Sadness, make it short... then continue with life.

Lately I have been watching a number of fine documentary programmes on TV about nature and animals.

Last night's programme about the annual migration of animals was a very good show. Wilderbeest, sperm whales, monarch moths migrate thousands of miles, over treacherous territories every year.

The programme showed wilderbeest crossing thousands of miles, over meat-eating predators and hungry crocodiles-infested rivers in search for green pastures. Only three-quarters of the herd reached their destination. A quarter died along the journey, right before the eyes of the more fortunate survivors.

In one scene, a mother wilderbeest crossed the river with her calf. Crocodiles always hunt for the less defensive, more succulent calves. The mother reached the opposite shore with the calf 2 metres behind. A ferocious crocodile snatched the struggling and crying calf. The mother looked on helplessly. For several moments, she stepped forward intending to help, but stepped back knowing that she was no match for the crocodile. I could feel her anguish, pain and despair. The calf was torn apart right before her eyes. She walked away to continue her journey.

Obviously the mother had feelings. Obviously she was sad. But she continued her life's journey.

The lesson is, in life, there are always suffering, pain, death and disappointment. We will encounter these again and again. We will experience excruciating sadness and pain -- but like the mother wilderbeest, we need to carry on. Let sadness lasts for only a short duration -- then we must continue with renewed strength. Life goes on.

In the programme, I saw the hundreds and thousands of wilderbeest stood on the bank of the river before crossing, with full view of ferocious crocodiles waiting for them below. After moment of hesitation, the wilderbeest bravely tumbled forward, down the river like an avalanche -- knowing full well that many would be eaten alive.

But they still proceeded on despite the danger.

Our lives are also like that...do not be paralysed by grief... live on... God with us.

What did Paul say ???

Some people think Jesus had 12 Apostles. One, Judas, committed suicide, and so left eleven. Why did Paul called himself an Apostle then?

Paul claimed that he was also an Apostle as he met the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus.

Paul wrote almost half the 27 books in the New Testament.

Paul wrote with great erudition. He must be a learned person, a scholar, someone who had a flair for writing. I am very impressed by the way he expressed his thoughts.

In 1 Cor 1, he wrote: "The Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ's crucifixion. We did not preach or convince others through logical reasoning or our own experience. To those who are called by God, it is Christ's death on the cross that led them to believe, not sound reasoning or clever argument." (paraphrase is mine).

Believing in Jesus Christ starts with a calling from God. If you are not believing yet, you should ask God to start calling you. (Sounds like convoluted thinking right?)