Those days in Home of Grace by Wu Weizhen
“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103/2).
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him”. (Psalm 103/11-13)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3/16)
(I) Saved by the Lord Jesus:
Originally my name was Wu Weizhen. I am 79 years old. In May of 2006 I came to American to visit my children. It is God’s mercy that I was saved, reborn and was baptized on January 18 of 2007 at Huston Chinese Mandarin Church. After I was reborn, I was so thirsty and hungry in seeking God’s Word. My field of view was especially broadened when I read the first chapter of Genesis. I acknowledged that God created the world and all creatures. According to His own image God created man. How shocking it was to my heart! Indeed there is a true God in this universe! Moreover, the true God had been with me early on. As I looked back, I had experienced two great and unfortunate disasters in my life. It was the loving Lord saved me from the valley of death so that I was delivered from danger. Hadn’t this God fell in love with me even when I did not know him at all?
(II) Guided by God:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”(Matthew 7/7)
After I moved with my daughter’s whole family to New Orleans, I went to church every Sunday and listened to the sermon of pastor with thirst and hunger. I also attended Sunday school for Bible Study. But my thirst was not quenched by attending Bible Study only once a week. At the same time, there were some parts in the Bible that I could not fully understand. Therefore, I usually called the elder members of Home of Grace for explanations. I received a cordially help from them. Steps by steps I grew a little in the Lord’s Word. There was such an unspeakable joy in my heart. When they saw how I thirsted for the Lord’s Word, they asked me whether I would like to attend Bible Study in Home of Grace everyday. They told me, “If your son-in-law gives you a ride in the morning and in the evening, you can come for Bible Study.” I thought this was what I wanted most. At the end, my dream came true. It was God’s mercy that I was admitted by Home of Grace to board and study Bible. In the beginning, they only allowed me to stay for three months. I was overjoyed. I started the most meaningful days in my life. I set up my mind to make effort to study the Bible and to understand the truth. To God I fully dedicated the rest of my life.
(III) Training:
The first difficulty I had after I came to Home of Grace was the prayer after every Bible Study. Every time after the Bible Study, everyone must take turns to pray according to the Scriptures we just heard so that God’s words would be absorbed into our life. I was the only one who absolutely did not know how to pray like that. I could neither understand the scriptures deeply, nor know what to pray about. To save my face, I managed to pray. Therefore, my prayers were usually very long and were far away from the point. It took up lots of time. As a result of it, I was usually cut off. I felt so ashamed. Gradually, my prayers changed. When I prayed, I opened my heart to God. It was no longer for men to hear. Whatever I understood, I prayed accordingly. My heart was set free. I could understand the Scriptures more than before. Truly I must give thanks to my God for this!
The second lesson I learned in Home of Grace is: I had no knowledge about my sinful nature in the beginning. I used to think that I had made some contribution to my society and family since I had labored hard all of my life. I had no knowledge that I am a sinner. The very word “selfishness” is actually behind all of my “contributions” and “good deeds”. All of it had been striven for my personal interest. Nothing was done for the “people” or the “revolution”. Only the complete sacrificing and self-denial of Jesus Christ is the most selflessness life and the greatest one. That is what I must pursue in the Spirit. As I kept on learning the Lord’s Word, I started to recognize my own sins. I still need to dig deeper into the root of my sins so that I will completely hate it and forsake it.
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2/1-4)
Praise the Lord that I also learned and started to intercede for everyone when I was in Home of Grace. God wants everyone to be saved and come to know the truth. It is God’s mercy that I come to know the importance of intercession for everyone. Especially for my fellow country men, I must pay a price of praying. Everyday I went into the “Room of watch and pray” and called to God for the soul and the revival of the whole earth.
My old life was also dealt with a lot since I came to Home of Grace. Inevitably I met something that I disliked or disagreed with during everyday life. It was because my old self was proud and arrogant. “I” was my own boss. Though I believed in Jesus, I still lived in my old self. Since I came to Home of Grace, whenever there was a thing that was not after my temper or my idea, or that hurt my pride, I would burst into great anger. I even would not eat or talk to people. I would be upset for the whole day just for one little thing. Once I woke up crying from a dream. The Holy Spirit rebuked me severely. I saw how corrupt my old self was. I could never forget that day September the ninth. I was shone by the light of the Lord. Truly I recognized that I had sin in my mother’s womb. I am a descent of Adam. I was born of sin. No longer could I resist confessing my sin! It is written in 1 John 1/8, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”. It is by the redemption of Jesus that I learned to be humble and confess my sins very often. It is by dwelling in Christ that I am a new creation.
In addition to these, I also learned many precious lessons. Though I am old, I am in good condition physically. As long as I can do, I always make effort to help others. I actively served the sick ones, took turn to cook, and cleaning up. I learned to cooperate with other sisters there. Humbly take advices and accept reminders from others. The hardest lesson for me is when I was hurt or had frictions with other; I usually felt disappointed or lost courage. I was reluctant to be dealt with by the cross. I tended to escaped from it. Nor could I face it positively. But the Holy Spirit reminded me of it again and again. Finally, I could pour it out with brothers and sisters. We could understand each other and forgave each other. This had been very hard for me. But praise the Lord that he gave me a chance to learn lesson like this. I had never learned it before. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13/4-8)
In all, I was truly blessed a lot during these nine months time in Home of Grace. I have learned from the elder members: their assiduity, diligence, humility, patience, and kindness. I was so inferior to compare with them. How they understand the truth. What a broad goal they want to achieve in God’s kingdom. How determined they are to take the land. How zealous they are in pursuit of the truth. How earnest when they pray. How persevering when they deal with hardship.
I am very sure that Comparative Bible Study which was handed down by God’s servant John Song is such a good method to train God’s servants. I will continue to make effort to examine my life according to the Scriptures everyday. I will continue to repent contritely. I will keep on challenge myself with God’s words everyday.
In few days I will leave Home of Grace, I miss even more of this place and those brothers and sisters who have blessed me. I pray that the Lord will strengthen my faith. From now on I will continue to join brothers and sisters in Home of Grace to follow the Lord and to take the path of cross without waving. Let us keep on building ourselves up in God’s words. Keep ourselves in the Lord until the day we see God. Amen!