Let's be "Happy All The Time" because "It's So Good to Trust in Jesus"

Monday 19th February 2007

Several Sundays ago, we brought my parents-in-law to attend the Lifespring Service (which is the Mandarin service of our church). What really moved my heart was to see the way the elderly folks were worshipping the LORD, even though they may not understand everything in the Bible because of literacy issues.

I was amazed to see the childlike faith that they had, and the joy that could be seen in their faces. When looking at them, I was reminded of what Rev Tay KL had shared over the pulpit about the 75-hour prayer. He had walked into the Haven during one of the sessions to find a small group of persons of less than 10 persons praising God by singing the Hokkien song "Jin Jia Hor", viz:

JIN JIA HOR

jin jia hor, lai xing ya saw jin jia hor
jin jia hor, lai xing ya saw jin jia hor
wa bai yit, bai ji, bai sa, bai si
bai gor, bai lak, gui eh lei bai
jin jia hor, lai xing ya saw jin jia hor

真佳好来信耶稣， 真佳好
真佳好来信耶稣， 真佳好
我拜一，拜二， 拜三， 拜四
拜五， 拜六， 过而礼拜
真佳好来信耶稣， 真佳好

Loosely, it can be translated into English as follows:

It's so good to trust in Jesus, it's so good
It's so good to trust in Jesus, it's so good
Be it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Friday, Saturday or even Sunday
It's so good to trust in Jesus, it's so good

On one end of the spectrum were sessions like the one our 3L cluster had (there was a time of worship, reading of the Scriptures, prayer, exhortation, etc). On the other end of the spectrum were sessions like the one Rev Tay had witnessed. Yet God was honoured by all who were willing to set aside time to praise Him, and His presence was felt no matter how simple or elaborate the sessions may have been.

The childlike faith shown by these elderly folk reminds me of the following passages of scripture regarding children...

Matt 18:1-5 The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2He called a little child and had him stand among them.
3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

Matt 19:13-15 The Little Children and Jesus
13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Once in a while, we may hear very simple and "childish" songs of praise, but we should not despise them. This is because these are the very songs that reach the very throne of God, because they cause our faith to be "childlike" when we sing them.

Another song I am reminded of was the one taught in Sunday School as follows:

HAPPY ALL THE TIME

I'm inside, outside, upside, downside
Happy all the time
I'm inside, outside, upside, downside
Happy all the time
Since Jesus Christ came in
I've grown to love Him more
I'm inside, outside, upside, downside
Happy all the time

我里面，外面，上面，下面，
高兴不得了
我里面，外面，上面，下面，
高兴不得了
之从我有耶稣我越来越爱他
我里面，外面，上面，下面，
高兴不得了

So let's learn from both the children and the elderly folks to exercise child-like faith in our walk with the LORD. Let's be HAPPY ALL THE TIME because IT'S SO GOOD TO TRUST IN JESUS. Amen?