peace . love . joy

Sometimes I can't remember what I've prayed for when asked to pray on the spot. But somehow, I remembered what I prayed for days ago after our puppet practice for Christmas Eve. I asked God to give each one of us a new revelation, a new emphasis, a new point of view, a new inclusion of the very first Christmas this Christmas.

I remembered and I waited for Him to give me mine.

And then on Christmas day, during church service at 10 am, God granted me my request. It wasn't something totally brand new or out of the box, but it certainly was something that I never did place much significance on, or rather didn't dwell on in the past, didn't spend enough time to ponder on, though I know it's something important. Especially important for people like me. People who are not Jews.

'Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. Patience and encouragement come from God. And I pray that God will help you all agree with each other the way Christ Jesus wants. Then you will all be joined together, and you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ accepted you, so you should also accept each other, which will bring glory to God. I tell you that Christ became a servant of the Jews to show that God's promises to the Jewish ancestors are true. And he also did this so that those who are not Jews could give glory to God for the mercy he gives to them.

It is written in the Scriptures:
"So I will praise you among the non-Jewish people.
I will sing praises to your name."

The Scripture also says,
"Be happy, you who are not Jews, together with his people."

Again the Scripture says,
"All you who are not Jews, praise the Lord.
All you people, sing praises to him."

And Isaiah says,
"A new king will come from the family of Jesse.
He will come to rule over the non-Jewish people,
and they will have hope because of him."

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.'

~ Romans 15: 4-13

The Greek "ἔθνος" or "ethnos", in English, "gentile", was used here. The very first time the word "gentile" appeared in the Bible, its debut was in the Hebrew "גּי גּוי" or "goy-ee" in Genesis 10. Then, it referred to a "foreign nation", figuratively depicted as a troop of animals or a flight of locusts. Not a very flattering picture, is it? Well, as time went by, the distinction between the Jews and the non-Jews became very much more apparent. Here in Romans, we see the Greek term further specifying the definition of the "foreign nation" or "tribe" to a non-Jewish one. The words "gentile" and "heathen" and "pagan" are linked.

I am most definitely gentile. My ancestors come from China, moving down to Malaysia and finally to Singapore. I am three-quarters Chinese and a quarter peranakan. No Jewish blood in me, no sir.

When I first came to church way back when I was about nine, they were teaching us to memorise the books of the Old Testament in song. I remember learning the Lord's Prayer by heart. I remember learning about how God saved us all, Jew and gentile alike. But it never really hit me that I was a gentile, undesirable in the Jewish eye. I don't know about now because I've never really talked to a Jew before, but if I lived in the past, I was most likely no better than a dog on the street.

We, gentiles, had no hope because we were so often blatantly told that they were the Lord's people, rescued from Egypt, so loved and forgiven by a sovereign, and we were not. We, gentiles, had no hope because it was so often pushed in front of our faces that their God was supreme and powerful and alive, and ours were not. Kinda sucks. And then there was the Old Testament to remind us for all time, for all eternity of our past.

But then, flip a little more and you find the New Testament that includes within its pages a new covenant, a new promise, a new hope. The good Lord sent His Son to Earth to be born in the likeness of man, puny, frail man, to live and to teach and then to die. For all. He came a fool to man, but in God's upside-down, opposite world, He came a King. For all.

Now we have hope because now, we and they are the Lord's people, we and they belong to a God all-mighty, all-powerful, ever-present, and ever-loving. All because He died for us. All because He redeemed us. All because He loved us.

Without this gift, this sad but joyous gift, this costly but free gift, this exclusive but inclusive gift, we would be nothing. We would be gentiles, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts. Where once we had nothing, now we have everything. Where once our name was one of shame, now it is one that tells of the unfathomable and immeasurable love of God Almighty, God of the Jews and Gentiles.

Gentiles, non-Jews, read the Old Testament to remember your beginnings and to see the power of your God, and the New to see His love.
Gentiles, give thanks to the Lord who loves and forgives and sent and died and lives.
Give thanks and praise and honour and glory and blessing to the God of our Salvation and Hope.

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to Earth. Thank you for being born in that dingy place, only to die on that splinter-filled cross. Thank you for coming for me. Thank you for loving me when I was so unlovable. Thank you for forgiving me. And thank you for answering my prayer.