Furthermore we ask
you, brothers, to acknowledge those who labor among you and take the
lead among you in the Lord and admonish you, And to regard them
most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (1
Thessalonians 5:12-13, RecVer)
Br. Joseph Yang was
specially gifted by the Lord in shepherding the saints and the new ones in a
very fine and detailed way, yet all in a hidden way. The Lord sovereignly used
him in my life while I was struggling inwardly to take spiritual turns. At some
crucial junctures, amidst my inward struggles, on my spiritual journeys
forward, he was very instrumental in shepherding me step by step and ushering
me into the church life in the Lord’s recovery. Below are some instances where
the Lord used him to shepherd me.
In
Discerning My Inward Struggles
In 2002, as a
student seeking the Lord for His leading concerning the church and not being
satisfied with the degraded and denominated system of Christianity, I was spiritually
stuck not knowing how to go on. I was desperately praying for a clear sky
whether to leave the denomination I was in. At that juncture, I came into
contact with the saints and Br. Joseph Yang took a special interest on me. One
day, he visited my hostel room and brought a book by Witness Lee, The Genuine
Ground of Oneness. He proposed that we read that book together weekly.
As we read a few pages in ch.1, my spiritual eyes were opened, I felt light
dawning within, and I knew immediately that this book addressed the very
questions I had on the ground of the church. After a few pages of reading in
turns, he paused, stopped the meeting, and proposed to meet again the next week
to continue the reading. Deep within, I saw light dawning concerning the
questions on oneness and division. I just tasted something I had been longing
for! After he left, I continued reading the book until I finished the entire
book. Then I saw the ground of oneness which enabled me to come out of the
denomination I was in. My two years of struggling to leave the denomination
came to an end. I got the answers! Then, I became very clear about the ground
of oneness and fully came into the church life!
In
Seeing the Vision of the Age
I was just a
Master's degree student in Chennai. Surprisingly, he invited me to attend a "Responsible
Brothers' Training in Mumbai" for which he paid the price for my two
ways train tickets along with the training registration fee. In fact, I was not
qualified for that training as I had not yet taken the way of the Lord’s
recovery, much less, a responsible brother. But the Lord used that training to
open my eyes to see the vision of the Body as the training subject was
on the vision of the age. The messages I heard, the book and the outlines I
read were very timely. In that training, I saw the vision of the age, the need
to do the work of building up the Body of Christ in this age! If brother
had not invited me for that training, I would have missed seeing the vision on
time.
In
Giving Me Hospitality When I Needed the Most
I just graduated
from my Master's degree and I had to leave my hostel. I was wondering where to
stay for a week before I went home. I did not have any guts to request for
hospitality. Surprisingly, Br. Joseph Yang discerned my need though I did not
mention it to him. He invited me to stay with his family. He even came to pick
me up from my hostel with all my luggage. Oh, what a cherishing it was for a
student to find a home far away from home!
In
Genuine Care and Concern
He exhibited a genuine
care for me in action. In ushering me into the church life and in shepherding
me to join the training, he wanted to confirm my decision before the Lord. One
day, he came alone to my hostel room with a lot of burden for me. He
fellowshipped with me about the church and the church life, and the need for
training to be equipped with the truth. Then, he requested me to kneel down and
consecrate my life to the Lord. So, he and I, we both knelt down and prayed a
prayer of consecration. First, for me to fully come into the church life. Then,
to join the full-time training. I could sense his heartbeat in all his deeds
as a serving one who cared for me genuinely.
In
Suppling My Material Needs
While I was serving
full time in the church in New Delhi in 2005, brother came to visit me. He
enquired about my well-being, shared his recent enjoyment of the ministry
imparting what he learned, and prayed for me. Then, he took me to a woolen shop
and purchased for me a navy-blue woolen sweater as it was a winter time. I did
not mention this need at all to him, he just discerned my need and supplied
immediately.
Since he had
impacted my life at crucial turning points, I felt so blessed to be shepherded
by such a brother. I felt the Lord had sent him to India to shepherd me. Though
I received help from other brothers too, his portion was very unique and it
came at special times when I needed the most. I praise and worship the Lord
for such a member in the Body from whom I receive a specific shepherding at
crucial and critical times of my life.
For these reasons,
when as a family we visited Taiwan last June 2024 and heard about his
ill-health, I determined to visit him or at least his wife, at whatever cost.
Though we could not meet him due to hospital restriction for critical patients,
at least we met Sis. Marline Yang and their son Zion. I reckoned that as a sign
of honor to a brother the Lord had used to shepherd me.
Render to all the things due: …, honor to whom
honor is due. Romans 13:7
As the Lord used him
as a pattern to me, may the Lord grace me as well to be a pattern to others. All
glory to God!
Much
grace to sister Marline and brother Zion.
Palmei, INDIA 12 July 2024
