Road to Golgotha

"It was a regular trip. No one was supposed to die. His wife is too distraught to speak and his two children are only three and six years old. How can we tell them that their father is dead?” asked Chuan Aik. His brother Goo Chuan Heng died on the spot in the accident along the North-South Expressway involving an express bus and five other vehicles on 10th October 2010.

The Star newspaper reported on Tuesday news wrote, "Most of them were young and had their whole lives ahead of them. They had boarded the ill-fated express bus on route to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday full of plans- many were students, one had just graduated, another was a teenager traveling for the first time by herself, all ready to visits friends while some others were young parents. They never reached their destination". Now it is confirmed that there 13 people died in the accident.

When you hear this news either read from newspaper or watched it from television or both; how do you feel? When I read this on newspaper, honestly writing (not speaking); I felt sad but not for so long, just 2-3 minutes and it was gone. 'Oh, their family must be very sad...', but that was it, nothing more just for a moment. Why? Am I less human? Am I so selfish that I will think 'Itu mereka punya pasal @ That's their problems' kind of attitude? No! I believe that 99.05% of you who read this news won't felt that way too. The reason we didn't get effected by the news very much is because... are you ready for this? The victims are not our friends and family (or someone whom we knew) not because we're less human.

On the same newspaper that day, the condolence section published 10 persons whom I don't know died. Why didn't I cry or sad? Because they are not my friends and family. So you get my point already right? We can't feel sad deeply (we can, but not deeply) unless we know someone that we loved or whom we met before died. In the same way, there's a joy when our friends and family get well and healthy.

'So, Richard, what does this have to do with your 'Weekly MOTIVATION story' stuffs? Aren't you suppose to motivate rather than reminding us about out dead friends and family...’ you may asked. Well, I have to admit that it is my purpose to do that. Why? Because 'How can we be effected by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross IF we don't have personal relationship with Him?' When I heard the death of my grandfather years ago, I just couldn't help but to cry and griefs for that lose because I knew him and we have personal relationship. He was a great and kind person I could ever know...



Do you know who this Lord that you worship is? Is He your Lord and Savior on weekday too? Do you have a personal relationship with Him?

We are a sinner. But He suffered the penalty of sin on your behalf. He bore all the punishment you deserve, leaving you none to pay, none to work off. Not even a little. 'If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.' (Roman 10:9) Charles R. Swindoll writes, 'This is grace. Unmerited favor. Mercy you had not earned, did not deserve, had no right to demand, and could only receive. Grace is free. Completely free.' ~ Have a personal relationship with Jesus. His death got to have effect on you, if not; it is simply because He is not yet your 'friend and family'. May this note motivate you to want to know Him personally…