Page 2 - Good News August 2014 paper

e was a wise young man, a coal miner His law practice continued to flourish. His
who became a lawyer by studying at monthly donations supported several mission-
Hnight school. First he learnt shorthand, aries. He served on the Board of Directors for
then he found work in a law office. Later, when several Missions and through his generosity
his shorthand improved, he became a court several churches were started.
reporter. He attended law school at night and
passed his bar exams. Then he received a call I attended their 45th wedding anniversary cele-
from God for missionary service. He even knew bration and heard that very attractive older
the place - Burma (Myanmar). couple declare their happiness and sense of
fulfilment and their love for the Lord and one
She was the most popular girl in her class, but another.
never took any of her suitors seriously. She too,
had received a call from God. After high school, They were never to celebrate their 50th wedding
she enrolled at a newly-founded Missionary anniversary. She passed on and he became frail
College in preparation for answering that call. in health. At that time I was a young missionary
Each of them might well have been named and greatly discouraged in my ministry,
"Most likely to Succeed" by society's thinking that I might better serve the Lord in
standards, but they both had other standards in some other way. I considered "tent-making" as
mind. They wanted to serve God above anything Paul had done. The idea had always appealed to
else. They met at that Missionary College. It was me. Because there is an onus on me being a
inevitable that they should decide to get missionary to the Jews, it would be so much
married. Together they prayed and looked easier if I could continue to witness but say that I
forward to their missionary service. They were was a shoe-salesman or a teacher - anything
married the day after graduation. respectable - anything but a missionary to the
Jews, which was not at all "respectable"!
Before their appointment to Burma came
through, there was complications. Her need to I shared my burden with the elderly lawyer
recuperate from an extremely difficult labour because I knew and respected him greatly. That
prompted them to postpone their acceptance was when he told me a shocking secret - one he
for a year. The next year brought a flu epidemic. had kept even from his closest associates. He
It nearly took his life and did claim the life of their probably confided in me because I needed to
little son. The overwhelming medical bills hear his words and I have never forgotten them.
caused another delay. To get out of debt, he
became very much involved in his law practice. He said, "I've had a happy life, but not a joyous
one. I've made and given away a fortune. I have
The third year brought another baby. The father, the love and respect of many, but I did not fulfil
now a successful lawyer, was in the midst of a my destiny! It's easy to excuse myself by saying
contested probate where a godly widow had left that circumstances dictated another call, but
a huge sum of money to missions. Her ungodly only in the last year of my wife's life could we
children were using all kinds of legal manoeu- admit to one another that we had chosen to do
vres to keep that Mission from receiving the second best. I am not unhappy, but I am not
funds. He felt he could not leave for Burma until fulfilled.” Then he added something that helped
the case was settled. He rationalized that he was me overcome my discouragement. He said, "I
fulfilling his call by serving as an attorney for recognize that you are a man of destiny. You
God's work and that the delay in going to Burma have a call from God. Don't do anything less
must have been God's will. than what He has called you to do.”

That law case took four years to resolve. Once He died shortly after that. He was a man who
again he applied as a missionary, but this time taught me many things. He certainly was a godly
only half-heartedly. He now had three small man. I can testify to that. He was happy and
children and with relief he accepted the Mission successful, but by his own admission, he had
Board's notification: they could not use him in not fulfilled his destiny!
the field. Burma had been closed to mission- Moishe Rosen (With kind permission from
aries. “Jews for Jesus”, SA).