By Liu Jian
In July, 2006, I went to Shaanxi Province to preach the gospel to my relatives. Unexpectedly, soon after getting there, it rained heavily for several days. Then I heard that landslides happened in some places. At that time, my relatives wanted me to stay several more days while I insisted on going home. On my hard journey home, thanks to God’s love, I eventually arrived home safely.
At about 8 a.m. on that day, I got on a coach to my home. Until over 9 a.m., I saw from the window that the highway ahead had been blocked by stones and mud. On the mountain, stones were dropping off continuously. Our driver had to divert to the county through the lane. At about 4 p.m., it was about 4 kilometers’ distance from here to the county. But the road ahead had been piled high with the mud-rock flow like a small slope of over 4 meters high and more than 30 meters long. The stones kept tumbling down the mountain. The driver was forced to stop the coach and the passengers all got off. The stones kept dropping down from the mountain to the muddy ground, and the mud was splashed high, well over ten feet, accompanied by constant tremendous cracks. Seeing the scene, the passengers were sent into a panic. I silently called out to God in my heart: “Oh, God! Now it’s late. If the coach couldn’t start in time, I’m afraid that I can’t catch the train. This time, I went to preach the gospel with only several hundred yuan. Now I only had the money to buy a train ticket. God! I don’t know what to do. May you give me a way out.” After the prayer, I saw that stones falling down the mountain were fewer. I thought: Probably God’s giving me a way out. So, as I prayed to God in my heart, I began to climb forward slowly at risk. Because it had just rained, the road was slippy. When climbing, I had nothing to catch to support me and my feet also slipped when I stepped on the stones. On the other side of the road lay a river. At any time I would be in danger of sliding into the river along the mud. There were stones falling down the mountain sometimes, and I didn’t know which one would hit me. Trembling with fear, I climbed for over ten minutes in a cold sweat. Thank God for His protection. I safely passed the dangerous stretch of road eventually. I looked back, finding that 4 people had followed me past the road.
We hadn’t gone much farther, when a white minibus came towards us. The driver charged us each 20 yuan to send us to the county station. But when he recognized that I wasn’t a native, he asked me to pay him 10 yuan more. However, except the money for a train ticket, I had no money with me. Although I did my utmost to explain it to him, it was just not possible. Finally, the driver let the others get on the bus except me. I thought: Now they have gone and only I’m left. What should I do? It’s getting dark. I am a stranger here. If I can’t arrive at the railway station, where will I pass the night? When I walked forward, I was calling upon God secretly in my heart to give me a way out. When I was helpless, I suddenly saw somebody boating in the river. I thought in my heart: Since the highway to the county is blocked by the mud-lock flow, I’d better go there by boat. Thus, I went to the river.
I just walked several meters and all at once I heard a loud crash. Then, there was a noise of stones colliding. Hurriedly turning back and raising my head, I was stupefied by what I saw. About over 50 meters away, the whole mountain suddenly collapsed. The stones collided and flied over 10 meters, making a violent noise, which scared me, with my pulse speeding up. The falling stones right hit the white minibus I wanted to get on just now. The minibus was squashed, and was instantly buried by the falling stones. Soon the mud and debris were piled up to over one meter, leaving only a small part of the car’s tail exposed. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but gasp. I thought to myself: That was close! Luckily I didn’t get on that minibus, otherwise I would tragically die in it. Only then did I realize that God knew what would happen, that He protected me through the driver’s hindrance and that He saved me free from this disaster in this special way! I was so excited that I unceasingly offered up my thanks and praises to God.
I thought of God’s word, “In all nations and all places of the world, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and all manner of disasters occur frequently. As I do My great work in all nations and all places, these disasters will arise with more severity than at any other time since the creation of the world. This is the beginning of My judgment of all peoples, but My sons can rest easy; no disaster will befall you, and I will protect you….” God’s words are absolutely true. Now various disasters have occurred. God’s judgment has begun. I thanked God for His wonderful salvation of me in this disaster. This was all God’s mercy and care. I experienced that God’s love is too practical. Meanwhile, I felt that God’s authority and power are everywhere. Just as God’s word says: “Of everything that occurs in the universe, there is nothing in which I do not have the final say. Is there anything that is not in My hands?” I developed a secret ambition: Later, I will certainly repay God’s great love through my practical actions. I will preach the gospel properly to bring more people before God.
When I was thinking, a stranger asked me where I wanted to go. After I said the address, he surprisingly said that I was his younger brother’s fellow villager. Then he helped me find a boat and free sent me to the county and finally I managed to catch the train. When I sat on the train, all sorts of feelings welled up in my mind. I saw that God was right by my side and that He led and helped me at any time and satisfied my pressing need through the stranger.
The train drove for about 3 hours and suddenly stopped. Later, we learned that the section of the road in Wudang Mountain that we must pass was also blocked by the mud-rock flow and that the train would start after 48 hours. At this news, I felt very upset: Only after two days will the train start. But now I have no money to buy food. There are still three or four days before I get home. Without food, how can I survive the following days? If the road can’t be cleared in time and is blocked for several more days, will I die on the train? What should I do? Then, I called out to God silently and may God give me confidence and power. After my prayer, I remembered the following God’s word, “God uses words to govern people; you feel good if you eat and drink the words of God, and if you do not, you have no path to follow. The words of God become people’s food, and the force that drives them. The Bible says that ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ Today, God will bring this work to completion, and He shall accomplish this fact in you.” Pondering God’s word, I recalled that when the Lord Jesus came to work, he fasted and prayed for 40 days on the mountain and was still safe and sound. God has already set an example for us. As long as we rely on God by faith, we will overcome everything. In the last days, God does the work of words. His word is the fundament of our living, our reliance and the bread of our life. Thinking of this, I had the confidence to spend the following days by God’s words. Afterward, when I felt hungry, I prayed to God and contemplated His word in my heart. I felt the confidence and power that God gave me and I spent 3 days by faith. Until the 4th day, I was so hungry that I couldn’t bear it. I was really afraid that I would starve to death. Then I silently called upon God in my heart, “Oh, God! Now I’m starving so much that I can’t bear it. May you lead me to tide over the difficulties.” Finishing my prayer, I recalled that God’s word says, “We have within us the resurrected life of Christ. Undeniably, we lack faith in the presence of God: Would that God would put true faith within us. Sweet indeed is the word of God! God’s word is potent medicine! It puts to shame the devils and Satan! Grasping God’s word gives us support. His word acts fast to save our hearts! It dispels all things and sets all at peace. Faith is like a single log bridge: Those who cling abjectly to life will have difficulty in crossing it, but those who are ready to sacrifice themselves can pass over, sure of foot and worry-free.” Right! God’s word is the truth, the way, and the life. My life is controlled by God. Whether I die or live is controlled by God. Without God’s permission, death won’t come upon me. God is my rear guard and Backer. No matter how great the difficulties are, we are able to solve them by relying on God. God’s word gave me faith again. I was willing to entrust everything to God and obey His orchestration and arrangement. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel so hungry. With the protection of God’s word, I safely spent 4 days on the train.
I got off the train and it was more than 30 kilometers from the station to my home. I had no strength to walk at all. When I didn’t know what to do, God helped me, letting me get home through an acquaintance.
Through this special experience, I truly experienced God’s great love. It was God who secretly cared for and protected me, making me free from the dangerous situations time and time again. At the same time, I felt that God’s word is our tonic, the provision of our life, help at any time and the only guarantee for us to survive. In the future, I will pursue the truth, fulfill my duty as one of creation to repay God’s love for me. May all the glory be to God!
