Family Bonds

Just came back from yet another lunch outing with my family. We were having lunch with my sis and bro-in-law. Hee, think my bro-in-law's a pretty cool guy - from what I've observed, he's VERY caring and tender towards my sis, through these years that they've been married.

Heh, thank God that my parents are quite fine with him, even though he's an Englishman. At first they weren't that happy about my sis marrying an 'ang-moh', but thank God, when we all met up, my dad clicked pretty well with Nick (that's my bro-in-law's name) He's working as a computer games reviewer, and yes, he gets to keep all the games he reviews for FREE. Even though he's a tourist here in Singapore, he can still drive a pretty hard bargain at, of all places, Sim Lim Square. Yes, not those front-end shops, but the shadier back-end shops. ;) Impressive indeed. He's also assembled his own computer before and did overclocking and all that. So I guess, though he's not a geek 'god', he comes pretty close - geek 'guru'? ;)

Well, was typing this, 'cos inspired by Ps Jeff's sermons. Lately I notice that his sermons have grown in depth of conviction and passion and depth. Praise God for this wonderful brother and man of God! =D At Touch Community Theatre yesterday, we Adults listened to him preach on Ties That Bind.

It was a very touching sermon, and as I shared with Huaqiang, I'm sure that this sermon is God's direct answer to my prayer before the sermon (which I had no idea what it was about before I prayed) to help me grow in love for my family more. =D Praise God for His perfect timing! =D He's so sweet! =D

When I ruth Read 1:8 onwards, how Ruth clung to Naomi, her widowed mother-in-law:

At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her. "Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

when I read those words of Ruth, I started tearing. I realised just how little I really love my family, when I see how Ruth loved her mother-in-law. But thank God for His grace and forgiveness, that He showed me the way to grow in love for my family. =) I really love those words that speak of such loyalty and devotion: "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried..."

Like Ps Jeff said, this is a really MACHO woman... =D more macho than some men, actually!

Reflected also what God impressed on my heart the first week I went over into my new CG. I tink He impressed on my heart that this new CG is my new family, and even though it's much harder to meet up, and conditions are harder, He wants me to be loyal and devoted to this new family - like Ruth, "where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay..." Even though not everyone in the new CG I may be able to connect very well with or even relate, this calls for love and commitment. "Love is PATIENT, love is KIND..."

Kindness. Hmm... I remember Peter's example about two years ago, when he was angry with me for some stupid things I did... even though he was angry, he was kind to me, and I was very touched by his Christlike love to me. =) So I realised that it is possible to feel angry, but respond kindly. 1 Cor 4:13 "when we are slandered, we answer kindly..." Thank God for this dear friend and bro in Christ!

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The bond of sacrificial love and the bond of covenantal loyalty... you know, it just struck me. How many of our relationships, be it family or friends, have this bond of covenantal loyalty?

And how much do we treasure our covenants? If one wants to grow in a truly deep and meaningful relationship, we need to honour our convenant with one another. I think that's why I really treasure the bros in the MACHO Turbo group. There's this covenantal loyalty that we have, to be completely open and honest with one another, and to speak the truth in love into one another's lives. And of course, to keep confidental the deep secrets of our hearts. =)

You know, maybe that's one thing what every man longs for. Otherwise why do you have gangs forming and the guys in the gang willing to go fight for their 'brothers'? Maybe I'm seeing just the surface of it, but I think every person does long for friendships where one can be completely open.

But in order to be open, we need to establish covenantal loyalty with one another. Because that helps to lay the foundation for open and honest sharing, otherwise people'll get unnecessarily injured emotionally.

Hmm...