[Editor’s note: The late Uncle Chang was called home to be with the Lord on 3 November 2016. At age 92 years old, he professed faith in Jesus Christ at the same time with his eldest daughter (70 years old) and youngest son (52 years). The eldest daughter apparently had come to faith earlier but was waiting for the opportune time to declare it. Their story is told on video at: https://vimeo.com/175259513, using the password Grace2016. The Damansara Reformed Baptist Church was greatly privileged to be called upon to conduct the funeral. One of his sons Yew Khoon, an old-time friend of ours, gave the eulogy at the last wake service on the night before the funeral.]
I would like to begin by thanking everyone for attending this evening’s wake. I know that some of you have travelled great distances to be here. My name is Yew Khoon and I am dad’s eldest son.
Today, I want to say just a few words as a way of honouring my dad and as an offering to God my continued trust in God’s loving-kindness and faithfulness.
Paul says, in Ephesians 2:7, that God expresses his loving kindness to us in Christ Jesus. I believe God was kind towards my dad.
God showed His kindness towards my dad when He brought my dad and mum together. From that union, they were blessed with a family of six in the ensuing years, and for good measure, with 10 grandchildren in tow.
God showed His kindness towards my dad as He allowed my dad as a young man to leave behind every member of his immediate family in China to eke out a living in Malaysia (at that time, Malaya) from a resourcefulness that, on reflection, could only be from God.
God showed His kindness towards my dad when He kept my dad company during the lonely nine years in Malaysia before my mum and eldest sister joined him in 1954.
God showed His kindness towards my dad when He protected my dad during dangerous times. God showed his kindness toward my dad when He provided and sustained dad during the times of lack and want.
God showed His kindness towards my dad when He replaced my dad’s locust years with a blessed sound financial base to provide for his family.
But above all, God showed His kindness towards Dad when He patiently awaited my dad to answer His call on 9th July this year and be accepted as a child of God. Indeed, my dad was saved by the skin of his teeth! To put into context, by God’s divine providence, my dad having been saved just 4 months ago meant he was a child of God for just 0.36% of his natural life but he gained eternal life!
Those of you who know my dad would know that he was a man of few words and known for the soundness of his decision. Once he made a choice, he would stand unwavering.
I believe that through all this loving kindness of God, my dad was convicted that God had always been there in his life, leading him to the cross. It is at the wondrous cross that God showed His infinite love for my dad and us, sinners. That was the truth that stuck out like a buoy on the water, bobbing up and down, resurfacing each time as a reminder of a greater yearning. It was beckoning my dad on, to come to Jesus Christ, His Lord and Saviour.
My father is at rest now. He did not experience any pain. In this, God showed His mercy and kindness yet again on Dad.
Am I sad? Yes, I am. Do I mourn? Yes, I mourn but differently.
My mourning is enveloped by the blessed assurance of eternal life which kicked in when dad responded to the myriad kindnesses of God that is found in Jesus Christ, who is the good Shepherd – the One Who laid down His life for His sheep. The Shepherd knows His sheep and my dad, His sheep, knows Him. Indeed, my dad knows he is in a privileged position to be called His sheep.
God Bless
Yew Khoon