‎Monday, ‎18 ‎July, ‎2011

Dear brothers and sisters,

Praise the Lord, after a break of one week from writing my weekly reflection, I now still can come back to do it again. Last week I was simply too busy to do my daily theological readings of about 100 pages a day for 4 subjects. Now, I learn that I do not need to read that many pages, I just concentrated on reading those subjects which require me to pass up my work earlier. Now, I am in the midst of summarizing main points for the 3 books (finished) on curriculum development. The most powerful lesson I learn in this subject is that truth pursuit must be based on relationships between human beings and all others. The author points to love that binds all relationships. Please pray that all these truths which I acquire will be reflected in my life and behavior, especially when I make disciples of all nations.
Last 2 Sundays I had great encounter with Jesus again in my games of Chinese chess with my father-in-law. Jesus gave me 2 powerful lessons. I shall just state the 2 lessons and elaborate a bit, and I pray that Jesus will help you to do your own applications in your life.

I cannot be perfect
No matter how careful, alert, how detail I was in my calculations (reading his game), there were blind spots, miscalculations and weakness in my chess which I could not see. I played that game for more than one hour, though I lost, I learnt so much. I learn that no matter how holy I am, how close I am with Jesus, I still sin against Him. I cannot be perfect. I have to accept it. I paid attention to my inner feelings, I am glad to tell you that though I lost the game, I was not disappointed, not defeated, not angry, not blamed myself as I had tried my best; not sad; have no sense of 'revenge' (of course I always aim to win every game from the beginning of it though I am comparatively weaker than my father-in-law). I was at peace with myself. Though I lost the game, I told him I enjoyed myself as I learnt much spiritual and I enjoyed learning from my mistakes. I enjoyed learning from him on how to attack. You see, he is my great Si Fu and I am a great learner. He commented that I was very concentrated in my game. I have always having trouble in concentrating in hearing people, sermons, studying, etc. I do not mind all these confessions. I believe Jesus is using playing chess to train me to concentrate and focus! No matter what weaknesses, imperfections and shortcomings I have, I have always learnt to improve myself. I never give up learning.

When I am the strongest, I am in fact the weakest
I lost my first game yesterday in a most unusual manner. You see how I made a fool of myself. I was losing right from the beginning. However, I was able to waive off all the attacks and I even emerged on the way to winning and kept attacking him. I was very determined to win the game. I made the terrible miscalculation that he would never fight back again and however he attacked me I would defend. All the time I was attacking, I felt I was winning and only thought of winning. This was also my weakest moment as I failed to discover his subtle planning and in the end, I had no answer to his sudden attack and I lost a well fought game. I learnt that when I was winning, I was too proud and underestimating my opponent and my defense was the weakest. He did not give up and ceased the moment, the only moment, the only chance he may have to finish me. I reflect that in life, when everything is so successful and so good, I can be at my pride and not even notice it, the devil or any person out there or even myself can cause me to fall or sin against God.

Praise the Lord for the 2 great lessons. I pray that my chess experience can inspire you to love Jesus and be His faithful disciples.

A faithful disciple of Jesus,
Pastor Law Hui Seng
(KK, STS)

Posted by Teresa Han