In today's materialistic and bustling society, not only do we lose direction, but we also lose ourselves. However, when I revisited the book God's Sculpture (《神的雕刻》), I felt like seeing a signpost in the wilderness after getting lost; I gained a deeper understanding of faith and found renewed strength to continue on my path.
I remember reading this book for the first time in my youth. My deepest impression was that Simon Zhao and his wife Muling were imprisoned for the sake of the Lord's name. When Muling passed away, Zhao wasn’t by her side, and her body was never found.
From a worldly perspective, this is a tragedy. But from a spiritual angle, it is an immense blessing. The experiences of these servants of God deeply shook my young heart. I wondered what kind of strength could help them face such humiliation and death.
Now, as my youth has passed and I’ve entered middle age, I’m still filled with awe revisiting the book.
For Simon and Muling, it was not difficult to find a decent job and live a comfortable life in their time. But they chose to focus solely on God as the center of their marriage and lives. So when they were clear about God’s calling, they were able to leave their comfortable surroundings and head toward where God had called them.
The journey to Xinjiang was not smooth. War, poverty, and disease surrounded them; death and imprisonment loomed nearby. Yet they never stopped. I also saw that besides Simon and Muling, many others, called by God, were embarking on this land of Xinjiang from different corners of the country.
They shared the same determination to endure hardship, the same heart of a martyr, and the same resolve to never retreat in fulfilling their mission. They worked while preaching the gospel, enduring persecution along the way. Not long after Simon arrived in Xinjiang, he was imprisoned for the Lord's name.
When I saw him imprisoned, I wondered, “His work hadn’t even started, his influence hadn’t yet been realized, but he was imprisoned. What was the value of his service?” But as I thought about this, I realized how shallow and ignorant I was.
The impact of one’s service is not measured by what they have specifically done for God. It is the best form of service if they submit to God's will and allow Him to use them as He pleases.
During his twenty years in prison, suffering and deprivation did not change Simon’s faith; humiliation and scorn did not make him abandon his mission.
When a person honors God, God will surely honor them. When a person submits their sovereignty to God, God will be responsible for them. After Simon was beaten and humiliated, he was hung naked in the snow, but instead of dying, steam rose from his body in the snow. Isn't this evidence of God's presence? God will surely rescue His servants in moments of despair, even in the way of letting them enter His rest, just like Muling and the countless unnamed evangelists who have been martyred for the Lord.
The blood of these Christians became the foundation upon which the church was built. Such service is not born of human will but arises from obedience to Christ.
Plowing the field is hard because not only must one face the attacks of unbelievers, but also the opposition from staff workers. After Simon was released from prison, some believers who had once served with him harbored resentment, and some even misunderstood him.
Such misunderstanding, alienation, and coldness bring deep heartache. Yet God will be fully responsible for His servants. When a person works in obedience to God's will, no one can stop them.
As Teacher Yu once said, "God is responsible for those He calls; men are responsible for those they call." In God's grace, Simon in his later years was able to communicate with Christians and attend fellowship. God used him to minister to believers.
After reading God's Sculpture, I was deeply inspired and moved. Faith is not merely a verbal declaration or promise; it is an inner recognition and pursuit. Devotion is never just a simple word; it requires a lifetime of sweat, blood, and effort.
(Originally published by the China Christian Times, the article has been edited under permission.)
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
