First Lesson In Faith

Just after I returned from my studies in Canada, where I had been away for four years, I coaxed my siblings to organise a picnic by the lovely beaches of Penang Island. My siblings together with some friends from the church decided to chose Batu Ferringhi Beach.

The moment we arrived Batu Ferringhi Beach, I ran towards the sea. It was so good to feel the fine white sand, and to hear the gentle splashing of the waves.
"Sis, will you please take off your glasses? Nobody plays in the sea with glasses on," chided my elder sister. "But I want to see the palm trees, the seagulls, the sky, the sea, and I need my glasses", I protested vehemently. A few minutes
later, a big wave came and hit me and I fell with my glasses dropping into the sea. "Gosh, what would my sister say?" Just then little Lisa ran towards me and realised I had lost my glasses and before I could stop her, she ran off towards the rest of the group who were sitting under the shelter of the palm trees.

Lisa's parents came to me and to my surprise said, "Don't worry, Choo. Let us
pray that God will return you your glasses." I was momentarily stunned and thought it was embarrassing to bother God with an old pair of glasses which would soon be
discarded anyway. However, I prayed along with Lisa's parents and was surprised when the lady said, "Thank you Lord, for helping us to find Choo's glasses". "How presumptuous", I thought. "It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and by then my glasses would have been swept away to another island!" But then I remembered Jesus having walked on water, and if He could do that, giving me back my glasses would be absolutely no problem! Suddenly peace filled my heart and I knew I had the courage to face my sister.

When I walked towards the group under the shelter of the palm trees, my sister, who had by then known of my lost glasses, put her arms akimbo and asked, "And so, where are your glasses?" "I didn't lose them.... Jesus borrowed them." "Until what time, may I know?" Sister continued. "Until 6 o'clock". I had prayed that if God
was going to answer my prayer, it would have to be answered by 6.00p.m. as we would be going back home then. Strangely I felt peaceful.

At 4.00p.m. we had to go to town to fetch my cousin. When we reached
Batu Ferringhi I was surprised when Lisa's mother gave me back my glasses!
Both she and he husband had again prayed about 5.00p.m. and they heard a still small voice telling them to swim towards two rocks. Lisa's father found my glasses embedded between the two rocks. It was some 7 hours since I lost my glasses!

It has been 23 years since the above incident. But my old pair of glasses are
kept in a prominent place on my writing table to remind me constantly what it means to have simple, child-like faith. It is also to remind me that if God is interested in a pair of old glasses, how much more interested He is in my life! God has given us His Son, so that all of us can have life, and have it abundantly.!

Gan Chau