the beginning of SAMSON the strong man

This part of the story is imprinted in Judges 13:1 - 13:25. Let's take a walk down memory lane about the beginnings of Samson.

The story started with a couple who stayed under the ruling of the Philistines. At this moment of time, it had already been 40 years under the Philistines ruling. The people then must have already come to the state of mind that Philistine is stronger than them and they may have never thought of over-riding the Philistine. The wife is a sterile woman who could not bear a child. It must have been devastating for her. The angel of the LORD appeared to her and told her she will give birth to a son who will deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. Because she WILL give birth to the child, she must follow the conditions given by the angel. The woman must be  shocked and surprised - all these years, I can't even have a child and now I WILL have a child.

The woman was overjoyed! She quickly ran to tell her husband what had happened. She also told the husband (Manoah) that she WILL conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his death.

Guess what Manoah did? He prayed and asked God to allow the man of God He sent to come again to teach how to bring up the boy who is to be born. It seems to me Manoah couldn't believe his ears of what the wife had told him. Amazingly, God replied him. God again sent the angel as he requested. So, when the wife was at the field, the man of God reveal himself to her. Then, she quickly rushed to tell her husband. Her husband went out with the wife to meet the 'man'. When he met the 'man', he questioned him.

First question: Are you the one who talked to my wife?
(I felt he was being protective over the wife)

Second question: When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule for the boy's life and work?
(The answer given was exactly what the wife had told him.)

Third request from the man: We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.
The reply was even though you detain me, I'll not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD. As recorded, Manoah still don't have the slightest clue that it was the angel of the LORD he was talking to.

Funny thing, the first encounter the wife knew and addressed the man as the man of God and even said he looked like the angel of God. But, Manoah having a conversation with him don't even have the slightest clue.

Fourth question: What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word come true?
Why asked the name? During their time, it is believed that if you know a person's name, you'll know the person's character and how to control the person.

He replied by saying that his name is beyond understanding.
The angel of the LORD did not give his name so that they will not be able to control him. His name was a mystery beyong understanding and too wonderful to imagine.

Manoah obeyed the angel. Burnt the offering. The LORD did an amazing thing: As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame (Judges 13:20 NIV)

Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell down with their faces to the ground. Then, when the angel of the LORD did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it was the angel of the LORD.

Manoah freaked out! WE ARE DOOMED TO DIE!!!!!! WE HAD SEEN GOD. But, Manoah's wife answered with a level head, "If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this," (Judges 13:23 NIV)

The chapter ended with the birth of the boy named Samson who is dedicated to the LORD as a Nazirite. Not much account of him growing up as a boy. Later on in the chapter, the LORD blessed him and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir in him.

This is just the first part of Samson's life.

Now, let's look at the wife. She is so gullible - my first thought. She believe RIGHT AWAY what the person had said. I can see why Manoah wanted to know for sure. Sometimes, we may also act the way Manoah's wife act - just swallowing what the other person had said. Another way of looking at this, she has a simple faith. When she brought the husband to see the man of God, she heard it the 2nd time - it's like confirmation again to what she heard the first time.

Look at Manoah, Samson's father. I would conclude that he didn't take his wife's words as it is. And he sought to find out whether what the wife had said is true. He prayed and God answered him. Manoah only came to believe that the man is the angel of the LORD when the angel didn't appeared to him after he ascended up in flame. Manoah was scared to death that he had seen the LORD.

Isn't it weird to see a man who went out with a sense of wanting to know then when he knew the truth, he was so so so TERRIFIED. He became irrational.

Many of us (myself included) also act the same way as Manoah. We want to know. We asked questions. Then, when we know the truth, we suddenly take a step back and say 'this can't be it! You must be kidding..'

We need to be like Manoah and also his wife - having the right attitude and response. We need to find out the truth for ourselves and have the courage to face it!

God is good. He knows us well enough. He knew Manoah.  He knew Manoah's wife as well. He placed them side-by-side to keep each other on course. Both of them have the right attitude that is to be truthful and honest to each other. I do act like Manoah sometimes and sometimes I'll act like his wife. Thankfully, God had placed different individuals in my life who is willing to journey with me and be honest with me completely. He was also willing to be patient with my hard-headedness.

So, for those of you reading this, you may think to yourself, I may act like Manoah sometimes,  I may be like the wife of Manoah who is gullible (or not at all as well),  whatever it is, we all need God and people to journey on together with.

It's okay that if there are times you and I be irrational or gullible.  

That's why we need God and people to journey

Di Ambang MERDEKA

What comes to mind when MERDEKA is around the corner? 

Another holiday? Another day to see the national parade? Another day where everywhere in KL would be jam-packed? People would be filling up the megamall to enjoy the not-so-cold-air-conditioned?

What more is this year, MERDEKA 31st Aug 2012 falls on a Friday! Which means a long weekend ahead!  Taking the opportunity to balik kampung/go on a vacation/etc? 

We are the second generation who had gained MERDEKA from our forefathers. I never knew how it felt before we gained INDEPENDENCE. I heard stories from my grandma during the WW2 - she had to hide for safety. Adding to that, she had asthma so she had to find Chinese tradition medicine. So, she swallowed pinky (small little baby mice) to keep her healthy. Her struggles during the days before we gained INDEPENDENCE.

But, have we lost the sense what MERDEKA is all about? 

Maybe MERDEKA brings a more important meaning to the ones that had been involved in it.

To tell you the truth, when I was younger, I hated HISTORY. I DISLIKED it. When I hear HISTORY, I closed my ears to it. 

This year, MERDEKA resonated something different in me. I have been pondering on the thought 'what is MERDEKA all about?'. I came to a point I want to re-look, re-read and re-discover for myself the HISTORY again. So, I googled MERDEKA. I read the words in this website. The names - Tok Janggut, Mat Kilau, Usman Awang (these were the only names I could remembered). Memories of names was all I had. 

Their oppositions first began in guerrilla warfare which were instigated by former members of the Malacca Sultanate (1511) and Johor Sultanate, Raja Haji (1782), Dol Said (1831), Datuk Maharaja Lela, Datuk Sagor (1875), Datuk Bahaman, Mat Kilau (1891), Tok Janggut (1914), Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong (1928), Datu Mat Salleh (1894), Sharif Mashahor (1860), Rentap (1853) and others.

Another form of resistance by the Malays in the pursuit of independence in the early 1900s were initiated by religious groups such as Syed Syeikh al-Hadi, Syeikh Tahir Jalaluddin, Hizbul Muslimin movement, Gunung Semanggol religious centre, followed by Syeikh Abdullah Fahim, a religious teacher in Kepala Batas in the 1930s as well as Malay teachers particularly from Sultan Idris Training College.

The struggle that follows took a new form through the pen and ink. Who comprises of Malay novelists, story writers, poets and reporters particularly from Utusan Melayu that gave much exposure regarding the fight for freedom from colonialists. Among its pioneers were Zainal Abidin Ahmad (Za’ba), A. Rahim Kajai, Ibrahim Yaakob, Ishak Haji Mohamad, Ahmad Boestamam, Usman Awang, Shahnon Ahmad and many more with some becoming fugitives from the British as well as thrown in jail. Indeed when we track over the roots of the fight for independence, it is apparent that it was path with sweat, blood and tears. (http://www.malaysiamerdeka.gov.my/v2/en/history)

I wondered what had happened to the soldiers who fought for the Independence - The tugu negara. Faceless armies and nameless heroes who had went forward to fight for this nation, I never get to hear their story how it was for them to be at the front line. But, they gave this nation a VICTORY! 

Do we cherished the VICTORY?

Today, the definition of being patriotic have taken another road. We no longer need to pick up heavy machinery and fight for this country. Now, we view patriotic as someone who will take a chance for this country and staying back rather than going abroad for better opportunities. Someone who have a vision that this country will change for the better, though there are still disappointments and heartaches. 

Reading Yee Bee Yin story really had stirred something in me. Click her for her story (http://www.yeobeeyin.com/2012/06/entering-into-politics-story-behind.html). She hopes for a better country. She hopes for a better education. She hopes to see a united nation. 

I have the same hope as her. I hope for a country that is filled with people who is willing to speak out and stand up for what is true. I hope to see a society who sees embraces different cultures and yet live together harmoniously not just physically but mentally. 

Without vision, men perish.

But, what can I do for my country Malaysia? I am not like Yee Bee Yin who had taken the role as a politician for this country. I know I can be an advocator to speak out for the voiceless, to pray for this nation, to be a friend to another Malaysian regardless of our colours, to stop making racist jokes and etc. 

Actions and words whether big or small still creates an impact. 

May God help Malaysia. May God bless Malaysia. 

I am only here for a little while. But, I know for sure that God had placed me in this country for a reason. I pray I'll be a patriotic person from the inside out, understanding for myself what it means to be a Malaysian. 

Will you join me in having a vision for this country and doing what counts for this country?

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia!

Breaking the society state of mind

One day, I was just sitting outside my parents' shop and just observing different ones that walked up and down the lane. My eyes caught sight of these two persons - aged lady on a wheelchair and man in his 40s pushing her. They looked like mother and son. They came up to the curb and had difficulties of getting over the curb. The auntie could stand and move her legs but it was painful. It seems like she got gout on her feet. She is also very big in size which didn't help her much.

Then, auntie decided to stand and try to get over the curb. The man could barely hold her to get over and trying to put the wheelchair as well to the other side. So, I decided to break the norm (Norm is Chinese would usually stand by and see from aside rather to get their hands dirty - this is what I observed so far). I went near them and asked whether they needed help.

They nodded graciously. I held the auntie's arm and got her over. She kept saying thank you. Then, after that the next challenge came that is to get into the clinic. There's a level of step to get into the clinic. The man and I tried to lift the wheelchair and her on it to get into the clinic, however we failed. We made the auntie fell out from her chair. I got hold of her arm. And a man standing by also decided to come and lend a hand. So, the auntie stood on her feet and with all her might took the step into the clinic. It was difficult for her but thankfully she made it successfully and safely into the clinic. I remember her face. She looked up to the man and I and said thank you. Her son was also grateful that we came and helped.

I guess sometimes breaking the norm of the society also helped changed people's mindset. Though they may not expressed it in words that they had changed the mindset about certain norm in the society, but at least I did my part to stand out to be different.

Changing the world is everyone's dream, but how many are willing to get your hands dirty?

Christ had first show us how much He love us. Would we not also reciprocate that kind of love He had?
He said in His words:

Matthew 25:35-36, 40

For I was hungry and you gave me somthing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.... 

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for me of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.