Holding On

His mercies, they are new every morning 

During worship at this morning's church service, one of the songs we sang was "Hold on to me" by Planetshakers. As we sang the song, I thought about one of my cousin sisters. Several months before, she had a car accident because her vision was impaired when she was behind the wheels. Follow up with the doctors indicated that she had a brain tumour. She had an operation to remove the tumour but the cancer came back soon after. The condition eventually led to a coma. She passed away on the first day of Chinese New Year this February. I thought about her because she journeyed with Jesus though many years and held on to Him in the face of death. I thought of her because she knew who she belonged to and was confident that God was with her no matter what the outcome.

She is a cousin from my father's side of the family. She would arrange for her siblings and their families to visit us each Chinese New Year when my father was still around. That would be the one time in the year when I got to hear my father speak Hakka. She exuded kindness and thoughtfulness. After my father passed away, she continued to maintained contact with us. She became a first time grandmother last year. No doubt a very proud moment for, especially because she had to raise her two kids by herself after her husband passed away.

She was one of two faithful Christians whom I know who fought a good fight against the ravages of cancer and went home to be with the Lord in the recent months. Both whose characters demonstrated that Jesus was the Lord over their lives. Both who remembered His words recorded in the Gospel of John:

9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~ John 10: 9 - 10 (NIV)

In their struggle, they believed that God is always good. There is one that comes to steal, kill and destroy, to undermine our trust in God. But Jesus showed us that none of this is permanent because He has overcome death. These two persons have entered the gate and knew that their lives were safe in God's hands. Even as their physical bodies failed them, even as they were losing strength, they prayed to Jesus to hold on to them, and never let them go.

I thank God for these two lives who pointed others to Jesus in their suffering and passing on. They leave a godly legacy for those that they leave behind.

Hold on to me sweet Jesus

Never let me go

Never let me go

Never let me go

(Hold on to me, Planetshakers)