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Local Church - End of a Painful SearchI came to the United States in 1992 as a foreign student for my graduate degree. As a typical Chinese student from mainland China, I was an atheist. Yet in my college years back in Beijing, I had the opportunity to get to know a couple of Christian Americans. Their way of living and the peace of mind in their living really struck me. I began my search then to find out whether God exists or not. Knowing that I was able to come to the United States, I was full of hope that I may finally be able to find the truth and meaning of human life and the purpose of my life. I will never forget the day in 1994 when I went to a gathering in the local church in Tempe, Arizona. My intention to go there was to find something wrong with the gathering so that I could refuse my friend's next invitation without being rude to her. To my surprise, the people there were so sincere, so simple, so innocent, so warm to each other, and so one with each other. They really cared for me, they really listened to my questions, and they sincerely answered them without any pretense. These were a group of people with no hypocrisy or condescension, a group of people wearing no social masks at all. I enjoyed every minute of the gathering. I was impressed by the people and by the content of the meeting (which was the meaning of human life) as well. After several meetings with them, I was completely convinced that God exists because all these people in the local church lived this God out in their lives. Thus, my search for the absolute truth in this universe ended and I found a real home in this foreign land. Praise the Lord, for He is merciful and wonderful! Hallelujah! The Word of God is the Truth that I was Searching For Being brought up in communist China, I was a typical atheist. As a product of the elite culture in Beijing I was constantly searching for truth, for beauty, for righteousness in this chaotic world. I read books, I pondered on the origin of the universe, I asked questions about life, love, and friendship, and I was concerned about the social reform, the societal inequity, and the political situation in the world. Yet this endeavor left me sad, aimless, hopeless, and even more thirsty and hungry for something higher, something pure, and something simple. After I came to the U.S. in 1992, I thought I had a better chance to find the truth in this free land. I hoped I could find out whether God existed or not, with the help of the Christian culture here. Yet the churches I went to, the Christians I talked with, and the pastors I listened to, did not address the issues in a deep, intellectual, or enlivening way. I was completely disillusioned by all the dead doctrines, the do's and don'ts, the dry and long Sunday monologues of the pastors, and the disagreements among the different groups. Yet one day in 1994, out of the consistent invitations of a friend of mine, I went to a Bible study gathering. The message we were reading was about the meaning of our human life. It said that the human beings are vessels and are made to contain God and thus express God. In my whole life, I had never read any book that was so fresh, so simple, and so direct. Compared to all the Christian books I had read, this one was full of life. I felt that I was watered by the message, and I thought that my whole life would be full of meaning and full of glory if what was said in the book was true. The author of this book was simple and direct in engaging the audience to the main issue and gave a direct answer to it. Later on, I came to know that the author was Witness Lee, and he had given a lot of messages and books on Bible truth and practical ways to enjoy Christ and love His word. My natural understanding of the Bible and my own philosophy of life was completely crushed before the light that shines through the Bible and the elucidation in Witness Lee's books. Witness Lee's books are like a can opener that opens the whole Bible to me. I have been helped immensely through his ministry, and I have been drawn nearer to the Lord day by day with the help of his ministry. Now by the Lord's mercy and grace, I can grow daily in the divine life and be rooted in the proper church life. Praise the Lord for His mercy. Vicky Li | Back to List |
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