Not a distant God - Sharon Chu

Written By The Vine

I came back to Hong Kong in 2009. I was not a Christian then and my childhood friends here invited me to Alpha so I went. In Alpha, it was the first time I had experienced the care and authenticity of a Christian community. It was also the first time someone had prayed for me to receive the Holy Spirit. I didn’t know who the Holy Spirit was at the time but during the prayer, I felt my eyelids flutter and I knew it could only have been the presence of God.

One night after the Alpha course had ended, I found myself on my living room floor, crying to God and asking Him for His forgiveness. Shortly after this, I broke up with my ex-boyfriend of 11 years. I was crying out to God again and asking Him ' Are you real? Are you really here? What if no one ever loves me? What if no one ever finds me attractive?' The Lord then led me to Psalm 139 that says 'You are fearfully and wonderfully made.' When I found out my ex had started a new relationship just a few months after our breakup, I cried to the Lord again and this time, He led me to Psalm 146 that says 'Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men who cannot save....Blessed are those...whose hope is in the Lord their God.'

I knew then that God was and is really here. He is not a distant God somewhere out there but He is my Father who is right here. He knows what I am going through. He sees me and He cares for me and He meets me right where I am at. He is real.

What this means for me now, is that I know I have my God to lean on. Sometimes, life doesn't go according to my plan, but I know if I reach out to God in prayer, He will always give me a peace that will carry me through. Of course, life has its challenges, especially now when there are so many things happening around us that are not in our control. I know God has His purposes in all things and as He has come through for me before, I can rest in the knowledge and hope that He will come through for me again.

For me, I am still learning; learning to worry less, learning to recognise my own limitations as a human being and as an individual. This is why I pray and why I believe God plants us in Christian communities to support each other. I think knowing God is a journey and my journey started at Alpha.

We are running Alpha at The Vine starting 27th of April. If you would like to learn more, or invite someone to begin their journey with God, please visit: vinechurch.life/alpha

 
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