Equality in Christ

https://odb.org/2025/06/19/one-in-christ

Galatians 3:26–29 (NIV): 26 So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

The reality of the Christian world is that there is inequality in the church. The rich and middle class tend to congregate together. In the US, there are black, white, latin American, and Asian churches the same way there are English speaking and Chinese speaking churches in Malaysia and Iban, Kadazan and Chinese churches in Sabah and Sarawak. Most churches are formed by the language spoken in terms of the songs, the hosting, and the message. When we were in Bangkok a few years back, we joined a Cantonese speaking church for worship, made up of mostly immigrants from Hong Kong or Canton. In Cardiff this year, we joined an Anglican church with a mixed congregation but set up in a unique contemporary setting amidst a church building of at least a few hundred years old.

What’s important for us as believers is that in Christ, we are all equal before God, although in the natural, we may come from different backgrounds and social statuses. God didn’t promise that once we accept Christ, our social standing will be alleviated even though in practice and over generations, people in the faith do become better off socio-economically. Thus, even if we are a slave, we are equal with our master in the eyes of God. That’s what matters. God doesn’t see us as Jew, Greek, or Malaysian or Chinese, but He sees us all as children of God redeemed by the blood of His beloved Son.

I think what’s really pertinent for us is that no matter who we are in the world, we are all saved in Christ and have an equal chance to make it in our spiritual walk. We have an equal chance as an ordinary church member, a leader, or a pastor. We are not handicapped by our past, of the evil things we might have done in our previous life before we knew Christ. Even if we had sinned yesterday, if we repent today and seek forgiveness from God, we still have an equal chance to make it to the finish line in our race. Christ is the Great Equaliser of men and women!

Therefore, my friends don’t despise our past. We were who we were. We can’t change what’s happened or what we did before. But look ahead to the things Jesus has prepared for us for our future in Him. Embrace His plans and purposes for our lives. Live out fully His will for us. We will surely make it to the very end! Amen!

Courtesy and dignity

https://odb.org/2025/06/18/no-ordinary-people

Titus 3:1–11 (NIV): 1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. 3 At one time, we, too, were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

In Titus 3:1-2 above Paul teaches us to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. In addition to being compliant with the law, we ought to be ready to do good, not to slander anyone, to live in peace and gentleness, and considerate with everyone.

In a way, we can sum all that up with extending courtesy and dignity to others around us, no matter their station in life. For example, to the riders and delivery boys, the Grab drivers, the general workers, to the foreign workers at the food stalls, petrol stations, and convenience stores. We mustn’t have an air of superiority just because we are redeemed by the blood of Christ or because we have more money or wealth. Instead, since we are justified by our faith and Christ has saved us, we must be careful to devote ourselves to doing good. Nothing harmful will come out of doing good, and nothing evil will arise if we extend courtesy and dignity to the underprivileged but hardworking masses around us. Especially those who are still lost and have found the faith and need to struggle through life without Christ by them.

I admit that when I’m driving, I can be less courteous and more aggressive. I can get upset if someone were to cut into my lane without warning or honked me when I’m slow off the mark. Sometimes, I become a different person on the road. It’s a weakness I need to deal with, and I know that Christ can help me.

How about you? What are your weaknesses that break your countenance vis-a-vis others? Will we be determined to deal with these character flaws of ours? In Titus 3:9-11, Paul warned against divisive people who like to dwell on foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law. Such pursuits are useless and unprofitable. There are bound to be controversies here and there. We should learn about them, but don’t spend too much time arguing about them. Instead of being divisive, focus on being courteous and giving dignity and doing good. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in the process.

God’s thoughts and ways are not ours

https://odb.org/2025/06/17/missing-chocolates

Isaiah 55:8–13 (NIV): 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers, the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”

Just yesterday evening at our young adults’ cell group, we were talking about God’s healing and whether God always answers prayers. The humorous answer was, “Yes, He does! It’s yes, no or later!”. But of course, you and I know the true intent of the question, and the answer has to be no. There are times when He says no, and most of the time, we don’t really understand why.

About 15 years ago, a close friend of ours, a lay pastor who worked with a few of us to run a small church, passed. We questioned why God didn’t protect Him by reminding him to go for his medical examination earlier. He was 40 then and only went for his first medical examination and, at that age, only found out he had a congenital heart condition. The same day his GP referred him to hospital, he had a heart attack, and for seven days, we prayed for him as he lied in comatose, but God didn’t heal or revive him. He left behind 5 young children and a widow.

In retrospect, while we couldn’t understand fully, we saw that God had a different plan for him and his family. Now, 15 years later, his family has thrived and experienced genuine love and support from the family of God. There was even a brother who gave them a car to use in addition to various brethren chipping in to take care of the education needs of his children. Another sister gave his widow a job to run her music centre while affording her the opportunity to teach piano. The family experienced many other blessings from God.

His thoughts are not our thoughts, and neither are His ways our ways. As believers, we may not fully understand or grasp His true and long-term intent. The best way forward is always to trust Him. He knows what’s best for us and our loved ones. Certain unexpected things might have happened, but we know that as Paul believes, in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Commit all that has happened in our past, good and bad, unto Him. Trust that He will work everything out for good, and we are confident that He will because His thoughts and ways are not ours!

Transformed by the Spirit

https://odb.org/2025/06/16/lookalike

2 Corinthians 3:12–18 (NIV): 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Paul asserted that Moses put a veil over his face after he met God to prevent the Israelites from seeing that the glory was temporal, although Moses said that it was to protect the Israelites from God’s holiness pointing to its permanence. Be that as it may, the point Paul is making in 2 Corinthians 3 is that the radiance of our countenance need not be hidden. We don’t need a veil. Jesus has lifted it. So, we may read the law of Moses without a veil. We have the victory and freedom in Christ. Our faces are unveiled even as we are transformed into Christ’s image by the ever increasing glory of Christ, who is the Spirit.

But for us as individuals and ordinary believers in Christ, we should know that we are also transformed by the Spirit day by day. As we pray and do our quiet time each day, as we commune with Christ, He transforms us. In the process, we have a certain radiance in our countenance.

Of course, like the potter and the clay, we must submit to His loving hands as He shapes our character and personality. If we resist, the transformation will still come over time. It will just take longer. We can not help but be changed in the presence of God as the song says, “for I am changed, in the presence of the Holy God.” Why? Because we are made in the image of God and have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Perhaps we are not 100% changed, but changed we would have!

It’s a natural consequence of our spiritual journey of faith. In the animal world, we will see that a dog raised by wolves will become like wolves, and the dog will howl instead of bark. Likewise, as Christ raises and shapes us, we will slowly be transformed into His image.

The world will see the changes in us. Our loved ones and family will see that we are no longer our old grumpy and moody and stingy self. We are now joyous and cheerful, generous and gracious. We are aware that every day that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ and Christ, our Lord is on a mission to change and transform us. How can we not be changed in the presence of the Holy One of Israel?

Have a glorious and fruitful week this coming week! May our Father in heaven bless the work of our hands and grant us wisdom, discernment, and victory in all that we do! Amen!

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

https://odb.org/2025/06/13/standing-firm-in-faith

1 Peter 5:6–11 (NIV): 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

One of the unavoidable challenges that mankind faces since time immemorial is the enemy, the devil. He was there at the Garden of Eden as the serpent that tempted and tricked Adam and Eve to take a bite out of the forbidden fruit, and as a result, sin entered the world and mankind and Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. God had to send His only begotten son to the world so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have life everlasting (John 3:16). With Jesus having defeated sin and death, we who believe in Him and are justified by our faith in Him will one day be resurrected and will live in our glorified bodies (demonstrated by Christ in His resurrection) at Eden recreated at the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1).

However, as much as we face the challenges and rigours of life to preserve our faith in Christ, we also have an adversary in the devil and his cohorts who will attempt to draw us away from God. Jesus mentioned before that the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy while He came that we may have life and have it abundantly (see John 10:10). God’s promises to us is that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7), and we know that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4). Peter describes the devil as someone who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. At any given chance, he will trip us and make us compromise our faith. His job is to lead us astray, away from God, away from the narrow path into the broad and wide road that leads to destruction.

Peter advises that we humble ourselves before God, meaning we place our dependence on God and cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us. If we look to God, He will help us resist the devil and rise victorious because God loves us. There is no shame to go to Jesus on our knees if we are tempted to give in to the desires of the flesh as the devil tempts and seduces us. Look away from the bright alluring lights of the world and cast our eyes upon our Lord Jesus Christ. He will give us the strength to stand firm in our faith.

As we enter the weekend and take a break from work or school and serve and worship God in church, remember – resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Jesus in us is greater and stronger than any temptation the devourer enemy may throw at us! In all situations, stand firm in the faith! Amen!

Do good and share with others

https://odb.org/2025/06/12/a-generous-heart

Hebrews 13:15-16, 20-21 (NIV): 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased. 20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

We just wrote yesterday about the need to continue to please God, whatever our age, when we are still in our earthly bodies while waiting for our time to be with Jesus. One of the ways is to serve Him and fulfil His plans and purposes for our lives. See: https://ronnielim.com/2025/06/11/boots-on-the-ground-until-our-last-breath/

Another way is to do good and share with others, for God will be pleased with us. It is also actually a way of serving Him as we also serve Him by blessing others. It’s just that we tend to think of serving God in the context of His kingdom or His church. We serve Him by being involved in ministry or missions or by witnessing or preaching the Gospel. Things which are more within the Kingdom of God. But doing good and sharing with others can be out of the Kingdom. It is more of a broad and general application. It could be blessing someone in the Kingdom or someone else in the world or sending money to a ministry or missions or to feed the poor in Syria or displaced people in a poor war-torn African nation.

Our lives are a living sacrifice unto the Lord, a sacrifice of praise unto God. Thus, doing good and sharing what we have with others are part of our sacrifice of praise. As we bless others, God is pleased, and when God is pleased, we are doing well in the eyes of God. Like our pain and grief are never wasted (see: https://ronnielim.com/2025/06/06/our-pain-or-grief-is-not-wasted/), our good deeds will also not go unnoticed and will be remembered by Jesus. Maybe nobody sees, but our Lord sees. Our Lord not only sees what we did, but He also sees our good heart, our genuine desire to bless, and our good intentions. He sees our true motivations. In the end, that’s really what matters.

As we go through our day today, just remember to do good and bless others with what we have. Generosity isn’t defined by how much we give. Instead, generosity refers to the posture of our hearts. Our good intentions. We will please God if we were to open our hands and share what we have. Don’t hesitate, don’t hold back. Just share and bless others! Amen!

Boots on the ground until our last breath

https://odb.org/2025/06/11/stay-ready

2 Corinthians 5:1–10 (NIV): 5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now, the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
6 Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

When we read today’s Scripture, we will see that Paul expresses his desire to be with the Lord rather than continue here on this earth in his human body. But as we live by faith, not by sight, we endeavour to please God whether we are here on earth or with Him in heaven. The reason is simple. We need to appear before the judgment seat of Christ (also known as the Bema judgment of Christ) to receive what is due to us for the things done while in the body here on earth, whether good or bad.

Thus, if we still think that Christianity is just about getting saved and carrying on with our lives as we so please, we are seriously wrong! We need to account to Christ for the things we have done while in the body. In other words, we need to please God with our lives – not just in terms of our morality but also on serving Him based on His plans and purposes for our lives.

That is why when it comes to serving God, there is no real retirement. We serve until we die. Because as believers, we serve Him as we live out our lives. Serving God is an integral part of our living here on earth.

Paul emphasised pleasing Him while in the body as much as we long to be with the Lord. Ultimately, whether we live or die here on earth, it is in the hands of God. So until we die, we must continue to please Him by serving Him, no matter what our age is. We can serve Him at the peak of our youth, and we can serve Him when we are old. So long as we are healthy and mentally alert, we can serve Him. Don’t give up, but continue to serve God while we are still working or when we retire. Whether we are young, as parents, or as grandparents or great-grandparents! Boots on the ground until our very last breath! Amen!

The ways of the prudent

https://odb.org/2025/06/10/planning-prudently

Proverbs 14:7–8, 14-15 (NIV): 7 Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. 14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs. 15 The simple believe anything but the prudent give thought to their steps.

The word translated “prudent” in Proverbs 14 may also be translated as “crafty”, “sensible”, or “shrewd”. In the Malaysian English context, we could use the word “clever” to describe the same. Someone who is prudent is someone who is crafty, sensible, shrewd, and clever. It conveys not a message of conservatism but rather someone who is well prepared and has taken into account various factors. That is why Proverbs 14:8 & 15 states that the prudent give thought to their steps. Meaning to say, the shrewd give thought to their plans. If you are sensible or clever, you will plan your ways.

In life, we can not avoid planning for things. We shouldn’t do things impromptu if possible as any decision taken in haste will eventually have its drawbacks. So if someone pressures you to invest into something after attending a talk, chances are you will regret your decision later. In fraud or scams, the perpetrators will pressure you to part with money very quickly, like after a few weeks or days when in a normal relationship, most people take months or years to trust someone else with their money. A tell tale of a romance scam is they imply or confess they love you just after knowing you for a few days when in real life people take months or years to do so!

On the other hand, when there is too much planning, but no action, we go nowhere. Preparation paralysis is what we in the corporate world call this. Always planning but dare not decide is the hallmark of the planning department! That speaks of extreme conservatism. It spells of missed opportunities and just status quo all the way. Very little things in life have no risks. Moreover, the lesser the risks, the lower the returns. We need to bite the bullet and take the step of faith.

In our walk with God, when the LORD leads us out of our comfort zone, there will usually be uncertainties and risks. Peter needed to step out of the boat to walk on the water at the call of Jesus. If we always want to remain in the safety of the boat, we will less likely experience God working supernaturally in our lives. We need to be bold and courageous, like Joshua and Caleb, to experience God. We need to exercise faith to trust God. That is what a prudent, shrewd, sensible, and clever person would do. Be bold to take the risks and trust God.

The prudent will plan his steps, but the prudent also exercises faith. Without faith, Abraham would not have left the Ur of the Caldeans for the Promised Land. Without faith, Abraham would not have brought Isaac up to the mountain to be sacrificed. Without faith, Moses would not have dared confront the Pharoah and brought out the nearly 2 million Jews out of Egypt. Without faith, Christ would not have sacrificed His life on the cross for our sake.

A new heart and a new spirit

https://odb.org/2025/06/09/heart-surgery

Ezekiel 36:22–28 (NIV): 22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. 24 “ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekial 36:24-28 are the verses often cited as the ancient prophesy foretelling the creation of the nation of Israel on 14 May 1948. God, with His miraculous power and through the political developments following the conclusion of WW2, finally brought the Jews scattered all over the world, back to their homeland, but sadly, WW2 killed more than 6 million of them mercilessly and cruelly. The Holocaust is one of the saddest events of WW2, even worse than the masacre of the Chinese in China and across southeast Asia. 

Ezekial spoke of God giving the Jews a new heart and a new spirit. But the Jews themselves, I believe, are more focused on God bringing back to live in the land He gave their ancestors (to Abraham and his descendants). The LORD will be their God, and the Israelites will be His people. Bringing them back to the Abrahamic Covenant where if the people obeyed Him and lived out His Word, He will bless and prosper them and curse those who cursed them. They must have a new heart and a new spirit that is cleansed of all sin, that they may be righteous before Him.

With God having sent Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour of the world, it is now the age of the New Covenant. Unfortunately, the Jews still reject Him today as they did 2,000 years ago.

We, who were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and justified by our faith in Jesus, will carry the Abrahamic Covenant forward in the new Covenant with Christ, and as Gentiles will carry and be the blessing to all the nations of the world. Ironically, the Abrahamic blessings will be bestowed by the believers of Christ, the same Christ condemned and rejected by the Jews themselves. We will have the new heart and the new spirit and will be a nation who is righteous before God by the blood of Christ.

Do not underestimate the power of our new heart and our new spirit. We now have direct access to the holy throne room of God. Through prayer, we may reach out to God directly. As we call upon His name, He will hear us as we are His people, and He is our God. As we pray, His supernatural power will penetrate through the physical realm. We will experience healing, signs, and wonders because, as Ezekial prophesied, so that the name of Yahweh may be glorified, for the sake of the Holy Nane of Yahweh.

Live a righteous life. Live a life worthy of His name. Remember, through the blood of Jesus and the confession of our lips, we are children of the most high God and thus have been given a new heart and a new spirit. Use it for the glory of God! Have a good week, everyone! May we experience living in the centre of His will that His Holy Name may be glorified in all that we do as He grants us wisdom and discernment to deal with issues of life at our workplace and in our homes!

Our pain or grief is not wasted

https://odb.org/2025/06/06/no-wasted-pain

Exodus 3:7–10 (NIV): 7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

An important aspect that we would all know by now about our spiritual journey with the LORD is that as believers, we are not shielded from the rigours and challenges of life. Except that as believers, we are somewhat protected by the shadow of His wings and provided for by His grace and mercy. As the righteous, we are like the tree described in Psalm 1:

Like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers.

Yet the tree is exposed to the elements of the earth. The storms that come and go. The thundering winds. The heat of mid-day sun. The creatures of the day and night seeking shelter in its branches, most of which co-exist and help in its pollination and growth. Its leaves that wither and rot on the ground fertilises the earth and coupled with the streams of water, ensures its survival and prosperity as an earthly species.

We go through pain and grief as we live out our lives. Bitter disappointments. Painful episodes. Crushing pain. Hurtful and sometimes humiliating situations. Most become stronger from the lessons of life with Jesus by our side. Some falter a little, but with a helping hand from the Holy Spirit, we pick ourselves up to fight another day.

The point this morning is that all our pain and grief are not in vain. They are not wasted. Whatever we have gone through, God can and will use it for His glory. If we come from a home devastated by drug addiction, we can minister to someone with a similar background. If we are a cancer survivor, God will use our life and testimony to reach out to those going through cancers. Or if we had lost a loved one that we had cared for due to cancer, the grief and pain we had experienced would be of help to others going through such grief. None of our grief and pain are ever wasted. God will turn our experience into beautiful blooming flowers to brighten up the day of a grieving daughter or son. 

Let’s cheer up and look forward to Jesus using us in a mighty way to be a genuine blessing to those going through pain and grief! Have a good weekend, everyone! Become that tree that is planted by streams of water, who bears fruits in our season, and whose leaves do not wither, but all that we do prosper! May the LORD our God bless the work of our hands that we will always be a blessing to all those who are around us despite the pain and grief we go through in life!