Be Encouraged

So, I turned to the lady sitting beside me and asked, “Why us, why a Christian organization?”

A leader of the Communist Party, influential in the Central Committee, an avowed atheist, the hostess of this Beijing welcoming dinner, she thought a moment and said, “You have faith. We do not have faith. We have science, we have medicine, we have money, but we do not have faith.

“As part of your faith, you believe that God has sent each child with a purpose and that through your faith you can help that child find their purpose and help them fulfill that purpose even though they have autism. Isn’t that true?”

“Yes,” I responded. “I believe that every child is a gift from God. I believe that through faith in Jesus, the Son of God, we can know His love for that child and His love for us.”

“See, that is what we do not understand. We have observed your organization as you saved children in Tibet, and we have met and seen the results of your member, Kim Bennett, and we have invited you to partner with us to bring this faith to all who work with children with autism throughout the People’s Republic of China. We need this faith.”

I have been in many conversations with national leaders in China and other nations and one of the things that most influences them is the witness of the Holy Spirit as we cut through politics and get to love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved,” (John 3:16-17, NKJV).

Yesterday I went to my local grocer to resupply on my essentials: potato chips, dip, ice cream, bottled water, bread, frozen veggies, the comfort foods I use for quarantine. Don’t have it, won’t get it, but staying in. The last time I was quarantined was at the insistence of the government of Singapore during SARS, and that is when I wrote Stepping Stones. Now we have blogs. Oh, happy day.

While navigating the aisles I notice that no one was saying “Hello.” In fact, people were not even acknowledging each other. One lady was on her phone practicing the vocabulary of a drunken sailor while others tried to pick up packaged goods without touching them, a skill of wrist use I had never seen before. Usually a place of chatter and community solidarity, the supermarket had become an “everyone for yourself” place. And, fear was in the air.

After returning home and unloading the groceries I turned on the latest news to hear the discussion of hope and science. It took me back to that table in Beijing five years ago. Science, money, and medicine are three great things; but without faith, it is impossible to please God who is ultimately in control.

Moses, when explaining to Israel why they were chosen to inherit the greatest land there ever was said this, “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,” (Deuteronomy 7:7, NASB).

So, there it is, Jesus loves us. We trust in His love which casts out fear. We love Him because He first loves us. The love of God is lavished on our hearts through the Holy Spirit who gives more comfort than the carbohydrates and gives us the faith to face every challenge with hope. 

Be encouraged—God loves you.

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