Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24
Hudson Taylor is one of my heroes and not just because his last name is Taylor. He was a missionary to China from 1854 until his death in 1905. He studied medicine in England and received a diploma as a surgeon in 1862. During his time in China, he and his family suffered poverty, persecution, and lived through riots. His first wife, Maria, died in China as well as several of his children, In addition, he suffered from his own health problems. He married again and had several other children.
He adopted the dress of the Chinese people, even growing a pigtail which drew criticism from other missionaries of that time. He never asked anyone for money. He just believed God would supply all his needs. Despite all that he suffered, he established China Inland Mission in 1865, now known as Overseas Missionary Fellowship-OMF-which still serves China as well as other East Asia countries.
Taylor believed in training Chinese Christians to become the leaders of their churches. He led many people to Christ and established churches in several areas of China. He became fluent in several of the Chinese languages and translated the New Testament into one of those languages. He also published several other books.
He said this: “An easy, non-denying life will never be one of power.” He truly denied himself, took up his cross and followed Jesus whole-heartedly. His was a life of power by the Holy Spirit. Hudson Taylor’s life demonstrated what the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. It’s obvious that Hudson Taylor didn’t let his “light and momentary troubles” prevent him from carrying out God’s purposes for his life.
That’s our calling as well, as Christians, as followers of Jesus, to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. We’re to consider our troubles ‘light and momentary.” even those we will encounter as we follow the call of Jesus on our lives.
When Jesus commissioned His disciples to go into all the world to preach the gospel and to make disciples of all nations, He promised them that He would never leave them not forsake them, that He would be with them always, even to the end of the age. He also promised that they would be empowered by His Holy Spirit to carry out His purposes. As modern-day disciples, we can claim those same promises.
Which will you choose? A non-denying life of powerless ease or are you ready to put aside your own desires, plans, and ambitions and, by faith, follow Christ wholeheartedly, no matter where He leads you?
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Hudson Taylor and all he did to establish Your kingdom in China. Lord, as I follow the call You’ve placed on my life, help me to be assured that You will never leave me and that You will empower me to carry out Your purposes for me. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
Why is my website named Yucca-network? Almost everywhere I’ve lived and where my wife and I lived, there were Yucca plants of some variety, even when we lived in northern Montana. In one place we lived, our house was built into a hillside where there were many yucca plants. The name of our street had “Yucca” in it. The plant is resilient, adaptable, and hard to get rid of if you don’t like it. For some reason, it has become one of my favorite plants. Along with writing, I’m also an artist who likes to draw or paint pictures of yucca plants. I recently acquired a painting that my maternal grandmother painted when she was probably in her 90s. It’s a desert scene with several yucca plants in it. It’s a treasured possession.
In my research into the different varieties of the yucca plant, I discovered Yucca whipple (aka Hesperoyucca whipplei). It grows mostly in the southwestern United States. One of its common names is “our Lord’s candle.” That name intrigued me. According to what I learned from my research, it’s towering, flame-like, white inflorescence (flower cluster) “glows like a divine beacon.” Thus, the term “candle.”
A candle, when lit, produces light. I am an ardent believer in the Bible, God’s Word. I’ve read through it many times and studied it for many years. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 119:105 which states, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (NIV). God’s word shows us how to live our lives according to His will and plans for our lives. Another of my favorite verses is Hebrews 4:12. It states that God’s word is “living and powerful.” As I’ve read and studied the Bible seriously and intensely for over forty years, I can testify that my life has been literally and dramatically changed, for the better. My late wife would also testify to the changes that have taken place in me. It’s my prayer that every person would read and study God’s word. People in other parts of the world are begging to have their own Bible.
So, to me, “our Lord’s candle” is a symbol of God’s word. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1 that God’s divinity and power can be seen in His creation. Yucca whipplei is one of His many creations.
Recently, I self-published my first novel. Its title is Uncommon Grace.
A story of adventure, drama and romance
“Disillusioned and angry at God for what happened to his family during the Civil War, young Frank Duncan leaves his home in rural Georgia to escape the memories and find his own way in life. Though wise in some ways, he encounters many challenges that shake his own personal confidence and his belief in God. What will he find as he travels to Texas and beyond?”
It is available on as an eBook or paperback 0n Amazon.com (Amazon.com: Uncommon Grace eBook : Taylor, Lamar: Kindle Store). If you read it, please add a review to the Amazon site. Thank you.
Hi! I’m Lamar.
For 20 years, I worked in several western states as a Rangeland Management Specialist, overseeing livestock grazing on Public and Forest lands.
At 44 years of age, my wife (she was a science teacher) and i left our jobs and went to Bible college for two years. We were pastors and assistant pastors for several years, all in the western US.
