I'll miss you, Chen Mushi

We may sometimes envy those who live in a lap of luxury- big house, fancy cars, extravagant holidays, wish we had a few more experiences they had, and even convince ourselves to work tirelessly towards that lifestyle. But I’m not sure if anyone who ever attended a “rich man’s” funeral, ever left wishing that he was as rich as that corpse. Whatever luxury he had experienced ended with him in his coffin, and what he had left behind remains in their material case.

We may never envy those who live a hard life for a worthy cause, we may applaud or admire their sacrifice but we’d never commit to join them. But yet as they lay their tired bodies to rest, we feel acutely the pain of a world with a hero lost. And as we remember their lives, the remembrance would turn to a reflection on our lives.

There is an internal yardstick within all of us- no matter whether we would admit it or not, on what truly matters to us. We may in our post-modern state rebel to say that- when we won’t know when we’ve returned to dust, so I’ll only care about the now and how. Whose life would you have liked to live? Whose legacy would you have liked to leave behind? How would you like to be remembered?

As a great doctor, a brilliant surgeon, a caring teacher, a loving pastor, a prayerful grandmother, a godly spouse, a self-sacrificing parent, a very nice boss, a good employee, a great manager, the teacher of the year, a frequent flier, a regular church-goer, a spiritual over-seer? Which role defines who you want to be? Which role defines our every day? What would you give to be who God made you to be?

Chen Mushi, thank you for who you are and what you’ve done. I cannot count how many times your sermons have spoken to me, or how even i'm dead sure you dont remember me- you'll always fondly be remembered as one of my spiritual parents. Maybe we teased too often how you spent 3 years on Exodus and i cant remember how long it was with Revelations.. But I am a life that was changed by yours... I wish Daddy would have given you more time with your family here- after the many years of laboring for the church, it's time your family had more of you.. But my sister said that God had taken His servant Home- and it’s the best possible place you can ever be, for you are finally at rest and with a perfect body- no pain, no ailments. See you some day… You'll be missed...