All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When
you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are
satisfied with good things. Psalm 104:27-28
There are stories and reports of “wet” Bibles and “perfume” Bibles from
Project Pearl that continue to be shared to this day. Four hours after we left
the beach that night of delivery of the one million Chinese Bibles on June 18,
1981, a patrol of Chinese police came by and found some boxes of Bibles stashed
under the trees. They had not yet been transferred to the storage areas. The
police tried unsuccessfully to burn the Bibles and then in frustration threw
them into the water. The next morning, fishermen plucked these floating volumes
out of the sea and put them on the roofs of their homes to dry. Later they sold
them to Christians in the area. I personally treasure a sample of one of these
“wet” Bibles that was used by a Chinese believer for fifteen years. One of the
leading house church network leaders in China acknowledges receiving “wet”
Bibles from Project Pearl.
Chinese Sister Ling shares the poignant story of how she pleaded with God for
a Bible as a young evangelist. She found believers without Bibles doing unusual
things—like carrying extra oil around so they’d be ready like the five wise
virgins.
At the time of Project Pearl, she heard of a woman who had received “wet”
Bibles and dried them. When Ling asked her for a Bible, the woman required her
to quote the Lord’s Prayer without a single mistake to prove she was a believer.
Ling memorized it from a handwritten copy of the Bible and passed the test. She
received one “wet” Bible.
The woman apologized for being so overly careful but then explained, “After
our brothers collected these Bibles from the shore, they began to distribute
them about China. It was very dangerous and some paid with their lives.
Remembering their sacrifice, I treasure these Bibles even more.” Ling went on to
experience much suffering for her leadership role in the house church movement
but now aware that suffering in the will of God has meaning and purpose.
RESPONSE: Today I recommit to living the principles of God’s Word and not be ashamed
of publicly sharing them.
PRAYER: Thank God for the number of Bibles you have and ask Him to provide for
those still without even one copy.
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