Mrs. Linda Chan and the Kids

Looking back over 13 years of being a pastor’s wife and more than 20 years of being a Christian, I’m truly grateful for my spiritual heritage at CCMC.  I was so fortunate to have grown up in a Christian family, fellowship in a good youth group, and loving spiritual support from Christian aunties and uncles.  After getting out into the “real world” however, I’ve realized more and more that so many don’t have the spiritual benefits that I’ve enjoyed and often taken for granted.  Not only that, there are many Christians all over the world who are regularly persecuted for their faith in Jesus.  I realized that I had to respond, being one who has received so many blessings.

So why do I serve God?  Because first of all, it is an act of thankfulness for all the blessings I’ve enjoyed.  It is a blessing to be able to read the Bible in my own language and to worship God in freedom. All these blessings were bought and paid for by someone who had sacrificed for me and many others.  It is a blessing, just simply, to be saved from my many sins through the blood of Jesus.  Serving God is an act of total gratitude for His grace.

Why do I serve God?  Secondly, it is a way to abundant living.  After seeing many colleagues regularly pursue money, status, education, good food, good housing, etc., I’ve realized more and more that these are empty temporal goals.  On the other hand, I feel I’m richer for having invested in the kingdom of God.  Looking back, I’ve seen God used me to point a Hindu colleague the way of salvation, lead a bunch of preschoolers to 2nd graders in loud joyful worship to our Lord, write timely encouragement to a discouraged college student during finals, and lead overseas Chinese people in prayer and praise even though I’m Chinese American (just to name a few).  I’ve been given opportunities as a pastor’s wife to serve in so many areas that they stretched me to grow personally, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  I don’t think any secular career (and I was employed in a secular profession for 11 years) could have offered me the kind of leadership opportunities and horizontal growth so required of Christian ministry.

Lastly, why do I serve God?  It is so that others may find the way to salvation and abundant living.  Perhaps I will know the full story after I get to heaven whom have I really touched through God.  For me, it’s so wrong to keep all this blessing to myself and not share with others.  Sometimes, it’s tough because sharing this blessing required more faith than what I have possessed.  But after I have invested 3 years in discipling a now 14-year old teenage girl, stood in heavy intercessory prayer for months with a Christian sister for the salvation of her unsaved husband and her staunchly Buddhist mother-in-law who was dying, and now in the midst of starting a children’s choir and Awana (children’s Bible club) for the next generation of Chinese Americans, I realized that it is my duty and responsibility as an older Christian to evangelize and disciple those around me as God enabled me to follow Him.  I’d like to close with a song that God inspired me to write recently, for it expresses best this reason for serving Him: 

When You Return

When You return, I want to see there.
When You return, I want to be found faithful.
When You return, I know that You’ll receive me into heaven, in Your home. 

When You return, I know that I am ready.
When You return, I want to touch Your face.
When You return, oh I’m looking forward to it,
looking forward to seeing Your face. 

When You return, I know that You are leading;
When You return to bring Your people home.
When You return, I know that I am ready, ready to go with You.

© 2002, Linda Hu Chan

我為什麼事奉神？

作者：(已故）陳胡元玲師母 (寫於2002年)                         翻譯：張美惠

回顧以往，作為一個當了13年的師母，和超過20年的基督徒，我非常感激在中國基督教國語教會(CCMC)所得到的屬靈傳承。我是如此有幸能生長在一個基督徒家庭，在一個很好的青年組裡過團契生活，並得到基督徒阿姨和叔叔們的愛心屬靈支持。然而，當我踏進”現實世界”之後，才更加了解到，有這麼多過去我所喜歡和經常認為理所當然的事，竟是毫無屬靈益處。不僅如此，在世界各地還有很多基督徒，他們經常會為了信仰耶穌而受到迫害。我了解到，當我得到這麼多祝福時， 我必須作出回應。

所以，我為什麼事奉神？第一個原因，是因為要為我所享受到的所有祝福，用行動向神獻上感恩。能用我自己的語言閱讀聖經，並能自由地敬拜神，是一種祝福。所有這些祝福，都是因為有人為我和眾人犧牲，為其買贖和付出代價才獲得的。簡單地說，藉著耶穌的寶血，將我從許多罪中拯救出來，這就是一種祝福。事奉神是全然感謝神恩典的一種行動。

我為什麼事奉神？第二個原因，是因為那是得到豐盛生命的途徑。在看到很多同事經常追求金錢、地位、教育、好的食物、好的住房等之後，我才更加了解到，這些都是虛空且短暫的目標。從另一角度來看，我覺得投資在神的國度更加富有。回想起來，我看到神曾在一些事上使用我；曾向一位信奉印度教的同事指出得救之道；曾帶領一群從學齡前到二年級的兒童在揚聲歡欣中敬拜我們的主；曾在一位氣餒的大學生期末考時，寫一些話語及時鼓勵他；儘管我是美籍華人，我也曾帶領一些海外華人一起禱告和讚美（僅舉幾例） 。作為一個牧師的妻子，我有機會在很多領域裡事奉， 這些事奉擴張了我在個人、情感上、心理上和屬靈上的成長。我不認為任何世俗的職業（我曾有11年受僱於一個世俗行業），可以提供給我在基督教事工上所需要的領導機會和平行增長。

我為什麼事奉神？最後一個原因，是為了讓其他人可以找到通往得救和豐盛生命的道路。究竟神藉由我真正感動了誰，也許要等我到天堂後才會知道完整的故事 。  對我而言，將所有祝福保留給自已，而不與他人分享，是一件很不對的事情。有時候，這是很難做到的，因為我需要擁有比目前更大的信心，去分享這祝福。但是，當我在做了以下幾項事奉後，才了解到，作為一個多年的的基督徒，去向周圍的人傳福音和作門徒訓練是我的職責，就像神使我跟隨祂一樣。我曾投入3 年的時間，為一位當時14 歲的少女進行門徙訓練；曾和一位主內姊妹一起迫切為她那尚未得救的丈夫、和她那堅信佛教的垂危母親代禱；目前正在為下一代的美籍華人開始一個兒童唱詩班和AWANA（兒童聖經俱樂部）之中。我想用上帝最近啟發我寫的一首詩歌做結束，因為它為事奉神的理由做了最好的表達：

Linda Chan and the Kids

當祢再來時

當祢再來時，我想在那裡見祢

當祢再來時，我想祢看我忠心

當祢再來時，我知祢會接我進天堂，在你的家

當祢再來時，我知我已預備好

當祢再來時，我想觸摸祢的臉

當祢再來時，喔我期盼祢再來，渴望見祢的面

當祢再來時，我知祢會帶領；

祢會再來接祢的子民回天家

當祢再來時，我知我已預備好，預備與祢同行

© 2002, 陳胡元玲