The Hope of All Hearts (The Poem)

The Hope all Hearts 

(The Poem)

An original poem written by James Kok

A 2nd year civil engineering student, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, 

Sri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia

Where are you when I’m crying,

I’m hungry and I need food,

I’m thirsty and I need to drink,

I’m cold and I need a blanket,

I’m sick and I need healing,

I’m crying…

I’m desperate….

To have someone to hold me,

To have someone to love me,

To have someone to hug me,

And to tell me that everything will be okay…

Jesus:

I’m beside you my child and I heard you,

I’ll bring you food to fill your stomach,

I’ll bring you water to quench your thirst,

I’ll knit you a blanket with pure wool,

I’ll bring the medicine to you to cure your sickness.

Hungry children in Burkina Faso - www.alliancelife.org

I know you are crying,

And I know that you are in desperation,

I long to hold you in my arms,

And to brush through your hair with my loving hands,

Just to tell you that

Everything will be okay,

Because I’ve sent my only Son to save you,

To die for you My child.

And I’m looking,

Just finding,

A servant to bring you this news.

And to tell you that I love you…

- James Kok

Severely malnourished North Korean children - UN pictures

The Hope of All Hearts

The Hope of All Hearts

by James Kok

2nd year civil engineering student, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Sri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia

28 February, 2012

Ever set eyes on a picture that ripped out your heart ?  I have.  As I choked back my tears that were welling up, I sat down and I closed my eyes.  But my mind refused to shake off the painful image of the two little street boys hugging together at the steps of a dingy staircase in the sweetness of lost sleep. 

I asked GOD to help me understand the situation. What situation you might ask? The plight of the poor and broken hearted.  Why is this happening?  Isn't there someone out there who cares and can do something about it?  Why can't God do something about this?

While I am seated comfortably on my couch and go about my normal daily campus routine, I know there are thousands of street children out there such as the two little ones in the picture who exist in all the hidden urban corners around the world.

I sincerely believe that GOD’s heart is always with these people.  The Bible says, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3)  I’m wondering if these children know of this verse? I don’t think so, because no one has ventured to tell them before.  Jesus says: “for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”  

But where is this Kingdom that Jesus mentioned? “Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21)  So who’s responsible?  Certainly no one else but us.  That's because we are the ones who have the Kingdom of GOD in us!

My heart aches because I just can’t imagine how these two street boys will live through the winter or survive through the hot temperatures of summer.  Looking into the eyes of this boy below, it is as if he's asking, “Where is my GOD? Where the GOD that promises clothes for me when I’m cold, and food when I’m hungry? Where is the hope for me in the future? Will I even survive for tomorrow?” 

These hopeful scenes flash through my mind:

• Whenever these children are thirsty, GOD will pour down the water from heaven to quench their thirst;
• Whenever these children are hungry, GOD will send His angel to bring food for them;
• Whenever these children are sick, GOD will heal them by His healing hand .

But they are not happening!  How come?  Is it that GOD’s hands are too short to reach out to them?  “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." (Isaiah 59:1)   NO! I believe His hands are never too short, nor His ears too dull to listen to the cries of these children. 

GOD gave the world the perfect solution, the solution to wipe off the contamination of the world as a result of sins – the reconciliation between man and GOD through His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He who is clothed with all the glorious splendour, seated on the throne in Heaven, came down to die for us. And when Jesus died on the cross, He died for these children too. God promises, "They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16-17)

It is not good enough for me to cry over this.  God intended for me to be His hands and feet to reach out to a lost world.  Jesus is just looking for a servant to do bring them this good news.   I want to feel His anguish for the lost.  I want to have His compassion to go out.  I want to do something about this.  I will do something about this.  I will get the hope of our hearts to these children. I want to be that one.

Let us step out and tell these little children that our Jesus loves them - that He is the hope of their little hearts. Let the promise of the hope of life be heard by these children. 

Let them encounter Jesus in us.  

Help me O LORD, to get out of my comfort zone and step out into the corners of the world, where the poor are …. 


Where Your heart is O LORD, I want to be there, I want to be there….

The Hope all Hearts

Where are you when I’m crying,

I’m hungry and I need food,

I’m thirsty and I need to drink,

I’m cold and I need a blanket,

I’m sick and I need healing,

I’m crying…

I’m desperate….

To have someone to hold me,

To have someone to love me,

To have someone to hug me,

And to tell me that everything will be okay…

Jesus:

I’m beside you my child and I heard you,

I’ll bring you food to fill your stomach,

I’ll bring you water to quench your thirst,

I’ll knit you a blanket with pure wool,

I’ll bring the medicine to you to cure your sickness,

I know you are crying,

And I know that you are in desperation,

I long to hold you in my arms,

And to brush through your hair with my loving hands,

Just to tell you that:

“Everything will be okay ,

Because I’ve send my only Son to save you,

To die for you My child,”

And I’m looking,

Just finding,

A servant to bring you this news.

And to tell you that I love you…

He Bore Our Shame

He Bore Our Shame

by Eunice Khoo

1st year medical student, Nottingham University, UK

27 February, 2012

‘I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.’ Isaiah 50:6 (KJV)

The shame that Jesus bore must have been incredible.

He was the Son of God, He had the greatest reputation in heaven, He was holy, He knew no sin, angels worshipped Him.  But there He was hanging on a cross, humiliated, mocked, dying the death of a criminal, despised and rejected.

It started with a betrayal, and soon after an arrest. He was then deserted and denied by His followers. Alone, He was accused, then charged, flogged and finally crucified.

All the while people mocked Him. ‘Save yourself’ they said. They put a crown of thorns on His head. They spat at Him. ‘Prophesy’ the soldiers said.

I always secretly hoped that Jesus would come down of the cross and summon His legions of angels just to prove that He is God, and not endure such shame. But He chose to.

Why?

1. So that we need not be ashamed again.

Rom 9:33 quoting Isaiah says ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, And whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ Jesus came to bear the consequence of our sin – and one of them is shame.

Charles Spurgeon says in one of His sermons  ‘ Jesus took upon Himself our sin, and being found bearing that sin He had to be treated as sin should be treated.’ Jesus was treated shamefully because that was the way sin should be treated, and now as a result we need not endure the shame of sin.

2. So that God need not be ashamed to call us His own.

Jesus bridged the gap. He bore our shame so that when God sees us, He does not see us in our sin and shame, He does not need to punish us. He sees Christ instead. We are His! How great is our God.

Because Jesus bore my shame, I now can lift my head up, and can enter His presence with boldness. What a privilege. 

Kasih Anugerah Tuhan

KASIH ANUGERAH TUHAN

Oleh: Rexa Buyung 

Feb 22, 2012

Youth Alpha Bandung, Indonesia

“Siapakah kita sehingga Tuhan mati untuk kita?” Pertanyaan ini sungguh menyentuh hati saya dan membuka pikiran saya. Saya berfikir bahwa manusia hanyalah debu di mata Tuhan, kita bukanlah siapa-siapa, selain manusia berdosa. 

Sering kali kita menyalahkan Tuhan pada saat masalah yang terlalu berat menimpa hidup kita. Tapi pernahkah kita berfikir bahwa kita hanyalah debu, debu yang sering kali membuat tangan Tuhan gatal karena dosa-dosa yang kita buat. Sangat mudah bagi Tuhan jika dia ingin memusnahkan manusia dalam sekejap dan menciptakan manusia yang baru tanpa dosa.

Kita seharusnya berada didalam neraka, karena disitulah seharusnya manusia berdosa berada. Tetapi Tuhan telah menanggungnya melalui siksaan yang begitu dahsyat dan pada akhirnya Ia disalib. 

“Karena begitu besar kasih Allah akan dunia ini, sehingga Ia telah mengaruniakan Anak-Nya yang tunggal, supaya setiap orang yang percaya kepada-Nya tidak binasa, melainkan beroleh hidup yang kekal.” (Yohanes 3:16). Intinya adalah kita diselamatkan hanya oleh kasih karunia Tuhan yang begitu besar.

Kematian-Nya diatas kayu salib merupakan sebuah tanda kasih-Nya terhadap kita. Dan kebangkitan-Nya merupakan tanda bahwa Dialah Tuhan yang hidup. Hasilnya adalah kita terbebas dari belenggu dosa. 

Tuhan Yesuslah yang membebaskan kita, jadi kita sama sekali tidak pantas untuk menyalahkan Tuhan, apalagi menyatakan bahwa Tuhan tidak mengasihi kita. Betapa sakitnya hati Tuhan ketika kita mengatakan seperti itu. 

Karena itu kita harus bersyukur karena perbuatan-Nya, mengakui bahwa kita adalah orang berdosa yang tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa tanpa Tuhan dan mengatakan ‘saya hanyalah orang berdosa yang diselamatkan oleh anugerah Tuhan’.  

“Dan Ia, Tuhan kita Yesus Kristus, dan Allah, Bapa kita, yang dalam kasih karunia-Nya telah mengasihi kita dan yang telah menganugerahkan penghiburan abadi dan pengharapan baik kepada kita,” (2 Tesalonika 2:16)

The Vision is Jesus

“The Vision is Jesus”

by James Kok

Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Sri Iskandar, Perak

Feb 21, 2012

As we step into Ash Wednesday tomorrow, let us unite together in prayer.  This year, we are putting up the theme for Easter and Lent  - “The Vision Is Jesus”.

The focus of the theme is very simple.  The main character for the purpose of celebrating Easter is of course, Jesus.  Crucified on the cross.  Separated from GOD the Father.  Mocked by the very ones He came to save.  

We stand in awe of His deep love for this fallen world, and even today, He is telling us to spread His unconditional love to His people. 

With the world ticking away like a clock awaiting the return of Christ, we ought to live with a sense of urgency.  Yes.  Urgency.  The urgency to spread the good news to the poor and broken hearted. The urgency to see the salvation of our LORD JESUS reach the nations and all the tribes of the world.

Throughout this whole period of Lent, we are calling out for a fast-and-pray to turn the focus of our own lives, and the lives of our friends and mates around us, back to Jesus.

Paul mentioned in his letter to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  2 Timothy 4:6 (NIV)

As I reflected on this verse, I asked myself these questions: Am I living a life that is challenging myself and those around me to live like Jesus?  Am I impacting my community around me?  What about the campus where I am studying in? Am I truly fighting the good fight?

Yes.  The vision is Jesus.  His love for the world.  His care for the people.  His sacrifice for the penalty of sins.  Our sins.  

My sin.

Let us join our hearts together during this whole Lent.  Let's pray for one another.  Let's uphold all the university and college students in our prayers.  Why?  Because He loves us.  And He wants us to love Him in return.  And to love the lost, because He died for them.  (Mark 12:31)

Yes.  The vision IS Jesus.