My long awaited post on Merdeka. I took a lot of time and reflection on this and I hope it is worth your while to read.

“For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry (the land): and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over (the land).” Isaiah 62:5 (KJV)

Once again, the eyes of the world are on this nation (Malaysia) as it celebrates its year of Golden Jubilee. In fact, the eyes of the spiritual world too is upon Malaysia. There is a significance in the realm of the spirit about this year 2007 and the year of Jubillee (i would elaborate on this in my other blog next week).

For as long as I remember, I have always held a sense of bitterness. A bitterness that came from a sense of rejection and betrayal. This feeling is not caused by my family or loved ones - but resulted from the discrimination and inequality as a citizen of Malaysia. As a bright young man, I was awarded a full scholarship by another country instead of my own - not because i wasnt deserving Malaysian but because I am of a different race. And there are plenty of my friends who felt that sense of discrimination too when we were 18 years old.

I know a lot of you have this sense of bitterness too. And it is reflected by the growing numbers leaving the nation. We know it, get the brunt of it, grumble about it, but dare not challenge it.

As a Christian, I have always felt that there is something wrong about feeling this way about your own country. Bitterness in whatever form is a poison and it is plain stupid, to drink poison thinking that it would kill an enemy.

Oh, being a family man who loves my wife & child, I am concerned about their future, wellbeing and safety. I have thought about migration and starting elsewhere. It stems from a loss of hope in the nation.

But such thoughts (although some would say being wise & responsible) I have often sense is rather “defeatist”.

As a Christian, I ask myself, ‘Where is the relevance of my faith in a God that is sovereign over all matters on earth and sovereign over this nation?’

‘Should a man of faith, ever surrender to thought that a situation is so hopeless that God cannot overcome?’
‘What then is the reason why I am born a Malaysian? Is it to abandon the land when all is not well?’
Such are some of my introspection and I believe I may be touching yours sentiments too.

Some Revelation

One of the lies of the devil (or those in the current government) is to make us believe that to be patriotic is to love or support the government and speaking against the government is unpatriotic and in some churches, unchristian. Because the same government has been ruling this country since Independence, many of us cannot tell the difference in our hearts and minds.

The fact is there is a difference between loving the land (nation) and supporting the government. We are to love our nation but we dont have to love the current government. The land is a separate entity from the government. The government is just the authorised administrator of this land. We can fire them, and remove them if they are not doing their mandated job.

The people (citizens) of this nation are connected to this land in a tie that is liken to a marriage , like a family tie.

Just like how we are born into a family, we are born into this nation. We were not given a choice who should be our family members, but we are to love our family. Similarly, we are not given a choice who is our fellow citizens, but we are to love them. And love is not a feeling, it is a verb. It is in the action we do and dont do.

That is why it is wrong to not love the nation. Even more so as a Christian, I am to love my fellow citizens regardless of their race, religion or social-economic status.

That is why i always felt the idea of migration because of a sense of betrayal or hopeless at odds with my Chrisitian faith in a God that is Sovereign over all authorities.

The Hope - The Government is God’s servant

I believe in the scripture that says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [6] For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ” Romans 13:1, 6 (ESV)

For me, if the authorities are instituted by God - it can be removed by God. If they are ministers of God and do not perform their work or responsibilities as appointed by God and mandated by the people, then it would be removed for its negligence and breach of its responsibilities.

This should move us to prayer, because God hears our prayers if it is according to His will and He is ultimately the appointer of the government.

More than a prayer.

The present government are just stewards of the land mandated by us the citizens. Whether they know it or not, at the inception of this nation, at Independence, a covenant with God and the people was made. It is a covenant to keep the Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement.

What are these agreements? Many of us dont even know it in full (including me). But it was promised at the inception of this nation. And God knows it , even if the people dont.

And this is a covenant keeping God and if the government does not keep its covenant, it will be removed.

What we should do:

1. Release the bitterness and express your love of this nation.

We have to realise that leaving or migrating away is not going to be a solution to your bitterness. It is not the nation you are angry with it is the present government which has not performed its mandate and responsibilities to ensure security, enforcement of the law and used the people’s funds with integrity.

We have to express our love of this nation by doing good to it. By loving our fellow citizens, being involved in social services or even being part of the civil service.

It is more than just hanging the flag or waving the flag as what the politicians in the government wants us to believe.

2. We need to pray and speak out.

We need to pray that God will intervene and that the land will vomit out the rapists, murderors, corrupt and the violent from this land. And restore peace, security and harmony.

We need to stop thinking that prayer alone will do. A lot of us are willing to just pray for change (me included) but not willing to be the agent of change. We need to fight not just on our knees in prayer but also on our feet.

That is why we need to blog, speak to others and tell others of what is the injustice, discrimination and corruption that is in the current government. We share this not to tear down the nation but because we love the nation and we want to see it improve.

3. We need to stop thinking we dont share a common destiny

Just as we are in a family, we all Malaysians share a common destiny. If any one group is marginalized or ineffective or not performing, we all suffer for it. We can feel it now. How the lack of enforcement by the police, or JPJ can cause many deaths. And how the inefficiency of the civil service affects our business.

We share a common destiny regardless of our race. If one race is left behind all of us are behind. If any race is uncompetitive we as a nation of Malaysia is uncompetitive in this world.

That is why discriminatory policies and ineffective affirmative action cannot continue - it will affect our common destiny.

JUBILEE JERICHO WALK

I will be joining my church for what we call the Jubilee Jericho Walk on Merdeka morning. And like the ancient story, we will march around centres of powers to bring down injustice, discrimination, & corruption that plague this nation.

REIGN REIGN LORD JESUS
IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR LIVES
REIGN REIGN O LORD OF THE HEAVENS
MALAYSIA IS FOR CHRIST!

Let’s celebrate this Merdeka believing that God will remember the covenant made in 1957.

IN GOD WE TRUST.

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