A FAITH THAT SHINES

Many of you will have heard of the afflictions of our dear sister Jinye (Lum Kum Yap). Despite her condition, she was still quick to serve the Lord once the opportunity arose. Her devotion to the Lord has been an encouragement to us.

Our dear sister went for a day surgery on 28th September 2020, as part of a series of treatments to help her recover. It was supposed to be an operation with little complications and a quick discharge from hospital. Alas, there was extensive bleeding after the operation. According to sister Jinye, the doctor commented that he had never seen anything like this before in his years of handling such operations. The loss of blood was so great that it finally required blood transfusion.

The brethren were deeply concerned for Jinye’s condition. The church interceded for our sister during the prayer meeting on 29th September 2020. At the end of the prayer meeting, I received a text from our sister. The bleeding was staunched. Praise the Lord for His mercies and goodness.

The next day, sister Jinye testified this to me, “I thank God for His grace and mercy. I believe the blood in my body is bad because of my cancer. So the Lord made me lose my blood, that I may now have cleaner and healthier blood in the body.” This is a beautiful confession and thanksgiving by our sister in the midst of her trial. Her simple faith in Christ which has been put to the test, now shines brightly to the praise of God. Indeed, out of the mouths of babes the Lord has perfected praise (Matt. 21:16).

Many of us are familiar with Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) We may also be familiar with the teaching of the permissive will of God, as exemplified in the life of Job. Yet it is through situations such as this, that we can truly see if a child of God has fully understood the doctrines and teachings of God’s Word. Jinye has shown a deep appreciation of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

In the meantime, let us also not forget sister Xi Jin (Ho Seh Kim), who is recuperating at home while undergoing chemotherapy. We thank the Lord that the treatments have proven effective thus far. We pray that the Lord will continue to grant His peace and joy upon the family.

The trials of our sisters bring to mind the words in the hymn, “Keep on Believing”:

If all were easy, if all were bright,
Where would the cross be? and where the fight?
But in the testings God gives to you,
Chances for proving what He can do.

May the Lord grant us a faith that shines like our dear sister.