Jun 12-13, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters,

The pandemic that has devastated us for the last year and a half may soon have run its course, at least we hope so. It has been too long, too tragic, and too sad, for too many. We have all been put to the test in our faith, and we all wonder who will be left standing at the end of the long period of desolations we have to endure. Personally, this past many months have been most trying as I have never experienced anything like it in all my years of ministry. The challenge came in the form of COVID hitting my oldest daughter which also led to Lydia and I having to be self-isolated for 14 days. It came at the same time as the loss of many of my closest colleagues and classmates, and esteemed teachers and veteran pastors due to different illnesses. Also, the difficulties of the ministries seemed to be compounded and more overwhelming when one cannot deal with them face to face, or rely on the knowledge and past experiences one has accumulated. But ultimately the pandemic put to the test on who I am as a person. How I and we all fare at the end depends on what we are made of, whether we are just living a Christian form of life or whether we are truly living the Christ life, the authentic life of faith, lived in the way Christ lived.

It is inevitable that when we go through any trials, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or relational, whatever the nature of the trials is, and even when we are doing things out of care and compassion, fatigue inevitably sets in over time. For those who are the business of caring for others, psychologists call this “compassion fatigue.” The concept comes from “metal fatigue” in big, engineered machines like airplanes that are made of the best metal alloys that are sturdy and last for a long time, even after countless hours of flight. However, after logging thousands and thousands of hours of flight, eventually, even the strongest material starts to become more fragile and run into risks of breaking down, causing terrible accidents.

The concept of “compassion fatigue” is applied to loving and devoted caregivers and health and service providers including those who are in ministries.  It is different from “burnouts” which now refers to the results of being overworked and the experience of overwhelming pressure in different situations. It often happens before a person fall into in a burnout situation but is already on the verge of it. In fact, the reason for not quite falling into a burnout situation is the care and compassion the person has that keeps the person going despite the real need of slowing down, resting and resetting.  Therein lies the danger for us as Christians, we know that we need to live by faith and serve with compassion, but despite our best intention, because we are but human, we will experience physical and compassion fatigue, especially when we try so hard against all odds.

Even Jesus with all His compassion had to fight physical and compassion fatigue at the end of days of ministries of teaching and caring. He had to take time off on His own to pray to the Father till the early hours of the morning (Mt 13, 14). But at the end of all his trials, Jesus was able to walk on water, unlike Peter, the disciple “of little faith” who wanted to be like Jesus but doubted and as soon as he moved his eyes away from Jesus and saw the wind and the water, he sank and cried out desperately for help. There are many lessons we can learn from this familiar story, especially when we are hopefully seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in this pandemic, but I would just like to focus here on one, “compassion fatigue”, learning from Jesus to take rest.  (Continue next week)

Your pastor,

Rev. Simon Lee

 

Jun 12-13, 2021
李耀全牧師

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

在過去一年半以來令我們身心交瘁的疫情大流行可能很快就會結束了，至少我們希望如此。對於太多人來說，這已經是太長，太難過，太令人悲傷了。我們都經歷了信仰的考驗，我們都在問，在我們必須忍受的長期傷心寂寞時間結束時，誰會站立得穩。就我個人而言，過去的幾個月是最艱難的，因為我在多年的事奉中從未經歷過這樣的事情。對我切身挑戰的是我的大女兒受到病毒感染，這也導致我和師母不得不自我隔離14 天。與此同時，我也面對著許多最親密的同工和同學，以及我所尊敬的老師和資深牧者，也因不同的疾病而離世。此外，在無法面對面處理，或不能依靠所積累的知識和過去的經驗時，令事奉的困難似乎更加複雜和更為難以承受。但至終，這疫情考驗了我到底是何等人。我或我們如何存活，取決於我們是由什麼所形成(構成)的，我們是否只是過著一種外表基督徒的生活形式，或是我們真的活出基督的生活，真確的信仰生活，以基督的方式去生活。

當我們經歷任何考驗時，無論是在身體、心理、靈性或是人際關係的各方面，不論考驗的性質如何，即使我們所作的是出於關懷和同情心，隨著長時間的付出，感到疲倦是在所難免。對於那些專責關心服侍他人的人，心理學家稱之為“慈憐疲勞”。這個概念來自大型工程機械(如飛機)的“金屬勞損(metal fatigue)”，這些機械由最高質料的金屬合金製成，堅固耐用，即使經歷無數小時的飛行也能持續很長時間。然而，經過成千上萬小時的飛行，最終，即使是最堅固的材料也會開始變得更得脆弱，而且面臨崩潰的風險，從而導致可怕的意外事故發生。

這個概念應用於充滿愛心和忠誠的關顧者以及健康和服務提供者，包括那些投身於事奉的人，被稱為“慈憐疲勞”。與“耗盡”不同的是指工作過度以及在不同情況下承受壓倒性壓力引致勞累的結果。通常在一個人陷入耗盡狀態之前，已經是處於這種疲勞狀態的邊緣了。事實上，導致耗盡的原因是出於這人對他人的關切與同情，令他儘管在明顯有需要放緩步伐時，仍不休息及重新調整。即使我們基督徒也是面臨著耗盡危機的。我們知道需要憑信心生活並以同情心服侍，但儘管我們的本意是最好的，但由於我們只是人，尤其是當我們如在困難重重的情況下仍不斷作出努力時，我們會經歷身體和同情心的疲勞。

在結束昔日教導和關懷事工的日子裡，即使是滿懷憐憫的耶穌，也不得不與身體和同情心的疲勞爭持。他不得不獨自抽出時間向天父祈禱，直到清晨(太14:13,14)。但在他所有的考驗完結時，耶穌能夠在水面上行走，不像彼得這個“小信”的門徒，他想與耶穌一樣行在水上做卻存著懷疑，當他一旦將視線從耶穌身上移開，看到風和海浪時，他便沉了下去，並絕望地呼救。我們可從這個熟悉的故事中可學到不少教訓，尤其是當我們盼望在這疫情中看到隧道盡頭的曙光時，但我只想在此集中於“慈憐疲勞”這方面去看並向耶和華學習安息。(下期續)

您的牧者,
李耀全牧師

 

 

May 29-30, 2021
李耀全牧師

疫情漸緩、解封有望、詩篇拙譯、與眾互勉、等待重返、主恩同頌！

詩84   在COVID-19 疫情中，自由意譯作反思之用

1耶和華我主我的元帥啊！ 您的聖所真是可愛無比。

2 我靈極之渴想返回耶和華我主的教會，

我身心也向永活的神歡呼歌頌。

3 耶和華我主我的元帥啊！我的王我的神啊！

真羡慕在你的聖所旁邊，連麻雀也找到棲身之所,

燕子也為自己找到安全又可安置她小燕的窩巢 。

4 有福 的人就是如此在你殿中找到安息， 可以在那裡不斷讚美你。            （細拉）

5 有福的人也就是靠你得力 ，彷彿在他們心中有個GPS的地圖指向聖所。

6 會眾長途跋涉地經過泣城(列城)的大街小巷，

神卻使這枯城成為活泉，春雨又把城處處蓋滿成為福杯滿溢的綠洲，

7 他們愈走愈起勁，愈走近教堂愈興奮，

直到每人可去到敬拜我主我神。

8 耶和華我主我的元帥啊！ 求你垂聽我的禱告；

我們先賢的神啊！ 求你側耳細心聽。  （細拉）

9 神啊！ 求你垂顧我們的救主，

求你眼目看守你的受膏者基督。

10在你聖所逗留一日 ，勝過能在別處停留千日；

我寧願選擇站在神的殿之門口等候，也不願在罪惡之城内與罪人同流合污。

11   因為耶和華我主我神是保護我的君王 (是太陽、是盾牌 )，

耶和華我主傾賜給我豐盛的生命(恩惠和榮耀)；

因他連一樣好處都沒有保留而不給那些生活正直的人。

12   耶和華我主我的元帥啊！有福的人就是那完全倚靠你的人。 (李譯, 26/05/2021)

 

May 29-30, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

 

How spectacular is your house, O God Almighty!

My soul longs to be back at church,

my whole being yearns desperately to be back in your sanctuary,

where I can sing heartily with joy to you the living God.

How I envy the birds that find a home there, and

the sparrows can also find a safe haven there, to nest and raise their young,

right next to the sanctuary, O my King, and my God.

How blessed are those who can find rest in your house,

constantly singing praise to you!

How blessed are those who find strength in you,

in each soul is found a GPS leading them to church

In going through the windy roads and heavy traffic of the weeping city,

God creates many oases of refreshing water, blessings from early rain!

After the road most travelled by many fellow travellers,

every seeker of God can personally approach their God and worship Him.

O Lord God Almighty, hear my prayer,

listen carefully, O God of our forefathers!

Behold our protector,

look with favour on the face of Christ, your anointed One!

One day spent in your sanctuary is better than a thousand spent elsewhere.

I would rather linger and wait at the entrance of the church!

than mix in with the crowds in the parlours and casinos of the wicked world.

For you O Lord God are a royal protector,

and you O Lord, shower me with an abundant life – gifts and honour

The Lord does not hold back extravagant blessings

from those who walk with integrity.

O Lord Almighty,

How blessed is the one who trust fully in you!                       (SL, May 26, 2021)

May 15-16, 2021
李耀全牧師

親愛列宣弟兄姊妹，

“到加拿大國慶日，所有人(12歲及以上)，將均已接種疫苗！” 在超過一年的COVID-19之後，這真是個好消息。自2020年3月中旬以來，我們一直生活在疫情大流行的陰霾之下，每天的死亡人數和死亡的總數也令人震驚，遠遠超越了我們以前所見過的人數。當我自己的女兒Sarah在一個月前被檢測出COVID呈陽性時，我們感到極為無助。師母和我必須分別隔離於自己的房間內14天！讚美主在那段考驗期間保護了我們。

但對我和我們中間許多基督徒而言，更困難的是，我們無法“回到教堂”去敬拜，我們無法可像在正常情況般，一同向神祈禱呼求，及在主內群體中得到鼓勵。也許我們終於能夠在隧道盡頭看到了曙光。最終，我們希望能很快重返神的殿裡去敬拜！

最近，我有機會在教主日學時研讀詩篇42篇(與43篇連貫）。就如在詩篇84篇中(我們上次所看的詩篇)一樣，詩篇42篇的標題與本詩一樣是由“可拉的後裔”所寫，其主題亦是“渴望在神的殿中”。神對詩人的父親(先祖)利未人可拉(Korah the Levite) 背叛神被審判，故此我們看到作者如何珍惜能夠在聖所中侍奉神的寶貴機會(代上9:19)。我們可從詩篇42和43篇中看到證據，證明其時他已被擄(43:1)，很可能這就是他不能去到聖殿敬拜神的原因。我們同時還看到他著受到不敬虔的人的迫害和嘲笑的證據(42:9; 43:2)，甚至他開始感到神已離棄了他(42:9; 43:2)。

在過去的一年中，美國前總統將病毒稱之為“中國病毒”，北美地區的反亞裔情緒日增。我們聽到有關在溫哥華和列治文，發生於許多無辜的人，如長者及婦女身上，在光天化日之下受到種族歧視和暴力的可怕故事。因此，除了擔心感染病毒外，許多在北美的亞裔人士還須應對在這個我們看為自己的國家-這個我們居住了多年的地方-所帶來的額外社會壓力。因而導致我們在身體和精神上，以及在身體及社交距離所承受的壓力上，更感疏離和孤立。雖然這與詩人於被擄時的經歷相去甚遠，但今天我們也正在經歷詩人所感受到的一些心靈衝擊。

詩人如何能從完全絕望中轉變成真正的盼望？他是如何將他的哀嘆變成讚美的誓詞？我要指出的是，詩篇中的幾個重要環節是詩人從絕望走向尊崇讚美神的過程。

1. 持守對神熱切的渴慕（42:1-2）
“神啊，我的心切慕你，如鹿切慕溪水。” (42:2) 這一切都始於我們的內心。圖畫描繪的是一隻鹿也許跋涉於乾旱的沙漠至溪水之地，一邊喘著氣，一邊滿足地享受著清涼的溪水。因此，儘管詩人的處境如此，但他仍然強烈地渴望親近被他稱為“永生神”的神。他的神是“活著的”神，因為祂是生命和盼望的源頭，祂是人生風暴中的錨。

2. 持守在神面前赤露敞開(坦誠)的心（42:3, 5a, 9a, 10, 11a; 43:1a）
詩人不怕在神面前傾嘆自己的哀傷，沮喪和內心的沖擊。事實上，我們有一位大祭司就是基督耶穌，祂深深明白我們所有的痛苦和苦困，因為祂本身曾經歷了最艱難的考驗和試探，並且戰勝了罪惡和死亡。神能明白理解我們的困境，因此我們可以毋須掩飾地將內心痛苦傾倒在祂面前，甚至包括我們對神的絕望和失望。

3. 持守(堅持)不忘神過往一切的恩典、信實和供應
詩人記念昔日到聖殿朝聖的美好時光(42:4），記念神創造的美麗和威嚴(42:6,7)，以及神晝夜的保護(8)。正如詩歌作者提醒我們：“主的恩典樣樣要都數，若把主的恩典從頭數一數，必能叫你驚訝主奇妙看顧。” 因此，今天在困難時期中，我們需要特別記住神在過去所有的恩典和賜福。在我們仍無法回到教堂裡敬拜時，讓我們記得能在過去如此行是神所賜何等的恩福。當我們感到低沉和沮喪時，看看自然界中神美好的創造並思想祂的偉大，就會知道祂從未離開過我們。

4. 持守在神面前禱告的心
儘管詩人的處境艱難，但他始終沒有停止誠懇地和熱切地向神禱告(42:9, 10; 43:1,2），他確認神是他的“拯救”，“磐石”和“避難所”。他抓著神的應許呼籲神的拯救，及按神自己的名(神的名聲/聲譽)和主權向神呼求(42:9, 10; 43:1,2)。我們越是感到絕望，我們的祈禱就越應堅定。好消息就是:神確實回應我們的禱告。

5. 持守在神面前敬拜的心
值得注意的是，詩篇作者不斷地督促自己，他再三地提醒自己要對神存著盼望，並且立誓要讚美祂(42:5b, 11b; 43:5)。儘管我們也處於相同的情況下，我們親近神的熱切渴慕，能使我們在神面前充滿敬拜讚美的心。我們知道，最要緊的是我們可在任何地方敬拜祂，也知道終有一天我們能夠與所有親愛的弟兄姊妹一起在神的居所中敬拜祂。這是詩人的祈禱，現在也應該成為我們的祈禱。“求你發出你的亮光和真理，好引導我，帶我到你的聖山，你的居所。我就走到神的祭壇前，到神、我極帶的喜樂那裡。神啊！我的神啊！我要彈琴稱讚你。” (43: 3,4)
阿們！

主僕,
李耀全牧師

May 15-16, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters,

“By Canada Day, all (age 12 and up) will be vaccinated!” What a great news after over a year of COVID-19. Since mid-March 2020, we have been living under the dark cloud of the pandemic, seeing the daily and total death toll in staggering numbers far beyond what we have ever seen in our lifetime. We had a taste of the deep helplessness when a month ago my own daughter Sarah was tested positive for COVID, Lydia and I both must be self-quarantined from her and each other, each in our own rooms! Praise the Lord for protecting us through that period of trial.

But for me and many of us Christians, the worse thing is that we cannot “go back to Church” where we normally can cry out to God for help in prayer and get the encouragement from our fellow brothers and sisters in the community of God. Maybe we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, we have hope that we will return to worship in the house of God soon!

Recently I had the opportunity of studying Ps 42 (and 43 connected) in teaching Sunday School. As in Psalm 84 (which we looked at last time), Psalm 42 bears the name “of the Sons of Korah” as the psalmist and has the same theme of “yearning to be in the house of God.” We have seen how the author treasures the precious opportunity to be able to serve God in the sanctuary, despite the judgement of God on Korah the Levite, his father (I Chron. 9:19ff). Here we see in Psalm 42 and 43, evidence that he was in exile (43:1) which most probably was the reason why he could not go to the temple to worship God. We also see evidence of him being persecuted and scorned at by ungodly people (42:9; 43:2) to the point that he started to feel that God had abandoned him (42:9; 43:2).

Dubbed as the “China virus” by the former President of United States, anti-Asian sentiment has grown more and more over the last year in North America. We hear of horrible stories of racial discrimination and violence, against innocent people, many seniors and women, even in Vancouver and Richmond, often in broad daylight. So on top of all the fears from contracting the virus, many Asians in North America have to deal with this additional social pressure in this our adopted country, a place where we have called home for many years. Because of this, we feel even more alienated and isolated, resulting in physical and mental stress, from the physical and social distancing. While this is a far cry from what the psalmist experienced while he was in exile, some of the turmoil that the psalmist felt is being experienced by us today.

How did the psalmist go from total despair to real hope? How did he turn his lament to vow of praise? I would like to point out several important movements in the psalms that was the process by which the psalmist journeyed from desperation to exaltation.

1. Maintaining a strong thirst for God (42:1-2)
“My soul thirsts for God, the living God.” (42:2) It all starts with where our heart is. The picture is that of a deer perhaps travelling for a long time from an arid desert to the streams of water, panting and being satisfied by the cool and fresh water that he could drink. So despite his circumstances, the psalmist maintained a strong desire to be close to God whom he recognised as “the living God.” His God is the “living” God because He is the source of life and hope, therein lies his anchor in the storm of life.

2. Maintaining an honest heart before God (42:3, 5a, 9a, 10, 11a; 43:1a)
The psalmist is not shy about lamenting before God about his feeling sad, downcast, and full of inner turmoil. Indeed we have a High Priest in Christ Jesus who understands all our pains and suffering because He himself has endured the worst of trials and temptations, and has come through victoriously (over sin and death). God knows where we are and therefore we can pour our heart of misery before Him, with no pretense, including even our desperation and disappointments with God.

3. Maintaining a wholesome remembrance of God’s grace, faithfulness and provisions in the past
The psalmist remembers the good old days of pilgrimage (42:4), the beauty and majesty of God’s creation (42:6, 7), and the protection of God night and day (8). As the songwriter reminds us, “Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your blessings and see what God has done,” so today we need to remember especially in hard times all the blessings of Gods in the past. When we cannot go back to worship in the sanctuary, let us remember how blessed we were when we were able to do so in the past. When we feel down and depressed, look at the beautiful creation of God in nature and ponder on His greatness, and know that He has never left us.

4. Maintaining a prayerful attitude before God
Despite his difficult circumstances, the psalmist never ceased to go to God in sincere prayer and earnest petition (42:9, 10; 43:1,2), recognising Him as his “salvation,” “rock” and “refuge.” He appealed to God’s promise of deliverance and God’s own name (reputation) and sovereignty (42:9, 10; 43:1,2). The more desperate we feel, the more persevering should our prayers be. The good news is God does answer prayers.

5. Maintaining a worshipful heart before God
It is remarkable to note the constant refrain of the psalmist where he reminds himself again and again to hope in God and vow to praise Him (42:5b, 11b; 43:5). Our strong desire to draw near to God leads us to a worshipful heart before Him, despite the circumstances we are in. “I shall again praise him” (42:5, 11; 43:5), says the psalmist. This we know, first we can worship Him anywhere, and also we will again one day be able to go and worship Him in His house, together with all our dear brothers and sisters. This is the prayer of the psalmist, and should be ours now, “Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.” (43: 3,4) Amen!

Your servant in Christ

Pastor Simon