THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

Even though we know that Tante Yuni is now with Jesus Our Lord in His eternal home, we are still saddened by her sudden departure, and we miss her.  We miss her text messages, and we miss her phone calls.  But most of all we miss her tenacious spirit and unwavering faith, which were so upliftingly contagious. 

Tante Yuni was supposed to be transferred back to her old room on Monday, January 4.  She had so looked forward to returning to her old room because there she would be able to reclaim some of her freedom.  But God had a different plan; instead of to her old room, God transferred her to her new room in heaven’s above, where she would be able to enjoy her ultimate and everlasting freedom.

When I think about her, and a score of others such as Pastor John Lim, Oom Joe Lee, Tante Ong Setiawan, Tante Lolita, Cie Afung, Cie Giok Wang, Tante Siu, Oom Djaja, Oom Ping Tiauw, Tante Ansy, Tante Anne, Oom Kus, Dennis Hill, Oom Tek Bin, Oom Tek Hian, Oom Tek Siu, Ko Tensas, Ko Joseph Oei, suddenly this thought came to mind, “Wow, there are so many who are in heaven now; we can start an FIBC’s church plant there.”  But then I was reminded that it is the other way around: We are here as God’s church plant!  Our brothers and sisters who have preceded us are now worshipping God in the mother church in heaven, and one day we will join them.

Shortly before God called Tante Yuni home, she and I talked.  At the end of the conversation, she uttered two words: “thank you” and “see you again.”  I just thought how fitting these words were.  Do we not usually say, “thank you” and “see you again” after our visit?  We say thank you for allowing us to visit and we say see you again because we shall meet again.  We all are merely visitors on earth.

Pastor Paul