Seeing the Unseen

Last Tuesday, the 27th Oct, my spiritual children arranged a photo exhibition titled “Seeing the Unseen” as a surprise gift for my 66th birthday. They selected 66 photos taken by or of me in this year and hung them on a wall of CMC for display.

Actually, I take photos not only for shooting beautiful scenery and keeping good memories but more importantly, for recording the work of God through the camera. In 2001, I returned to Hong Kong, expecting to behold the work of God because He had said, “Joshua, I will work in Hong Kong, so you go back to Hong Kong to work.” Hence I never stop asking God: “What are you doing in Hong Kong?” Ever since I got this phone with excellent camera function last year, I have been using it to record God’s work anytime and anywhere.

It is evident that our heavenly Father keeps talking to me through the astronomical phenomenon and the environment every day. Hoping to bless my disciples (MG leaders), I post some of the photos in the MG whatsapp group every now and then, inviting them to tell me what they see in the photo. Though they might not “see” anything in particular, it’s fun for them to have a guess. Finally, I would tell them what I saw God was doing as I took the photo, hoping them to see the same!

Take the photo I took at the dusk of 27th of August this year for example. C-Mo and I were taking a stroll, the moonlight was shining and there was a cloud that looked like angels’ wings next to it. As C-Mo lifted up her hands to pray, I saw a picture: “C-Mo praying while angels dancing”.

The staff retreat was held that very day when C-Mo and I were sharing “The Way of the Tree of Life” and stressing how important it was for the co-worker team to keep to the same level, just as the olive oil poured into the golden lampstand. God led me to see that the shape of the golden lampstand was just like a Tree of Life. The way C-Mo raised her hands to pray also resembled a Tree of Life, with light (moonlight) shining from above. It was God who shines on the Way of Tree of Life for our church to embark and He said to me: “My child, I have chosen you in eternity to become the Tree of Life and a golden lampstand. Pray and shine forth, for I am with you.” I was delighted to shoot such an amazing photo to record His work.

After graduation from Regent College in 1989 until today, I have been practising what the then Principal James M. Houston taught us in Spiritual Direction – Pray in the Spirit. Back then, it was my practice to record what I saw and heard during the prayer time in my “Listening Diary”. Sadly, I have been too busy to keep this diary going after coming back to Hong Kong. However, I still keep jotting down notes and taking photos by my phone whenever I see confirmations of His presence with me. These are all the footprints of me following Him which is pleasing to Him. He keeps telling me that He is the living God and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Dear brothers and sisters, I have been following God this way for the past thirty years and have seen and experienced a lot of blessings. I hope that you will follow God and see God the same way, and will enter into this spiritual realm and become Trees of Life to receive the fullness of life.•[2020.11.01]