We thank God that Oom Peter, Santy’s father, has been discharged from the hospital and is now at home, resting.  We also thank God for a simple fact that due to his condition, he is not well-oriented to time and place, and sometimes even people.  Consequently, he did not even know that he was in the hospital for a week.  Instead, he thought he was in a mall and a hotel. It is a blessing in disguise.

God does not exempt us from the pain and suffering of life.  As long as we remain in our earthly bodies, we shall experience pain and suffering in various shapes and forms.  We will only be freed from all this after we move to our heavenly home.  However, what is comforting is to know that He is with us in every pain and suffering we encounter.  And, from time to time in small gestures He does something to remind us that He is with us.  Not being aware of our surrounding is one of those small gestures.  For that we give thanks.

Good Friday and Easter are fast approaching, directing our minds and hearts to Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection.  This week I am reminded how frail and prone I am to sin. Just when I think that I am on my way to righteousness, I slip again.  What a comfort and relief it is to know that I am securely fastened to His unending love.

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, also struggled with and was torn by guilt from sin until one day a sentence dawned on him, “Thy righteousness is in heaven.”  In his own words he said, “Now did my chains fall off my legs . . . . Now went I home rejoicing, for the grace and love of God.”  We, too, are now going Home rejoicing, for the grace and love of God.  We neither need produce nor prove righteousness to the Almighty God; Christ has done the Almighty Work on the cross. Our righteousness is already in heaven.

Pastor Paul