Let me share with you my Sabbath testimony
by Samuel Lee Yen Keon, excerpted and abridged
When I returned from UK, to be reunited with my family, one criteria in order to work in my profession (Law) in Singapore was to be called to the Bar. In order to be called, I had to undertake a professional conversion course. And I had to do an exam and a class, which are compulsory, on two Sabbaths.
I explained my beliefs to the Head of Department (who is a Catholic) but was told flatly the following
1. These two units are compulsory without which I cannot practise (law) in Singapore
2. No one can be excused or given a waiver from attending
3. They will not reschedule the time table for just one person
4. It's only two Sabbaths, surely God will forgive me if I just miss out on two Sabbaths. After all Sabbath is made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath.
5. Furthermore in the past there have been (Sabbathkeepers) who applied to be excused and when refused on the above grounds, they quietly attended for those Sabbaths anyway, so even if I were to appeal this matter I would get no sympathy from the Law Society.
6. This Sabbath issue is just a personal thing anyway. My Church would never excommunicate or disfellowship us for Sabbath breaking so obviously it is not an important issue in the first place.
(My pastor) wrote a petition on my behalf confirming that we take the Sabbath truth seriously and he even explained what Jesus meant when He said "Sabbath was for Man" etc. Notice that Jesus himself kept every Sabbath. He was just showing us how we can really make the Sabbath meaningful whilst we are observing it and not turn it into a burden. (This is not the same as where you are persecuted and someone else is making Sabbath a burden for you!)
Anyway, I was told that the Petition would not make any difference . I wrote to our (Church) headquarters in USA for help from the (church's) Lawyers' association. I did not receive a response. In the meantime my parents told me that this was my personal decision. They would not hold it against me if I were to give in though they would not advocate it and would be disappointed but they would nevertheless support me and encourage me.
I prayed a lot about it and then one Sabbath it was as if God spoke to me. He showed me that Sabbath was special -- like a covenant / symbol / memorial -- kinda like Valentine's Day for romantic couples, y'know? This was a love relationship between God and us. Plus in the final analysis: was I willing to trust Him and to prove that I trusted Him?
It was on that fateful day that my prayer changed. No longer was it the usual pleading prayer that my petition would be granted and I be excused . But now it was just a prayer of trust and reaffirmation of my Faith in God and basically letting go, i.e. really giving God control over my life. This is one of the hardest test of Faith. Trusting without knowing what is going to happen -- not even knowing or even given an idea / educated guess what the future would be.
In the end it all boiled down to what God had in mind for me and where He wanted me to be. So now my prayer was this: if God wanted me in Singapore then please help me with this obstacle; if not then God please reveal to me (Your) plans for me in time. So I stopped worrying and was fully prepared to return to (the) UK or wherever the Lord was going to lead (though at the time I really had no idea what where)
Nothing happened for 2 months.
And then on the day (when) I was supposed to start my course I received a letter (stating that) I had been excused from the Sabbath classes/exams. And here's the irony. A very strong letter of support from the...(Church's) Lawyers' association arrived but it arrived 2 weeks after God had worked that miracle. It was as if God wanted me to know
1. It was a miracle
2. He did want me to be in Singapore.
So there you are...Even now I don't know what's round the corner for me. But now I no longer think about it. I just trust the Lord that, if he is controlling my Life, everything He decides for me will be a great decision, even if by appearances it sucks. I am beginning to really understand what it means to have real Faith and I too pray you...will have the same Faith and more to make a stand where you are even if the world appears to be crashing down on you. And even if it does, be at Peace and know that the Lord is with you and will be Victorious in the final outcome.
When you are one with God, your story will ultimately have a happy ending whether in this life or in the life to come. PS
by Samuel Lee Yen Keon, excerpted and abridged
When I returned from UK, to be reunited with my family, one criteria in order to work in my profession (Law) in Singapore was to be called to the Bar. In order to be called, I had to undertake a professional conversion course. And I had to do an exam and a class, which are compulsory, on two Sabbaths.
I explained my beliefs to the Head of Department (who is a Catholic) but was told flatly the following
1. These two units are compulsory without which I cannot practise (law) in Singapore
2. No one can be excused or given a waiver from attending
3. They will not reschedule the time table for just one person
4. It's only two Sabbaths, surely God will forgive me if I just miss out on two Sabbaths. After all Sabbath is made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath.
5. Furthermore in the past there have been (Sabbathkeepers) who applied to be excused and when refused on the above grounds, they quietly attended for those Sabbaths anyway, so even if I were to appeal this matter I would get no sympathy from the Law Society.
6. This Sabbath issue is just a personal thing anyway. My Church would never excommunicate or disfellowship us for Sabbath breaking so obviously it is not an important issue in the first place.
(My pastor) wrote a petition on my behalf confirming that we take the Sabbath truth seriously and he even explained what Jesus meant when He said "Sabbath was for Man" etc. Notice that Jesus himself kept every Sabbath. He was just showing us how we can really make the Sabbath meaningful whilst we are observing it and not turn it into a burden. (This is not the same as where you are persecuted and someone else is making Sabbath a burden for you!)
Anyway, I was told that the Petition would not make any difference . I wrote to our (Church) headquarters in USA for help from the (church's) Lawyers' association. I did not receive a response. In the meantime my parents told me that this was my personal decision. They would not hold it against me if I were to give in though they would not advocate it and would be disappointed but they would nevertheless support me and encourage me.
I prayed a lot about it and then one Sabbath it was as if God spoke to me. He showed me that Sabbath was special -- like a covenant / symbol / memorial -- kinda like Valentine's Day for romantic couples, y'know? This was a love relationship between God and us. Plus in the final analysis: was I willing to trust Him and to prove that I trusted Him?
It was on that fateful day that my prayer changed. No longer was it the usual pleading prayer that my petition would be granted and I be excused . But now it was just a prayer of trust and reaffirmation of my Faith in God and basically letting go, i.e. really giving God control over my life. This is one of the hardest test of Faith. Trusting without knowing what is going to happen -- not even knowing or even given an idea / educated guess what the future would be.
In the end it all boiled down to what God had in mind for me and where He wanted me to be. So now my prayer was this: if God wanted me in Singapore then please help me with this obstacle; if not then God please reveal to me (Your) plans for me in time. So I stopped worrying and was fully prepared to return to (the) UK or wherever the Lord was going to lead (though at the time I really had no idea what where)
Nothing happened for 2 months.
And then on the day (when) I was supposed to start my course I received a letter (stating that) I had been excused from the Sabbath classes/exams. And here's the irony. A very strong letter of support from the...(Church's) Lawyers' association arrived but it arrived 2 weeks after God had worked that miracle. It was as if God wanted me to know
1. It was a miracle
2. He did want me to be in Singapore.
So there you are...Even now I don't know what's round the corner for me. But now I no longer think about it. I just trust the Lord that, if he is controlling my Life, everything He decides for me will be a great decision, even if by appearances it sucks. I am beginning to really understand what it means to have real Faith and I too pray you...will have the same Faith and more to make a stand where you are even if the world appears to be crashing down on you. And even if it does, be at Peace and know that the Lord is with you and will be Victorious in the final outcome.
When you are one with God, your story will ultimately have a happy ending whether in this life or in the life to come. PS
"Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, O leave me not alone! Still support and comfort me.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; Oh, receive my soul at last!"
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