The Rev Dr Tow Siang Hwa was called home to eternal rest and glory by the Lord last Friday (8 March 2019) at the age of 93. Dr Tow has impacted many lives by his love for the Lord and the defense of the faith in these last days. Our heart goes out to his bereaved family. May God’s comfort and peace be upon them.

Dr Tow was our Advisory Pastor for at least 2 years when Truth BPC started in 2006. In late 2005, when we shared with him about our starting Truth BPC and that we were looking for a venue for our worship service, he offered us the use of the new Level 3 Sanctuary in Calvary Pandan BPC. And that has been our venue for worship ever since. In the early years of my pastoral ministry in Truth BPC, I often consulted Dr Tow in his home where he prayed and encouraged me. On one occasion, halfway through his counsel, he asked me to go jogging with him around his house. While jogging, he continued with his counsel. He was very fit, and I (in my shirt, trousers and working shoes) was trying to catch up with him! Though physically tired after that, I was thoroughly refreshed and encouraged within. I thank God for Dr Tow!

Although Dr Tow is no longer with us now, we are comforted that his pain and suffering due to old age have been removed from him forever. He is now in the blessed Land, resting peacefully in the arms of our Lord Jesus. And we will meet again one day, for the same divine promise is given to all who had gone home to be with the Lord.

We thank God for the faithful service of Dr Tow. He has fought the good fight of faith to the very end. What a fight he put up even when he was afflicted with bodily weakness and sickness! Aging is part and parcel of life. Our physical body on this earth has an expiry date. No matter how healthy and strong our physical body may be, we know full well that our only comfort and relief is to look to God and His precious promises found in His Word. We are all growing older with each passing day, and we are getting nearer and nearer to death. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Ps 90:10). We have great assurance that God is with us when we are battling the weakness of the flesh. Our physical body may be dying but definitely not our soul. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day ” (2 Cor 4:16). Our inward man is renewed daily through the Lord’s inner presence and His work of grace. Physically we may become weaker, but spiritually we are experiencing the inward renewal, and strengthening of our soul. The soul is in a prosperous and blessed condition because it is the Lord who gives life to it. The psalmist testifies, “He restoreth my soul” (Ps 23:3). What a comforting promise from God’s assuring Word.

Right now, you may be battling sicknesses, be it great or small, that come with aging. Know that our God is in absolute control. Like Dr Tow, let us fight a good fight of faith, earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints, and be willing to burn out for our Lord. May the Lord find us faithful till we meet Him face to face. Amen.