Weeks 47 & 48 (10) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

If you ask a mainland Chinese who has visited Hong Kong where Canton Road is, I believe most of them can tell you. It is well known for luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo …….. And very often you see cash rich mainlanders queuing up outside the shops as if a big sale is on (even when it is not)!

Once on TV, I saw this group of Mainland Chinese men coming to Hong Kong regularly on shopping trips, each spending 6 figures at a time! These days, Mainland Chinese spend an average HK$7,000 plus, surpassing the Europeans on HK$6,000 and the SE Asians on HK$4,000. What a change from 30 years ago before China’s modernization. Is it a good thing or not? I will let God be the judge!



Whilst Chairman Mao has successfully imposed himself as the only god for his people to worship, modern China is hungry for a new form of worship. The heart of worship that God has created in all of us will always be empty without an idol, be it the true God, an imitation deity or a man-made object.

This is nothing new. I have been there. I see how my form of worship changed over the years:

As a poor boy, I worshipped the toy cars that my friends owned. I went as far as stealing one of them!

In my school years, I worshipped my Chemistry teacher for his self-confidence & cool look, and my History teacher for her beauty.

After graduation, I worshipped money for the many dream things that I could buy. For a season, I worshipped Seve Ballesteros when I was crazy about golf.

Then 20 years ago, I found an idol (Jesus Christ) that can give me true peace, even in the midst of all the troubles that we face today in different parts of the world. Now I can understand what Jesus meant when he said:

[John 14:27] “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

And although Job in the Old Testament was before Jesus’ time, I can believe that he had God’s peace in his heart when he went through the trial that Satan put him through with God’s permission. It is interesting to note that when one is doing a “Job” time, there are always a few “Eliphaz/Bildad/Zophar” on hand to provide folly advices. I am experiencing that right now!

Jesus can give us peace because He is the Word of God and a timely Word of God (not words of man) can do wonders. In the past 2 weeks, I was reading a paragraph of Psalm 119 a day and every one was a gem. They reflected my heart cry. “Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live. [Ps 119:137-144 NIV]

If you are truly a servant of God, He can strengthen you in times of trouble. “He said to me, "You are my servant….in whom I will display my splendor." But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God."……But this is what the LORD says: "Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer……." [Isa 49:1-4,25,26 NIV]

When Jesus was persecuted, He only spoke when it was time to do so. “At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. "If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am." Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips." [Luke 22:66-71 NIV]

If you are interested in what God says about us, here they are. “It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel……The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?......A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. …….If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness……A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?.......The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.” [Prov 20:3,5-7,19,20,24,25,27,29 NIV]

Amen and amen!