President's Gallery: How Are You Doing?
Photo taken by President at Bristol, UK, March 2023.
In March, on the way to Bristol from London, I saw fields covered in white snowflakes. The snowflakes were swirling in front of the car, and I asked myself subconsciously if this was a dream. The scene before me was not what I had anticipated nor expected.
Winter is a season of purity and silence. Everything seems to enter a state of hibernation, slowing down or even stopping its activities. Winter is an important season. Without winter, the earth would not have enough freshwater flowing into rivers and lakes, and the temperature of the earth would continue to rise, causing the soil to become barren and making it difficult for living things to survive. Moreover, without winter, without the change of seasons, the earth would lack vibrancy and poetic beauty.
The period of Lent is like winter, reminding us to slow down in our busy activities, focus on the inner condition of life, and take care of it.
I enjoy the scene of winter, where under the white snow, I see many lives awaiting patiently, preparing to face the future in a completely new state. Winter is the nurturer of life.
The period of Lent is like winter, reminding us to slow down in our busy activities, focus on the inner condition of life, and take care of it. Healthy growth in life requires a healthy lifestyle where there is quiet activity and introspection.
River Avon, Bristol, UK. Francis Asbury in 1771 and Thomas Coke in 1784 and other Methodist preachers sailed from here for America.
During Lent, we are asked, “How are you living now? What are you busy with? Can what you are busy with truly satisfy your needs?”
Lent tells us that God has given his unconditional grace and His only Son as the bread of life, nourishing our lives with His body and blood.
God created us to live according to His way, not follow the footsteps of the world. Life in Christ is truly abundant and peaceful.
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2)
Rev Dr Gregory Goh Nai Lat
President, Chinese Annual Conference
Translator: Rev Joshua Ong