Mr Ng Eng Chin
Executive Principal
Transcribed by: Mr Ivan Tan - Director of Sport/CCA & External Matters
Edited by: Ms Annabella Ong - Secondary Head of Department English
I’m so glad that we are able to stage this musical. This musical was made possible some 15 years ago back in 2003 in ACS at ACS Barker Road. This musical was commissioned because at that point in time, the school went through a journey just like ours; a new school was being established and over the years we wanted to honour God because of His faith in us and for bringing us through that journey. Today, ACS Jakarta has the honour of staging this musical because we too went through a Journey of Faith. This is the second show. In the first show, I had a special message for the audience as well as the cast; and for every show, I’ll share a new message. In the first show, I helped us to recall about the burning bush because that is a very special encounter. That is the encounter of man with God, and in the show, it was Moses with His God. It is true for all of us that the Journey of Faith begins with that encounter when we are able to reach out and go forward to our God. In the story of the burning bush, Moses was far away at the Mountain of God tendering the sheep, where a burning bush appeared and attracted Moses’ attention. Moses could have ignored it. Just like how we ignore a beautiful scenery when go on holiday, when Mommy and Daddy say, “Hey, wake up, wake up! Let’s see the sunrise!” And we reply, “Oh what’s so great about a sunrise?” But that is how God, through His creation, shows His attention to all of us. So in the burning bush incident, Moses reacted positively and wanted to move forward. As he moved forward, he heard the voice of God calling him, “Moses, Moses.” And that is the way the encounter will come, that when we reach out to our God, He will come forward. Because we all have free will to either move forward or to move on, but if we move forward, our God will meet us there.
You have heard the songs, the beautiful songs written and made possible by a team back in 2003. That team consisted of Dr Kenneth Lyen, Stella Kon, Ban Wenfu, and Joshua Chua. All four of them were inspired and wrote the beautiful songs. I know that you’d like to hear the song one more time. This time round, I would like the cast here to perform to you two songs, starting with “One God”.
ONE GOD, ONE GOD
Miriam and chorus of Hebrews
O sons of Isra—el
Do not despair -- take courage in your suffering –
For God your God – will be your saviour.
We serve One God, a mighty God,
Who will not fail – to hear.
Chorus
One God, One God, we serve One God,
The God of Jacob, of Abraham
And he will save us, he will not forget us,
He will make of us – a mightynation.
One God, One God, we are His people, His chosen ones, theones He loves,
He gave His promise, unto our Fathers,
God’s testament, His covenant.
This afternoon’s message to all of us is this. When we have that special encounter with our God, we will begin our journey of Faith.
What is faith? Faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see. I repeat again, Faith is confidence in what we hope for. The Hebrew people were hopeful even though they were in slavery. They were hopeful, they were not down. They had the assurance of what they did not see. They do not see where their God was, but their God was up there, hearing their cries. In the same way in life, when we journey through it, many a times, we may be very happy.
But many a times, even for me as an adult, after going through childhood, being a teenager and finally being an adult, there are many times when I feel disappointed, when I feel discouraged, when I struggle with pain and with many things. But I am hopeful, I hold on to the faith because that is the assurance that God has given to each one of us. And so a journey of faith begins with that, to know that we have a living God, and God will see us through, and despite all the things that will happen to us, whatever it may be, our God is a faithful God. And that journey of faith is for us to have that hope in Him all the time. I want to end with this song, “I am with you” to minister to us.
I AM WITH YOU
(Miriam solo)
1. I am so tired, I am so weary,
I can’t hold up my head any more –
I wonder whether I’ve ,made a mistake,
it seems like God is so far.
wonder how come that he let me fall down
he left me to lie in despair,
and I’m calling -- I’m calling -- O God, my God –
won’t you answer my prayer?
Then I heard him say –
(Chorus)
I am with you,
I am always at your side
I am here, I am beside you,
Don’t ever be afraid.
I am with you, I am with you,
I will never leave you alone,
Whatever your sorrow, whatever your pain,
Still I am there with you.
2. I am in trouble, I’m hurting so badly,
My heart has no hope to go on.
My God where are you, when I need your support?
Don’t tell me your power is gone.
I can’t see the light, I’m so deep in the hole
I just haven’t got any way
and I’m calling -- I’m calling -- O God, my God –
have you forgot me today?
He said,
I will comfort you, I will console you,
I’ll give you courage to carry on.
In your deepest trouble, I will be there,
I’ll give you strength that will overcome…
You may not see me, yet you’ll know I am there,
I will never leave you alone.
Thank you very much, I just want to end by saying this. In the journey of faith, sometimes when we pray, God may not seem to answer. I just want to say these words to you. Maybe God has answered you and you don’t like the answers. If the request is wrong, God says, “No.” If the timing is wrong, God says, “Slow.” If you are wrong, God says, “Grow.” But if the request is right, if the timing is right, and if you are right, God says, “Go!”
With this, I hope that you have that faith for the journey ahead.
Let us pray: Father God, we thank you for this musical. We ask that even as you hide the words in our hearts, Lord, indeed, I thank you for the cast here who have spent hours with you to bring this musical to fruition. Lord, indeed, I thank you for each one of them. Lord, Father, that even as they spend the time here, that You honour them, that You will give them a special blessing, that even as they go back to their homes and even as their journeys lie ahead; they will know that life is a journey with You and it starts with the faith and starts with them reaching out to You. And Father, even for all of us who are enriched here through this experience of watching this musical, bless us as we go back to our homes, unite us with our families together and our loved ones, and give us safe journey. I hope we may continue to sing praises to You and to give You glory. We pray all these in His name. Amen.
