A Weekly Meditation of Pastor Chang (November 22, 2009)

<Such a kind of waste>

Last Saturday morning when I was doing devotion, I opened a devotional book, “Streams in the Desert” I read the article on that day (11/14), and I was touched by the content and the stories.

The stories were about the daughter of Jonathan Edwards, Jerusha (*Jonathan Edwards was a very famous servant of the Lord, a key person led the “Great Awakening” in America during the 19^th Century) and her fiancé David Brainerd, they could be a wonderful Godly couple. But unfortunately, before they could get married, David, a missionary to the Indian Natives, died. Jerusha did not get married anymore and kept her celibacy until she died and was buried by the side of her fiancé.

When David Brainerd was a missionary, he worked very hard; although he only led a few native Indians converted to become Christians he wrote down his mission diary which was so precious that Jonathan Edwards reviewed it and added some of Brainerd’s memorials and published it as a small book.

Interestingly enough, this small book flew over the Pacific Ocean and arrived in a hand of a student at Cambridge University, Henry Martin. Since Martin was so touched by this small book, he gave up his scholarship, genius, and future opportunity. He went to India as a missionary. Before long, it could be because of the environment or spiritual attack, Martin got sick. And he dragged himself northward and by the Black Sea, where he crouched under the piled-up saddles, to cool his burning fever against the earth, and there he died alone. It seemed that he achieved nothing!

After reading these two stories, one may say, “What a waste” of these two young men’s lives! Actually if we read the missionaries’ stories, we may find thousands of them were similarly like that -- died in young ages. Their only same purpose was – for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I remember: on the left side wall of the entrance at the Student Center at Princeton Theological Seminary, there hangs a bronze plate, and more than 10 names of the Princeton graduates were put on it. Those who were missionaries and went to China and India and all got killed or murdered. And most of their ages were 20’s or 30’s.

When I think about that, my tears almost come down. Why? It seems too young for them to die. Doesn’t it cost too much, waste too much?

No, no, never! Probably from human point of view it seems like that! Yet, from the eyes of our God, from His eternal perspective, nothing will cost too much if the gospel can be spread out, because God even never spared His own Son Jesus Christ to die for the sake of Salvation. These missionaries are like soldiers, one wave moved on, sacrificed and died, another waves will keep going, until the day of victory comes and the evil is totally conquered. These missionaries had accomplished the unquenchable and undeniable achievement in the Kingdom of God. Finally the gospel of Jesus Christ will prevail over the entire world. Some day when we arrive in heaven, we will see them wear the most glorious white clothes to testify God’s eternal honor and glory. They will never waste at all!

Then, what is the real waste? Let me share with you.

Last week was my last vacation time as my sabbatical leave. Our church members provided for my wife and me the first time to visit Las Vegas. At that city, I found a lot of people who really waste a lot. They are: the gamblers, the sex sellers, and the gigantic arrogant buildings which were built by the gamblers’ money. I also saw many young people – handsome men and beautiful women, good looking people, sell their bodies for money. From the appearance, everything seems so glamorous and charming. Yet behind that there is the work of devil. Money, energy, and time are so easily sucked in and out under the beautiful name: entertainment. God creates so many good things but those people just indulge them for a short and temporary carnal joy. I think that these are real waste and that is called, “sin.”

Dear brothers and sisters, do we waste?

I remember one very famous man in Taiwan; he was a great businessman, knew how to seek and create the business opportunities for himself and used them properly. He exercised his physical body well so even passed the age of 93, he was still very energetic and vigorous in doing his business. He was too busy to become a Christian, although many who surrounded him, including his children and close friends were Christians. He built his business empire which across over Taiwan, China, America, and other parts of the world. Finally, he came to visit New Jersey for a business trip, suddenly he died. Although he used to own a lot, but in God’s Kingdom, he was poor, he had nothing in God’s sight. Is it a kind of waste of life?

I think that it is necessary for us to evaluate ourselves always? And we need to ask these following tough questions: “How much time and energy I still have?” “How do I do so that I will never waste God’s gifts?” “Whatever I do now, does it have the eternal value?” Please question them always!