Hokkien Testimony #40

Hokkien Testimony #40

Today we welcome you to the 40th testimony in our Hokkien Harvest series. Each week we have different people from different churches share their stories with us. Today Pastor James Lim interviews Sister Lim Sui Giok.  Let’s listen now to her Hokkien story. An English summary is also provided below.  

Sister Lim Sui Giok’s testimony:

Even from childhood I often thought of death. I wondered what happens to people after they die. I often wondered and worried about my elderly grandmother and would even cry about it. What would happen to her after she died? At that time I wasn’t thinking about myself. I was worried about those around me. We naturally think that those who are older will die first, and then those who are younger will die at a later time. However, we know that life doesn’t always work out that way.

My family was very much involved in worshiping local idols. Our house was filled with them. We even had Japanese idols as well. Most of these were worshiped by my mother. About 17 years ago I looked to the God of Heaven and asked for an answer to my question. With all these gods and different beliefs, what should I believe? I wanted to know which one was the true God.

As a child, I followed my mother in the traditional practices. I really didn’t know what it was all about, I just followed her and did what she did. However, later I thought that surely there should be just one true God and not all of this confusion. So that’s the reason why I prayed to the God of Heaven for an answer. About two days after I prayed that prayer, a Christian came to our house and told me that if I was going to worship, then I should worship the true God. Wow! I could hardly believe it. Just after I prayed that prayer, then this Christian appears at my house. I was so excited that I went with them to church on Sunday.

That very first time I went to church I was so thrilled and full of joy. I made the decision to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. One of the ladies in the church took me to buy a Bible. In fact, I bought two Bibles, one large one and one small. However, it wasn’t all that long before I quit going to church. I once again joined my family and worshiped local gods. I wore black clothing and would recite chants with my family. Otherwise, outside of the chanting rituals I would wear white clothing.

At this time I also married and had challenges. My husband drank and had bad habits that often come along with alcohol use. He just was out having a good time. For me, life was not easy, and things were not going very smoothly. I knew I was in a bad marriage and made the decision to focus on chanting to find peace. It didn’t give me peace. One day I took the Bible out and began to read it. And you know what, the Bible spoke to me. So what do I mean that the Bible spoke to me? As I read the Bible, I read truths that directly related to my problems and the questions I had asked for years. After this experience I kneeled down and told Jesus that I was a sinner.  

Just a couple of nights after that in the middle of the night I got up and began reading the Bible again. The truth that spoke to me was God telling me that Jesus came not because I am good, but because of his grace toward me. I didn’t know much, but I began to look things up and write them down. In a 14 day period God continued to speak into my life. This is so precious. God really speaks into my life through the Bible passages that I read. He told me that He was going to take me out of Egypt. As I shared with Pastor Lim, the last half of a verse in Isaiah really means a lot to me.

Isaiah 50:4b

He wakens me morning by morning,  wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

This verse really is my testimony. As Pastor Lim reminded me, the Lord speaks into my life each day. However, this is not just to tell me things that I have done wrong or speak of my past, he also helps me better understand the Lord and how to live life. As I experienced this, one morning I was so thrilled that I couldn’t wait and extremely early in the morning I went to my older sister. She actually accepted Christ before I did. Even though it was very early in the morning, she knew that God had spoken to me and she was very happy to see this. So from this point, I accompanied my sister to church.  It was like the angels in Heaven were rejoicing. As Pastor Lim said, God really does love me.

My mother knew I was going to church but she didn’t know that I had made the decision to be baptized. And I followed through with that and followed Christ in baptism. After my father died, my mother told me that she would go to church with me but assumed I had not yet been baptized. I couldn’t lie.  I told her that I already had received baptism, and she just howled. However, she continued eating and settled down. She also told me that she didn’t want to accept Jesus. She would follow her way, and I could go my way. I have given this to God and believe that one day my mother will also trust Christ. Even though my mother has not yet accepted Jesus, many of my family members have come to Christ.

Pastor Lim shares:

Today as we come to a close, we can see how God has changed Lim Sui Giok’s thinking and her life as she wrestled with questions about life and the hereafter. We also see how God transformed her life and in a 14 day period of time spoke into her life through the Bible, God’s Word. Today she is a passionate Christian who loves the Lord. We can clearly see that God can use all kinds of methods to speak into our lives and reveal to us that he is the true and living God.

In Acts 4:12 the Bible tells us that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

We are so thrilled to know that Sui Giok’s father and other family members now also joined with her and accepted the Lord as their Savior. You too can receive this same kind of blessing and eternal life. Without a doubt, when you leave this world you can be sure that you will go to Heaven where Jesus has prepared a wonderful place for you. If you desire this, you can follow me as I lead us in prayer.

Lord Jesus, I thank you because you love me. You came into this world to save me, and one day when I leave this world I will be with you in Heaven. Please come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Because I believe in you, my heart has peace, joy and hope. Thank you Lord. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

May the Lord bless you.