God’s Wonderful Grace & Goodness

by James Ang

Back in the 70s, when I first came to know the Lord, my happy family environment was overturned. My mother was greatly affected. She strongly opposed my new found Christian faith. She forbade me to have any contact with Christianity. She was suspiscious to every book I read, so much so reading God’s word or Christian literature openly at home was simply asking for trouble! Sundays were trying days for my young faith. I knew it would break her heart if I went to church against her will. But God’s word challenged me to go and to trust in Him, and my Christian friends also encouraged me. And going I did, facing many consequences when I got home. Going home after church service was quite a nervous experience for me, not for fear of punishment. It was something else. But all this while I felt very sorry that my Christian faith ahd brought much unhappiness to my family, especially my mother. The constant thought of saddening my mother who had to take care of six children, including 2 subnormal siblings, almost overwhelmed me to the point of giving up the faith! At times I started to doubt if the God of the Bible was indeed real, as it claimed to be.

But God’s Word constantly assured me that there is no other way to Him (John 14:6) and that if I believe on Jesus Christ, I will be saved and my house (Acts 16:31). I held on to this promise and looked forward to that day for my family. I can testify that with all my siblings (excepted a retarded sister), that God indeed had been very good and gracious. He saved all of us including our dear mother. My mother accepted the Lord on 22.1.95 through the kind leading of our dear Pastor John Khng. Since then she has been attending the True Way Presbyterian Church near her house. All praises be to God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom be glory for ever and ever!

On 22 July 1996, my mother opened her house for Queenstown prayer meeting and she looks forward every week to fellowship with Christians. This again bears testimony of God’s goodness and grace. It had never occurred to me that one day God will not only save my mother through the glorious gospel of Christ, but also be pleased to use her house for prayer meeting. Praise God!

Today Queenstown prayer group had been meeting for coming to 3 years. Thank God for keeping us keeping on. At this point, I wish to thank deacon and Mrs Chew for their faithfulness throughout the three years, in sharing and interpreting in Chinese for the benefit of my mother. My family treasure their support, fellowship, and friendship and look forward to another blessed year of prayer meeting and fellowship. They are a wonderful couple who love the Lord. May God bless them with the desires of their heart and their two beautiful children, Eunice and Phebe, and also Auntie Chew. I also like to thank Sey Gim’s sister, Susie Oon, for visiting us from time to time. She had been a great encouragement to us. May the Lord continue to bless her and uphold her. 

Last but not least, I would like to add here that the first year when brother Swee Fong and sis Linda were with us at Queenstown was also a good year of memorable fellowship. Their absence since had been quite heart wrenching. As much as I wished they were back with us, I cannot but thank God for them and the time spent together with them at Mount Calvary Baptist Church. May the Lord’s blessing be upon them. Hope that one day they will visit us with their family. 

Finally, I thank God for this opportunity and privilege to share about His wonderful grace and goodness towards me and my family. In closing, my three prayers are these: 1) that the Queenstown prayer group will continue to meet faithfully in reading God’s word, in prayer, in fellowship, and in ministering to each other’s needs to the glory of God, and 2) that all our unsaved loved ones will be saved and 3) that our number may grow by one before the end of 1999. The interesting question in my mind is, “who will that one be?” Would you be the one for the Lord?

“He holds my hand, this wonderful Saviour,
And He is mine
So why should I fear when I know He’s so near,
And I know that His hands holds mine?”
                                                      -- Smith, Daily Bread

(Christ Our Intercessor, Church Anniversary Magazine 5)