Weeks 51 & 52 (10) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

As we enter a new decade in 2011, major cities around the world welcome it with firework displays that symbolise optimism and expectations, hopes and dreams.

That is a right attitude which reflects a positive human spirit. Man in all generations look forward to a better future each year, without change. But it is change that will bring about a better future.

Ironically, as we celebrate the birth of a New Year, Hong Kong mourn the death of one of Asia's leading democracy advocates, Szeto Wah.

Mr. Szeto has worked for decades to establish, preserve and protect Hong Kong people's democratic institutions, freedom and human rights.

A core member of the Democratic Party, Mr. Szeto first came to public prominence as a long-time leader of Hong Kong's largest teachers' union. Time Magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people in Hong Kong, calling him "Democracy's Foot Soldier." Known to the people of Hong Kong simply as "Uncle Wah," he was one of Hong Kong's earliest elected representatives, and continues to be one of the Special Administrative Region's most popular and admired politicians.

Mr. Szeto has long devoted himself to the development of democracy in Hong Kong. In 1973, he formed the Professional Teachers' Union, one of the earliest pressure groups in Hong Kong to fight for the interest of teachers. He served as its president from 1974-90 and as its vice president from 1990-96.

In 1985, Hong Kong had its first functional constituency elections, in which Mr. Szeto was elected to represent the Education professionals in the territory. In the same year, he served as a member of the Basic Law Drafting Committee, the body appointed by Beijing to draft Hong Kong's post-1997 constitution. Following his condemnation of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, he withdrew from the committee. He is also the chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movement of China, the organization formed in 1989 to support the democracy movement in China.

In late 1996, Szeto Wah led a public challenge to China to make its appointment system for the selection of the Chief Executive more democratic, transparent and accountable to the public. In this campaign, he ran as the Democratic Party's nominee for the "Shadow Chief Executive" and secured over 100,000 signatures in his endeavor to educate the public about their rights.

Szeto Wah's dedication to freedom of expression and human rights has been recognized worldwide. In December 1997, the Czech Republic presented Mr. Szeto with its distinguished "HomoHomini" Human Rights Award.

Mr. Szeto was also devoted Christian and the Christian faith had reinforced his life-long goal of fighting for a more democratic Hong Kong and, hopefully, a more just and fair society.

The God that Christians worship considers “righteousness and justice as the foundation of His throne” [Ps. 89:14]. Hence Mr. Szeto’s Christian faith is correctly expressed when he pursued justice and fairness relentlessly. In this regard, Mr. Szeto has my greatest respect!

The new decade is a decade of change, yes, rapid change. It will be faster than Apple changing its i-phone models. :)

Behind that change is a hidden agenda that is more sinister than what appears to the undiscerning. It is a new World Order that moves the nations towards greater co-operation in economics, religion, green issues etc......paving the way for the inevitable!

It was the same spirit of co-operation that led to the building of the Tower of Babel in the early human history [Genesis 11:4]!

As Christians, we hold onto God’s promise that He will one day restore His rule and reign on earth, which will have righteousness and justice as the foundation. It is only then when the dreams of so many like Szeto Wah and others who have gone before him and come after him would be realized. Let us “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods…Give thanks to the Lord of lords….to him who alone does great wonders….who by his understanding made the heavens…..who spread out the earth upon the waters….who made the great lights……the sun to govern the day….the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever. [Ps 136:1-12 NIV]

It is time to seek the Lord, when His grace and mercy are still on offer. "If you will return….to me," declares the LORD."If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives,' then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory." This is what the LORD says to the men ……"Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts….., or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done — burn with no one to quench it……'Sound the trumpet throughout the land!....So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us……..[Jer 4:1-9 NIV]

Just before Jesus was crucified, “...Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face……..When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" [John 19:1-12 NIV] The same Jesus who was crucified 2000 years ago will return in glory and power to judge the world. Anything (and anyone) that is unrighteous and unjust will be thrown into hell and be burned for eternity!

If you pursue righteousness and justice, you will not be disappointed, because “The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked……Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot…..The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked…..The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment…..The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment……What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted. When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever…..The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil……...[Prov 10:3,6-7,11,16,20-21,24-25,28-32 NIV]

Amen and amen!