A
4-weeks partial lock-down! A “divine interruption,” something needful but
something we “do not want.” We actually do not know if this RMO will be further
extended. My only concern is my mother in Penang, But I take comfort in knowing
that Penang as a whole is coping well in its fight against this virus. Here in
Seremban, is classified as a RED zone. Yesterday, Klang came under RED
classification. Looks like it’s unlikely for anyone of us to return to Penang
till, perhaps June. I pray that we will up a notch in prayer. The longer this
RMO, though it is helping, the more difficulties we will encounter. I m
thinking of the hawkers, the labourers, those who “kais pagi makan pagi, kais
petang makan petang.”
In
Malaysia (from today 30th Mar) we (may) have another 15 days to go, other
countries elsewhere just started their lock down. Some 21 days, some a month
with very likelihood of pro-longing the situation. My flight to Penang in April
had been suspended by AirAsia. And AirAsia has suspended all domestic flights
till 21st April. Our mission trips to Sabah in May and to Gopeng in
June had been cancelled. My SAM class in Tapah end of May had been cancelled. The
September class teacher from Miri had been instructed by his home church not to
travel n I’m not sure if the class can proceed. The month long missions module
in STM (whole of June) had been cancelled. SAM Prai class scheduled to begin 1
Apr had been postponed. All classes on campus in STM had been suspended during
the RMO. A few students who went home are not allowed to return when the RMO
was extended. Classes till end of the semester will commence on-line. This is
truly unprecedented. A complete stop. A divine interruption! Perhaps, it is
overdue…
My
initial observation was that the church was generally caught unaware. Many “crumbled”
at the suddenly restricted movements n found themselves gripped with fear –
fear of uncertainty, of COVID, of simply unable to be a (physical) church. It
is even more devastating for conservative churches that heavily depend on
traditional observances because suddenly the question cropped up, “How to ‘perform’
tradition to an empty audience?” A few managed to pull themselves together n
resorted to “performing” before a webcam. One obvious observation is that those
from a high church setting steeped in tradition are “crumbling” as they are unable
to observe Easter in a (physical) church setting.
HAG2:4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’
declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all
you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work.
For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.
5 ‘This is what I
covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among
you. Do not fear.’6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
I know you are praying just as I am. But let us encourage each other to press in. In a little while…this too shall pass n we will enter a new era of unprecedented (golden) season for the church. Let us be discerning.
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