Review by Kwong Fah Chong for the church bulletin April 2014
Publisher: Whitaker House
William Osler : “He who studies medicine without books sails an uncharted sea, but he who studies medicine without patients does not go to sea at all”.
Christians do not belong in monasteries, for we are part of our local communities, with our daily living likened to a sailor in this sea of care; every one of us is never spared anxiety from uncertainties in life, which is part of God’s providence.
‘If God conceals anything, He does so to cause us to trust in Him.’ and ‘Providence sends us various trials and all of them are for the purpose of exercising and increasing our faith.’ Pg.34.
“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for everything a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Gal. 6:7-8).
Christians who walk faithfully with The Lord ought to enjoy this world, as well as enduring and overcoming trials and temptations differently to unbelievers.
The Holy Bible is our moral and spiritual compass that guides our moral decisions, for He does not want us to be “carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14).
In Chapter 2, the author describes biblical truth as an anchor of hope in our Saviour which is vital for surviving life’s stormy trials:
(i) To keep us from shipwreck.
A ship that drifts dangerously close to rocks will be wrecked if not anchored. Our hope in and our faithful walk with The Lord will keep us on the narrow path of salvation, not to be swayed to the right or left by temptations.
(ii) To keep us in peace.
An anchor keeps a ship from distress. Christians are blessed with both joy and peace in our hearts, trusting that our Almighty Lord is timelessly in control of the heavens and earth that He created. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4).
(iii) To keep us from losing ground.
Tragedies and adverse life circumstances are likened to stormy weather with turbulent wind that threatens to set us off course, and temptations that drift us subtly back to our old sinful ways. May Our Lord keep us faithful and grant us strength and keep us from losing ground in our daily walk with Him.
[Please read this book (manual) in your deck chair, while your ship is in clear shallow water under the sunny sky, before…]
Kwong Fah