This season marks a very important milestone in my life and ministry. Next Sunday, Senior Pastor Nina and I will be installing our son Daniel Khong as the new Senior Pastor, and his wife Serene Tang as the new Deputy Senior Pastor of FCBC. Our hearts are filled with joy and thanksgiving for God’s grace in our family.
As I pen this, I cannot help but remember the prayer that General Douglas MacArthur offered to God for his son. I pray the same prayer for my son Daniel as he embarks on this new journey with Serene:
“Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,
and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;
one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat,
and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds;
a son who will know Thee as the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,
but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.
Here let him learn to stand up in the storm;
here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high,
a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men,
one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humour,
so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously.
Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness,
the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, ‘I have not lived in vain.’”
- Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong