With Balestier family

It made my day! The best day this year spending time with Balestier folk. Such warmth of fellowship. It did us good!

Judy Chun came for us at 10.00 a.m. From there we went to Cashew Park to pick up Jennifer Loh and the four of us went to Balestier now at 126 Balestier Road. We arrived early and there were already people there, welcoming visitors. It was great to meet old friends and new friends, the elderly, the middle aged, the youth and children.

After the introduction by the pastor, Captain Hary Haran, we went straight into the meeting. The whole congregation read Psalm 90: 1-4, thus affirming our faith in the eternal sovereign God who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The meeting began with Song 552 "Thank you Lord for all Your goodness" - a beautiful song written by August Ludvig Storm and translated into English by Flora Larsson. We thank God for past and present mercies, sunlit pathways also byways rough, fragrant flowers among the weeds, the peace He gives us even when the spirit bleeds, prayers answered as well as prayers denied.

Another old hymn we sang as "Unto the hills around do I lift up, my longing eyes"
written by John Campbell. It is a metrical rendering of Psalm 121, one of the "Songs of Ascent" It has sometimes been called "The Traveller's Psalm. I spoke on the three key words of this psalm - The Lord - my Helper, my Keeper, my Preserver." Sadly many of our younger people do not know these great hymns of the church.

After the message we sang another old song, "O Jesus I have promised to serve Thee to the end."

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my guide.

2. O let me feel Thee near me,
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee,
That where Thou art in glory,
There shall Thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

We say Amen to that prayer. May the Lord keep us faithful.

We had lunch with Jack and his wife Catherine, Terence and Amy. What a great time of fellowship we had as we shared food and ended with prayer.

Praise and thank God for another good day.