The God Who Listens to Prayer
Sis Christina May Hing Chan
Elgin Church, UK
The Lord Jesus proclaimed, “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Mt 21:13). The Scripture He quoted from was Isaiah 56:7, which adds: “for all nations”. Even though we were once strangers, we can now “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16). Therefore, let us come to God’s temple to offer up prayers, meditate on His love, transform our hearts and return to God.
The God Who Hears
Many of the True Jesus Church members in the United Kingdom migrated from Ap Chau, in Hong Kong, in the 1960s and 1970s. The majority found work in the catering business, and my family was no exception—my husband and I co-owned a Chinese takeaway. I worked in the kitchen and would routinely use the heavy wok to stir fry meals. After many years of doing this, I developed a repetitive strain injury (RSI) in my arms—an occupational hazard in this line of work. Around twenty years ago, I began to experience a continuous tingling pain in my arms, which did not subside even after I applied several rounds of topical treatment. Each morning, I would pray to God for strength before I embarked on a full day of work. Each night, I would return home exhausted. This tingling sensation persisted for a few months, even though I prayed for healing every Sabbath day and during my lunch breaks. God did not heal me immediately, but I did not lose heart and continued to implore God for mercy and help in handling life’s challenges.
This went on until one Sabbath; while I was having lunch, a thought came into my mind that I should go to the front of the chapel to pray. In that prayer, I poured my heart out to God, as tears streamed from my eyes, and pleaded for His mercy and grace. I entrusted my health to God, saying, “Lord Jesus, You know that I have to work in my husband’s takeaway, and You also know my pain and suffering. Please take away my pain, if it is Your will.” After the prayer, my body felt relaxed; with joy in my heart, I returned to work in the evening. I woke up the next day and the pain had gone, without the use of medication!
Thanks be to the Lord who heard my prayer and showed His mercy and grace! I truly believe that the God we worship in the True Jesus Church is the true and living God. He hears our prayers, just as He heard Hagar’s cry in the wilderness. When their supply of water ran out, Hagar could do nothing but grieve and wait for death. But God heard the voice of her son, Ishmael, and opened Hagar’s eyes—she saw a well, where she could fill her bottle and give her son a drink. God opened a way for her to complete her journey (Gen 21:14–19.) And in the same way, God will open a way for us if we entrust ourselves to Him.
May all glory and praise be to the Lord, our heavenly Father, Amen!
There is a time for everything
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven
Ecclesiastes 3:1
For a number of years, I suffered from a frozen shoulder. It was a painful condition, but through God’s grace, I was able to work and participate in church activities. When the pain became unbearable, my family doctor referred me to a physiotherapist; I was put on the waiting list for an appointment. For six months, I prayed for God’s mercy and healing as I waited until I was eventually assigned a hospital appointment. The physiotherapist taught me some simple exercises, but I found that they did not alleviate my symptoms. Moreover, the hospital follow-up appointments clashed with church services, so I decided not to attend—I again entrusted myself to God in prayer.
In 2016, the church in Elgin held their spiritual and evangelical convocation from 3rd to 6th July, and on the Wednesday prior to the convocation, the whole congregation took part in cleaning the church building. I was assigned the task of scrubbing a section of the kitchen wall tiles. While the rest of the members were carrying out their duties with joy, I was trying my best to complete the task despite the pain in my shoulder. I remember thinking that I would need to take a soak in a salt bath tonight to relieve the pain. That night, however, I took a shower instead but when I woke the next morning, the pain was gone. It was amazing! I truly believe that the Lord healed me as I served Him at church.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58
I thank God, He has made me whole. May all glory be unto Him, Amen!
