Between Times

I am now between the times of having completed a new book and planning to start another book project. I am amazed at the grace of God helping me write to a level that I am happy about, more over in Malay which is not my primary language, though it has been my main language of ministry for 31 years and six months. So people consider me proficient in both languages, not something unusual in Malaysia, though probably very few who are bilinguals like myself could write books and theological books for that matter.

But writing books is a Herculean task of wisdom, knowledge, wit, theological depths, spiritual understanding and at the end of it, I pray the light of understanding leads to obedience and obedience produces transformation of lasting effect. That’s what my books seek to achieve. 

A couple of years ago a reader of one of my books came up to my office and told me he was convicted with something I wrote and he planned to make it right before God. 

In terms of length, though of one of the toughest exegetically, but God granted me grace which means I wrote in 52 days and revision and corrections took more than 40 days plus another 40 days before the start of my pastorate when I wrote John 13-16 in about 40 days. So altogether this commentary on John 13-21 took about 140 days or just under 5 months which is the quickest I had taken to complete. 

For instance, the first edition John 1-12 took about 8 months; Song of Songs 5 months (revised in another 2 months), Galatians took 9 months, all of which time I was on long sabbatical (unpaid) as I waited for my next appointment. For sure, if there is a right opening I may take it as I do not see myself a long term writer in the sense that I won’t be doing anything else. But as I wait, may God’s grace be abundant so whatever is written and published in book form could be a blessing to many.