Ya-luen
“How many children here go to the foreigner’s Sunday School?” Thirty-eight pairs of Chinese hands were raised. The Communist men were very angry when they saw these Chinese children raise their hands.
“Foolish children!” said the men. “You are being taught lies. They teach you to pray for your food, and then thank God for it when you receive it. What ignorance! It is man’s hard work that provides his needs. Do not continue to go to Sunday School. If you do you will be punished!”
Most of the children promised the men that they would not go to Sunday School again. But one boy, Ya-Luen, aged nine, was from a Christian home and he wanted to let his light shine for Jesus. He stood bravely alone in the face of the increasing anger of the threatening enemies of the Lord and His people. At last the men angrily thrust Ya-Luen into a dark room and locked the door behind him, leaving him there for the night, without his evening meal. “Pray if you want to!” they laughed. “See if your Jesus will feed you there!”
Ya-Luen was a normal little boy, and he had looked forward to his supper, but the Lord took away all sense of hunger. He felt as though he had just finished eating. As he curled up on the floor to sleep the darkness seemed warm and friendly about him. He wasn’t alone. The presence of the Lord Jesus was more real than he had ever experienced before. With real comfort in his heart he curled up on the floor and was soon sound asleep.
“Now, boys and girls,” called the cruel men the next morning, “we’re going to open the door and see one frightened little boy! He won’t be so anxious to be a follower of Jesus after this!”
Everyone fully expected to see a terrified, tear-stricken face; and the bad men wanted this to be a lesson to all the children. But they were completely unprepared for the sight of the little boy who stepped out with his face shining like a sunbeam.
“I slept so well, for I could feel the Lord Jesus was there taking care of me.” Ya-Luen told the men happily. “And I still feel full – as if I just had a big meal of chicken with my rice!”
As the other children listened to Ya-Luen’s testimony they became brave enough to follow his example and let their lights shine for the Lord also. Even adults, who later escaped over into Burma, told how Ya-Luen’s testimony had helped them to bravely stand in the face of cruel persecution.
Pray for many in such places of testing today, and for ourselves also, should we be tempted to deny our Lord to please men. Pray that we will stand true to Him, and like Ya-Luen, obey God rather than man at any cost.
