A Hard Sermon

Last Sunday, we had a guest speaker in our church. I have known this particular speaker from my undergrad days in UKM. He is not one to mince his words and he hasn’t changed one bit! His sermon on Sunday stunned the church some what. You can hear a pin drop in the uneasy silence. The sermon was short, but not sweet indeed.

To get a different perspective, do read jonzz’s write-up on it: www.jonzz.blogspot.com (sorry guys I still haven’t figured out how to link some one).

I have great respect for this speaker and his life shows his conviction. He walked the talk, literally. His sermons have always been hard, even harsh. It makes us squirm in our seats. It makes us uneasy and a small whirlpool of guilt or conviction began to swirl in our conscience.

I think this kind of sermon is needed (but not every week, somedays we just want to feel good! Heh heh!) as it jolts us out of our complacency and think about issues that are more important and to do something about it.

Ok, gotta run. Clinic today. Sigh. Back to the grind.

Tues, 260906 @ 0815

Amazing Grace

Whenever I tell some one that I am an ID physician wannabe, I get this look on their face. You know, the look that says “You’re kidding right?” or “What in the world is that?” or “Duh???”.

Anyway, when I mentioned the word ‘HIV” or ‘AIDS’, people tend to recoil, like I have the bubonic plaque or leprosy or something. True, 20 years ago, this reaction is probably justified. But things have changed now. We now have medications that, though do not cure, can help suppress the disease, much like diabetes and hypertension. Some people even view AIDS as another chronic disease. (I do differ in this respect; after all, you can’t get diabetes or hypertension from blood transfusion, intravenous drug abuse or sex!)

Last week I saw a man in my clinic who has had the HIV for about 10 years. He was not on medication but was totally healthy! He contracted the virus from drug abuse in his early days. And how he has changed! He is now a pastor of a church! When I talked with him, I felt I was talking to a man who has tasted immense grace.

And I remember another lady with the virus for more than 5 years. Her last CD4 was ’0′. The CD4 is a marker of a person’s immunity. Typically, a normal healthy uninfected individual has a CD4 count of more than 400 or 450. The lower the CD4, the lower a person’s immunity is and therefore more susceptible to opportunistic infections. This lady was also not on medications. She works in a church as a helper. And she was totally healthy.

Seeing people like these makes me realise how wonderful God’s grace is. Who can change a drug addict but God? And who can sustain life, even life terribly compromised by HIV, but God alone? The thought humbles me and fills me with gratitude. For the very breath I take to sustain life is the breath of grace.

“T’was grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved,

How precious did, that grace appear,

The hour I first believed.” Amen.

Tues, 260906 @ 0745