ORLANDO CHINESE CHURCH

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

May 2006

A Mother’s Heart

When Brother Ting came back from the special weekend meeting in Jacksonville, he brought the news that Brother Timothy was under chemo-therapy because of a malignant tumor found behind his left knee. The physician said that there were two choices to make: either to amputate the left leg to save his life or to surgically remove the malignant tumor with further chemo-therapy thereafter. The second choice is risky because it will be fatal to him when the cancer cells regenerate and spread again. He was told to make the decision by March 30, ready for surgery around April 20.

After much prayer, Timothy believed that God has promised him “this sickness is not unto death”. He also believed that such a promise was for a complete cure including the preservation of his left leg. However, with their little daughter his wife could not even imagine how to live if he be gone in the future.

Then, Brother Ting went for a visit in China. When he returned, he found a message left by Timothy who went to the hospital again because of high fever. When calling back, he was told that the malignant tumor on Timothy's leg was continuously growing to press the surrounding nervous tissues and muscles, which made it hard to move the leg. However reluctant to trouble his parents, Timothy had to let them know about this, so that they could be prepared just in case and ready to give him the support he needed in spirit and in life.

At the beginning of April, Brother Ting called again to learn that Timothy had privately decided to amputate the leg in order to save his life for the sake of his parents, wife and daughter on March 30. Since this was a very difficult decision, the doctor extended the deadline for a final decision to mid-April while Timothy continued chemo-therapy. The doctor was hoping for a positive improvement in his case. As a result, Timothy had the opportunity to visit the amputation rehabilitation center. The decision became even harder after he saw the patients there, specially after he had learned of their "phantom pain", even seven or eight months after the amputation. Despite the long waiting hours in chemo-therapy, his mother insisted on accompanying him to the treatment. When the physician finally appeared, the heart-broken mother begged for help repeating the limited English words that she knew, “My son! My son…” On the other end of the phone, Timothy couldn’t help but sobbed.

(P.S. As God led you to read this report, please pray for our Brother Timothy.)

I thought of the mother of Jesus.

The disciples and followers of Jesus fled in fear when Jesus was nailed onto the cross wearing a crown of thorn. Many laughed at him, saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, get yourself free” (Luke 23:37) and “… if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Mathew 27:40).

At that moment, many thoughts must be running through the mind of Mary who stood beneath the cross. How could she forget that the angel's announcement that she would give birth to a son, one to inherit the kingdom of David? How could she forget the blessing of the upright and God-fearing Simeon and the affirming sign of the prophetess Anna? How could she forget God’s grace and power manifested in Jesus’ life? She knew for sure that her son was the King and Savior foretold by prophets.

However, now her son Jesus was nailed on the cross while his disciples were all scattered.

Though Simeon had told her, “… a sword will go through your heart”, she couldn’t have imagined that her son Jesus would be cruelly crucified on the cross! Where was God? Where was His power?

Before he took the last breath on the cross, Jesus entrusted his mother to John, the only disciple who stood beneath the cross. Mary’s heart must have been broken. Yet, enduring such piercing pain, she stayed with his son under the shadow of the cross for those last six hours of crucifixion, continually crying out, “My son!”

Oh, my son! Why have you ended up on the cross? My son! How are you to become King and Savior through death? God, where are you? Where is your power? My son… Don’t ask me to leave as I won’t leave you alone. Your mom will stay with you through your suffering…

Mary suffered great pain of loss for at least three days until our Lord Jesus was resurrected: "Why did this happen? Where was God’s love and promise?"

To watch her own son to suffer to death, Mary suffered much more than all others. With doubts and questions, her heart was pierced into pieces. However, Mary bravely shared the pain of her son Jesus on the cross, and therefore also experienced the joy and comfort from Christ’s resurrection.

To be a mother is by God’s election and grace. But the perseverance and courage of Mary came from a mother’s heart, the same for all mothers on the earth.

A Mother’s Prayer

In a short article entitled, “My Mother’s Prayers for me”, Pastor Charles Swindoll, a long time servant of the Lord, recorded how his mother prayed for him during a crucial period of his life. With his searching heart and his mother’s prayers, he gave his life to serve the Lord.

When his mother passed away in 1971, she left him a book written by F. B. Meyer. One evening, when he opened the book to read it, he was drawn to her hand-written notes on the pages of pastor Meyer’s words. When he reached the end of the book, it was found her writing, "finished reading on May 8, 1958".

"When I saw the date 1958......memory carried me back to a tiny island in the South Pacific, where I had spent many lonely months as a marine. There, in May of '58, I had reached a crossroad in my own spiritual pilgrimage. In fact, I had entered these words in my own journal at the time: ‘The Lord has convinced me that I am to be in His service. I need to begin my plan to prepare for a life time of ministry.' As I scanned mother's words, I found one reference after another to her prayers for me as I was far away.....her concern for my spiritual welfare.....her desire for God's best in my life".

I come to think about the mother of Samuel, Hannah；the mother of Augustine, Monica； and also my own mother.......

I cannot remember for how many years dad had opened the lock of the French door every morning for mom. He knew that as soon as she goes up in the morning, the first thing she would do was to go kneeling by the window of the porch to commune with God in prayer. When we sometimes paid an early visit, we always found her praying in the Lord's presence, beseeching God’s blessing.

Since mother came to America, she has been very concerned about the difficulties and needs of her children. She has learned that she could only hold on to Jesus since she accepted the Lord about twenty years ago. She has also found her life in the Lord to be sweeter as the years go by. For many years, she has prayed every morning earnestly before the Lord for her family, friends, members of her church, and the nation.

Once I suggested to her that we prayed together after a long telephone conversation. Immediately, mother started to praise God like a child who brought forth all her burdens. She started to pray for all her children and grandchildren one by one by their names, “for … in Maryland, … in Virginia, … in Atlanta, … in Gainesville, … in Orlando, … in St. Cloud, … in Miami, … in Taipei, … in Tsoying, … in Sichuan…” I was amazed that she could remember all these places as if they were her hometown. It was just because she had loved ones there. As she mentioned each name, I saw familiar faces in my mind. At that moment, I suddenly realized that those names were also present in the heart of God, providing the same result of Abraham’s prayer for Lot. Oh, this is the secret of praying for others.

God did listen to her prayers such that many great difficulties have been resolved. God has also blessed her with the power of sharing the gospel with her children and friends. Through her daily Bible reading, singing the hymns and prayer, she has found help in turning sorrow into hope through her faith in God, specially after dad passed away. The daily devotion has also brought her great comfort and joy.

I thank God for all the praying mothers.