SONG AND STORY 3: DON’T WASTE THE PANDEMIC

By Rev Dr Forest Koh

Don’t waste the pandemic! I was reminded,

Don’t stop meeting, our Lord is coming

Don’t stop meeting, our Lord is calling

I am looking forward to the return of our Lord, and this pandemic has brought people closer to me through different media and platforms. I am thankful for the past two pandemic years in many ways. These are my key takeaways:

• Building relationships in the pandemic is a blessing in disguise. I was encouraged to keep on building on this foundation Christ has established not 2 years but 2000 years ago.
• Building relationships is very messy in a traditional church like GPC, because everyone seems related yet unrelated. I was encouraged by this pandemic to keep on moving and loving in Christ.
• Building a relationship with Christ in our hearts, I persevere joyfully in His songs. 

Lastly, I want to encourage you with what Paul wrote to the Colossian church, “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.” (Col 2:2, NIV)

Paul’s goal was to build courageous communities of profound love. Communities of this kind grow out of crisis. There is a Chinese saying: 患难见真情. The English expression for this is “A friend in need is a friend indeed!” True love will bring us through storm and thunder.

The biblical idea of love has no meaning outside of relationships. This is the gospel! The intimate relationship Jesus wants to bring among us. Word becomes flesh, and we become His hands and feet, His bearer of love. I read in my devotion, “For the gospel to be the gospel, it requires a community of people, and even two or three will do. The gospel advances on the supernatural power of courageous love.”

This supernaturality was what I had experienced and still am experiencing in this pandemic, in His church, in His CGs and in His song.

May God bless GPC as we serve Him and worship Him. And behold! His glory dwells among us!