Humbly Confess Sins and Stop Lying

The pandemic is still ravaging the globe and the number of confirmed cases keeps accelerating, reaching one million. The situation is deeply troubling. We’ve come to realize that we should not take the simple fact of being alive for granted. We are grateful for every breath we take.

In such a crowded city as Hong Kong, the government has announced new regulations, including a ban on gatherings of more than four people in any public place, and that each table of a restaurant needs to be separated by at least 1.5m, and so on. Seemingly, we are inconvenienced on one hand, and on the other hand given a much-needed feeling of space. These measures are right to be put in place, therefore, we should assume our civil responsibility in order to protect both ourselves and others – we will engage in social distancing as required. During this pandemic, let us all be patient – stay in and dine in as much as possible. As we spend more time eating at home, I’ve heard that our co-workers are learning cooking from online courses, birthing forth many innovative ideas. What great fun inside the family that God has gifted to us!

Ever since the beginning of worship service live broadcast on 8-9 Feb, we have transformed into an “Online Church” for two months already. We are especially thankful for our God-given media team. Whenever their expertise was called for, such as the upgrade on software and hardware required for global live-streams and interactive live broadcasts, they always accomplished it in time. From this, we learn that as pastors, we are not restricted to preaching and teaching in physical gatherings. Now, through media which transcends time and space, there is no end to how far His truth can reach!

Looking back, everything was led by God and was beyond our plans. In the past 19 years, from us relocating from North Point to Tsuen Wan, to facing the pandemic today, God has never stopped leading and keeping us. For instance, we went for a retreat on a cruise with MG leaders at the end of last year, while the epidemic which had already begun in China. Thankfully, we finished the whole trip safe and sound.

He is the Wonderful Counselor. Personnel wise, long ago, God revealed to us that our church should establish a community of priests and Levites and an MG12 cell leader discipleship team – everyone is discipled and everyone disciples others. With these people at their posts, even though everything has now gone online, the church is able to continue to operate effectively. Since the purchase of “Media Center” in Young Ya in 2009, after many twists and turns, it is now in full operation as we have posted full manpower and full equipment. This also is the leading of our heavenly Father.

God keeps giving us His word too. I received Psalm 20 for the first service at the beginning of this year, in which God reminded and promised us, “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble”. He surely answers our prayers, especially our sin confession prayers. From the sin confession prayer made in the global 611 live-stream on the 8-9 Feb, to the MG leaders making public sin confession during Purim after our “Picture Book Event,” God heard them all.

On 1 April, when we read Micah 6 in morning devotion, God gave us His Word again. In order to stop the plague, we must humbly pray, we must stop lying, and we must renounce the sin of telling lies, admitting that we humans are weak in this area. Everyone including myself is prone to lying. That is why, for the sake of one’s own interests and stances, lies and fake news that twist the truth flood the internet and social media. Obviously, the whole earth lies!

Thank God that this weekend, we shall hold a global 611 family live-stream again; we shall confess sins to God together with all our branch churches. Dear brothers and sisters, are you ready for this? Let us humble ourselves and pray, let us receive God’s saving grace through sin confession.•[2020.04.05]