posted May 18, 2010 1:54 AM by Ashish Bijwe
How did I come to believe in God? People who know me knows that I'm a logical thinker. Is believing in God a logical thing to do?
I was in primary school when I picked up my first science book. I still remember being amazed at how the world operates like a finely-tuned machine. Everything has an explanation. So naturally, I majored in science in school. And it is from there I firmly turned into an atheist.
In my school days I worked pretty hard, like any typical Taiwanese kid. I had built my self-worth solely on my grades and my achievements.
After many year of hard work, I got into one of the top schools in Taiwan. But being first time away from home and letting go of all disciplines, I did terribly in my first year and failed many subjects. I guess for most people this would just be an embarrassment, but to me it was devastating. It was like being told I wasn't worth anything.
My sister had gone to church at this stage. She learned from her friends about prayers. She suggested that I try praying to God about guidance. I took note but I was sure that it was just a wishful thinking.
One particular evening, things got really bad for me. The feeling of failure & isolation was crashing down on me. i was unable to sleep, because I couldn't stop my tears and chest pain (from crying so long). I was hurting all over.
With little strength, I "prayed" this prayer with little enthusiasm : "God, IF you are there, help me!". Suddenly, my chest pain was gone, my tears had stopped. i checked and checked (there's still a scientist in me!), but they were gone. It was so sudden, so I couldn't have just "think" myself into stopping either.
I guess yes maybe many things can be explained. A God who made heaven & earth could made them beautiful and logical. But there are things we can't see either but they sure do exist - as real as physical objects!
After I became a Christian, I found much acceptance and love. I realised that I have an intrinsic value, separate from my achievements and contributions. I left the dark place where it told me I was useless & a failure and come to much hope & joy in God. I'm still learning to find that identity in God, everyday. I guess the love and the grace of God is too wonderful for human to comprehend - I guess it will take a lifetime to learn. |
posted Dec 16, 2009 5:54 PM by Ashish Bijwe
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updated Dec 17, 2009 4:16 PM
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Hi, Nice to meet you. Some of you may know about me. Because two weeks ago, I had a performance just at this stage, sing a song and playing the piano as well. Actually, when my friend, Ai Ling, asked me to give a testimony. I hesitated for long time. Actually, I came here just two months ago, so I am not good at English. That's why, although I want to tell my story as a testimony, it is natural that I have a restriction to explain with my short language. But I was determined to give a testimony with my holy spirit that lied in my heart. Actually, I'm born religion. In Korea, it is sometimes considered the most faithless man. Because in the case of the mother's womb, it is difficult to find out the reason and justification to be believed of Jesus. Just because my papa and mama go to the church. It is majority's cases to go to follow them as a cow is taken to slaughterhouse. I also did so. At that time, I couldn't understand why I believed to invisible existence. When I was a third grades of my middle school. I attended the training camp at first. At the evening service, I saw many senior brother's and sister's weeping and eager praying and heard these testimonies. At that time, I also tried to feel holy spirit as well as hear father's voice. But I couldn't hear anything not so long, my grandmother passed away at two days ago, before Christmas. When I was high school boy, Jesus, the word, had already disappeared in my heart. My life seemed to be quite. But not so long, I had to experience to have lost a friend of mine because of suicide from that time. I began to think of the death. What is the death? Where do I go after death? something like this. When I was 20 years, I had to leave from my family, friend and familiar place to go to my university which was located to far distance to take 5 hours by car from my city. At there I had only first grade at my university and as all men in Korea go to the army, I also had to go army. Generally, the place, army, required of many sacrifices, in basically, from the moment entering the entrance of army we have to give up a lot of things to eat, to play, and to see what we want and the like. I wish anyone could forbear hard discipline of army. But, unfortunately, I have lost two friend of mine from car accident and suicide. It was just last year's incident. So soon, I began to hate and curse god in the same time, it meant I was accepting of Jesus' existence. I was so hard extremely. Father gives everyone to talents which helps us remove from our pain. Some people through praying some people through dancing. Like this my best friend is over there. Piano. It is a connecting link joining between my father and me. Just some weeks ago, I sang for my God under the tough situation. But incidentally, something (cannot explain only the word) came to me not only telling me "it will be okay, that's all right" but also touching my head and my heart as well. And in the same time, I heard the most precious spiritual enlightenment to take from my Jesus that it was a simple word "put down" Because of my sadness having lost many friend of mine as well as my private sorrow of not wanting to say here (relating to my serious disease of almost 8 years to be knowing my family) my emotion repeated to resent and stop againg resent and stop to resent and stop of my God my parents even myself so many times. Afterward, the only thing to remain around me was nothing except for my exhausted spirit and my body. that's why, it was not just once and twice to decide to be killed myself. fortunately, I have been almost passing by terrible painful tunnel because of my father my Jesus. My mind turned peaceful not only, since I have been putting down any pain suffering rather than trying to overcome but I have cried just rather than pressed my tears. And what make me much happier is because of the fact that I can live in my Jesus. Thank u. |
posted Dec 16, 2009 5:52 PM by Ashish Bijwe
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updated Dec 17, 2009 1:38 AM
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超越時空的愛 (Nana’s testimony ^_^) “天離地何等的高, 祂的慈愛向敬畏祂的人也是何等的大! ” (詩篇 103: 11) 在七年前的一個寧靜夜晚裡, 我獨自一人坐在床上看著外頭那令人驚嘆的景色.靜靜的望著有如黃金般光芒的燈海, 那時的我心裡有種說不出來的快樂與幸福. 我打從內心感恩的對神說: “謝謝祢主耶穌, 我知道祢很愛我.” 我記得我最後一句話是: “我要在十五歲前接受祢做我生命的主”.那時候的我有著孩子般的天真, 但經過環境的轉變和時間一天一天的過, 我漸漸忘記自己曾說過的話. 可是神卻記得那從我心底所說出來真誠的話. 神祂超越時空的愛 原本無憂無慮的生活變成了需要去面對陌生的環境, 產生了心理無形的壓力, 使我過的很不快樂. 在那段日子裡我好像被困在了一個深坑中, 感到很無助. 那個時候的我也沒有去教會, 雖然媽媽幾乎每個禮拜都會軟硬兼施的要我們去教會, 可是我們總是以要寫功課, 想睡覺 這等好笑的理由為藉口. 就算之後二姐跟媽媽去了教會, 我還是不改變我的決定, 因我就是覺得去教會很無聊, 所以也不需要去. 現在回頭看簡直不敢相信以前的自己心是如此的剛硬, 但是神的愛卻能夠奇妙的融化我冰冷的心. 就在那天 2002年的八月八日, 我, 媽媽和兩位姐姐一起去參加了一場演唱會. 由於那位原住民歌手- 陳瑛是台灣歌唱比賽的冠軍得主, 我因此也慕名而去聽了. 在那場演唱會當中, 陳瑛唱了些好聽的詩歌, 其中有一首是她自己所作的曲子, 叫作頌讚, 歌詞是來自於聖經的羅馬書11: 33- 36. “深哉, 神豐富的智慧和知識! 祂的判斷何其難測! 祂的蹤跡何其難尋! 誰知道主的心? 誰作過祂謀士呢? 誰是先給了祂, 使祂後來償還呢? 因為萬有都本於祂, 依靠祂, 歸於祂, 願榮耀歸給祂, 直到永遠. 阿們! ”一直到現在我還記得那首歌的旋律, 那真是一首十分令人震憾的詩歌.唱完歌後, 她開始講起了神在她們家族的作為以及給予的祝福, 她講著講著, 四周圍有些人聽了也不禁掉下眼淚. 那時我看到媽媽也是其中一個, 可是我卻是很冷淡的要姐姐去阻止媽媽, 希望她不要在大眾場合掉眼淚. 當陳瑛講完了她的見證, 在我意料之外, 她接著要我們每個人閉上眼低下頭, 且問到: “有人願意接受主耶穌做他生命的救主嗎? ”就在那剎那, 時間好像停住了, 雖然台下的燈早已關掉變成了一片漆黑, 但我卻感覺到一道強烈的亮光從頭的上方照進了我的心底, 好亮又好暖和. 就在那時候, 神對我說: “你願意做我所疼愛的孩子, 領受我給你的祝福嗎?”我的心裡霎時變得很平靜, 因我感受到了原來那是神的愛溫暖的懷抱著我. 就這樣我很直接的把手舉在半空中, 表明著: “神哪, 我願意”. 舉了手的人都得往台前去, 一向愛鬧彆扭又害羞的我, 竟毫不猶豫的快步向前走去, 可能是因為我那時候忽然間就覺得好像只有我一個人在場,所以就很勇敢的向前走去, 縱使台下其實有近五百人在場. 哈哈, 好笑的是當時媽媽過了許久才問大姐說: “疑, 那不是妳妹妹嗎?” 而大家低頭閉上眼的時候, 眼睛睜大大坐在我旁邊的二姐卻早已發現了. 結束後回到家, 心裡充滿了喜樂, 大家在餐桌上邊吃宵夜邊聊天, 頓時我覺得自己好像很久沒那麼快樂了, 才明白在主裡有真正的喜樂! 我們一直討論著為什麼平時不去教會的我竟會有如此大的改變. 那時候我再過一個禮拜就要過十五歲的生日. 過了許久我才恍然大悟, 原來在那個寧靜的夜晚裡, 我對神所說的話, 祂都聽見了, 而且也沒有忘記, 我才明白神是多麼的愛我啊! 神, 我們的盼望 我清楚的知道認識神是我這一生最美好的事, 也是最大的祝福, 神的愛是無人能相比的. 神愛我們的好, 也愛我們的缺點和軟弱. He loves us the way we are, 祂愛我們的全部! 祂的愛會給我們有能力, 有動力快樂的活下去. 所以當我們憂愁,煩惱和痛苦的時候, 也要為主活得有喜樂! 無論遇到什麼事, 都要以笑容來面對. 遇到狂風大浪時, 仍然要站立得穩, 因神必堅固我們, He will give us a firm place to stand. 這是盼望, 這是信心, 這是相信神的愛永不改變! “耶和華必賜力量給祂的百姓, 耶和華必賜平安的福給祂的百姓.” “洪水氾濫之時, 耶和華坐著為王; 耶和華坐著為王, 直到永遠.” (詩篇29: 10- 11 ) 阿們! |
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