Pastoral Letter 27 Jan 2019

When we are in trouble and in need of help, questions that may arise in our minds are: “What can we do? To whom can we go for help?” We may think this way because we want our problem solved. And we begin to make a list of people who may be able to help us solve our problems. But the psalmist in Psalm 21:7-8 showed us a different approach: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.”

We see an antithetical parallelism here (i.e. the use of contrast to convey the same meaning or lesson). Chariots and horses were the powerful weapons and tools of destruction during the psalmist’s time. Those who possessed these weapons relied on them to be victorious in their battles. Therefore whether a nation will fall or rise depended heavily on its military strength in both quantity as well as quality of its chariots and horses. Surely David, as the king of Israel, used chariots and horses, just as his enemies did, to fight against them in all his wars. However, David’s trust was not in the power of his chariots or horses but in God and Him alone. He said with confidence: “... but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” Trusting in God while using chariots and horses to fight the war is totally different from trusting in chariots and horses to win the war. This is the contrast in Psalm 21:7-8.

The name of God alone is all that we need to win the war. To remember God's name is significant because His name reveals to us who God is. The remembrance here is more than just a memory kept in the mind or heart. It implies a total trust in Him who is able to deliver us from all troubles. Those who trust in chariots and horses are not invincible. They can be brought down easily and fall in the end. But for those who trust in God, the promise to them is that they will never fall. The psalmist declared, “... but we are risen, and stand upright.” To rise and stand with God makes all the difference. When we rise and stand with God, we will never fall. The contrast between victory and defeat is clear. It depends on who we trust. It may be an obvious choice if we want to win, but we still need to make our choice firmly without hesitation. Who will we trust? Let us trust only in God, for He alone is powerful to deliver us from all our troubles. May God help us. Amen.


Yours in Christ,
Pastor Dennis Kwok



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