June 3 – Into His Marvelous Light
1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
God calls us to Himself in extraordinary ways. He stirs up their hunger for Him and then works in them calling them into His marvelous Light. Here is a mighty testimony to encourage our hearts. Richard Tamang was born in a Buddhist family and they lived in the Dooars at the foothills of the Himalayas in the year 1945. His father had died at the time of his birth and his mother later remarried a tea planter. His step father later joined the rubber plantation in Malaysia and he grew up there and studied up to class six. In 1959, he came to India to study at Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling, a missionary school started by an American missionary, Emma Knowles.
An interest in Christ started rising in his heart and one evening, he visited the principal Dr Rev D G Stewart, who was from New Zealand. He wanted to know more about Jesus, and so the principal talked to him about Jesus and gave him books to read and he also got a Bible. One day as he was reading the Bible, a verse caught his eye where Jesus claimed in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.” This verse started questioning his young mind, how could it be possible, only through Him?” This verse started to eat him up. He would often sit in the night, at Fern Hill Hostel, the boys hostel which overlooked the rolling valley at night, thinking hard at those times, more and more about God.
One night, he knelt down on the floor in the dormitory and prayed-without knowing how to pray, saying “Jesus if you are really God, appear in my dream.” From then every night, he prayed this way.
Then, one night Jesus came in his dream. He saw a beautiful green field with flowers growing and in the middle of the field and saw a man wearing a long white robe with long hair. He saw him from the back and there he was kneeling in front of Him and He had placed His hand on his head and blessed him. When he awoke, he knew He was Jesus and He was really God. He had a deep sense of deep peace. In joy, he shared his dream with his principal, and told him he wanted to become Christian.
It was not an easy road with his parents resisting and he finally took the plunge as he wanted to take baptism. With all his fever and passion for the Lord, God gave him a ministry to preach, teach and prayer. He showed him his wonders, grace, mercy and love.
God has a plan for our lives, and if we do not resist Him, He will uncover all the hidden veils and pour out His secrets and wonders to us. Though we may go through valleys and deserts, He holds us through, strengthens us and fills us with joy. He opens pathways we would never imagine and lifts us up in times of sorrow. He guards and protects us from harm and danger. All we need to do is surrender unto Him and step into His marvelous Light.
Rita F. Kurian
Comments