Seeking the Book of Heaven
“There is a book that tells how to get to heaven?”
“Yes, Yun. I have seen it with my own eyes,” answered the old man.
“Where is this book?” asked Yun. “I must see it for myself!”
“It is far away—over 35 miles,” the old man said sadly. “It is too far to walk, and you have no bicycle.”
“I will go!” replied Yun. This young man walked the 35 miles and met with the owner of the Bible. Eventually he was able to get a Bible of his own.
Spreading the Gospel
Yun then joined with another Christian, and together they went from village to village telling about Jesus. As this was illegal, the police would often come to stop them. Yun came up with a way around this problem.
He had read in 1 Samuel 21:13 that David once pretended to be crazy to escape from his enemies. When the police came, Yun did the same thing: he made a spectacle of himself. The police laughed at him and let him go. After they were gone, he would become serious again and continue to speak to the people about salvation.
Persecution and Imprisonment
Before long, however, Yun was cruelly beaten and put in prison for his faith. Afterwards, he had to stand public trial in a marketplace.
Yun was small and thin. He was dressed in rags and barefoot, his face deformed from the beatings. The judge said to him, “We will give you one last chance to save your life. If you leave the underground church and join the Three-Self Patriotic Church, we will make you one of its leaders.”
Yun remained silent. He knew the government church worked closely with the Communists and often turned house-church Christians in to be imprisoned or beaten.
The judge brought in a doctor who said to him sarcastically, “I will heal your dumbness!” The doctor forced needles under Yun’s fingernails. When Yun passed out, the policemen walked on his body saying, “Your stubbornness led to this.”
Faith Amid Suffering
He was brought back to a cell where other prisoners urinated on him. His only treasure was a tin cup on which he had painted a cross. This was thrown in the toilet. Weeping, he fished it out and pressed it to his heart.
Yun fasted often, praying for the Chinese churches, his fellow inmates, and himself. He was finally released after ten years, still strong in faith, and refusing any compromise with the world or with the government-supported church.
God’s Wisdom in the Foolish
God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise…so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God… As the Scriptures say, “The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done.” 1 Corinthians 1:27, 29, 31.
Date: 11th February 2023
Martyr: Yun, 16 years old
Location: Mainland China
Source: Jesus Freaks
Author: DC Talk, The Voice of Matyrs
Suffering Saturday 027
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