My dear readers,
1. Moving House – a “Mini-Exodus”
One year in the anticipation, one month in the preparation, one day in the execution – sums up our moving from 18 Anderson Road to Chelsea Gardens, a distance of 500 metre, the equivalent of 5 minutes driving.
Why did we move? Answer: Because of the “en bloc fever” which gripped Singapore these past two years. Like vultures looking for prey, big-time developers identify those housing estates with potential of profitable re-development and make offers “hard to resist”- meaning to say, almost irresistible cash-gains to the owners. When more than 80 percent of owners accept the offer, the deal is on. Then, the dissenting few, “like it or not” must follow the rest – like my family – and move, even though one prefers to stay on. We had no choice: we were mere tenants.
2. Friday 13 June 2008 – we moved house
Thirteen men from “Gethsemane Care Ministry” arrived at 10 am. We gathered for prayer and briefing. It reminded me of the Exodus when Moses, one man, led a nation of 2 million souls out of Egypt – on foot! But God was their help and guide in that epic move.
For the next eight hours, the experienced movers transported our earthly belongings, some 80 cartons and unnumbered household articles, in seven lorry loads to our new abode, Chelsea Gardens. At the end of the operation, our new apartment looked like a warehouse, choked with boxes and a jumble of furniture and domestic goods of all sorts.
Four years ago, when we moved from Dalvey to Anderson, we said, “Let this be the last time.” Before that, in 1997, we said the same when we moved into Dalvey. Now, again we say, Let Chelsea Gardens be our last!
3. To pack and move is easy
But to unpack and settle into our new home is like a massive marathon jig saw puzzle. To fit a thousand loose pieces to make “home” is a most challenging task and a spiritual lesson to remind us: This world is not our home, and we do not really need many of the things which we have amassed along life’s way.
How true! Just think of Moses and the two million. The key word for them was “Travel light.” The same applies to us in this day and age, some four thousand years after. Why do we accumulate and amass so many things? Remember our Lord’s words to the worldly wise rich man who built big barns to store his goods, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Lk 12:20 )
In our “moving house” we have, therefore, given away things and things, simply to make room for the other things still remaining! My advice to readers is, “Set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth” (Col 3:2 ).
Beware of “SALES” e.g. Big Singapore Sale! Do not buy just because “it is so cheap!” Buy only for real necessity.
4. Back to our new abode
As I said, to move is easy. Now, to get things in place and functioning – that’s the challenge and sorrow of the next weeks – even months. The dislocation and disorganization was immense, horrendous, we need patience and God’s help to “put the pieces together again.” All this says one thing, “This world is not our home, we’re just a-passing through. Our home is up above, somewhere beyond the blue.” How much more time do we have on Planet Earth? Not much. At our age, it’s “any time.” Yes, we have been only too conscious of our dwindling days on earth. Indeed, we have been numbering our days in our daily prayers.
How to maximize our time for God’s Kingdom is our top concern. May it be yours too, for soon we shall have to appear before the judgment seat of Christ – there “… to receive the things done in the body, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10 ).
As we settle into our Chelsea Gardens apartment, our prayer is, “Lord, thank you for putting us here. Please give us peace, and in our remaining days, enable us to complete the work yet undone, and to do it well, before Thy call.” Our steadfast hope and ardent desire is like David’s: “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Ps 27:4 ).
Truly, “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee” (Ps 84:4 ). That will surely be our next move from Chelsea Gardens to God’s Garden.
5. Twenty-ninth Anniversary of our Church
In 1979 a little band of Calvarians from Calvary Jurong inaugurated a “second service” to become what we are now. By God’s grace, Calvary Pandan is a sizeable growing operation, with two language streams, English and Mandarin, and many departments of ministry in Pandan Gardens, and outreaches into over twenty overseas locations.
How shall we commemorate twenty-nine fruitful years? All of God’s faithful people will gather on July 6 Lord’s Day, morning and evening, to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Lord for all His goodness to us. In the words of King David, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Ps 103:1 , 2 ). Forget not! Remembrance is gratitude.
Let all in Pandan pray, prepare and plan to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” and to re-consecrate ourselves for His greater service. Come, morning and evening.
Lovingly in the Lord
Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor