Pass on the heat for love
——[2013KRC Pennsylvania Small Retreat and Alumni Reunion 1]
▲ Teacher Liu Xiuxian (second from right in the front row) preached on "Restoring the Abundance of Life" at the camp.
If you are not familiar with KRC, or have never heard of it, but love words and long to respond to God’s love in you with words, then you must give yourself a chance to at least attend an annual retreat, as I am the same today.
The KRC small retreat and alumni reunion held in Pennsylvania from February 28th to March 1st, 2013 kicked off with the song "We are all a family". Soon, old friends and new acquaintances wished each other well , get warmed up. Teacher Liu Xiuxian served as the lecturer. She came from sunny California to Pennsylvania where snow may fall. She humorously said that she put on all the heaviest clothes at home. I saw the teacher's petite body hugging us, and her red cheeks reflected the heat of this gathering.
Yes, heat!
The heat of Bible study
Teacher Liu Xiuxian, who specializes in Bible studies, selected seven biblical women as the protagonists from her book "The First Mother of Christ" to bring out topics closely related to modern women, asking us to "open our eyes and see" through Bible study, and then It uses questions and answers to guide us to "use our brains and think", and finally encourages us to "speak with our heart and soul". Although these women come from different eras and backgrounds, they discovered from the heated discussions that the symptoms faced by women since ancient times are not much different. So, how did they become the ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ and the channel through which God blesses the world through faith?
The teacher reminds us that when we read the Bible, we must put ourselves in their shoes, interpret the Bible based on the scriptures, and look forward to it with longing: O God! Tell us a story.
God said: "Let us create man in our image, after our likeness... In the image of God he created him, male and female." (Genesis 1:26-27) God created male and female. It is not specifically defined at the time, but from the teachings of the New Testament, we learn that we must put on the new self "in true righteousness and holiness", which is created in the image of God (Ephesians 4:24). This new man is “renewed in knowledge into the image of his Creator” (Colossians 3:10). This shows that the image actually represents a relationship.
God waited until Adam felt that he needed a mate, and immediately created a mate to help him. Adam recognized at a glance that it was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and it was the "ally" given to him by God. God gave Adam and Eve the status of an alliance, that is, when Adam sends the message "Support me", Eve happily "cooperates with him" in an equal interactive relationship.
Hearing this, everyone jumped up for joy, and the cheers of the brothers were no less than those of the sisters. Even though we heard how serious the consequences of a lie are, that is, sin makes people punished, they start to be self-centered, and their relationship with God is broken. Our relationships with people have also changed, but we have faith that God has created a "very beautiful" picture in Christ. As long as we are willing to be changed by God, He will restore the glorious image of our creation.
The heat of sharing
From the stories of Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Tamar, Bathsheba, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, I saw the challenges they faced and thought about their incredible experiences in marriage and family. I was even more surprised that God valued these things. Women have no less faith than any man, and by faith they inherit the promises together with their husbands. From inside the classroom to outside the classroom, we couldn’t stop discussing:
"If Sarah had known that asking Hagar to be a surrogate mother would be counterproductive and make things worse, she wouldn't be so stupid, right?"
"When Isaac found out that Jacob had deceived him and obtained the blessing, he should have been angry, but why was he trembling with fear?"
"Leah was neglected by her husband all her life, but she never gave up her trust in God and her expectations for her husband. It is so precious!"
"What happened to Taima in her husband's family was really terrible, wasn't it? But God actually favored this vulnerable foreign woman."
"Bathsheba is actually a victim of the abuse of royal power. Can a weak woman resist when she encounters an overlord?"
"Although Jesus strengthened Mary's heart again and again, how could a mother not feel like a sword piercing her heart when she saw her son being crucified?"
Among us, those who grew up in families that favored sons over daughters, and those who were deeply influenced by Japanese education that favored men over women, all agree that Christians have this mission and must restore the prosperity of life created by God. Among us are pastors, teachers’ wives, marriage counseling experts, and youth counselors, all of whom said that this way of reading the Bible that breaks the traditional framework would be very attractive to promote in the church. In fact, everyone feels that if they cannot apply the teachings they receive today in their lives, it means nothing!
The two-day course ended beautifully with Mary’s testimony. When Jesus entrusted his mother to his beloved disciple, teacher Liu Xiuxian emphasized that Jesus never ignored the needs of people when he was working on earth. Of course, He could have done more things if He had not returned to heaven, but Jesus knew that He had fulfilled the things entrusted by the Father, and He had glorified the Father on earth! Hearing this, I couldn't help but write two words on the paper: "What about me?" with a huge question mark behind it!
▲(Left) Brothers who participated in the discussion on "Christ's Ancestor" are united and rejoiced!
▲ (right) The author Fan Wencheng (first from right) found the beautiful friendship of "making friends through literature" here.
The heat of inheritance
Signing up for this party is definitely not by chance. I moved to New York last year when my husband was transferred due to a job transfer, and I have transformed from a working woman into a full-time housewife. I was willing to follow my husband's footsteps, but I suddenly lost my direction. I believe that God has a good plan for me, and He must have a task for me to complete, just like these ancestors. Is it now time for me to respond with faith?
This small retreat at KRC not only ignites the fire in our hearts, but also hopes that we can implement the vision we have received. Vision needs to be conveyed, which is a very important process. The conference used a competition format on two nights, which gave me, a newbie at KRC, a lot of experience.
The competition was divided into three teams by "Old Rain" and "New Knowledge" was invited to serve as judges. On the first night, I shared the unforgettable and touching things at the KRC camp, the most heart-warming things in the team, and the most impressive articles in the magazine. On the second night, we shared KRC’s vision, heritage, and the reasons why we were reluctant to leave KRC.
It is my first time to serve as a judge. I am honored to sit with kind spiritual elders and enjoy the pleasure of "being in control". It is really a rare experience. In order to be fair, I listened to everyone's sharing in detail. I should have taken notes carefully, but unexpectedly, I was made to burst into laughter by the sharing on the stage. The next moment, I burst into tears. In the end, I was so busy that I just cried and cried. Laughed!
Unknowingly, I understood the reason why co-workers cannot do without KRC. KRC is not only a big family that "makes friends through literature", but also has the capacity to "if anyone has a willing heart, he will be accepted." You may not be a literary giant, but you are willing to share life with your pen! You may not be an expert, but you are willing to share love with your life! Because of Jesus and love, the impossible becomes possible.
After listening to "God! Tell us a story," I understand that everyone has a unique mission to glorify God the Father. Now, it’s time for us to “tell God’s story” with words!