We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield (Psalm 33:20).
I called my son who is studying in a different place. Tomorrow will be his gaokao, or the national college entry examination. As his mother, I feel sorry because I cannot be there with him. However, in order not to let my son feel my guilt, I deliberately spoke cheerfully to encourage him over the phone.
We talked about some casual topics, and I tried not to mention the exam, because my son has always been sensitive and also very self-disciplined in his studies.
In a cheerful tone, he told me that there was a heavy rain in the afternoon. He also rather mysteriously told me some good news. I was amused and giggled. He said that tomorrow his cousin would be the chauffer solely for him to help him get to the examination location and back. In fact, he is being looked after by a group of relatives there. I know he is not alone but at this moment what we need most is to seek the Heavenly Father. Let the Heavenly Father personally give him the ability to do well and grace.
"Son, let's pray!" I cleared my voice.
"Okay, Mom!" he responded.
We pray at the end of every phone call. That has become the norm. I heard my son walking into a quiet room while I knelt down to pray on my bedroom floor.
Then, I started to pray confidently and powerfully without the worries and guilt that I had had in the beginning of our phone call. I felt deeply the grace of God in that prayer. Tears came and I was incomparably grateful. For the whole day I was troubled with fact that I couldn’t be with my son. Yet in that prayer I got to know that my son would be given double the power from the Lord, and it seems I saw the nail-scarred hands of the Lord holding my son's hands.
I finished my prayer and it was my son’s turn to pray. I gently pressed the voice recording key on my phone, telling my son that one day I would collect all the recordings of our prayers, organize them and publish a book. Then I would give it back to him.
The following is my son’s prayer in the evening before his college entry exam based on the voice recording:
"God! Thank you for being our Father. We know that the Law no longer bind us. My life has been changed by you, and it is not me who is living now, but Jesus Christ is living in me. We know and believe that only your words are the truth. No matter what we see and how great the difficulties are before us, we will not doubt your words.
"We know how safe our situation is. Even if there is a storm on all sides, we need not be afraid because we know that you are with us; even if we are surrounded by enemies on all sides, we are not trapped because we know that there is a line connected to Heaven. No one can break that line. As long as we do not let go, you will always supply to us through that line.
"Lord! We await you and we seek your face as we worship you on earth. The son of man is raised high to draw millions of people to Himself. We know that the son of man is coming. May you raise your people. For your name, for your glory, and for your kingdom, you do your ministry and send your servants.
"We know that no one can turn that switch on. But Lord, if you turn it on, no one can turn it off. The work of the Holy Spirit will be like an endless raging river and no one can stop it until your kingdom comes forth again.
"Thank you for letting us live in such a glorious time.
"In the ending eras we run for your name.
"Thank the Lord and I pray all of this in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen!"
- Translated by Charlie Li
