Epistle to Hamer (9)

Dear Frank and Lora,

Greeting, how are you? It has been a few months since we last contacted each other. I have finished my posting in surgical department. It is a tough posting, as the superior are strict and sometime irreasonable, and your hard work is not really appreciated. Yet it is a memorable experience as I learnt many new things, especially in the operation theatre.

Now I am having a few day leave before I enter the next posting which is obstetric and gynaecology, a posting that I do not anticipate, as it is never a subject of my interest since in medical school. But I hope this fact will change after starting this posting.

I have been undecided about the future of my carrier. I am still undecided whether to continue in clinical fields or in non-clinical fields (radiology, pathology). I am a bit tired of clinical field due to its long working hours and not having time with family and fellowship. Yet Kok Tong still encourage me to continue in clinical field as it will be more useful in missionary. I am in dilemma whether to follow the path of Martin Lloyd Jones or the path of William Wallace.

Recently I read 2 books that I picked up from the local Christian bookstore, first is "The Hole in Our Holiness" by Kevin De Young, second is "Defending Your Faith" by R. C. Sproul.

Sproul expounds the important of the task of apologetics and start with the four essential principles of knowledge in the first half of his book:

1. The law of noncontradiction. He explains that the Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus are not contradiction, but paradox.

2. The law of causality. People misunderstood this law as "everything must has a cause", but should be understood as "every effect must has a cause". God is not an effect since he is eternally existing and self sustaining. He is the uncaused cause or first cause.

3. Basic reliability of sense perception. That we can know God through our sense from the revelation of God: (1) general revelation from the nature and the written law in our heart, (2) specific revelation fro  his Word.

4. Analogical usage of language. Language can be used in different manners:

(A) univocal, in the same sense. Like "good artwork" and "good woodcraft". "Good" carries the same meaning in both phrases.

(B) equivocal. In "good sermon" and "good grief, I hit my toe",  "good" carries a different meaning.

(C) analogical. "Good person" and "good dog". "Good" in both phrases carries different definition, but the person's goodness is directly proportionate to his being human, and the dog's goodness is proportionate to its being an animal. They are not identical but analogical.

In a similar way, we, as finite being, able to use our finite language to describe our infinite God, eg. the goodness of God, in analogical way.

Sproul later talks future about natural theology, Aquinas, Kant before he future explains about the existence of God and biblical authority,  which I haven't read yet.

I tried to meet up with Joshua, Jean and Kok Tong during these few days but all of them seems to be busy at the moment.

Hope to hear more from both of you. 

Kevin.

Past Miracle and Future Grace

Looking at what need to go through to arrive here,

Looking at what happens around Jerusalem where I am working,

Looking at the people that work in the temple built by Herod,

Looking at the unknown of the future,

Looking at what happens to other people,

The voice keeps screaming in my heart,

That I have chose the wrong path,

That I have chose the wrong profession.

But the blessings that was poured out in Nazareth,

The miracles that was performed at Mount Olive,

The fish that was drawn up from the Sea of Galilee,

The Scripture, stories, accounts that were heard in the synagogue,

The Great I AM that I met at the land of Galilee under that blue sky,

Told me that,

"No, it is not a mistake."

"No, it is not by chance."

"No, it is not out of my sovereign control."

"No, you are not on the wrong path."

"Yes, it is my degree will."

"Yes, my will will be done, on earth as in heaven."

He says,

"Therefore...... 

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, 

and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 

Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, 

but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 

because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, 

whether he is slave or free."

(Ephesians 6:5-8)

____________________ 

 

 The past miracle happened at the Red Sea 

to deliver us from Egypt - the land of slavery, 

gives assurance to us to trust in the future grace 

that will be poured out at the Jordan River, 

to deliver us to Canaan - the land of promise.  

面子书

在面子书看见很多老板工作背后的另一面。
（真是顾名思义的面子书）
忽然觉得面子书很恐怖。
你看见别人的另一面，
但别人也可以看见你的另一面，
那真实的一面。

深感无奈

无端端的忽然需要为一装小事

写 explanation letter。

只能深感无奈。

为什么自己没有在打多一通电话，

然后写下来。

为什么没确保那到袜子。

为什么留下那么多烂摊子给别人。

最终还是自己要扛下那烂摊子。

现在还要写这无聊的 explanation letter。

开工七个月，还是第一次写酱的信。

而且同事还连夜打追魂电话。

只能深感无奈。

巴宁老师，

虽然从你身上受益量多，

对外科及手术深感兴趣。

但在这里中央医院的外科经验，

只能说，每天带着忐忑不安的心。

老师真是抱歉，

多数不会在外科读专课吧。

PS: 这里居然没做 McBurney's incision。

还是那一句，

只能深感无奈。

Those Days

I miss those days, 

when after squeezing in those crampy bus or van, 

I can go to this place, 

flipping the same pages of the Book.

 

I miss those days, 

when after traveling through those blizzard, 

I can go to this place, 

to have a cup of hot tea, 

and have these candies in the mouth

 

I miss those days, 

when after those hectic classes and lectures, 

I can go to this place, 

to share those thoughts and dreams,

that usually won't discuss with neither family nor friends.

Yet the Bible says,

 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" 

For it is not wise to ask such questions. 

(Ecclesiastes 7:10)