Revisiting an Old Friend

During this week of vacation, I have been spending a significant amount of time with an old friend. In these extended visits I have been reminded once again why James Hudson Taylor has spoken so much into my life and thought and understadning of Christianity.

For those who may not be familiar, Hudson Taylor was not only the founder of the China Inland Mission (known today as Overseas Missionary Fellowship), but also called the 'Father of Modern Missions". So much of the way we do things in the C&MA are principles that were tried and proven by a young English missionary in the 1860's. Hudson Taylor's pioneering spirit and his progressive ideology of conextualization and 'war-time lifestyle' were advanced of his age and epoch.

Missiological principles aside, the life and ministry of Hudson Taylor are even more challenging to my personal spirituality and pursuit of God.

The Biography of Hudson Taylor, written by his daughter-in-law Mrs. Howard Taylor, tells of a man who spent his life well. He was a man of prayer and of the Word. "The sun never rose on China without finding J. Hudson Taylor on his knees before his Father." There is much here that I am processing, and re-processing in praparation for a couple of Biographical messages on his life and ministry around the time of our Missionary Conference. I am eager to share with our church insights into a life that has been so influential in mine.

I keep coming back to the sobering words of Paul as I read these books this week:

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
(1 Corinthians 3:11-15 ESV)

Every one of us are going to stand before God as to how we spend our lives. I tremble at that. I stood on the shore as the sun came up this morning, looking at the sea on one side and rubble from a past hurricane on the other ... and I mourn over how much of my life has been spent on things so small. So much straw. So much will be burned. God help me to live for the most eternal gold. Like your servant Hudson Taylor, make Your Name and Your Renown the only desire of my soul.

I look forward a few weeks from now to sharing the life of this servant of God who has walked the road of faith before us.