DON’T GIVE UP
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”–Gal. 6:9
American Baptist missionary Adoniram Judson arrived in Burma (today Myanmar) in 1812, and died there in 1850. During that time he suffered imprisonment,
torture, and disease. After the death of his beloved wife, Ann, he was so depressed that he sat daily beside her tomb. Three years later, he wrote: ‘God is to me the Great Unknown. I believe in Him, but I cannot find Him.’
But Adoniram’s faith sustained him and he threw himself into a translation of the Bible for the Burmese which he finished in early 1834. Nevertheless, when he died
after 38 years of labor there were less than 20 believers and no churches there.
At the 150th anniversary of the translation of the Bible into the Burmese language, Paul Borthwick was addressing a group that was celebrating Judson’s work. Before he got up to speak, he noticed in small print on the first page the words: “Translated by Rev. A. Judson.” He turned to his interpreter and asked, “What do you know of this man?” The translator, a Burmese Christian, began to weep and said…”We know him—we know how he loved the Burmese people, how he suffered for the gospel because of us, out of love for us. He died a pauper, but left the Bible for us. When he died, there were few believers, but today there are over 600,000 of us, and every single one of us traces our spiritual heritage to one man: the Rev. Adoniram Judson.”
But Adoniram Judson never saw it.
Sometimes we think we aren’t making a difference. That we’re wasting our time trying to help people. That God isn’t blessing. Let’s not forget that we are investing in the future, and only God knows what he intends to do with the labor you are putting forth today. We want instant gratification. With God a thousand years is as one day. When you’re tempted to give up, remember Adoniram Judson.—Copied
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
