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feature WATCHFUL IN A WATCHING WORLD When we spend a lot of time watching, we tend to forget to be watchful. What does it mean to be watchful? I love to watch movies that have a delightful mix of drama, love, action and history such as Gladiator and The Last of the Mohicans. Millions all over the world love to watch a ball being dribbled and kicked around in a stadium. Some are bird watchers while others watch the latest fashion trends. We all like to watch sensational and exciting videos on YouTube. The latest images our friends share on Facebook captivate us. At times, we love to watch By Dr Lim Poh Ann the world go by as we enjoy a cuppa with our friends. It is not that these habits in themselves are wrong (1 Cor. 6:12). “What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?” wrote William Henry Davies. But don’t you think we spend too much time watching – much of which is trivia – in a highly spectator-oriented world? But there is a different kind of ‘keeping watch’. Jesus reminds us to be watchful on several occasions. We have to be prepared for Christ’s second coming: • “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36) • The parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) warns us to be numbered among the wise virgins who, ever watchful of the bridegroom’s return, had oil in their lamps. 24 a s i a n b e a c o n
WATCHFUL IN A WATCHING WORLD • “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). Watching doesn’t mean we just twiddle our thumbs as we gaze towards heaven. It implies a God-consciousness in our lives; not just doing our own thing. The ones who were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage in the days of Noah before the flood had clearly excluded God in their lives. They were swept away when the great deluge came. And Jesus warns us not to have that same spirit of reckless abandon so that we won’t be caught off guard when He returns. All these words have a similar connotation: be watchful; be alert; be vigilant; wake up. They remind us to be on our toes, spiritually-speaking. Spiritual Blindness Tragedy strikes when we think we’re in tip-top shape spiritually when we’re actually not. Such was the case of the church in Sardis. The warning to this church was: “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” (Rev. 3:2-3) Similarly, the church in Laodicea was warned: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Rev. 3:15-17, 19) Don’t you think that being spiritually bankrupt, without realising it, is the ultimate tragedy? Jesus warns of the danger of spiritual blindness and arrogance in the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14). The Pharisee was confident in his own righteousness and despised the tax collector who had humbled himself before God, asking for mercy. Self-Examination And that brings us to the topic of selfexamination. We need to watch out for sins such as pride, self-sufficiency, immorality as well as love of money, fame and power. Unless we’re aware of our true spiritual state, we cannot change. “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves.” (2 Cor. 13:5a) Don’t you think that being spiritually bankrupt, without realising it, is the ultimate tragedy? As Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Are we watchful concerning what we view (Psalm 101:3) and think about (Philippians 4:8)? Have we examined the purity of our affections? “Above all else, guard your affections, for they influence everything else in your life.” (Proverbs 4:23) “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) Here the psalmist asks God to examine him for anything offensive, knowing well the corruption of his own heart ( Jer. 17:9). He asks God to scrutinise not only his outward conduct but innermost thoughts. What are his motives and goals? What occupies the forefront of his thoughts and imagination? What is the focus of his affections? Elsewhere in Psalm 19:12, he acknowledges his hidden faults and seeks forgiveness. When we come into God’s presence, the Holy Spirit convicts us as to where we have gone wrong. Often this comes about when a particular verse or passage speaks to us directly (2 Tim. 3:16). The Role of Conscience No discussion on self-examination will be complete without alluding to the role of conscience, a God-given faculty that tells us whether our thoughts, feelings or actions are morally right or not. It has no executive powers; it does not cause a person to do the right thing or cease doing the wrong thing. Yet conscience has a place in our lives for it triggers alarm bells when something is morally amiss. “If our hearts (conscience) do not condemn us, we have confidence before God” (1 John 3:21). If we reject the voice of our conscience, our faith will be shipwrecked (1 Tim. 1:19). But conscience has to be continually sharpened by Scripture so that its standards remain consistently high. A clear conscience is reliable only if the heart is feeding on truth. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” ( John 17:17) If we continually suppress the voice of conscience though it tells us we’re heading the wrong way, a seared conscience will result. It is then no longer effective as a moral plumb line. Be Watchful and Vigilant Like Ezekiel, we are called to be watchmen who warn others of danger and the need to repent (Ezek. 33:7-9). But, to be credible, we too need to be watchful as to how we live. Those who oversee the flock need to ask, “Have we loved and fed the sheep placed under our care?” (Ezek. 34:3-4) Satan accomplishes his purposes through false teaching and counterfeit signs and wonders. We need to be aware that deception is one of the favourite tools in his armamentarium. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). As we begin a new year, may we discover afresh what it means to be watchful. “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1Tim. 4:16) Dr Lim Poh Ann is a medical practitioner. He was the former editor of <strong>Asian</strong> <strong>Beacon</strong> magazine (December 2008 – October 2011). He can be reached at his blog, Porridge for the Soul. a s i a n b e a c o n 25
Page 1 and 2: Violence in the Home Asian Beacon F
Page 3 and 4: contents 9 COVER STORIES 9 From Cur
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Page 7 and 8: news Congratulations To Executive C
Page 9 and 10: COVER STORY Photos by Kevin Thomas
Page 11 and 12: seven men who had prayed for him ha
Page 13 and 14: how not to be a hermit Our beloved
Page 15 and 16: violence in the home What is domest
Page 17 and 18: FROM PRISON TO PETROS each 20 years
Page 19 and 20: Asian Beacon wishes to thank our ge
Page 21 and 22: A just and righteous God requires w
Page 23: One of many pachinko parlours acros
Page 27 and 28: REFLECTIONS… FACING LIFE’S TOUG
Page 29 and 30: You and Your Household increase my
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Page 33 and 34: FIVE CRIMES CHRISTIANS SHOULD AVOID
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