Why Come Back?

Why come back to church? That’s one question I’ve been pondering over the last two years. After all, many of us seemed to be doing quite well with church online during the Circuit Breaker and Heighten Alert etc. Is there any need for onsite church anymore? Can’t we just carry on with online church? Here are my simple reflections two years along as to why I believe we need church on-site.

The Significance of Ash Wednesday

Read this slowly. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin, and be faithful to Christ..”

These words are pronounced in the sombre dim of flickering candlelight, while a priest/pastor marks the sign of a cross on the foreheads of penitent faithful with black ashes. It is a symbol of my mortality, a sign that my life is as fleeting as shadows cast around the walls. A reminder that it is by grace alone that I receive eternal life in Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Where Is History Headed To?

The Christian worldview tells us that all of history is heading to its final fulfilment because of the decisive victory accomplished by Jesus Christ at the cross. However, it can be difficult to describe what that fulfilment (or consummation) looks like, as the Bible uses much metaphorical language to describe it. But that does not mean we cannot say anything about it.

Don’t Mistake Surplus for Security

Have you ever been betrayed by earthly treasures? Or by material promises that vaporise overnight? It happened to my family during the 2009 financial crisis. Through that incident, I was awakened to my confusion of surplus for security, and my misplaced trust in earthly treasures. A few months before the financial crisis, my wife and I agreed that I would leave my corporate job to work full-time in church. We made a firm commitment. Up till the moment of our decision, there […]

Greatness Redefined

In the Gospel of Mark, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples what following Him really entailed. Surprisingly, even Jesus’ hand-picked twelve apostles struggled to understand this in their early days of following Jesus. Let us embark on a brief journey together to better understand what following Jesus Christ is about. Jesus predicted three times (in Mark […]

Meaning in the Midst of Disruption

Disruptions to our life are untimely and inconvenient. They break the flow of our plans, scheduled events and normal ways of doing things. We cannot do business as usual. We are forced to make changes and adapt. When the disruption is severe and unprecedented—as in the case of the present pandemic—our routines are broken, our […]

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10:11-12, 14-19
Tue, 26 September 2023

A Man of High Esteem

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel being called “man of high esteem” (vv.11, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
One of the heavenly beings called Daniel “man of high esteem” (v.11). This honour was bestowed on Daniel emphatically, in that it was repeated twice (v.19). This “high esteem” did not come from man, but from God Himself. God gave this honour to Daniel toward the end of his life when God called him to “enter into rest” (Dan 12:13). As a youth, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself with the king’s choice food” (Dan 1:8), and as an old man, he was faithful to God in spending time with Him in his “three times a day” devotion, even if it means to be thrown into the lions’ den (Dan 6:10). Daniel was finishing well in his life with “humbling yourself before your God” (v.12). When we think of finishing well in terms of successful accomplishments, we must be careful that we are not exalting ourselves.It is not for us to see ourselves in any way as a person of high esteem before God. It is for God to say that to us (2 Cor 10:17-18). Daniel never saw himself as a “man of high esteem”. A key emphasis in Daniel 10 is Daniel being greatly overwhelmed by the holiness and glory of God represented by the heavenly being with an awesome appearance (Dan 10:5-10, 15-18). And it was in this encounter with God when he was called “man of high esteem” that Daniel said, “How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord?”50 (v.17). The man highly esteemed by God saw his unworthiness before God.
50 I have theologically translated “my lord” to “my Lord”, since the heavenly being is a representation of God.
Application:

What does being highly esteemed by God mean to me?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To be able to see oneself as God sees
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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