We don’t want to miss the full riches of his grace

Dear Friends,

I was still in high school when I read “Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret” for the first time. Since I was sick with the flu, my parents bought a stack of missionary biographies to fill my time. I recovered from the fever, but caught a passion for missions that hasn’t gone away. This “fever for the lost” has kept me on the mission field for the last 26 years.

Last week I finished re-reading Hudson’s story for the fourth time. His vision for the huge country of China, and his faith in taking the gospel into new territory challenged me again. I feel a similar burden for the millions in Eastern Europe who don’t know our Savior.

But I was most encouraged by the story of how he learned to rest in Christ. Here are his words:

 “The sweetest part… is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize this: for He, I know, is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. So, if God should place me in serious perplexity, must He not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much grace; in circumstances of great pressure and trials, much strength? No fear that His resources will prove unequal to the emergency! And His resources are mine, for He is mine, and is with me and dwells in me.”

What great words! Without resting in Christ, the burden of the task God has given us is overwhelming. With it, service becomes a joyous privilege! Pray for our country leaders, that each of them continue to grow in their understanding of the sufficiency of Christ. They are all meeting together as the JV Council this month, and in preparation each of them was asked to read this book. Pray as well for our September staff conference, immediately after the council meeting, which will help us increase our skills in handling the Word of God.

Both you and I need the “rest that full identification with Christ brings.” We don’t want to miss the full riches of his grace!

Grateful to know the secret,