Joe Wong

Dear reader,

Hi, how are you? What brings you to this letter of mine? Seeing that this is a letter, there’s almost no way for you to respond… no way for me to know where you’re coming from as you’re reading, no way for me to respond to how your day or week or year has been. So, trapped in this unilateral mode of communication, I suppose all I can do is tell you about myself. That is, after all, why you’re here, isn’t it?

Perhaps you have no idea that what I’m sharing with you is my testimony; the declaration of my faith. Or, you may be eagerly reading, awaiting what I have to say about God’s effect on my life. No matter where you’re coming from, I encourage you to read on, so that hopefully you may be touched by what God has to share to you, personally, through me.

So who am I? Well, as I sit and write, I’m currently an Engineering student at UBC (Engineering Physics to be precise… ooh! aah!… bleah…). I currently spend my weekdays working full-time as a software engineer at a local company. So yeah, I’m one of those supposedly highly educated techno-geeks. Well, aside from that shameful side of myself, I love music, sports that I can somewhat play, spending time with friends, and most of all, getting to know God.

God has been affecting my life… well, all throughout my life. I am very blest to have been raised in a home with parents and a brother who know God; more importantly, I have been raised in a home who knows Christ. So now you know that I’m pretty much church-bred; I was born into my current church, the Evangelical Chinese Bible Church (ECBC), and I’ve gone through such things as Sunday School, sermons, youth retreats, bible seminars, choir… you name it, I’ll answer “yep….”

But, rather than listing out a spiritual resume for you, I’d much rather speak with you… well, write to you… more personally, about God and me. You see, being a Christian is more than just about Sunday service and other church events like fellowship or Christian groups; being a Christian is having God affect me, and I responding to God. And in that, Christianity is my whole life. God is here for me every day. Well, of course, I admittedly am not there for Him every day, but I know I should be. That’s where I want to be.

I know that I am a sinner. I sin all the time, simply by falling short of God’s perfection; God’s holiness. Sometimes I struggle with sin, and I am victorious… praise God! But, despite knowing God and the awesome power He provides for me, I fail Him. I am still mortal man sin is still there, despite the bridge of Jesus’ death and resurrection binding myself to God, and so I continue to wound my God.

Why does He still save me then? The answer is really simple, so simple, that I can tell you with three words: God loves me. Can you believe it? He does love me. He came to me, and offered me salvation with eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that I may spend eternity with God. And so I am not merely indebted to Him, for a debt implies there is a way to pay it back; rather, I owe my life to Him, because He has saved me.

Phew, I don’t believe I still have so much more to say.

Throughout my life I have been graced by God’s hand working actively every day. Sometimes he comes in the storms of my life, saving me from the trials and tribulations that greet me every so often, and sometimes he comes in the calm and stillest moments, greeting me with warmth and gentleness. But He also comes in great power and sternness, to straighten my path when I go astray, to rebuke me when I sin, and to rescue me when I am in danger. So what on earth am I talking about?

One way that God has affected me is by granting me wisdom when it is needed. God allows me to comfort and encourage people around me: my family my parents; my friends my loved ones. One saying I do often utter is that I know when God speaks through me when what I say convicts myself as much as it convicts those I speak with what I say is much above what I could think on my own.

God also reveals himself to me by taking good care of myself and my family. Growing up in my home, I have seen how He has intervened to bring blessings to my family, by providing what is more than sufficient for our day-to-day living, and by keeping every member of my family well and united. We have been saved from self-hatred and near-suicides; close break-ups of my parents. All in all, God has given to us much grace.

Another example of God’s work is in the friends around me. God thrills my soul when I see brothers and sisters grow in Him, my brothers and sisters from my church, cell group, work, and school… they grow in wisdom and strength as they progress on their spiritual journeys. When I see their lives change, and as I see God providing more grace and compassion for them, I realize that there can be nothing that is more exciting. God’s work in their lives are further evidence of His compassion and love for each and every one of us.

God loves us, and has a genuine interest in our lives. He came to save us, to offer us eternal fellowship with Him and eternal salvation from death; from sin. What we need to do is accept His sovereignty in our lives, and Jesus as saviour and Lord of our lives. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). And in turn, we are called to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

What makes me… me? God created me, lovingly and wonderfully and specially. He loves me. But I am a sinner. However, God has provided a way for me to spend eternity with Him. In fact, my eternity has begun; my fellowship with God started when I first accepted Christ as my saviour, many years ago. All through that time He has shaped my life, and turned it into something beautiful to bring glory to Him. So I strive and press on toward my goal, to be more like Christ, and to love and worship God with all my heart, my soul, my mind, and strength.

I hope you will make that decision too, to accept Christ as your saviour. Life certainly is very different without knowing of His impact.

Well, actually, there’s more than one way for you to respond to this letter. The most important way is to pray to God, and tell Him what you’ve decided so far in your life. You might tell Him that you acknowledge you are a sinner, and you realize you need His salvation in your life. And tell Jesus that you will accept Him as your personal saviour, and ask for His forgiveness of your sins. Finally, tell Him that you want Him to reign in your life, and to transform you, so that you will grow to be more like Christ. Oh, one more thing; tell people about your decision! Let others know who you now dedicate your life to. You can talk to your friends, people from your local church.

I am truly glad that I have been able to share this with you, and I pray that you have been blest by this letter.

God’s grace and peace and blessings be with you.

Joseph Wong June 2000

Tags: experiences, Gen X, Gen Y, GenXperiences, Joe, testimony, Wong