Dear BA Family,
I don’t know about you, but I suspect that for many of us, 2021 continues to be a difficult year. The pandemic continues to rage on. Church gatherings continue to be a shadow of what they used to be. And over these past few months, many of us in Bukit Arang have been reminded that sickness, suffering and death continue to be painful realities in our world. In the face of these struggles, it is easy to fall into despair and discouragement. It is easy for us to lose perspective and to lose heart.
And yet, as many of us have been reminded from the book of Ephesians (which we’ve been studying in our small groups since January) – despite everything that is going on in our world and in our lives, Ephesians reminds us of a greater perspective. A heavenly perspective. One which shows how God is powerfully working even amidst our ongoing struggles. Ephesians tells us that God continues to move all human history toward his great Masterplan of uniting all things in Jesus.
God continues to love his blood-bought people, showering them with the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. In Ephesians, Paul tells us, that God continues to draw people from everywhere to himself, building up His church into a holy temple in the Lord.
God continues to be powerfully working in the midst of our ongoing struggles. And so in the midst of our struggles, would we lift our eyes to see what God is doing. Would we ask God to open the eyes of our heart, to see what is really happening in our world.
Brothers and sisters, take heart. Be encouraged. Keep pressing on in loving our great King. Keep walking in light of God’s Masterplan. Stand firm as we await the day when all things will be placed under Jesus’ feet.
Blessings, Pastor Daniel Tan
