A Danish Christmas Tale (Chapter 4)

Hello All,

Have there been times in your life when you did not get the punishment you deserved but received mercy instead?

Have you been delivered from tense and difficult situations when you least expect it?

A Danish Christmas Tale

Chapter 4: Colder than the Outside Air

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (17 October 2016)

Dedicated to a dear friend who inspired the poem.

It was another torrential night for Ashley

She sat curled up on her bed and wept desperately

‘Why won’t the past leave me alone?’ she thought sadly

‘My dear Lord, please hear my prayer and deliver me’

The hours crawled by before dawn finally ensued

Although sleep did not come, she felt her strength renewed

The sleepless nights of tearful prayers she valued

For there will be a day when all hurts will be healed

It was Monday morning and Ashley got ready

She took her school bag and left her room quietly

Her school was held at home as well (expectedly)

She went to her classroom that was warm and cozy

Being the first to arrive, she laid her bag down

She surveyed the cozy classroom and looked around

She looked around and a box of matches she found

She lit the hearth, headed to her chair and sat down

She was dozing off when she heard the door opened

She arose from her slumber and around she turned

A girl entered; her face was gloomy and sullen

She must be a new student for she looked different

The girl sat in the furthest and hidden corner

Ashley mustered up some courage and approached her

‘Hello, may I sit beside you?’ Ashley asked her

The girl removed her bag from the seat beside her

The girl’s presence was colder than the outside air

But the fireplace was colder than her fiery stare

Her searing stare was as fiery as her red hair

The combination of both hot and cold was rare

‘My name’s Ashley. What’s yours?’ Ashley said with a smile

The girl frowned, folded her arms and pondered awhile

‘Cindy,’ she said as she stared at the wood floor tile

Ashley thought, ‘Maybe she’ll warm up after a while’

Classes began with Mathematics – Geometry

‘God, why must we learn Mathematics?’ thought Ashley

The hour on Geometry felt like infinity

It felt like an eternity of agony

‘Ashley,’ the teacher called the day-dreaming Ashley

‘Yes, Ms Anna?’ her heart raced with anxiety

‘Please write your answer on the board,’ she said sternly

‘Yes, Ms Anna,’ poor Ashley nodded nervously

She got up slowly and prayed, ‘Oh God, please help me!’

A crumpled piece of paper was shoved to Ashley

It contained the answer written down by Cindy!

She smiled and wrote the answer on the board gladly

TO BE CONTINUED…

Points for Reflection:

Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 ESV)

·         The day-dreaming and inattentive Ashley deserved punishment from Ms Anna for her laziness. Ashley prayed to God for help in that desperate moment.

·         God answered her cry for help through Cindy although she clearly did not deserve it. He showed her the mercy she did not deserve.

·         Who do you turn to for help in times of desperation? Do you turn to God in prayer or to your own resources?

·         We are to pray without ceasing and give thanks to God in all circumstances, even if God does not deliver us from our predicaments.

·         The Gospel is about sinners receiving the salvation we do not deserve through Jesus Christ who bore our punishment. The Gospel is the greatest deliverance of all time and the greatest gift we do not deserve. Have you received it? 

A Danish Christmas Tale (Chapter 3)

Hello All,

Have you ever been disappointed with the poor number of attendance for an occasion?

Have you ever thought to yourself that, ‘It is just us and the four walls’?

A Danish Christmas Tale

Chapter 3: ‘Just Us and the Four Walls’

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (17 October 2016)

Dedicated to a dear friend who inspired the poem.

The sound of footsteps echoed from the empty hall

'It looks like we have others coming after all'

Ashley said, 'It won’t be just us and the four walls'

Walking towards their direction were Claire and Paul

'Well, good morning,' said Claire, a cousin of Ashley

'Good morning. What brings you and Paul here so early?'

Ted asked Claire who was not known for punctuality

'Claire wanted to join the protest but thankfully

I managed to coax her to attend church instead

For we never know what dangers may lie ahead

In this sensitive and controversial parade'

Paul, who had been married to Claire for four years, said

Claire said, 'Instead of fighting for democracy

I thought it would be of more benefit to me

To stand up for women's rights and equality'

Her emerald green eyes beamed enthusiastically

Claire inquired, 'Where is Aunt Laura, by the way?'

Ashley said, 'Mum will come on time with no delay

Not a minute earlier or later, I must say

She never fails to come on time every Sunday'

Ted exclaimed, 'Oh well, here comes your dearest mother!'

Laura said, 'The streets are crowded with protesters!

Tell me, how did you and Ted manage to enter?'

'Well, through the back door of the church,' was Claire's answer

'Oh yes, that obscure door,’ Laura said knowingly

‘Should we wait a while for more to come?’ asked Ashley

‘Or it’ll just be us and the pews!’ said Claire candidly

‘Us and God. Let’s wait a while,’ said Ted hopefully

TO BE CONTINUED…

Points for Reflection:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

(Matthew 1:23 ESV)

·         Immanuel means God with us. Jesus is the Word who came to earth as a Baby and dwelt among man. It is through Jesus Christ that the Holy Spirit dwells in those who trust in Him.

·         However, it is all too natural for us to forget that God is with us. Ashley and Claire were concerned that they were the only ones gathered for the church service and they subconsciously forgot that God was with them.

·         Are there times in your life when you forget that God is with you? Does it often feel that it is just you against the world?

·         The next time you feel that way, just remember that God is always with you and you do not have to fear what comes your way, no matter how daunting it may be.

A Danish Christmas Tale (Chapter 2)

Hello All,

What do you look forward to in life? What would you consider the highlight of your week?

What we anticipate for in life reflect our priorities and securities.

We hope for the fulfilment of desires that occupy our minds and beset our hearts.

A Danish Christmas Tale

Chapter 2: The Anticipated Day

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (17 October 2016)

Dedicated to a dear friend who inspired the poem.

She got ready for the anticipated day

It was Sunday which meant there should be no delay

In attending the service; though her place of stay

Was in the church; for she cherished her dear Lord's Day

With her Bible in hand, she proceeded keenly

Through a long passageway to the main sanctuary

All the pews were unoccupied and empty

The service hadn't begun for it was still early

'Wondering which pew to occupy, my daughter?'

Her blue eyes lit up at the voice of her father

Not the bad but the good one who adopted her

And rescued her from the harsh life of the gutters

Her habit of selecting pews was nothing new

'Yes, I am now choosing the most comfortable pew

Which will offer the clearest panoramic view

Of you, as you preach the Gospel of Matthew'

Reverend Theodore grinned at Ashley's compliment

'I'm relieved to hear that because for a moment

I thought you were seeking a pew that was hidden

So that your slumber may not be apparent'

Ashley's eyes twinkled as she smiled mischievously

'Well, that may be the true motive; we shall soon see

If I'll listen to your sermon attentively

Or give in to slumber should my eyes get heavy'

Theodore, also known as Ted, chuckled amusedly

'It's the former, not the latter, I hope to see'

Ted stood at a towering height; strong and sturdy

His dark grey eyes were kind, serene and yet lively

All of a sudden, they heard a great commotion

Ted drew near and peered through the window with caution

'What is it, dad?' Ashley asked with apprehension

'It is one of those liberals' demonstrations'

Ashley could see people marching in formation

Wielding placards, but thankfully, not real weapons

Their loud voices filled the streets with rising tension

Their plea for freedom was chanted with strong passion

'Dad, do you stand alongside their stance?' asked Ashley

'The abolition of absolute monarchy

In our country will come to pass eventually

The call is getting stronger for democracy

I stand alongside them, but not wholeheartedly

Because to invest all hopes in democracy

Instead of our sovereign God is idolatry

No system can deliver justice perfectly

Earthly kingdoms and governments will rise and fall

The voice of the people changes with different calls

No human ruling is perfect after the fall

Save the reign of Jesus who is Lord over all

His kingdom is not of this world; it's eternal

It will stand tall when all other nations crumble

It's unseen by eyes that look to the temporal

But to those who look to God, it is visible'’

Ashley pondered over the words of her father

'To ignore the current events, I would prefer

There's bliss in ignorance but sooner or later

I will have to keep our nation in my prayers'

Ted sighed as he watched the zealous demonstrators

'For now, let peace be at the heart of our prayers

May they not employ violence in their endeavours

May our Lord's wisdom guide them instead of anger

Well, you should have many pews to choose from today

We got no winds of the protest, to our dismay

We were unprepared for this in every way

Church attendance will hit its lowest this Sunday'

TO BE CONTINUED…

Points for Reflection:

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

(John 18:36 ESV)

·         Ashley’s anticipated day of the week was Sunday. She looked forward to hearing from God’s Word and meeting with God’s people.

·         The liberals’ anticipated day was the demonstration. They longed for democracy and liberation from absolute monarchy.

·         While it is not wrong to be active on the political scene, the important question is not rooted in external behaviours but the desires of the heart. Were the liberals ultimate hope in the establishment of democracy or in King Jesus?

·         Before we point an accusing finger at the liberals, we should take a step back and realise that we are not much different from them.

·         Just as the liberals longed to be liberated from the clutches of absolute monarchy, so do we often desire to dethrone Jesus and set ourselves as kings of our own lives, deciding what is right and wrong for ourselves.

·         What are you setting your hopes on? On this earthly kingdom or Christ’s eternal kingdom?

A Danish Christmas Tale (Chapter 1)

Hello All,

Christmas is just two months away.

We are now embarking on a Christmas fictional poem for the Christmas season.

This poem is a sequel of a Christmas poem I have written a few years ago entitled, ‘The Parable of the Little Match Girl’.

Let us now begin with the first chapter of ‘A Danish Christmas Tale’.

A Danish Christmas Tale

Chapter 1: The Return of the Little Match Girl

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (17 October 2016)

Dedicated to a dear friend who inspired the poem.

Her father staggered into the room drunkenly

And slammed the wooden door behind him furiously

'How much is there?!' He glared at her sack of money

Which she handed over to him faint-heartedly

'Pittance!' He yelled as he threw the sack angrily

At the petrified girl who bent down tearfully

On her poor knees to gather her hard-earned money

Her actions infuriated him immensely

He hurled and smashed his bottle of wine on the ground

Glass fragments cut her, but she dared not make a sound

He struck a blow on her head which threw her face down

Her vision dimmed; she passed out on the glass-strewn ground...

Her heart raced as she jolted from her sleep in bed

She wiped away the beads of sweat from her forehead

She buried her tearful face in her hands and prayed

'God, please take away these nightmares and let them fade

From my memory for it has been four long years

But the images of torment are still so clear

The unspoken horrors of my past feel so near

Help me find release in the deluge of my tears'

Ashley slipped out of bed and walked to the window

She pushed open the shutters and gazed down below

The streets were covered in a thick blanket of snow

On which she trod to sell matches four years ago

That was her plight in the year eighteen forty-three

During the Christmas season in a great city

Of Denmark where the poor remained in poverty

Comfort and pleasures were only for the wealthy

Her eyes closed as the cold wind blew upon her face

In her deepest sorrow, she found joy in God's grace

Although the pain of her past was not yet erased

The assurance of God's love brought her much solace

The hours crawled by before dawn finally ensued

Although sleep did not come, she felt her strength renewed

The sleepless nights of tearful prayers she valued

For there will be a day when all hurts will be healed

TO BE CONTINUED…

Points for Reflection:

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

(Revelation 21:4 ESV)

·         This is a world filled with much pain. It is a real world with real people and real suffering.

·         There are sins committed by others against the weak and helpless who are unable to protect themselves.

·         Ashley was a victim of abuse. In the past, her alcoholic father hit her when she could not earn enough from selling matches.

·         The memory of abuse still haunted her after four years. It brought her flashbacks from the past and sleepless nights.

·         But those sleepless nights of prayer were precious, intimate moments she experienced with God who was not deaf to her cries for mercy. Even in the midst of suffering, she found comfort in God’s love and the knowledge of her future hope in Christ. She knew that there will be a day when all hurts will be healed. A day when God will wipe away every tear from her eyes. The day when Christ returns.

·         Do you have sorrows and painful memories? Do you know of those who are suffering? Find comfort, strength and mercy in Christ who has borne our sufferings and saved us through the cross. Bring His hope to a lost and broken world.