The year 2007 has finally left and never to return. By God’s grace, we have stepped into year 2008. This year, we are thankful to God not only for having seen us through another year, but also for the thirty-five fruitful  years He has given to Calvary B-P Church in Jurong . Many changes have taken place during these thirty-five years, but our Lord and His mercy and wonderful grace for us have never changed. Those lovely little babies whom we saw thirty-five years ago, at the beginning of this church, have now become responsible fathers and mothers; and those who came as fathers and mothers have become grandfathers and grandmothers. By God’s grace, some may shortly even become great grandparents.  We started with Rev Philip Heng as our pastor, then Rev Edward Paauwe, then Dr Tow Siang Hwa himself and finally Rev James Chan.  Last year, Rev Chan stepped down and we are grateful that the Lord has sent an energetic young man, Rev Isaac Ong, to take over.  Let us welcome him and consecrate ourselves to serve the Lord under his capable leadership. Calvary in Jurong needs people to consecrate themselves not just as helpers but as deacons and elders as well as fulltime students to prepare themselves for the fulltime ministry later.  What is consecration? It means to devote and dedicate oneself for the use of our Lord and Saviour. Let us take the life of Abraham as our example of consecration. 

He obeyed when called by the Lord.  “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Heb 11:8). The first step of consecration is to obey. There are so many things we can do for the Lord but, when called upon to do, are we willing to obey and accept our calling cheerfully and to do it faithfully? Abraham’s calling was a difficult one. He was told to leave his home land and sojourn “unto a land that I will shew thee” (Gen 12:1). “So Abram departed” (Gen 12:4). We may not be called to leave our home land but to leave our comfortable life style and hobby in order to serve the Lord. Are we ready to give them up? 

He left the comfort and luxury of his busy home town to follow the Lord.  “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country…” (Heb 11:9). Consecration always involves putting away some of the things we like to do for ourselves and even leaving our old circle of friends in order to spend time and energy to do God’s assignment . It may look like going into a strange land, but it is actually a “land of promise.” Often our secular lives and friends take away so much of our time and energy that we have no time even to read the Bible and to do our ‘Quiet Time’ with the Lord, not to mention about serving Him. Let us not forget that in consecration, we are asked to sojourn in “the land of promise” and not in the land of desolation as the world will lead us to. 

He had to cast out things which are not pleasing to the Lord.  Abraham discovered to his horror, that he had, in his life, a son who was born of an Egyptian maid. This was out of the will of God. In order to claim God’s promise, he had to send this beloved son away. It must have been very painful for him to do so.  He had no choice but to do it. Sin is the biggest hindrance to our consecration to the Lord. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear our prayers (Ps 66:18). In order to serve the Lord effectively, we must “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” To cast away something dear to us is not easy. But, if we want to serve our Lord, our almighty King, we must be prepared to cast away every sin which will hinder our service to Him. 

May the Lord bless and lead us and call some of us to consecrate ourselves to serve Him as we step into the new year 2008.

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