International Graduate Student Ministry – Gracepoint Berkeley

Christopher doesn’t like to be held by me that much because he likes to play on his own and he doesn’t like to my warm body to be near his. I don’t mind this kind of rejection because it makes him very easy to take care of.

Yesterday afternoon, Karen and I took Christopher to the get 3 immunization shots, one on the right thigh and two on the left. The doctor told us that he might be in discomfort for awhile, but it’s okay. We just need to watch out for fever. In the evening after dinner, Christopher started to really cry. So far, he has been a happy baby, crying only when he was hungry. But this time, we knew that he was in pain because his tears came out. We discovered that his right thigh was red and swollen from the shot. We gave him a warm bath to sooth the swelling, but he still cried. Karen tried to put him down to calm him, but he would cry all the more. Finally, I tried to hold him to see if he would find comfort from me. I didn’t expect it, but he calmed down. And I recall that whenever he was in pain (circumcision and blood test for jaundice), I was there to be with him. Maybe, I speculate, he knew that things would be okay when daddy was around. I don’t know what he was thinking, but I was really pleased that he could find comfort and rest in me.

This incident helped me realize how much God, my Heavenly Father, would be pleased if I were to go to him when I was sick or feeling down or struggling emotionally, physically and/or spiritually. Prophet Isaiah declares: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Isaiah 40:1). Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” If I, an imperfect earthly father, can have so much compassion for my child, then how much more God, my perfect Heavenly Father, would desire to love me, to have compassion on me, and to hold my hand in the metaphorical and spiritual sense. I want to please Him more by finding rest and comfort from Him.

At Gracepoint Fellowship Church’s Tuesday night prayer meeting, we had a bi-monthly church-wide sharing time focusing on the theme: growth through suffering. We heard three very powerful, refreshing and challenging testimonies. One of them was our very own Allen’s salvation testimony, and the other two were from Joyce who just returned from Taiwan after serving the Hsinchu church for two years and Daniel who returned from a 10-day mission at Honduras.

Allen shared honestly and simply how God has brought the light of the gospel into his dark and depressing life. Even though he was leading a decent life, he did not find the true meaning of his life until he understood God’s forgiveness of his sins and God’s love for him. And he wrapped up his testimony with Galatians 2:20-21a: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God.” I was really impacted afresh by the simplicity and the transforming power of the gospel.

Daniel, who was our guest speaker at the International Student Ministry 2009 Winter Retreat, shared in detail about how the full time missionaries in Honduras labored hard to provide medical and spiritual care for the people in Honduras. The missionaries there had to suffer a lot due to the lack of resources; however, God used them to bring the salvation message to the people. It made me feel ashamed of my desire for comfort and avoidance of suffering. Pastor Ed challenged us to think about the suffering that our brothers and sisters are undergoing throughout the world.  1 Peter 5:9 “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

ISM participated in Gracepoint Fellowship Church’s Thanksgiving Retreat, in which we listened to many touching stories of how God impacted people’s lives through their salvation in Christ. We were also treated to Pastor Manny’s report on Gracepoint Austin. On my drive back from the retreat, Howard shared that he really appreciated Pastor Manny’s sharing because he saw how God perfectly provided everything. It was truly amazing!

For the retreat, Pastor Ed Kang and Kelly Kang had us each write up a one-page reflection on how God’s salvation work changed our lives. We shared with one another in small groups at the prayer meeting this past Tuesday. As we listen to one another’s stories of thanksgiving to God in my small group, our hearts of thanksgiving multiply.