City Harvest Church resumed its weekend services after a one-week Chinese New Year break, with a special Valentine’s Day showcase.
By Reuel Eugene Tay
CN PHOTOS: Henzy David, Michael Chan and Shawn Zack.
For the second time in recent weeks, CHC pastors Bobby Chaw and Aries Zulkarnian took to the pulpit to share the Word on Feb. 9 and 10.
Providence was the theme of Chaw’s sermon. “Nothing happens by chance, for God is constantly and actively preserving, maintaining and protecting our lives,” said Chaw. Reading from Psalm 121:4-8, Chaw emphasized that believers need not worry as they are in God’s hands and no one has the power to snatch them from His hands.
Chaw then related a love story befitting of St. Valentine himself. During World War II, Chaw’s grandfather was separated from his grandmother. Eight years went by, before Chaw’s grandfather managed to escape to Singapore. After setting up a small business, he sent a letter back to his wife in China whom he hadn’t seen in almost a decade, asking her to come over and join him in his new life.
Chaw’s grandmother, not wanting him to commit out of obligation, replied that she would understand if he had found another woman and if so, she would prefer to remain China. Chaw’s grandfather wrote back, “For the last eight years, I have been waiting. I am fully committed to you.”
“God is still a miracle-working God; He is still working in our family, our marriage and our children. He’s still guiding and directing the course of events in our lives as long as a believer is still committed,” said Chaw.
Following up on Chaw’s message of providence was Zulkarnian’s sermon on “Expectation And Preparation”. Citing 2 Chronicles 27:6, Zulkarnain explained that while expectations precede miracles, it is preparation that sets the precedence and paves the way for the miracle. To the degree one expects a miracle, he must prepare for it.
Every time a believer prays, his voice reaches God in heaven. “Don‘t underestimate the voice of your prayer. When we face trouble, don’t go into crisis-mode; go into Christ-mode! Pray!” exhorted Zulkarnain.
Teacher Melvin Ow, 30, shared, “I am so blessed by both pastors’ sharing. God is true to His Word and I believe He is still preserving, maintaining and protecting our lives as long as we are committed. I’m encouraged to be committed to my wife-to-be and to expect as well as make preparations for our future.”
The weekend’s service also commemorated Valentine’s Day with a dance item performed by O School’s Calvin Magnus and Clarice Ng. Titled “Love: A Dance Of Two Souls In The Sands Of Time”, it was an artistic showcase which effortlessly segued from video to life and back, with the creative use of sand in the grasp of the dancers accenting their movements to superb effect.
“We wanted to do a contemporary dance item that would portray the ebb and flow of tension and reconciliation between two lovers,” said the performance’s creative director Mark Kwan.
All new visitors to CHC were treated to frosted cupcakes after service, making it a sweet end to a week of double Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day celebration.
