{"id":9765,"date":"2019-11-17T15:44:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-17T15:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=conexion&p=9765"},"modified":"2020-02-06T15:51:01","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T15:51:01","slug":"god-is-the-script-writer","status":"publish","type":"conexion","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/blog\/god-is-the-script-writer\/","title":{"rendered":"God is the script-writer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

When PhD student Tom* first arrived here with his young family, he knew it was dangerous. But now he looks back at that time as the \u2018good old days\u2019. He lives in anticipation of hearing the police knock at the door. And yet, even here, God is at work. Tom shared how he has seen God breaking through the darkness in the student world\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

On your guard<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

It\u2019s surprising the students still\nwant to meet us. At university, they\u2019re given severe warnings repeatedly against\nhaving anything to do with religious activities or even attending English clubs.\nOwning religious literature is a risk. There are airport-like security checks\nat the campus gates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

We often wonder if we should cancel our meetings with students. We often wonder what we\u2019re doing here. But every time we feel like we\u2019ve reached our limit, God gives us a small encouragement \u2013 a glimmer of light breaking through in the darkness. And it\u2019s enough to keep us going for a few more months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Glimmers of light<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

We met student Ryan* not long after\nwe arrived here, eight years ago. He wasn\u2019t interested in discussing spiritual\nmatters at all. But last year, his girlfriend saw a Christian biography on our\nbookshelf and wanted to read it. She then began to read the Bible and later\nprofessed faith. Following her example, R started to read the Bible with one of\nus in an unwatched spot in a nearby caf\u00e9. He professed faith very recently as\nwell. Seeing his willingness to count the cost has been a real encouragement to\nus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Others are wary of reading the Bible but are willing to meet up to discuss a secular book. That\u2019s opened up many opportunities to speak of the gospel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Dreams of Jesus<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Among my own PhD peers, it has been\na slow and often discouraging journey. Things got off to a good start when the\nsemester started, but then in our third week together, the whole class was\nwarned that I was there to force them to convert to Christianity. For two years\nafter that, my classmates barely spoke to me. But earlier this year, very\nunexpectedly, one of them opened up to me. She mentioned that she\u2019d been\nstudying the Bible with a Christian for some time. She mentioned that she\u2019d had\na dream of Jesus on the cross!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

I prayed earnestly that she would have more dreams. So far, she hasn\u2019t. And I remember that God is the script-writer, not me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Looking ahead<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

With the combination of slow\nprogress in ministry, many uncertainties as well as constant stress, we often\nask ourselves whether perhaps God has somewhere else in mind for us. But one\nmessage that we heard a few years ago keeps coming to mind: Jonah preached for\nthree days and saw a whole city turning to the Lord. Noah witnessed to the\npeople of his generation throughout the time it took him to build the ark\n(perhaps 100 years), but only saw seven others from his family join him in the\nark. However, it is Noah who is included in the Hebrews 11 \u201cHall of Fame\u201d. What\nwe need to be conscious of each day is whether we are being faithful to the\nLord, not whether our environment looks favourable or our ministry appears to\nbe effective.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

*names changed<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n
\"IFES<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
\n

East Asia Week 2019<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Jesus is doing incredible things in the lives of students in our biggest global region. Learn from students and find out how God is calling many to know him in some difficult contexts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n \n \n Discover East Asia <\/span>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":9948,"template":"","area":[455],"theme":[1219],"class_list":["post-9765","conexion","type-conexion","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-east-asia","theme-my-story"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGod is the script-writer · IFES Conexi\u00f3n Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When PhD student Tom* first arrived here with his young family, he knew it was dangerous. But now he looks back at that time as the \u2018good old days\u2019. 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