Scripture on that Day

Since late afternoon yesterday, I had been waiting on the Lord for a verse or passage of Scripture at the end of my 56 years and beginning of another year today. It was about 8.30am today that it finally dawned on me after receiving a phone-call from my brother in KK and an earlier text message from another brother in Sydney. The passage comes from 2 Timothy 4:2-5 which reads: "Preach the Word in season and out of season - "welcome or unwelcome, insist on it" (New Jerusalem Bible). Refute falsehood, correct error, give encouragement - do all with patience and with care to instruct. Yes, that's my calling as a preacher - someone who reproves or rebukes others in the name of God. Who is adequate for all these?

Who wants to correct errors and refute others when so many people do not want to listen to the truth anymore, let alone rebuked or reproved by a preacher? If it were not God's calling, I would be certainly doing something else. "Time will come that they will not accept sound teaching, but rather gather to themselves teachers who will tickle their ears but propagate falsehoods, myths and untruths - "according to their tastes". It seems that people get what they want from their "chosen preachers or pastors". If they like prosperity, then they will choose prosperity gospel-type preachers. If they like religiosity, then they will choose Pharisees and scribes for their pastors and teachers. No wonder Jesus said, "You are wrong! You do not know the Scripture nor the power of God" (Matt 22:29). I listened to several Sunday sermons yesterday. I heard from a preacher wearing a mask (in Malaysia) but most of the time I was distracted by his heavy breathing and he looked like Spiderman or supraman. His mask makes all kinds of shapes and figures and that surely distracted from his delivery and message. Did he not believe in the power of God? It was a recording and perhaps only a few listened to him preached and they were seated 15 or more feet away and wore masks as appropriate. But I thank God, despite sometimes feeling like Elijah, an odd man out, I intend to fulfil the ministry assigned to me by God (2 Tim 4:5).