Safely Home

by Randy Alcorn

Quan thanked Yesu for every hour spent meditating on his Word, which constituted the reservoir from which he now drew daily.

“You are an educated man,” Quan said. “A university graduate?” “Shanghai Jiao Tong University.” His back straightened as he said it. “Then answer this question from another university graduate. Of all there is to know in the universe, how much do you know?” “I am not sure.” “Then guess. Do you know 30 percent of all there is to know? Ten percent? Five?” “Of all there is to know? Less than one percent.” “Yes. Much less than one percent. Now I ask you another question. Think carefully before you answer. In that greater than 99 percent of all there is in the universe but which you know nothing of, is it possible God exists?”

“You must pray and be patient and not try to do so much that you oppose the hidden purposes of God.”

“One moment after men die,” Li Tong said, “they know exactly how they should have lived. But then it is too late to go back and live their lives over again. Too late for the unbeliever, in the jaws of hell. But also too late for the believer, who cannot relive his life, remake his choices, this time following his King more faithfully.”

“My father used to tell me that a good follower of Yesu is like the ox—ready either for the plow or the altar, for service or for sacrifice.

“You imagined the happiness of heaven is based on ignorance of events on earth? No. It is a question of perspective, not ignorance. The King says he suffers with his children. Even here, pain can be felt.”

‘Remember the most common cause of stumbling is the fear of man.’ It is God we must fear, not men. You must learn to stand boldly for your Lord, regardless of what men may think of you.”

“Afraid? Of what? To feel the spirit’s glad release? To pass from pain to perfect peace, The strife and strain of life to cease? Afraid—of that? Afraid? Of what?”

“Afraid? Of what? Afraid to see the Savior’s face To hear his welcome, and to trace The glory gleam from wounds of grace? Afraid—of that? Afraid? Of what? A flash, a crash, a pierced heart; Darkness, light, O Heaven’s art! A wound of his a counterpart! Afraid—of that? Afraid? Of what? To do by death what life could not— Baptize with blood a stony plot, Till souls shall blossom from the spot? Afraid—of that?”

Quan realized the men thought no one could hear them. Yet all the while an unseen universe eavesdropped. There was no such thing as a private moment.

“I feel like I’m drinking from the Source of the Stream. Does this mean I will feel no more longing?” “You will have the sweet longing of desire that can be fulfilled and shall be, again and again and again. Charis is not the absence of longing but its fulfillment.

The sons of Adam try so hard to be satisfied with so little—which keeps them from ever being satisfied at all.”

“Your faithfulness to Elyon is my thanks. It is when the children of dust do not serve him that the guardian’s task is thankless.”

Eden’s twilight.

To many, the single most important thing is the preservation of their life on earth. To this man, obeying his Lord was more important than prolonging his earthly life.