On 2nd June, at 22:35, Sebastian Matthew TSE was born in Kwong Wah Hospital, Yau Ma Tai, Kowloon, Hong Kong. About 23 hours earlier, mommy Wai-wa felt the water broke. Father Nic was not yet home, working on a late assignment. The superwoman made her own way to the hospital by taxi, after descending the 100 steps of their 5 storey building by herself. Nic met her in the hospital a few minutes later.
Kim and I went to the hospital the next evening to visit Wai-wa, who was already in the Labour Ward. I prayed for her for a smooth delivery and for God’s protection of both mother and child. I have forgotten to ask God to remove the birth pain, but praise God that Wai-wa managed to go through it later like a brave woman! The same evening Kim and I went to meet a friend for dinner in a nearby restaurant. By 22:00, Kim & I were back in the Hospital and Wai-wa was taken into the delivery room. Shortly past 22:35, Nic came out weeping uncontrollably. It was a cry of joy. Apparently he was stunned by the birth experience. He witnessed God’s amazing design firsthand!
Although Sebastian was generally healthy, weighing 6lb 6oz, he had a minor infection. The doctor put him on antibiotics. So he was housed in an incubator and strapped to a drip for the duration of the drug. It had been most difficult for the parents, being separated physically from him for a period of some 5 days!
Because only the parents were allowed to visit Sebastian during the incubator time, daddy had been taking lots of pictures and videos and kept us updated on Sebastian's development on Facebook. The parents said he seemed to look bigger every day, always hungry for more milk. :)
I praise and thank God for the smooth delivery, a natural birth without any surgical aid. But Wai-wa has always been an amazingly tough woman. She is also a handy woman around the house. Our son Nic is a blessed man indeed!
Sebastian is our first grandchild. It is a surreal feeling to become a grandpa for the very first time at the age of 62. Also in July, I will fly to Vancouver to celebrate my father’s 100th birthday. It would be great to have a picture of the 4 of us – great grandpa, grandpa, daddy and Sebastian!
As I write, Sebastian is still not yet home. Whilst I cannot wait to meet and hold him, hopefully in just a few days’ time, I composed the following poem to welcome him:
Hi Sebby
Sebastian 敬 Matthew 予 is your name,
given by your parents Wai-wa and Nicholas.
Your family name Tse 謝 stands for thanks-giving,
thus your full name means “Thanking The Reverent for His Gift”.
God says you were fearfully and wonderfully made,
how true indeed is His Word.
We saw you grown in your mummy’s tummy,
since the happy announcement some 7 months ago.
Despite of God’s perfect plan,
you were born into an imperfect world.
I know your minor infection is only a blip,
because I am sure the Almighty will see you through.
God says children's children are a crown to the aged,
indeed you have made an old man very proud!
I praise and thank God for a smooth delivery,
that both you and mummy were safe.
I cannot wait to see you face to face,
and give you a big welcome hug and kiss.
Little Sebby is God’s workmanship and he belongs to God. That applies to every creature that ever lived.
"The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth…..He summons the heavens above, and the earth……."…every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine……for the world is mine, and all that is in it. [Ps 50:1-6, 9-12 NIV]
People who fail to recognize the Lordship and Sovereignty of God today will one day be shocked.
"'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the LORD. So I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, "The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it……Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives……And then you will know that I am the LORD.'" [Ezek 13:13-23 NIV]
Here I would like to borrow Apostle Paul’s words to exhort you -
"As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses……in hard work….in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on……sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. [2 Cor 6:1-10 NIV]
These are God’s Word for all of us. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The LORD works out everything for his own ends? even the wicked for a day of disaster. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him……Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. [Prov 16:1-7,11,20,33 NIV] In my 20 years of walking in the LORD, I certainly can testify to it.
Amen and amen!
