October 8, 2012
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Imprisoned for Quiet Time, Exiled for Sabbath…
While rereading the book “The Heavenly Man” (highly recommend it!) about a Chinese evangelist named Brother Yun, what stood out to me most this time around was how Brother Yun’s admittedly greatest mistakes were choosing ministry and works over family and rest. Brother Yun was imprisoned for extended time three times in his life, but only the first time was it clearly God’s will for him to go to prison where he was able to minister and grow with God powerfully. The other two times though, Brother Yun had received warnings from his wife, from other leaders, and even in his dreams to slow down. But because he had experienced so much success and because the harvest was so great, he chose to ignore the warnings and continued to move forward. And both times he ended up being arrested and enduring harsh conditions in prison.
Immediately upon being arrested he could feel conviction in his heart of his foolish actions. While he had been doing great works for God, he had lost sight of his most important relationships… first with God, and then with his wife and kids. So God had to put him in prison to get him to remember the true treasures in life and to get his relationship with God back in order. God had to demonstrate that while Brother Yun’s responsibilities seemed urgent, God could remove him at any moment and the church and God’s movement could continue on. God wasn’t worried about the works. While works are important, relationship is far more important. Brother Yun was imprisoned so he could have quality quiet time with God he had been missing.
The Israelites experienced similar things. As the Israelites began to fall away from God under wicked kings, they gradually ignored God’s law and did as they pleased. One of God’s 10 commandments was that the people take a sabbath every week to rest. And their law also stipulated that they allow the land to rest every seven years. If a farmer had a plot of land, he would work only 6/7 of the land and allow the 1/7 to rest, changing the land that would rest each year. Nowadays this practice has proven to be good for the soil and allow for healthier crops. But in those days the farmers didn’t know what was good for the soil and stopped practicing the sabbath, both for themselves and for their land. And what happened? After sending prophets to warn them for hundreds of years, God finally had enough and exiled all of Israel into foreign lands. It had been about 490 years since King David, meaning the land should have rested for 70 years. And so one of the specific reasons why God had them exiled was…
2Chronicles 36:21 – The land enjoyed its sabbath rests, all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed…
Brother Yun was imprisoned for some quiet time. The Israelites were exiled for some sabbaths.
Perhaps it might be good to reflect on your priorities? Who/what is the source of your strength? And who/what are you investing your most time in?
Isaiah 30:15 – In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…
God bless!
