Week 43 (20 - 26 Oct): Growing Pains

This week marks another milestone as the Chinese HF met at Cecilia’s home. We now have over 15 homes which host HF meetings. We are indeed blessed by the generosity and hospitality of our members. We pray that God continues to allow more homes to host HF meetings. I was also very encouraged to see Sandie step up and lead the discussions as Em, the leader of the Chinese HF, had to attend to other matters.   

At the youth fellowship, Flynn and Ling Xun facilitated the discussions on John 5. It was interesting to hear them explore why Jesus chose to heal only one invalid when there were “a great number of disabled people” lying by the pool. It led to a deeper discussion on faith and how he could possibly have attracted the attention of Jesus. 

They also looked at the response of the Jewish leaders who were more concerned that the invalid was carrying his mat on a Sabbath rather than noticing that he was healed. It sparked a lively discussion on the way God is asking us to do things that would disturb religious practices and our interpretation of biblical commands. 

I also had the opportunity to join the younger adults at RT1. In their study of Mark 15, they looked at the crucifixion from the eyes of the witnesses. While there were many keen insights, one interesting observation was about Simon of Cyrene, who was forced to carry Jesus’ cross. We wondered what Simon thought about having his day interrupted. What did he experience being so close to the wounded Christ? We know that this experience must have changed his life as his 2 sons were part of the early church. 

Encounters with God can take place without any prior warning. I pray that we embrace inconvenient interruptions to our well-planned lives as a way to draw closer to God. In the same way, opening our homes to visitors can disrupt our schedules but it is also a way for people to experience the hospitality of God’s people.   

I am so grateful that Talent Beacon Fellowship is growing in so many ways. We pray that God continues to equip and use the wonderful talents in our midst to do even greater things for Him.