During a recent church service, a sister shared a testimony about a beloved Bible that has been passed down in her family.
As the fourth-generation Christian in her family, her story begins with her mother, who was not a believer at the time. Out of love and respect, her mother would often take her Christian grandmother to church for worship. Following one such service, a church elder gifted her mother a Bible written in traditional Chinese characters. Unfortunately, since her mother was nearly illiterate and struggled with reading, the Bible remained largely untouched and unread in their home.
Her family had a deep love for Chinese opera, and they had collected many scripts, which they were forced to hand over during the Cultural Revolution. However, her mother was determined not to part with her Bible. She hid it away in a secret location, as if she were being guided by divine providence, ensuring that the word of life would endure.
Years later, in 1997, an elderly local pastor was selling tofu in front of their home while sharing the gospel of Jesus with passersby. After hearing his message, her mother decided to accept the gospel, with the hope that it would bring her healing from her illness. At that time, Bibles were incredibly hard to come by, making the family's well-worn Bible a treasured resource for the community of believers. Believers from their county and neighboring areas relied on it for preaching and worship during their gatherings. The hymns they sang were all based on Scripture, and one of their main missions became copying the Bible to share it with even more believers. They sang the word of the Bible, read the truth, and based their sermons on its teachings.
The sister expressed her profound gratitude as she shared: at that time, all ten rooms of their home, from the living room to the backyard, were filled with people attending meetings. In the yard, makeshift seating was arranged using boards, while in the living room at the front door, a table elevated on bricks and draped with a white cloth served as a pulpit. Through the power of God's word, the church flourished and expanded, growing from a single congregation into two, then three, and beyond.
Back then, her mother had only completed the second grade and struggled with reading and writing. But she experienced a remarkable change after coming to faith in Christ. One night, while praying, she felt divinely inspired to read the Psalms from the Bible. Guided by the Holy Spirit, her mother, who had once been nearly illiterate, began to read and truly understand the Scriptures. Eventually, she became a local preacher, passionately sharing the gospel until she passed away. Now, four years after her mother's death, this sister has rediscovered her mother's Bible and placed it in a special spot. For her, this book is not merely a record of God's word; it is a "cultural relic" that symbolizes the passing down of faith across generations.
In contrast to the past, we now find ourselves in an era where the Bible is readily accessible to nearly every Christian, whether it is a Bible story book, the Chinese New Version, or the Chinese Contemporary Bible. Also, there is a wealth of books and reference materials available for sermon preparation. Yet, it is disheartening that, despite these advantages, many people still do not read the Bible as they should. Think back to the days when people would travel great distances just to copy passages from the Bible, driven by a deep thirst for God's word. Today, while we are surrounded by abundant resources, we often overlook this invaluable spiritual nourishment.
At the conclusion of her sharing, the sister extended an invitation to the congregation. "Our church has initiated a Bible reading program, and believers of all ages, from our elderly to younger members, are getting involved enthusiastically. We are starting with a goal of reading five chapters a day, and so far, we have successfully maintained this practice for five days."
Listening to her sharing really touched my heart, and I made a personal commitment to myself: I am going to make it a point to read the Bible every day!
Originally from the Gospel Times
- Translated by Joyce Leung
