GOD’S GOOD HAND UPON SINGAPORE

Mr Lee Kuan Yew—the founding father of modern Singapore—passed away on 23 March 2015. He lived for 91 years, well above the universal norm of 70-80 years (Ps 90:10). He lived a full and eventful life with conviction and passion. He lived for Singapore and became her first Prime Minister in tumultuous times. This was no fluke. God had a hand in it for sure. God put him here for a purpose. God wants all to know: “By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” (Prov 8:15-16). It is God who “changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” (Dan 2:21).

God had mercy on Singapore—this tiny island in Southeast Asia. He gave us an honest and wise ruler. Singapore from third world to first world in one generation? Who would have thought this could happen? This could only happen if Singapore had an extraordinary leader and government. Singapore had nothing going for her. A small island with no resources—how to survive, much less thrive? Today, Singapore is prosperous and peaceful. God’s good hand was upon her. He put in place the right people for our country.

On the world map, Singapore is but a dot and not easy to spot. When I was in the United States as a student back in 1989, I remember being asked where I came from. I replied “Singapore” pronouncing it as American as I could. The inquirer looked at me curiously and asked, “Is it in India?” He must have gotten Singapore confused with Bangalore!

In earlier years, Singapore was barely heard, much less known. If Singapore was in the news, it was for some amusing reason. I was still in the States when Mr Lee passed a law to ban chewing gum. The papers were quick to poke fun at it. My American friends could not wrap their head around this. They thought it was ridiculous. I did not believe it at first, but after I confirmed that the report was true I was glad. I was glad Mr Lee had the gumption to pass that law. You see, I had worked as an HDB cleaner (to earn some pocket money during my school holidays). I was in charge of three blocks of flats. I know how hard it is to scrape chewing gum off the floors of HDB lifts and corridors. If only that law had been passed earlier! I am glad it still sticks!

Well, Singapore became a byword in the United States soon after the Michael Fay episode. For destroying public property here, the judge ruled that Fay deserved six strokes of the rotan (it was reduced to four after Clinton interceded). I happened to be in the States when this was headline news. I was a little worried. One day, I went to Walmart to shop. At the door, an elderly gentleman greeted me, “Hi, where are you from?” I did not hide. “I’m from Singapore” I replied, hoping he would mistake it for India. He responded with a smile and said, “O yes, Singapore! Now I know that when I’m in Singapore I’d better behave myself.” I did not expect this. We got some respect after all. It was due to Lee Kuan Yew and his fine laws (no pun intended). He put Singapore on the map.

I thank God that Singapore is my country. I have always regarded Singapore as home. My American friends encouraged me to set up home in the States. Why not? In Chinese, America is “Beautiful Country”. Indeed it is. But for me, home is Singapore. I was born here, I grew up here, my roots are here. God’s will is for me to serve Him here. Nevertheless, for believers, our real and true home is from above and yet to come (John 14:1-3, Col 3:2, Heb 11:8-10). We await our Lord’s return and we believe it will be soon.

Mr Lee was an impressive orator. I enjoyed hearing him speak. I looked forward every year to his National Day Rally speeches. They were not to be missed. He wrote equally well. I read his memoirs—The Singapore Story (1998)—with great interest, and his last book—One Man’s View of the World (2013). I was particularly interested in the latter because it contained a chapter on his “Personal Life—Choosing when to go.” He wrote, “Life is better than death. But death comes eventually to everyone. … I prefer the quick one.” Actually, life and death are in the sovereign hands of God, not ours. It is not up to us. We do not choose when to go. Ecclesiastes 8:8 says, “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death”.

As to what happens after death, Mr Lee said, “I just cease to exist.” Well, the Bible says quite the opposite, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb 9:27). “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Eccl 12:7). Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29).

What was Mr Lee’s view about God? He confessed he was agnostic, “I wouldn’t call myself an atheist. I neither deny nor accept that there is a God. … I do not know. So I do not laugh at people who believe in God. But I do not necessarily believe in God, nor deny that there could be one.” That God exists is for sure (Gen 1:1, Isa 37:16, Ps 14:1). His existence is clearly evident in His creation, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Ps 19:1); “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom 1:20). Did Singapore become what it is today by chance? Or was there a brain behind it? If there is design, there must be a designer. There is no denying or escaping this truth. There is a living and true God and He created the whole universe (Deut 6:4, Isa 45:12, Ps 148:5).

Mr Lee did not think there is a heaven. If heaven existed he figured it would be “overpopulated”—just not big enough for everyone: “Is heaven such a large and limitless space that you can keep all the peoples of the world over the thousands of years past? I have a large question mark on that.” Remember Mr Lee had thought Singapore too small to house five million? His solution was birth control, “Stop at two.” He made a mistake. But God makes no mistakes. He is omnipotent and omniscient. Jesus Himself promised, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3). What is the way to heaven? Only one way! Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

Where will man go after he dies? Heaven or hell? If a man dies in his sin, there is judgement for all have sinned (Rom 3:23); hell is for real. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23). But if a man believes in Jesus Christ to save him from his sins, he will live; it will be heaven. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17).

Did Mr Lee hear this good news of Jesus Christ? He shared, “Those around me who may have tried to proselytise me no longer do so because they know it is a hopeless case.” I am glad believers who were able to get close to him cared enough to share with him the gospel. However, I am very sad that he chose not to believe. Did he believe before he breathed his last? We can only hope. “Salvation is of the LORD” (Jon 2:9).

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015) will be fondly remembered as founding father and chief architect of modern Singapore, and an astute statesman highly respected all over the world. I admire him and thank God for him. But here is divine wisdom, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt 11:15). JK

SON OF A MOTHER’S VOW

The Rev Dr Timothy Tow (1920-2009), our founding pastor, is another great man. He might not be Prime Minister, but as a Minister of the Gospel, Pastor Tow lived a life that counted for eternity. Mark 8:36 was his life-verse: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” How did it become his life-verse? Here’s his testimony taken from his autobiography—Son of a Mother’s Vow (2001):

“Father has sent me to tell you he is giving you four thousand dollars! This is to enable you to finish your law in England.” “What a chance of a lifetime,” said I to myself. I couldn’t have thanked my brother enough for bringing me this good news.

Immediately, I set about making applications to England. I found admission both to London University and to Middle Temple, not only on the strength of my London Matriculation based on the Cambridge results, but also on the good recommendation of Brigadier Briggs, President of the Military Court, and on the good reports of former lecturers of the Judicial Officers Training Institute. I resigned from the Supreme Court by end of February, 1946. Before March 1946, all necessary procedures were completed. So I booked with Mansfield a ticket to London on the cargo boat “Argus”. The ticket cost ninety pounds. …

On the eve of my departure for England, however, that night, something very unusual happened. At ten o’clock when I went to bed, as I switched off the light, the overhead bulb “popped”. I switched again, but there was only darkness. Then after I fell asleep, in the middle of the night, I was aroused by a burning sensation. Lo and behold, the mattress was on fire! A burning mosquito coil had tilted over at the foot of the bed. It was like a nightmare. Were these omens from the Lord?

Early next morning, a telegram messenger came pounding on the door downstairs. When we opened the door and tore open the envelope, it read, “Mother went home to the Lord last night. Come back immediately. (signed SIEW AI)”

Mother, my beloved Mother, who gave me to the Lord, had contracted influenza for a short five days. On the fifth night, she suddenly departed in the presence of Father and Sister, who were attending to her illness. When asked by bosom friends in the Lord what she had to say to her children, she said, “Tell them to serve the Lord with all their heart.” …

Mother’s passing at her prime of fifty-five came like a bombshell not only to all of the Tow Clan, but also to the whole church. … but strange to say, I was little affected. Though I had sorrowed with the whole family, because I was all booked for London, my heart had become hardened. “Mother’s going to heaven before me was a matter of course. As for me, why, I must go and conquer the world!” So persevered grimly I myself within, but I was far from the Lord.

By now the cargo boat on which I was booked had sailed. And in view of the fact that the school term in England would not start until the Fall, i.e., September, Father was in no hurry to let me go. (About this time Mr. Lee Kuan Yew was also applying to Middle Temple. He managed to get a berth in a British troopship which brought him to London in October, one month late.)…

Mother died on March 9, 1946. Five weeks later I received another telegram, this time from my wife in Singapore! “Baby Lilyn in hospital. Operation today. Come immediately.” Taking leave of Father the early morning I received the shocking news, for Lilyn was only seven months old, I left for Singapore by express taxi without delay. Arriving back in Tiong Bahru, I proceeded to take the bicycle out of the stairway. As I bent to clip my trousers, a procedure needed in cycling, a vial of Erasmic perfume I had brought for Baby slid out of my shirt pocket, and crash! It broke in pieces, spilling the fragrant drops on the ground. “Ahhh!” Did I believe this to be another bad omen? I surely do! But I am not superstitious.

At the Kandang Kerbau Hospital, as I entered the Babies Ward, I saw the grim spectacle of Nancy becoming hysterical. In a torrent of tears, she kept pinching Baby’s cheek, in an effort as if to bring her back to life. Baby had been operated on some hours before for intussusception of the intestines. As the Lord would have it, there was no way the surgeon could bring her round. Second Uncle’s wife and Siang Hwa stood around in sombre mood. I, who was adamant as rock all this while, readying myself to resume my London journey, suddenly wilted. “Man’s life’s like morning dew”, that old Chinese adage melted my heart. In the twinkling of an eye, I felt a fainting sensation and an overwhelming darkness. I felt all defeated and shattered. I was like the rich young ruler in the Bible story who went away from Jesus sorrowful. I felt like being relieved of five hundred thousand dollars from each hand, now cold and clammy. I saw myself passing out of this world. All the glories of fame and power that I was seeking after became a smouldering rubbish heap to a dying man. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Then began I to pray with faint trembling lips, “Lord, save my soul. If you will give me back my life, I will serve you forever. Amen.”