Anthony speaks: "You'll never walk alone"

Anthony, a brother who is beginning his university life at SMU Business school, is a shining example for many with his firm convictions and his passion to do what's right for God.

Morning boys and girls, men and women of God,

How's everybody today?

I recently rediscovered my liking for music, and have been digging up CDs that I had bought when I was a little younger, back in my secondary school days. That includes Robbie Williams, Savage Garden, Westlife, and some which I'm not very proud to share about, for e.g. N'Sync, A1, Britney Speares, Christina Aguilera. (Don't judge me, I'm sure you were once young and reckless too!)

Anyway, after becoming a disciple for a year plus, I realised that listening to the same songs with a different perspective does yield some insights for my spiritual life. As the recent Kingdom-Focused Church series had taught us to view our lives and everything in it with a new Kingdom perspective, I would like to share some insights that I gained from the lyrics of Liverpool FC's adopted anthem, "You'll never walk alone".

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high

-As we walk through the storms in our own lives, may it be troubles at our workplace, or stressful exam periods in school, it is easy for our judgment to be impaired in times of despair and desperation. Let us not be like Peter who in a storm saw 'invisible' problems and lost faith( Matt 14), but to continue to hold our heads high, fixing our eyes on Jesus who has set an example for us in facing adversities and obstacles in His life, through his endurance and perseverance.

And don't be afraid of the dark.

-We don't have to be in the dark anymore, now that we have with us the word of God, the Bible that we can easily access to. For it is written in Psalms 119:105 that, "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path." If we use the word of God correctly and accurately, it can be like a map for our life journeys, showing us the directions we should take, teaching us the ways to get past obstacles that stand in our paths, and ultimately lead us to our destination, the land that God has promised to us - Heaven.

At the end of the storm there's a golden sky

-It is written in James 1:12 that, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. ", and in Rev 21:18, Apostle John described heaven as a 'city of pure gold'. After we all have faithfully endured and persevered through all the trials and obstacles God has placed in our lives on this earth, God will reward us in full, He will give us the crown of life and bring us home to heaven, the great golden city in the sky. Though sometimes it is difficult for us to put our faith in things unseen, let us be continuing to remind ourselves that what is unseen is eternal ( 2 Cor 4:18b), and blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29b).

And the sweet, silver song of a lark.

-At the banquet table which God has prepared for us in the great golden city, I always picture that while the brothers and sisters are feasting on foods unseen and unheard of on this earth, there will be choirs of angels singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy", for eternity. What a majestic atmosphere!

Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain,

Though your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,

--No doubt that life is never a bed of roses, lives can be turned upside down in the shortest time, and the most unexpected things may happen to anyone of us. However, we can truly walk on with hope in our hearts, because deep down we know that God knows best, that He has planned out the best possible paths for us to take. As we continue to have faith in the plans that God has for us, trusting in His promises, we can persevere through wind, rain, and everything that life throws at us, for if God is for us, who can be against us? ( Romans 8:31b) With confidence that God is on our side, we can brave through anything, for we can trust that God will be there to shelter and protect us for the rest of our lives.

And you'll never walk alone.You'll never walk alone.

-We truly will never walk alone, because God will never allow for that. God did not intend for us to be independent when He rescued us. He placed us together in a body for us to be able to depend on one another, to walk together in our life journeys. We, human beings, are designed for many things, but loneliness isn't one of them. Life is a journey much better traveled with companions by our sides. But eventually we'll realise that even as we walk together, ultimately, it is God who is carrying us through all this time, good times and especially the bad, just like the footprints story that we are so familiar with.

We will never walk alone.

Amen.

Not-so-violent monkey-ly hugs,
Anthony