Over the past few months, churches in Hong Kong dealt with the double whammy of COVID19 and the implementation of the “Regulations of Prohibition on Group Gathering”. Without physical worship gatherings and personal interactions under these regulations, Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China (HKCCCC) General Secretary Rev Dr Eric So emphasized “the spirituality of pause, silence and wait” in his recent letter to the churches.
In a world driven by efficiency and economic activity, pausing usually “implies an attitude of pessimism, timidity and a lack of confidence”, he said. Pointing to the biblical story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17, Rev Dr So offered a different perspective, where “the Pause was not Elijah’s laziness, but God’s plan of drought on the Israelites. In fact, it was preparation for Elijah to be assigned to a new mission from God.” During the pandemic, Pause is not just crucial to complying with preventive measures, but also prepare us “to take up a future task in God’s plan”.
In his letter, Rev Dr So added that Silence is “a critical exercise for Christian spirituality”, navigating us to restore our intimate relationship with God and seeking His empowerment to be channels of faith, hope and love in our communities. He concluded the letter with the virtue of Wait, as it can be recognized as a test of hope in the Christian faith, and the perseverance built on the eternal promises of God.