Characteristics of God's Workers

This is another book I have been reading recently, as part of the homework assignment of the "Daniel Course" that I am now attending.

This book was written by 倪柝聲 quite a long time ago. I have heard of him for a long time but I never found the interest to pick up his books - for very earthly reasons as they don't look very attractive, with very old style of page layout, etc. And thus I always felt that the books might be great for the "past generations" but for us, we probably need something more "contemporary".

And, how WRONG I was!

As soon as I started reading, I knew God was speaking to me, and many of us who really want to serve him, thru Brother Ngai and his book. I have only finished half of it but the following chapters have touched my heart particularly:

1. Listen to Others
This is the first pre-requisite Brother Ngai listed in his book, for an effective worker for our Lord. I have always known this but for its importance and even technique to be so clearly spelled out, it's the first time for me to reflect so again.

2. Preparedness to suffer
I like this chapter so much that I immediately shared with Wesley as soon as I finished. Yes we all need to prepare to suffer for our Lord - it doesn't mean we WILL then suffer, or that if we are suffering in real life then we must have this preparedness to suffer for our Lord. It's a matter of our hearts.

3. 「攻克己身，叫身服我」/ I beat my body and make it my slave
How feverishly we need to beat our bodies and make them our slaves!! How often I have given in to my body. I find it particularly challenging during this period, when I am pregnant, on how to take care of myself while not indulging my body. It's actually a matter of self-discipline, which I certainly need more.

4. Proactive, not lazy
I think many others would never think that I am lazy. But our Lord has a higher standard! And only He knows sometime I would be lazy too. And it's such good reminder from the book and good teaching, for how I should and can stay out of laziness and be proactive in our Lord, to be a useful worker for Him.

5. Finding others lovely
This is the chapter I least wanna write about - I guess it's because I find it really difficult to do! To be genuinely interested in others, and finding them lovely. And it's what I lack...

What I pray to my Lord is that it's not just a book that I read, but really to take it all in to my heart and my life, and in Him I'm gradually changed to be more like Jesus so I can be a worker pleasing to God.

Love in Action - "The Brothers Karamazov"

I think every friend who know my husband Wesley or have read his blog would have heard about Fyodor Dostoyevsky, this Russian writer, and his book "The Brothers Karamazov". This book means a lot to Wesley's and has influenced him greatly.

Since I got to know Wesley 10+ years ago he started to invite me to read this book. It never happened as I never found the interest to pick up this 700+ pages novel, with tiny words filling up each page.

Our Lord has set time for every thing. I don't know why but before I went to my Melbourne trip this time, I was suddenly interested in this book and packed it to my luggage.

And once I got started, I am really attracted to it - I know this book has profound impact on how Wesley sees faith and God and religion, but I have not expected that actually the whole book IS indeed about God our Lord!

So far I have only read 100+ pages, but it's such a good read. It's a really good book. And below is one paragraph which I find particularly insightful, in Chapter 4 of Book 2. I'd call it "Love in Action":

(A lady of Little Faith) “I suffer …from lack of faith.”

(A Father, an elder in Church) “Lack of faith in God?”

...

(Lady) “... You see, I shut my eyes and ask myself if every one has faith, where did it come from? ... How, how is one to prove it? ... How can I prove it? How can I convince myself? ...”

(Father) “No doubt. But there’s no proving it, though you can be convinced of it.”

(Lady) “How?”

(Father) "By the experience of active love. Strive to love your neighbour actively and indefatigably. In as far as you advance in love you will grow surer of the reality of God and of the immortality of your soul. If you attain to perfect self-forgetfulness in the love of your neighbour, then you will believe without doubt, and no doubt can possibly enter your soul. This has been tried. This is certain.”

Will certainly go on reading.