We come into this year’s National Day against the backdrop of much tumult: the pandemic rages on and the incident at River Valley High School is still fresh in our minds.

Yet we have much to thank God for. We’re an increasingly vaccinated nation. We’re run by a government that is managing the situation relatively better than most other nations.

And, not to mention, we’ve got a really good song for National Day this year (which I am vibing to as I write this)!

As a 22-year-old, it has only just dawned on me that me and my generation — we’re receiving the keys to influencing this island.

As one generation hands over the baton to us, we’ll have the ability to shape Singapore in the way we envision it to be.

That got me thinking: “What would be my dream Singapore that I would love to live in?”

Regardless of race, language or religion — regardless of generation.

I consider myself between both generations (I have the “S99” NRIC number to prove it). I’ve been called a boomer by those younger than me and young man by those older than me.

So as this weird not-really-Gen Y-or-Z-but-definitely-not-Gen X man, here is my dream for this nation: a united Singapore.

And not just regardless of race, language or religion — but regardless of generation.

A DREAM FOR OUR ISLAND 

This isn’t a dream that’s plucked out of thin air. I am fully convinced that a united Singapore is on the Lord’s heart as well.

It strikes me that the final verses of the Old Testament — right before we begin the New Testament — are verses that talk about the unity of the generations.

Malachi 4:5-6 reads: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet. Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

To me, Malachi 4 is God is giving his “closing appendix” not only to the book of Malachi but to the entire Old Testament. These closing verses contain some of God’s deepest thoughts and desires for His people before we begin the narrative of the gospels!

In these last verses, God assures and tells His people three things.

1. A call to remember the law of Moses
2. An assurance that He will send the prophet Elijah to His people before the day of the Lord
3. A call to the generations to reconcile

It does feel like a strange list. While we can perhaps understand the first two things, why would God be so concerned about generational reconciliation?

I mentioned handing over a baton earlier — think about a baton being handed from one generation to another.

I used to think that upon the handover, the previous generations’ time would be done and that the younger generation would now run the race alone.

But over the past few months, the Lord has been working in my life to correct that understanding.

It’s not the old generation handing over to the new, it’s both running together.

Since we’re in the Olympics season, I thought I’d bring in this story.

In the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Great Britain runner Derek Redmond suffered a hamstring in the middle of the men’s 400m running event.

Though visibly in pain, Redmond picks himself up and strives to finish the race. Then, out of nowhere, Redmond’s father runs up to him and helps to hold him up as the two men walk together.

Shoulder to shoulder, they hobble their way across the finish line in front of a stadium who can only give both father and son a standing ovation.

Singapore, imagine what it would look like if generations came together in the power of that unity. What would our families, our communities and our nation look like, when the hearts of fathers turn to their sons and the hearts of the sons turn to their fathers?

Oh, how wonderful that would be!

As I was thinking through this article, the Lord also brought me to Luke 15.

The parable of the prodigal son is perhaps one of the most familiar passages to many of us in the Bible.

But as I reread this familiar passage, the Lord impressed this question on my mind: “What was the father’s heart in this story?”

As hearts turn to one another, healing will come into the land!

Naturally, many of us would answer, “To bring the younger son home.”

This is true. But it’s not the complete narrative, because the story goes on to tell of the older brother’s jealousy and the father’s desire for the older son to join in the celebrations.

While the father’s heart would certainly have been for reuniting with his younger son, I believe his heart was also for His family to be reconciled and united together in love.

In a similar way, it is also on our Heavenly Father’s heart that biological and spiritual fathers be reunited and reconciled with biological and spiritual sons. As hearts turn to one another, healing will come into the land!

A MESSAGE TO THE GENERATIONS

I would like to close with a word to both generations, starting with my own.

To the younger generation (Gen Z and millennials): we need to stop thinking like we know better than our father’s generation.

We need to stop calling them “boomers” and thinking we know better. Our elders built the very foundations on which we stand.

Their work and toil are the reason we achieve greater heights. Let’s honour them for their sacrifice.

And to the generations above (Gen X and above): believe me when I say I know my generation can be a handful. I know it’s not easy adjusting to all the changes their lifestyles and thinking can bring.

May I urge each one of you, my elders: don’t look down on our generation just because we are young. We have zeal, but we need your wisdom.

Can we work together and make this dream a reality?

If you’ve resonated with this article, you are invited to “IF MY PEOPLE”, an intergenerational prayer meeting organised by Praying Schools that will take place on August 8 at 8 pm. Unite with brothers and sisters, young and old, in praying for Singapore with one heart over Zoom.

For more details on the prayer meeting, join IF MY PEOPLE on Telegram or WhatsApp. Note that due to WhatsApp’s limitations, the organisers request that interested parties join the WhatsApp group only if they are not on Telegram.