O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

DEEPER THAN A MOTHER’S LOVE

God is often portrayed as a loving Father in the Bible. We read of His compassion, discipline and authority over His children. It is also interesting to note that God uses motherly characteristics to describe His covenantal relationship with His people.

When the prophet Isaiah prophesied the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians and the exile that would happen, the children of Israel in the face of the impending devastation believed that God had abandoned and forgotten them, “But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” (Isaiah 49:14)

God responded to their complaint with tenderness, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” (v.15) By using the imagery of a mother and with a rhetorical question that assumes a negative answer, God assured them with the above words of comfort.

God Carries Us in His Heart

Mothers are often viewed as providing instinctive love, support and guidance to their children.  Only mothers have the extraordinary privilege to have a life formed in them and having that bond for nine months unless medical exigencies would shorten that pregnancy period.

A mother goes through so much to give birth to a child. When that child is born it is a precious possession. A bond is immediately formed between mother and child. Someone has said, “Although a child is carried in its mother’s womb for nine months, he or she is carried in his or her mother’s heart forever.”

Therefore, seventeen chapters later, God is portrayed as a mother who carries His children in His heart. He affirms His love to His children, “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13)

God’s Compassion Towards Us

Like a mother, God is compassionate toward His children. The verb which is translated “have compassion” in Isaiah 49:15 is in the intensive form in Hebrew. It emphasizes the profound and deep love of God for us. Despite witnessing the devastation of Jerusalem and the exile of God’s people to Babylon, the prophet Jeremiah with the eyes and heart of faith affirms God’s unfailing compassion, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

God’s Unforgettable Love Towards Us

It seems ludicrous that a mother would forget her child. However, it did happen. In the siege of Samaria by Benhadad, King of Syria, a mother, we are told (2 Kings 6:28, 29), boiled her son for food. Today, there are indeed mothers who forget their children.  It was reported in 2010 that a three-month-old daughter starved to death in South Korea while her parents were playing an online game raising a virtual character of a young girl. Last year, a two-year-old child died in Malaysia, when her busy mother left her in a car for more than seven hours under the scorching sun. In Singapore, a mother and her boyfriend were recently convicted of physically and emotionally abusing their four-year-old daughter resulting in her death.

Are we fearing like the Israelites that God will forget us? God promises that He will not forget us, “Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” The pronoun “I” in Hebrew is emphatic. It underscores God’s unwavering commitment to His people even when they feel abandoned or forgotten.

Today, you may be one of the many students in your class and your teacher has forgotten you. You may be one of the many employees in your company and your boss have forgotten you. You may be one of the children in your family and your parents have forgotten you. When you feel this way, remember God’s promise, “Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Every one of you is special to God and He will not forget you. Even in our death, God says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints.” (Psalm 116:15)

God Engraves Us on the Palms of His Hands

God’s love is deeper than a mother's love. God assured His people further of His love for them, saying, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49:16).

In ancient times it was customary to engrave the name of the master on the hand of his slaves. The slave was thereby inseparably connected to his master. Here it is the other way around. God inseparably connected Himself to them.

You will never be out of His sight and you will never be out of His mind. In fact, the names of those who are in Christ, justified by His blood, are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27 cf. Philippians 4:3; Revelations 3:5; 13:8).

God Protects Us

Isaiah 49:16 mentions, “…thy walls are continually before me.” This refers to the walls of the city of Jerusalem. They were destroyed by the Babylonians leaving the city vulnerable to their enemies. But the walls would be rebuilt (as they were under Nehemiah).

The walls were symbolic of the protection of God’s people. So, the Lord was saying to His people, that He would constantly have His eye on them.  Even today, His eye is upon us to protect us. He delivers us from evil and keeps us in His hands. No one is able to seize us from our Father’s hand, as Jesus said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:28-29)

May the Holy Spirit encourage you today from Isaiah 49:15,16 as you celebrate Mother’s Day today. God will not forget you. Let us therefore not forget the depth, height and width of God’s love for us as the apostle Paul has said, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 8:38-39)

– Rev Quek K K

Shorter Catechism Question 47

Q. 47. What is forbidden in the first commandment?

A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying, or not worshiping and glorifying the true God as God, and our God; and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone.

Appointments for the Week

Tuesday, May 13

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (Joel Seah)

Wednesday, May 14

      10.00 am     SF Meeting

Thursday, May 15

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

Saturday, May 17

      11.00 am     Faith NBC

        3.00 pm     LTF / YLM

Sunday, May 18

  8.00 am     To seek, to do, to teach Ezra 7:10 (Rev Bendick Ong with Holy Communion)

  8.00 am     Choir Practice

  9.15 am     Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  9.20 am Coffee Corner

  9.40 am Sunday School

10.30 am Coffee Corner

11.00 am To seek, to do, to teach Ezra 7:10 (Rev Bendick Ong)

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service (MPH)

11.00 am Filipina Service (Rm 1-6)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6)

Announcements

Church Camp 2025

Collection of Church Camp fees will take place today at the Church Office during the following timings: Sunday School (9.30am-10.45am) and immediately after second service.

Please do contact Josiah Seah @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 91552814 if you have any queries.

Door to Door Evangelism 18 May 2025 (Next Sunday)

Meet in Beulah Room 2-11, 12.30pm Contact: Desmond  or Amos 

Traffic Warden Service

We welcome all church members to join in this work. Our TW’s role is to provide godly service to facilitate worship. We need help in following time slots for Sunday: 7.30-8am or 10.30-11am with a frequency of once or twice a month. Please contact Dn Chan Yong or Bro Kelvin

Birth

Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Joel Lin on the birth of a baby boy, Joseph Lin Yi Zhe, on 11 April 2025.

Catechism Class for Anniversary Baptism on 19 October 2025 will commence on 13 July 2025.

Please pre-register by emailing to Church Office. Those seeking baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership must attend the catechism class. Closing date: 6 July 2025.

Life BPC Job Vacancy Finance and Admin Executive

Life B-P Church has vacancy for a full-time Finance and Admin Executive

Responsibilities:
The incumbent reports to the Finance manager and assists in Finance operations and admin functions of the church.

Qualifications:

• Diploma in Accounting or equivalent
• 2 years’ experience in relevant fields
• Attention to details
• Prepare and maintain financial records
• Manage accounts payable, expense claims and receivable
• Should be able to handle full set of accounts
• Knowledge of GST, Quick Book Systems and computer applications is an added advantage

Candidates with relevant qualifications and experience may submit your application to the Church Operations Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Thanksgiving

Bro Leslie Tan and his family would like to thank Life B-P Church pastors, session members and friends for their prayers, words of comfort, encouragement and visitation during the recent homegoing of Leslie's beloved mum.

The Chinese Choir welcomes members of both congregations (Eng & Chi) to learn singing techniques with us. Beulah House, Sunday 11, 18, 25 May (8-930am) 

Life Bible-Presbyterian Church Seminar: Revive Us, O Lord!

Speaker: Rev Ian Goligher

Date: Saturday 14 June 2025

Time: 3-6pm (followed by dinner)

Venue: Beulah MPH

Register by 1 June 2025 at https://tinyurl.com/LifeBPCSem14Jun2025

Gospel Sunday “The Promise of True Rest” by Rev Ian Goligher

Date: 22 June 2025

Time: 8am & 11am

Venue: Life B-P Church Sanctuary

YF Camp 2025 (for youths aged 17-25)

Date: 15-19 December 2025

Venue: Life B-P Church

Save the dates!

Emmanuel Reformed Bible Lectures

https://www.lifebpc.com/erbl

The Intertestamental Period

By Ms Lilian Lee, M.B.S. (Adjunct faculty member of ERBC)

Monday, 7:30pm - 9:30 pm (Beginning on 14 July)

To fully grasp the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, it is essential to understand both the Old Testament and the Intertestamental Period. This course will explore the history of the Persian and Hellenistic Periods, spanning the 400 years between the last Old Testament writings and Jesus' birth. By examining this pivotal time, we will gain insight into the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament, enriching our understanding of the biblical narrative. (2 credits)

**Note: Those who take this course as Credit Students are required to obtain a copy of the book: Charles F. Pfeiffer, Between the Testaments (Michigan, Baker Book House, 1959)

The Book of Judges and Reading Hebrew Meta-Narratives

By Pastor Tan Soon Yong M.Div., Th.M., D.Div. (Pastor of ‘The Fisherman of Christ’ Fellowship)

Thursday, 7:30pm - 9:30 pm (Beginning on 17 July)

Few think of Judges as their favourite book. It starts disconcerting and disturbing, but ends with vile stories that modern sensitivities can barely stomach. Many hope that by studying the New Testament long enough, Judges will simply go away! But this is one book we need to heed, for the Canaanisation of Israel it describes mirrors the alarming worldliness we see in churches today.

To come to grips with the message of Judges, one must learn the basics of reading Hebrew meta-narratives. There is a literary structure the writer employs, there are times he deviates from it, and other times he seems to abandon it altogether – all under the Spirit’s inspiration. All this is not random, but instead contributes directly to the central purpose the book.

Has it ever bewildered you that Gedeon, Barak and Jephthae are included in the Hall of Faith (Heb 11:32) alongside Abraham, Moses and David? It would not, if you understand the message of the book of Judges. Come, let us learn its sobering truths together. (2 credits)

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