Eric's Beijing Diary

A guy from Nanjing told me today that the battle involves two or more different communities and each must contribute the men from that community. Men who refuse to take part in the battle will be required to pay a ransom. He told me that there had been a battle involving about 400 people, and that one person had died. I am quite sure there is a conflict of some kind, because there are signs of it around town. But can you picture a scene where 400 men are fighting with knives, and only one person dies? I am skeptical. Not sure what the real scoop is.

DAY EIGHT

"He will deliver even those who are guilty; they will escape becuase of the cleanness of your hands." (Job 22:30)

I cancelled my hike to the canyon this morning because of the rain. But I saw Florence, the energetic young Hakka brushing her teeth when I got out of the shower. I asked her where she was going so early. She told me that she and her friend were going to hike the entire length of the canyon.

"In this rain?"

"We have no choice. It's our schedule."

I hate schedules when I am travleling in the summer time. Naturally, there are ultimate deadlines that anyone is going to be subject to. But I guess I would have to say that my summer trips are defined by the things I choose not to see. "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." You can't see everything. It's more important, I think to take one day at a time, and let things happen. I see so many people taking vacations that are so exhausting, I cannot imagine how they can resume their work without a good long rest. They need a vacation to recover from their vacation.

But Florence's determination motivated me to grab my umbrella and head up the canyon with them. I got to the place where I usually have my prayer, and told them I was going to go back. It was raining pretty steadily, so instead of staying there, I headed back toward the Buddhist prayer cave at the opening of the canyon. But as soon as Florence and her friend disappeared from site, it stopped raining.

Concerning my prayer journey, I thought perhaps I was done yesterday. Once you have understood your role in the all important mission of bringing people closer to God, what more can there be?

But I woke at 3:30 this morning with a new thought. Intercession. The story of Noah is a powerful example of how one's man righteous life can spare him from the fate of an entire generation. But in this scripture from Job, we learn that even a very ungodly person can be spared the fate that would be due him. God does not hear the prayers of sinners. But he does hear the prayers of the righteous for sinners. Hudson Taylor was known as the man who brought a thousand missionaries to China, and the man who brought many Chinese people to faith in Christ. He personally baptized fifty thousand Chinese believers. But the foundation for his extraordinaary success was his determination to move man, through God, by prayer alone.

"Father, give me a heart that reaches out to those whose lives are empty. The enormous spiritual vacuum in this country begs to be filled. You have created us to live in fellowship with you, and those who do not know you will be ever restless, as Augustine says, 'until they find their rest in you.' Please show me how to and bring them into a knowledge of who you are, and of the purpose you have for them."