Cindy Shum 2022-08
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:1-5)
This passage records the extraordinary encounter of Moses, the patriarch of the Israelites, in an ordinary place of work! The place where we work every day is also where God’s creation is most active! Do you believe it? Continuing from the previous issue of “Workplace Testimony: An Uninvited Friend in Adversity,” God sent a colleague to pray for her in a difficult situation. Here is how God miraculously answered her prayers in the workplace:
In the early summer of 1992, the sister successfully applied to immigrate to Toronto for a family reunion. It should have been a happy event, but because her brother was diagnosed with mental illness before immigrating to Canada, the family plunged into deep sadness and confusion. Because the immigration visa was about to expire, they must land in Canada. Hence, the family had no time to seek medical treatment for the brother carefully. When they arrived in Canada, his illness relapsed while the family was busy adapting to the new life and caring for his sickness. This sister went around looking for resources to help her brother. While there seemed no way out, God sent a Christian colleague to pray with her. What a remarkable intervention of God!
One day, this sister heard from a place that there was an organization that could help her brother, and she went to join their support group. The group host introduced a hospital psychiatrist to her. The sister started to search for this psychiatrist but couldn’t find him, so she had to put the matter on hold.
One day, this sister borrowed a videotape from a community organization that specializes in supporting family members of the mentally ill. It was about how to understand the sickness and walk with the patient. A psychiatrist explained the content. As the sister watched the video, she found that the psychiatrist looked familiar. Then, she recalled that she had seen this person once in her office. Then, she recognized that this psychiatrist was the same person she had once talked to in her company’s kitchen – he was a colleague in her company. She remembered her conversation with him, “May I ask what you did before you joined this company?” He smiled and replied politely: “Ah! I used to be a doctor!” The sister was even more curious and continued to ask: “What made you give up medical practice to become a law student?” He replied with a smile: “Oh! I think it’s because I’ve been a doctor for too long. I want a career change!” As she watched the video, she realized that the articling student was the psychiatrist in the video. But, more shockingly, looking at the name, he was the psychiatrist recommended and had been looking for some time! Later, this doctor was her brother’s psychiatrist.
In retrospect, this sister came to experience God’s power which is so amazing! He answered her cry in distress and brought the person she had been looking for right to her workplace! She thought: There are countless law firms in downtown Toronto and why would this person work in this same law firm? Why would he come to the kitchen that same day? Why was he the doctor she was looking for?
God answers the prayer of faith regardless of location! God is alive and works actively even in the marketplace! Where God is, that place is holy!
Friends: Are you confused and distressed, as if there is no way out? Do you believe that there is a God who is powerful and all present and will never leave you nor forsake you? He understands your needs very well and is willing to intervene in your situation to help you, even at the workplace you go to every day! Would you like to know him? If you are willing, please contact the staff of the Toronto Short Term Mission Training Center immediately!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Do you believe that God is not only active in the church on Sunday? Is he also very involved in speaking and delivering to people in the workplace? If you want to witness Jesus in the workplace or need help in evangelism, please contact the staff of the Toronto Short Term Mission Training Center immediately.
May God bless you!