By Elder Tan Chin Tiong
Majulah Singapura, meaning “Onward Singapore” was originally composed as a song for Singapore’s City Council in 1958 to commemorate the reopening of Victoria Theatre after a major restoration. When Singapore attained self-governing status in 1959, the search for a state anthem to replace the Colony’s anthem of ‘God Save the Queen’ began.
And today, as we all know, ‘Majulah Singapura’ became our National Anthem, an inspiring song to challenge the young nation then to unite and with one voice, to soar as one, to achieve our aspirations, bringing Singapore happiness and success.
In case, you have forgotten the meaning of the song, here it is;
Come, fellow Singaporeans
Let us progress towards happiness together
May our noble aspirations
bring Singapore success
Come, let us all unite
In a brand new spirit
Let our voices soar as one
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore
As I reflected on this song during our recent National Day celebration, I cannot help but think that perhaps with some small changes, this could be The Bible Church’s song too, as we study The Book of Acts in the context of our new Vision 2028.
1) Be united in One Spirit
Here I am not just talking about racial harmony, community unity and being inclusive. More than that, our unity is defined by the filling by the Holy Spirit of God; a truth we need to embrace more than ever before. As mentioned by Senior Pastor Beh, this unity is not defined by uniformity and externality. Rather, this oneness is the unique filling, renewing and transforming of the Spirit of God as we surrender our lives to Him. This unity must remain distinct and clear especially in a pluralistic society we are living in today. We are not just Singaporean. We are sons and daughters of God. We are united not based on what we do or not do. We are united in Christ. (Ephesians 4:4-6)
2) Be bold in aligning our aspirations with His
In different seasons of the history of the Israelites, God always reminded them of their destiny, who they were and what they must do to remain faithful to Him and His blueprint for their lives. Today, He is inviting us to align our life goals and aspirations with His blueprint. Whether it was Moses or Paul, He is the One that gave the bold vision of His Kingdom and issue the invitation to them to accomplish it on His behalf. Likewise, we must discern His vision for ourselves and The Bible Church. We must be emboldened by His Spirit to accept the invitation and fulfil what He has planned for us.
3) Be earnest in our proclamation of the Good News
As a small nation, we tell the world that they are welcome to come and grow with us. We have what it takes to make their investment bear fruit. Similarly, with one voice, we are to earnestly declare the goodness of God to the world. We need to persuade them to consider this matter because it is crucial for their destiny.
4) Be ready in our sacrifice for the Kingdom of God
‘Onward’ is about looking and marching forward. It is about coming out with a plan and a roadmap. It is about putting in effort. It is about sacrifice for the sake of a higher good. For us, as believer in Christ, we need to follow the example of our Lord. From the start of His ministry on earth, He knows He will end up on the cross for our sake. Paul was called by God to suffer for His Name’s sake (Acts 9:15-16). Similarly, you and I are called to be ready to exchange our comfort, our selfish desires, our very life to accomplish a bigger dream beyond ourselves – For His Name’s sake and For His Glory!
Majulah Bible Church!
Be bold and courageous,
Fight the good fight of the faith,
Hold tightly to the eternal life to which you were called,
Declare your faith in the presence of many witnesses.
(1 Timothy 6:12)
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