Some of you may know about Esther Tan, a J2 girl from ACJC, who just passed away two days ago from a virus. Her father was my dad's colleague; she was the only child. Imagine the grief of her parents; the grief of all those who knew her and were close to her; it is a grief that no words can ever assuage. Why does God allow such things to happen? We will never know the answer, but we have the comfort and joy of knowing that she has moved on to a far better place. Today she is with Jesus in Paradise. Hear the words that Abraham Lincoln spoke, "I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost..."

And for us who are on this earth, let us learn an important lesson from this. Life is so precious, so fleeting. And we who are blessed with it, let us not waste it on frivolous pursuits or purposeless living. Let us devote every moment, every breath to serving the God who loves us and has redeemed us for that purpose. And let us love others in the way that shows that their lives, every single one, is precious, to us and to God.