Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret
A few days ago I finished reading a biography titled Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret. Hudson Taylor was an English doctor who accepted the call to become a missionary to China in the second half of the 18th Century.
He was 21 years old when he sailed to China to become one of only a handful of missionaries committed to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in China. Hudson used his medical skills as a doctor to build bridges and share Christ. There is no way I can share with you all God did through this man in this blog, but let me just say this, millions of Chinese Christians over the last 150 years can trace their spiritual awakening back to work God did through Hudson Taylor.
To fulfill this call God had placed on his life, Taylor endured many hardships. His life was in danger more than once as he endured the Boxer Rebellion which was an anti-foreigner, anti-Christian movement. His first wife and one of his children died from health complications. He faced starvation, lack of support, and periods of poor health. Several times family and friends pleaded with him to come back to England and serve God in a safer environment.
In one of the stories told in the book, Taylor and the band of missionaries that were working with him, had only enough food for one more meal. It was written that Hudson himself was in a cheerful mood even though food was scarce. He was asked, “Hudson, how can you be confident God will meet our needs?” He responded, “Does not everything that is in the right hand also belong to the left hand?”
Taylor believed that God owned it all, and if God owned it, then it must belong to him too. He knew God had food, and therefore, he would have food when it was needed. The next day Taylor received a note with enough money to purchase the needed supplies. We may applaud Taylor’s faith, but we have no desire to face the same kind of trial.
COVID-19 has brought fear, economic hardship, illness, and death; but its greatest detriment is the uncertainty it has ushered into the stability of our lives. We hate uncertainty. Uncertainty fuels questions like: Will I have enough? Will I be okay? Will my family stay healthy? Will my job last? Will I find another job?….I could go on, but I think you get the point.
My life, just like yours, has been impacted by uncertainty. I don’t know that I have the faith of Hudson Taylor. I do know that I have the promises of God (by the way…that is what Hudson Taylor based his faith on).
I read this promise yesterday. It triggered my memory about Hudson Taylor’s comment.
And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you. (Galatians 4:7b)
If you are a child of God, everything God has belongs to you. We can trust that God will give to us what we need when we need it? I am not saying I have all of this figured out, but I do believe God is faithful. Does not everything that is in the right hand also belong to the left hand?
Here is a song I’ve been enjoying. May you enjoy it too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyMYl_nQ8Xs
3hats1life.com 
I had the opportunity to meet his great grandson in Hong Kong. His story was, although he came from such a legacy, as a young man after experiencing time studying in the US, he wanted nothing to do with China. God had other plans for Hudson Taylor IV.
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