reading the book of Luke, coincidentally the time of the year to be reading the Christmas story, but that actually wasn’t my intent. I wanted to start reading something and focus on the relationships and interactions between God and man. I chose Luke for no particular reason. The first divine interaction that took place in the book of Luke was when the angel Gabriel appeared before Zechariah the priest. The angel said to Zechariah:

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John….”

To which Zechariah responded:

“How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted a child badly and they prayed really hard that they would conceive. They never did and at this point in the story, are so old that they are past childbearing age. (I’m guessing in the 50-60s??) So of course when the angel told Zechariah what was going to happen, he scoffed and doubted.

As I was reading this brief passage, the first thing that came to my mind was a similar story that took place nine months ago.

Not that we are unable to conceive or past childbearing age… hee hee… Nine months ago, Jason had a bad case of eczema/viral outbreak. It was so bad (at the time) that I decided to fast for “as long as it takes.” On the first day of fasting, I prayed that God would heal Jason of his eczema outbreaks. I don’t really remember the Word that was spoken to me on that first day of fasting, but somehow, I knew God was going to answer my prayer. On that day, I wrote a prayer of thanksgiving on our blog. That was March 5th. Read the blog entry first before continuing this email. You’ll recognize a great significance to why I am writing this email today (which should have been sent yesterday).

The last nine months have been a wild roller coaster ride. Several eczema and viral outbreaks one after another. Insomnia. Erythroderma. Depression. Paralysis. Hospitalization. Things seemed to have gotten worse since March that a week ago, I scoffed and doubted whether God ever heard my prayers. I asked for healing. God must have heard something else. Even when I reread my blog entry from March, I snickered and thought myself too arrogant to have made such a claim. I don’t know what possessed me to write that entry nine months ago, or why I wrote nine months (not one month or one year). Nine seemed like a random number. I would never have guessed or imagined at the time that things were going to get much much worse, only to wake up one day and all seems well again.

Yesterday, December 5th was exactly nine months since the day I wrote that prayer (and publicly too!). Jason seemed to have recovered overnight. He woke up after a full night of rest/sleep! His skin looked good, smooth and shiny like I’ve never seen before. He is back on his feet. He looked well. He felt good too. We went to the hospital to get some blood work done to make sure everything is normal. The doctor looked at him, the test results, and confirmed us of the good news. We can come home now! Praise the Lord!

Coming back to the story of Zechariah and what spoke to us. Zechariah prayed really hard for something he wanted badly (a child). God actually sent an angel to confirm that his prayer was heard. He was going to be a father! But Zechariah doubted because he looked at his current circumstance (his and Elizabeth’s old age) and thought it not possible that his prayer was going to be answered.

That was exactly what I did. I looked at the current circumstance and doubted whether God was going to answer my prayers. But in both stories, regardless of our doubts and unbelief, God did in fact answer those prayers. Zechariah became a father and Jason is well, physically and emotionally.

We will be flying back to Shanghai tomorrow afternoon. Jason will continue to rest at home for a few weeks. The current treatment plan (Cellcept & Valtrex) will continue for 1-2 years. Cellcept is supposed to prevent any eczema outbreaks. Valtrex is supposed to prevent any viral outbreaks. In theory, his immune system should be stable now and there should be no more outbreaks while he is on the treatment. In theory…

There’s always the possibility of side effects (insomnia, depression) and complications (kidney failure, lymphoma), but despite all the “possibilities” we feel at peace about where things are right now. Tomorrow is another day. But for today, we are grateful and give thanks for today.

Love,

Jason & Susan

A Very Dark Day in History

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A Very Dark Day in History is a post from: Jason and Susan

Lent was over more than a month ago. Easter Sunday this year was April 12. It has taken us (or shall we say, the only person who writes here) a long time to write the next installment of our Lenten reflections. What is there to say/write when nothing sparks? Does one write/share only when he/she is inspired or has anything edifying to impart? Or does free speech run wild at the expense of causing another to stumble?

After much delay and writer’s block, here goes a post about a taboo topic not meant to enlighten anyone nor is it bedtime reading for the lighthearted.

All Living is Dying

Excerpt from Henri Nouwen’s Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings:

If the God who revealed life to us, and whose only desire is to bring us to life, loved us so much that he wanted to experience with us the total absurdity of death, then — yes, then there must be hope; then there must be something more than death; then there must be a promise that is not fulfilled in our short existence in this world; then leaving behind the ones you love, the flowers and the trees, the mountains and the oceans, the beauty of art and music, and all the exuberant gifts of life cannot be just the destruction and cruel end of all things; then indeed we have to wait for the third day.

But mortification — literally, “making death” — is what life is all about, a slow discovery of the mortality of all that is created so that we can appreciate its beauty without clinging to it as if it were a lasting possession. Our lives can indeed be seen as a process of becoming familiar with death, as a school in the art of dying. I do not mean this is a morbid way. On the contrary, when we see life constantly relativized by death, we can enjoy it for what it is: a free gift. The pictures, letters, and books of the past reveal life to us as a constant saying of farewell to beautiful places, good people, and wonderful experiences. All these times have passed by like friendly visitors, leaving us with dear memories but also with the sad recognition of the shortness of life. In every arrival there is a leave-taking; in every reunion there is a separation; in each one’s growing up there is a growing old; in every smile there is a tear; and in every success there is a loss. All living is dying, and all celebration is mortification too.

The excerpt above was from Nouwen’s Lenten reading for day 40, Saturday, the day after the crucifixion. It was the day that Jesus’ followers—His disciples, His family, His friends—mourned the loss of their beloved Jesus. It was also the Sabbath day. No one could do anything or go anywhere. Every heart wreaked with despair because everything these people hoped for was nailed on the cross and buried in a tomb. It was a dark moment in history when death ended everything there was to live/hope for.

Have you ever experienced moments like this when death ended everything there was to live/hope for?

For most people, probably not. Some have come close to it and some have experienced it through the the death of a dearly loved one—a parent, a spouse, a child, a sibling, a relative, a dear friend—that brought them face-to-face with human mortality and left to ponder upon the meaning of life.

This is the ‘death’ that Nouwen reflected upon, the part of life that no one wants to think about, witness, experience, partake, nor remember. And he calls us to think about why Jesus took part in something that mankind throughout history have sought to escape from in its vain search for the elixir of life, be it an actual magic potion, cosmetics, or modern medicine.

In the end, we all die. Some younger than others. Jesus the son of God died a mortal man at 33. Iris was 32 when she died. Jason brushed death last year at the age of 31. And who knows, Susan might not live to celebrate her 30th birthday this year.

Purpose Drive Death

Nouwen says all of life is about making death, becoming familiar with death, and learning the art of dying.

Last year during a business trip to Austin, Susan attended a John Piper conference. The theme of the conference was about suffering. During his message, Piper said something about living a “purpose driven death.” Was he jokingly mocking Rick Warren? Or has he been enlightened like Nouwen was? Piper and Nouwen would have been good friends.

Who in their 20s and 30s think about dying? We’re just at the prime of life having passed the vicissitude of the 20s (job/career, relationship/marriage). We’re just starting to live! This is the decade when people usually don’t have to think or worry about health issues, major illnesses, aging parents, and dying family members… at least not yet.

So when Nouwen writes about death and dying, it makes us uneasy because we don’t want to think about such morbid topic. It’s the last thing we want to think about having just lost a sister to cancer and still mourning and grieving over such tragedy. We are still living as if it was Saturday, the day after the crucifixion. It has been Saturday every day for a few months.

A Very Slow Discovery

If what Nouwen says is true, that “life is a slow discovery of the mortality of all that is created,” then we see life for what it is and not something to be hoarded. Every day is a gift we don’t deserve because we all deserve to die, for the penalty of sin is death. If it weren’t for what Jesus did on the cross, death would have truly ended everything that was good. But because Jesus victoried over death, came back to life, lives today, and gave us LIFE and HOPE, death is and will not be the end.

What does that really mean to us? How does that change what and how we think/feel today? How long does one mourn over the dead? How long will grief last? When will we think of Iris and not shed tears? When will the frequent and sporadic waves of sadness go away? When will we see her again? Will we see her again?

We don’t know. We don’t know…

We’re at a loss for words. This is not the way to end a post nor is it the way to end Lent. One of these days when we have answers, some answers, we’ll write more. As is, this is probably our last post for our 2009 Lenten reflections.

Thanks for journeying with us, if you’ve read this far.

And Job said…

jswong — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:35:34 +0000

And Job said… is a post from: Jason and Susan

“I’m given a life that meanders and goes nowhere—months of aimlessness, nights of misery!
I go to bed and think, ‘How long till I can get up?’ I toss and turn as the night drags on—and I’m fed up!
I’m covered with maggots and scabs. My skin gets scaly and hard, then oozes with pus.
My days come and go swifter than the click of knitting needles, and then the yarn runs out—an unfinished life!”

“God, don’t forget that I’m only a puff of air! These eyes have had their last look at goodness.
And your eyes have seen the last of me; even while you’re looking, there’ll be nothing left to look at.
When a cloud evaporates, it’s gone for good; those who go to the grave never come back.
They don’t return to visit their families; never again will friends drop in for coffee.”

“And so I’m not keeping one bit of this quiet, I’m laying it all out on the table;
my complaining to high heaven is bitter, but honest.
If I say, ‘I’m going to bed, then I’ll feel better. A little nap will lift my spirits,’
You come and so scare me with nightmares and frighten me with ghosts
That I’d rather strangle in the bedclothes than face this kind of life any longer.
I hate this life! Who needs any more of this? Let me alone! There’s nothing to my life—it’s nothing but smoke.”

These are the words of Job and the thoughts of Jason.

The difference between terminal illness and chronic illness is that the former has an end, the latter sees no end. But both suffer immensely. And it sucks.

Balaam’s Talking Ass

jswong — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:56:46 +0000

Balaam’s Talking Ass is a post from: Jason and Susan

We’ve been going through the old testaments from the beginning and like most people that have attempted to read the Book from beginning to end, it gets very dull right about the third book – Leviticus. It was difficult going through hundreds of laws, statutes, and ceremonial practices that are mostly irrelevant to modern day Christianity. After Leviticus is Numbers and it’s pages after pages of numbers (that’s why it’s called Numbers!) and incessant grumblings by the Israelites in the desert. Reading about them is like hanging around SMIC folks ‘cus that’s what they do all the time, complain, complain, and complain. B-O-R-I-N-G!

Last night however, it was like pulling the lever to a winning jackpot! About ready to give up on the old testaments, we read the most bizarre story along the same caliber as our beloved fantasy world of Narnia – talking donkey! Embedded between pages of boring stuff and a bigger story plot, this tiny portion of the story might have been missed by many. Certainly, this entertaining story deserves a little more attention!! So here goes … (Numbers 22)

26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”�29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you? “No,” he said.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

What the freak was that?! “Have I been in the habit of doing this to you” and the only response was “No”?! Not to mention that donkeys aren’t in the habit of talking to their master!! There was absolutely NO reaction to the fact that Balaam’s donkey (or Balaam’s ass, in the words of King James) was TALKING to him. It was like, Balaam beat his ass, the ass asked him why, and he stopped, not because the ass was talking but because it was reasoning with him!

This bigger storyline according to the commentaries had something to do with God wanting to stop Balaam from putting a curse on the Israelites, but apparently, the talking ass has absolutely no significance since none of the commentaries mentioned anything regarding this bizarre event (the talking part). Gosh, when was the last time an ass, or for the matter, an animal talked since the serpent in the garden of Eden?! Even in “The Horse and His Boy”� (Book 3 of Chronicles of Narnia), there was still a moment of shock when the boy realized his horse was talking to him. But here in the story?

Well! Doesn’t matter. This tiny sub-portion of the story holds absolutely no purpose or value except for our own entertainment. Talking ass… maybe it was his ASS talking! Something else that’s more entertaining than this, hee hee! Jason’s talking ass. It talks all the time, just not in English or Chinese.

Moving on to Deuteronomy.

Barbarians Escaping from Civilization

jswong — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 13:43:41 +0000

Barbarians Escaping from Civilization is a post from: Jason and Susan

Last weekend (11/4/05) Jason and several other guys in the community here got together to listen to a message on leadership, share, and pray. The gist of the message is that we Christians have become too “civilized” and have lost the kind of “barbarian” approach to living out our faith journey that we see portrayed in the good book, epitomized in the man of whom Jesus said “among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…” We were challenged to stop worrying about pleasing others and impressing man, and to stop being motivated by fear of losing society’s approval, and rather boldly do what we know the still small voice of our heavenly Father is nudging us to do through his word and Spirit. Too often, outsiders looking into the ch’rch today see lives that are no different than the world outside because we have become too civilized by tradition and dogma, and have lost our ability to hear His voice. As the speaker aptly put it: the good news is not at all unfair or narrow-minded — Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and Christians all need to come to JC!

So what did this discussion mean personally? It was a challenge to do as Paul writes in Galatians: “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else…” (Gal. 6:4). It was a wake-up call to look within and test whether it is the fear of G or of man that motivates…

Blessed Are…

jswong — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 15:19:27 +0000

Blessed Are… is a post from: Jason and Susan

“Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.” Psalm 128:1-4

Thus is the man who is blessed by the Lord. To bear fruit, to eat the fruit of our labor, to be blessed, to prosper, to be proud of family, wife, and children. These are the blessings for those for fear the Lord and walk in His ways.

What would it be like to begin our marriage in fear of the Lord and to walk in His ways?

Blessings

jswong — Sat, 20 May 2006 06:45:40 +0000

Blessings is a post from: Jason and Susan

This is a video of Steven Curtis Chapman performing “Blessings” during his Shanghai concert at the Oriental Arts Center.

Broken Dreams #1

jswong — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:02:13 +0000

Broken Dreams #1 is a post from: Jason and Susan

Several weeks ago, Susan listened to an incredible message from NPCC and it was the first of the 2-part series called “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” The message was about the story of David, his dream of becoming a king, and the disappointment of a seemingly shattered dream. Andy Stanley, the great storyteller, spoke eloquently of David’s account of disappointment, an experience that many of us have experienced or gone through at one point in time. It’s the disappointment of a dream, a promise, a longing, or whatever it may be, that almost came true but failed our expectation(s).

David, the youngest of many brothers, was just a young shepherd boy in some obscure village. There was nothing special or remarkable about him, until one day a messenger named Samuel came to his home and anointed him to be the future king of Israel, all this spoken in front of his entire family. It was a dream that seemed too good to be true and yet absurd how a poor shepherd would ever become a king! Modern day equivalence would be something like an inner-city kid being told he’d become the president one day and circumstances around him remain the same as ever.

After Samuel left, life continued as normal for David (still a shepherd boy) while his brothers were out doing more manly stuff. Perhaps Samuel was mistaken and anointed the wrong brother? What went on inside David’s head was probably a mixture of disbelief and desire, wanting to believe yet no way of imagining the impossible. However, as we all know how the story ends, one thing lead to another in David’s life. One day, reports came about of an invulnerable giant named Goliath taunting the armies of Israel. The next day, David tossed a rock and knocked Goliath dead. Soon enough, David became a celebrity. The next thing he knew, David entered the inner courts of the king, Saul, as a court musician. Soon after, King Saul gave his daughter to David in marriage. Sort of an odd combination – from a shepherd to a giant-slayer to a court musician to being the son-in-law of a king. Things were finally starting to make sense to David. The dream of becoming a king was starting to become more conceivable. Perhaps King Saul and Jonathan (son of Saul) would die suddenly and the throne would be passed to the son-in-law? He might have secretly wished for that but whatever was in his mind, the dream went from inconceivable to something more tangible. It was the beginning of the fulfillment of a dream promised long ago.

We might have experienced something like that in our lives. We all have/had many dreams. Dreams from childhood of becoming a doctor, an astronaut, a fireman, a supermodel, etc… Dreams of getting good grades. Dreams of finding the perfect career/profession. Dreams of meeting the perfect spouse. Dreams of a perfect marriage. Dreams of being good parents. Dreams for our children. Lots of dreams, of which many probably don’t come true, but occasionally, one or two become more real in our lives, perhaps meeting the “right” girl/boy, getting a job offer, a miracle conception, etc… and we chase after that dream with greater intensity. And with greater intensity also comes with greater disappointment.

This was what happened to David. Just when he thought he was well on his ways� to becoming the king, things turned for the worse. David’s fame spread across the nation, so famous and praised by the people that eventually resulted in Saul’s bitter jealousy and hatred toward David. From being the king’s son-in-law and potential future king to now, #1 on the king’s death list, David ran for his dear life. His dream of becoming the king ceased that very moment and for the rest of King Saul’s life, David lived in constant fear and pursuit.

Haven’t we experienced something similar? Not that we have ever been pursued by a madman or placed on death row, but haven’t we all been wishful or hopeful of a dream that almost came true but failed and left us disappointed/hurt/broken?� Broken relationships of what we thought was right. Inability to conceive. Miscarriage. Being laid off. Broken families/marriage. Parenting gone wrong. Cancer. Sickness. Death.

What do we do? What did David do? What happened to David in the story?

TO BE CONTINUED….

(If you want to listen/watch the message online, you can click here.)

Building a Community

jswong — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:31:44 +0000

Building a Community is a post from: Jason and Susan

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3

This past week’s message at Thanksgiving was about community. We are created for community yet at the same time, it takes intentionality on our part to seek, build, and be part of a community.

We have nothing profound to share other than how blessed we are to be part of a great community here. Having lived and worked in the ZJ area for several years, it’s been a tremendous blessing to see the birth, development, and growth of the community here. While the Shanghai community is pretty transient, we are thankful for the relationships that have lasted over the years. Especially for Susan, having been here since 2001, she’s really seen the community grow. It’s awesome to meet people from all walks of life and to be part of the critical years—from singleness to dating to engagement to marriage to parenthood to mid-life crisis to caring for the elderly. Community is all about the sharing of lives and spurring one another on in the heavenly race.

Now that we have invested in a home and both of us having stable jobs in the neighborhood, it is our intention to continue to be a part of building this community. Both of us grew up in families where we moved around a lot, so having this kind of stability and security (of family, of job, of home) means a lot to us. Not that we bank our future on this kind of stability, for all things will come to pass, but we do not take for granted the blessings, the resources, and the stewardship bestowed upon us to play that critical role in the community—stability in the heart of a transient community.

Caring for the Poor and the Least

jswong — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:11:49 +0000

Caring for the Poor and the Least is a post from: Jason and Susan

Last night, we watched Michael Moore’s latest documentary, Sicko. The film is about the U.S. health care industry and how it compares to the health care system of other countries. While this film should be watched with a grain of salt, Moore does bring out one facet of the U.S. health care system that fails miserably compared to other countries. The rich receive the best medical care because they can afford it. The middle-class folks receive somewhat decent health care, but just don’t get seriously ill with cancer or brain tumor. And the poor? Pray really hard that you don’t get sick at all!

The idea of universal health care in other countries seems to be a system in which everyone in the country is taken care of, from the rich to the poor to the least. The film seems to portray the splendor and glory of this universal health care system. So if universal health system is so great and wonderful, then why doesn’t every country adopt this system? There must be a fine print somewhere. Either that or this is the biggest conspiracy of the health care conglomerates and politicians to keep the profits for themselves.

We’ve never lived in a country where universal health care is provided, so we don’t understand how the system really works or how good the health care really is. We do know people, family and friends, who have lived under such a system and are quite pleased with the quality of the health care they received. Then again, most people we know are middle-class white-collar folks who earn decent income, have (or can afford) decent health coverage, and have no serious medical conditions or illnesses.

The true test is what happens when the unexpected happens. Unemployment. Bankruptcy. Disability. Accident. Major catastrophe. Inability to pay for emergencies. Things we’d rather not think about and pray that will never happen to us. And we’re the blessed middle-class people. There are at least five billion people in this world currently living in the “nightmare” that we dare not speak of.

According to the film, England adopted the universal health system after World War II because the country was in shambles. Everyone pulled together resources and worked together to rebuild the country as a whole. Everybody pitched in and everybody was taken care of.

In the U.S., there are many systems in place to take care of the poor and the needy, like social security, Medicare, disability benefits, housing subsidy, and unemployment check. Why isn’t there a system in place to provide even the most basic health care to the poor and the least?

We live in China and from what we’ve seen, it doesn’t look like China has that system in place either. Recently, a friend who’s mother had a severe stroke and was in a coma due to brain hemorrhaging. She had surgery and was placed under intensive care for several days. One week of medical care racked up a bill over 150,000 RMB ($20K USD), an amount that him and his family will never earn in their lifetime. They’re from one of the poorest provinces in China (Anhui) and make about $200-300 USD a month. Despite their financial woes, they are thankful the hospital at least took her in and cared for her. Most people are just left to die because hospitals won’t admit people who can’t pay the money upfront. Now, they have to find the means to pay the bill and will probably be in debt for the rest of their lives, unless the community steps up to help a brother in need.

The question we ask is, if a country does not have a system in place to care for the poor and the least, then what can we do? What can the community and the body of believers do to help those who are in need?

The socialist view (of which the universal health care system adopts) is to pull together resources and redistribute them so that everyone is taken care of. By the way, this is different than the communist view which calls for equal distribution of everything. But here, we’re addressing only the most basic needs (like health care and employment).

In a society where no system is in place to care for the poor and the least, we feel that it is then of utmost importance that those who make more ought to and should contribute just a little bit more to help those who can’t help themselves.

The Biblical perspective is that everything we “have” really belongs to God and that we are merely stewards of these resources. Giving to the community should not be an obligation, but out of a motivation of love and compassion, and following the examples and teachings as taught in scripture. Thus, it is our responsibility (just as much as obligation) to make sure that God’s resources are used in ways that He wants to see them used. Because Lord-willing (we pray not), we might unexpectedly end up on the other side of the chasm between the rich and the poor.

Give minimally a tenth.

Better yet, give all that you can give to help the poor and the least. Let’s partake in the joy and the pleasure of being part of God’s community here on earth.

Christus auf Palmesel, Christ on a Donkey

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:12:54 +0000

Christus auf Palmesel, Christ on a Donkey is a post from: Jason and Susan

Excerpts from Henri Nouwen’s Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings:

As [Christ] rides into Jerusalem surrounded by people shouting "hosanna," "cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in his path" (Matt. 21:8), Jesus appears completely concentrated on something else. He does not look at the excited crowd. He does not wave. He sees beyond all the noise and movement to what is ahead of him: an agonizing journey of betrayal, torture, crucifixion, and death. His unfocused eyes see what nobody around him can see; his high forehead reflects a knowledge of things to come far beyond anyone’s understanding. There is melancholy, but also peaceful acceptance. There is insight into the fickleness of the human heart, but also immense compassion. There is a deep awareness of the unspeakable pain to be suffered, but also a strong determination to do God’s will. Above all, there is love, an endless, deep, and far-reaching love born from an unbreakable intimacy with God and reaching out to all people, wherever they are, were, or will be. There is nothing that he does not fully know. There is nobody whom he does not fully love.

Henri Nouwen was describing the fourteenth-century sculpture, Christus auf Palmesel (Christ on palm-donkey) in the Augustiner Museum in Freiburg.

Not everyone can read scripture and grasp everything that actually took place in between the lines and the words we read. We are thankful for artists, painters, and sculptors that are able to capture moments in history that we would never get from just reading a passage. We are also thankful for Nouwen’s gift for looking at a masterpiece and turning it back into words that capture the depth, the beauty, and the poignancy of moments in history.

Like Nouwen, we can only speculate on the thoughts and mind of Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. One thing we do see is the assuredness and steadiness of Jesus as He took each step forward. Knowing what He knows and what is going to happen, it’s with great marvel that we ponder upon Christ’s humility, obedience, and confidence in God as He took each step.

Joy and sadness are born at the same time, both arising from such deep places in your heart that you can’t find words to capture your complex emotions. But this intimate experience in which every bit of life is touched by a bit of death can point us beyond the limits of our existence. It can do so by making us look forward in expectation to the day when our hearts will be filled with perfect joy, a joy that no one shall take away from us.

As we meditate and reflect upon Jesus’ last weeks on earth during this Lenten season, this passion week, we begin to see that it is with the same assuredness and steadiness that we are able to take each step forward because Christ has already gone before us. Beyond momentary trials—suffering, persecution, death, pain of loss—we find that Christ has embraced and victoried over them all and given us a new life.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Come Now is the Time

jswong — Sat, 20 May 2006 14:57:26 +0000

Come Now is the Time is a post from: Jason and Susan

Steven Curtis Chapman performing Come Now is the Time to Worship at the Oriental Arts Center in Shanghai.

Complete Lenten Reflections (2009)

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:15:54 +0000

Complete Lenten Reflections (2009) is a post from: Jason and Susan

Lent this year was from February 25 to April 12. We read Henri Nouwen’s Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings during this period and wrote/posted 14 reflections on our blog (plus many more in our private journals), all of which have helped us through this period of “darkness” as we reflected upon Jesus’ last 40+ days while mourning and grieving the loss of our beloved Iris.

Here’s the complete list of all the Lenten reflections, including the dates:

February 25: The Lent Season Begins
February 26: Repent and Live: There’s More to Life
March 1: Endless Causes For Worry
March 3: The Love Languages of God
March 10: Taken, Blessed, Broken, and Given
March 13: Our Unique Call
March 15: Returning to Our One True Home
March 18: The Ways of a Hidden God
March 21: God With Us
March 23: Our Way to the House of the Father
March 24: A Movement Toward New Life
March 31: The Loving Presence of God
April 7: Christus auf Palmesel, Christ on a Donkey
April 12: A Very Dark Day in History

These reflections were written and posted, not so much for an audience, but for our own reflections as the writings bear much of what’s on our hearts that cannot be articulated coherently in speech. Writing is, in fact, quite therapeutic.

As Nouwen so eloquently writes:

Writing can be a true spiritual discipline. Writing can help us to concentrate, to get in touch with the deeper stirrings of our hearts, to clarify our minds, to process confusing emotions, to reflect on our experiences, to give artistic expression to what we are living, and to store significant events in our memories. Writing can also be good for others who might read what we write.

Quite often a difficult, painful, or frustrating day can be “redeemed” by writing about it. By writing we can claim what we have lived and thus integrate it more fully into our journeys. Then writing can become lifesaving for us and sometimes for others too.

One of the most satisfying aspects of writing is that it can open in us deep wells of hidden treasures that are beautiful for us as well as for others to see.

Most of what we write stem from what we’ve experienced, struggled/wrestled with, reflected upon, and are still trying to figure out. While most will find these writings no different than reading a boring book (or blog), there are some who read (or will read) our reflections and are able relate and somehow find comfort because they too have gone through or are going through similar experiences.

We find that we are not alone in our “sufferings.” Some have walked before us. Some trail behind us. But most importantly, we have One who walks with us and shows us the way.