Fresh Inspiration

     This afternoon (don't believe the date/time labels....this is China!) I finished reading Vanya by Myrna Grant.  The first (of how many times?) I read it was long ago in a remote mountain village in Mexico, and an indelible mark was made on my life.  Today I realized that the summer preceding my mother's death in the fall of 1972, saw the promotion from the cross to the crown of life for China's illustrious  Watchman Nee, and 45 days later, Russia's illustrious "Vanya". Watchman Nee was "in chains" the entire life span of young Vanya; but what struck me was the great suffering and great joy these two fifty years apart in age had in common, in their uncommon love of Christ.  Both have left us a tremendous impetus to strive for the high calling of God, taking the bitter cup willingly.  Vanya wrote : 

                                            Fearsome waves over us roll

                                           Joy and courage fills our soul.

Having seen with his eyes the glory of the New Jerusalem, and experienced miracle after miracle, he faced his martyrdom with this verse he put at the end of his last letter: "Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life."  His goal is expressed in his own words:

Let Christ's love

In our hearts burn

As the lighthouse beacon glows

That friends and foes

May always learn

How great is Christ Jesus' love.         I.M.

The last message I heard here was striking in that the theme was the four faces of the living creatures in Ezekiel and the four creatures in Rev. 4:7 (same creatures in both ) and how these illustrated aspects of Christ that applied to our lives as well.  The first was a man and that illustrated "The Son of man"; the second a lion which illustrated the King (Matthew's emphasis), the third was an ox showing servanthood, and I was so sorry to leave before I found out what the eagle represents.   All this was so aptly illustrated as to be enthralling.

A heart-warming incident for our children as they were walking down the street was hearing strangely familiar music and turning to see a blind man boldly playing the great hymns of our faith on his erhu!   Touched, they approached him, enjoying the rare moment of Christian music on the street.