One MCS—TRAC Highlights

We Have Chosen What Is Better

The Rev Dr Wong speaks at TRAC WSCS writing workshop.

More than 70 ladies from 13 TRAC churches spent two Saturday mornings preceding Chinese New Year at a workshop on writing devotions. At a time when many were busy with Lunar New Year preparations, the ladies did what the Lord told Martha when she complained about her sister Mary not helping her: “few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better” (Luke 10:42).

The workshop organised by TRAC WSCS was held on 11 and 18 Jan 2020. TRAC President, the Rev Dr Gordon Wong, spoke on both days. He selected Isaiah 33 for participants to reflect on. This far-from-easy chapter was chosen because the 2020 theme of the WSCS’s 11th Quadrennium is based on Isaiah 33:15–16. Through the Rev Dr Wong’s guidance, we considered the comfort and challenge brought by each verse. He used illustrations and examples to clarify difficult sections—portions that many of us would have skimmed over if reading on our own.

The workshop’s main purpose was to strengthen our spiritual discipline of meditating on His Word. Such meditations should naturally result in prayer and elicit response to the Lord, whether in praise, thanksgiving, repentance or petition. This is the essence of writing devotions. As God speaks to us through His Word, we draw near to Him and He comforts and assures, challenges and rebukes us.

After the Rev Dr Wong spoke, the ladies were given time to write down what they had received from the Lord. Through their submissions, it was evident that the Lord indeed spoke to us through different verses in Isaiah 33. As expected, the same verse prompted different responses, since the Lord knows our every need. Some shared that they were convicted by an unfamiliar verse. Others disclosed that verses they thought to be “irrelevant to my life” came alive to comfort them.

God willing, TRAC WSCS will compile a set of meditations on Isaiah 33 for distribution to all ladies in all TRAC churches in May 2020, either on Mother’s Day or WSCS Sunday. The compilation will be available in print and in soft copy. In 2019, a devotional booklet based on three Psalms was given out, and it is our prayer that the 2020 booklet will bless the readers as much as it did last year.

The ladies praise God for His Word and for the privilege of sharing His comfort and challenges with others.

The ladies at work