By Sis. Loke Poi Ching
God’s sacrificial love not only saves us, but shapes how we live, love, and respond to others.
Ephesians 4:31-32
“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
When Love and Loss Collide
With deep anguish, a grieving father shared these words with local media at his son’s wake:
“I tried to call him and move his body, but I found out that his head had been decapitated and was at the feet area.”.
This heartbreaking news from a tragic accident in Kuala Terengganu reminds us how fragile life truly is. In a split second, an 18‑year‑old young man was gone, leaving his father to endure an unimaginable loss.
Reading this news, I am reminded of a poignant Chinese saying: “白发人送黑发人” (bái fà rén sòng hēi fà rén), a phrase that captures the deep sorrow of a parent having to bury a child. It is a grief that goes against the natural order of life, and one no parent is ever prepared to bear. For those of us who are parents, our hearts ache deeply for that grieving father because we can only begin to imagine the pain of losing a child so dearly loved.
As children, we instinctively do not want to be the cause of any such pain to our parents. We long instead to honour them, to bring them joy rather than sorrow, and to live in a way that reflects our love and gratitude for all they have given us. The thought of a parent’s broken heart reminds us how deeply our lives and choices matter to those who love us.
Yet for many of us, this sorrow also stirs something deeper. These thoughts on love, loss, and the desire to honour our parents quietly prepare our hearts to consider an even greater love – that of our Heavenly Father toward us.
Love That Gave Everything
When we consider how deeply an earthly parent loves a child, we begin to understand, however imperfectly, the costliness of love itself. If the thought of a parent losing a child moves our hearts so profoundly, it gently leads us to reflect on an even greater love. Though Jesus is divine, He came in human form and walked among us. For our sake, He endured rejection, suffering, and ultimately the agony of the cross. In this, the Scripture tells us, God demonstrated the ultimate expression of love: that our Heavenly Father gave His only begotten Son for our salvation.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Such love calls for a response. When we pause to consider both the cost of love and the sacrifice willingly made for us, gratitude naturally follows. As those who have been loved so deeply, we are invited to respond not merely with words, but with lives shaped by devotion and obedience to God.
The Scripture reminds us: “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19)
Living in Grateful Obedience
Our response to God’s love should be one of gratitude and obedience – lives shaped by love rather than obligation. Just as we seek to honour our earthly parents by living in a way that pleases them, we honour God by living faithfully to His words. God is divine, our Creator, and the One who gives life, and He deserves all praise and honour. It is our prayer that our daily lives would reflect our love for Him and bring Him joy rather than sorrow.
The Scripture gently reminds us:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
When we walk in a way that opposes His word, we fail to honour the beautiful relationship He established with us through the blood of Christ. Let us actively examine our daily conduct and ensure our lives reflect His holiness rather than the patterns of the world.
Our obedience is most clearly seen in the way we live among others, especially in how we respond to the people God places in our daily lives.
Choosing Grace in Our Daily Walk
When our obedience to God flows from gratitude, it naturally shapes the way we approach relationships. In dealing with people who are difficult, it is easy to be guarded, to dwell on their shortcomings, and to be frustrated. Yet the Scripture reminds us that every person is wonderfully and fearfully made by God (Psalm 139:14).
Remembering this helps us see others not merely through the spiritual lens, and it calls us to respond with patience and grace rather than judgment. Do what is right in His sight, serving Him faithfully through the way we treat the people around us.
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23–24)
When our patience begins to wear thin with those around us, replace frustration with compassion. We may remind ourselves that others often act out of their own struggles, brokenness, or lack of peace, and may not yet know the grace and peace that comes from walking with Christ.
When we learn to look at the people through the eyes of compassion rather than irritation, we discover that they need our prayers far more than our anger. In responding to them with grace, we reflect God. Christ‑like kindness transforms our perspective, reminding us that those who are hardest to love are often the ones who need God’s grace the most.
As recipients who have been loved so deeply, let us walk faithfully with God, allowing His words to shape how we live and how we love.
Because our Heavenly Father first loved us, our response is not obligation but gratitude, choosing to walk righteously, desiring to honour Him and bring Him joy.
“…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work…”(Colossians 1:10)