I JUST read this book about three days ago. It so happened that my brother-in-law returned home from New Zealand after an absence of five years.
Soon after his arrival, he dropped The Heavenly Man on my table and said: "You should read this. It is the story of a remarkable man of God who encountered miracles in his journey to find the Lord."
I put the book aside for a few days until one fine day, the thought of reading it wouldn't leave me alone. I went to find the book but it was not on the table, so I went to my brother-in-law's room. I found it on his bed.
One of the first things I noticed about the book was the blurb on its cover that states that it is Book of the Year (as designated by some Christian association). I normally shy away from reading such evangelical material because normally by the first chapter, I would be inundated by sayings from the Bible and all sorts of "Praise the Lord" references.
I really don't mind being exposed to Christian literature but too much of it in one sitting can be not only a trying affair, it can also be a tiring one. Anyway, on impulse I began to digest its contents.
By the first chapter, I was glad that it is written as a story instead of sounding like a sermon from the pulpit. My guess is the Brother Yun had written it originally in Mandarin and Paul Hattaway translated it into English. The Lord does work in not-so-mysterious ways.
China, as we all know, is still very much a pagan country and I don't mean it in a disparaging sense. It simply is, as I say, a country of Gentiles. China has a long association with Taoism and Buddhism. I really have nothing bad to say about these two beliefs. I think they have fine set of principles and teachings.
However, Brother Yun is certainly one of the most determined Christians I have ever come across. He talks about his initial problems with Christianity and how he doggedly followed the path of righteousness until his journey became clear.
But before heaven could open its gates to Brother Yun, he had to walk into the heart of hell and through it. Prison subsequently became his second home and torture was part of his life.
To read a man's history about the series of torture sessions and the suffering he had to endure before the light of heaven falls onto his path can be an education by itself.
Throughout his long ordeal, Brother Yun hardly faltered. Yes, he had his doubts. There were times when his faith was shaken. There were moments when he questioned God's presence but ultimately he stayed true to his faith. And the outcome was, the truth truly set him free.
The Heavenly Man is for those who have doubts about their Christian faith. It is written to comfort and console all those who are facing challenges in their quest to spread the teachings of Christ.
Somehow I feel the book was written with the aim of telling others who are in the same predicament this message: Don't give up, no matter what. The long may be long for some but God never abandons the faithful and everything seemingly bad always happens for a good reason.
This book is not only written by a Christian for the Christians, it is also inspired and distributed for the benefit of those who are searching for answers. It serves to tell the confused, the meek and the cowardly that if they pray and have faith everlasting, everything that they ask for and pray for, in the end shall be theirs.
Brother Yun has written a most satisfying and inspiring account of his own life. Astounding because its seeds were sown in a country that does not give much space for religion of any kind.
Perhaps with Brother Yun's book, the words and prophecy may be played out eventually. That China will "be the hope of the world."
