THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

Life is a process—of becoming and of being. It is a process of becoming—we grow from being a girl to become a mother and eventually, a grandmother; from being a student to become a teacher and finally a retiree. And, life is also a process of being—we stay in the condition we are in; we live with it and we face it.THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

Life is a process—of becoming and of being. It is a process of becoming—we grow from being a girl to become a mother and eventually, a grandmother; from being a student to become a teacher and finally a retiree. And, life is also a process of being—we stay in the condition we are in; we live with it and we face it.

As we all know, “becoming” requires Hope. We must have hope to become somebody or something that we are presently not. “Being” requires Courage. It takes a lot of courage to live with something undesirable and it takes even more courage to face something that is dreadful.

Yesterday I saw Courage. On Thursday evening our sister A-Fung was admitted to the hospital. She has had persistent cough for quite some time and lately she has begun experiencing bodily pain around upper arm and shoulder. Upon examination the doctor told her that she has pneumonia and there is fluid in her lungs. But, the doctor also said that there is something in her lung—something like a mass—which requires further examination.

When I visited her, she was of course a little shaken but there was something else I saw in her: Courage. She told me that she is determined to face whatever it is. She knows she is not alone—God is with her and will carry her through this episode of her life.

Being, with something and in the condition we are in no matter how undesirable it is, requires Courage, and she has it. Courage does not spring from apathy; courage comes from the assurance that God is with us and from faith that God has no problems. He only has plans. This is the only certainty in the midst of uncertainty of life.

Pastor Paul

As we all know, “becoming” requires Hope. We must have hope to become somebody or something that we are presently not. “Being” requires Courage. It takes a lot of courage to live with something undesirable and it takes even more courage to face something that is dreadful.

Yesterday I saw Courage. On Thursday evening our sister A-Fung was admitted to the hospital. She has had persistent cough for quite some time and lately she has begun experiencing bodily pain around upper arm and shoulder. Upon examination the doctor told her that she has pneumonia and there is fluid in her lungs. But, the doctor also said that there is something in her lung—something like a mass—which requires further examination.

When I visited her, she was of course a little shaken but there was something else I saw in her: Courage. She told me that she is determined to face whatever it is. She knows she is not alone—God is with her and will carry her through this episode of her life.

Being, with something and in the condition we are in no matter how undesirable it is, requires Courage, and she has it. Courage does not spring from apathy; courage comes from the assurance that God is with us and from faith that God has no problems. He only has plans. This is the only certainty in the midst of uncertainty of life.

Pastor Paul