Live out God’s commission and make good use of time
When I see the epitaph of a great man, all my inner jealousies disappear. When I see the tombstones of people known for their beauty in the world, I feel no desire at all. When I see a smart man lying in a cemetery side by side with an opponent who is as smart as him, or when I see heroes who once dominated the world lying there, I feel sad and shocked that they have gone through those trivial struggles. . When I see the tombstones of famous people from hundreds of years ago, I think about how fleeting we all are.
—Joseph Addison (1672-1719) British writer and politician
From mid-March to early April this year (2017), many things happened around me, all related to KRC.
On March 11, the day before I flew from New York to Taiwan, I received a message from Ding Huaici, the daughter of President Ding Yuanping of Tian’en Publishing House (a long-term service partner of the Kingdom of God), informing me that President Ding was admitted to the hospital due to acute myocardial infarction and was in a coma. . When I arrived in Taiwan on the evening of March 13, I went directly to the intensive care unit to visit Brother Ding. Every time I talked to him, I felt that he was spiritually conscious. I prayed with him in the ward and said some words. Little did I know that it would be my last farewell to him. He left on 3/16, and on the evening of the same day, the KRC Renaissance Tour of Northern Italy, which had been planned for two and a half years, started.
We divided our forces into several groups, starting from Taipei, California, and Boston, and gathered together at Milan Airport. The twelve-day trip was a feast for the soul and body. God’s words and deeds spoke to us every day through the Bible, church murals and stained glass, and even tombstones and statues. Wandering among the pinnacles of human art every day, every meal was accompanied by Italian red wine and gourmet food. The presence of God the Father was even confirmed by the weather. Except for the two days of heavy rain upon arrival and departure, the spring sun shone brightly for the ten days before and after! Many believers see the Renaissance as the beginning of negative humanism, but I see God as the God in charge of history. The Renaissance made people aware of their exalted status and the possibility of a relationship with God. Throughout the journey, my heart was constantly shocked and moved. Human beings are noble, yet so small and short-lived! Therefore, how to live out His entrustment in life is so important. There are responses and reports on this journey in this and the next issue.
From 3/31 to 4/2, I returned to Taiwan to have a physical, mental and spiritual retreat with volunteers from KRC Taiwan. Before workers can serve others, they must first be served; we love because we are loved; we receive people because we are the masters of our own homes. In a beautiful B&B in Yuanshan, Yilan, for more than two days, we shared with each other and served each other. We also gained a deeper understanding of KRC’s vision and received the call. Together we planned a gold-level environmentally friendly hotel in Taiwan in October this year. , and then enjoy the feast of body, mind and soul (see P8 for details).
This issue of "Kingdom of God", as always, focuses on actual communities, culture and life from the perspective of faith, and puts love into practice; in the autumn, the "Love Neighbor Mobilization" cultural camp will also be held in New England, USA (see P6 for details). Let’s go together and learn to make the best use of time in God’s love!
Lily Yang
Author profile Gao Lili is the founder and CEO of Kingdom of God Christian Association. He has served as a senior executive in large American companies for many years and is currently in full-time ministry. He often lectures and leads camps throughout North America and Asia, and is extremely responsible for training leadership and management models that are in line with God’s will.