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Sundar Singh’s Vision
By gartenfische | January 8, 2008
Thank you to Jan for sharing the story of Sundar Singh with me. The story related here comes from this website.
Following the death of his mother when he was fourteen, Sundar grew increasingly angry and desperate. He took out his anger on local preachers and publically burned a Bible. He became suicidal, deciding that he would throw himself under a train unless God revealed “the true way of peace.”
“Three days after he burned the Bible in front of his father, he woke up at three in the morning and went out into the moonlit courtyard for the ceremonial bath observed by devout Hindus and Sikhs before worship. He then returned to his room and knelt down, bowed his head to the ground and pleaded that God would reveal himself. Yet nothing happened. He was thinking of throwing himself in front of the train that would pass at 5 a.m. every morning behind their house, in the hope that he would find peacefulness in his future reincarnation.
“He had not known what to expect: a voice, a vision, a trance? Still nothing happened, and it was fast approaching the time for the Ludhiana express. He repeated his prayer once again. He lifted his head and opened his eyes, and was rather surprised to see a faint cloud of light in the room. It was too early for the dawn. He opened the door and peered out to the courtyard. Darkness. Turning back into the room he saw that the light in the room was getting brighter. At first he feared that the room was on fire. But nothing happened. He then thought that it might be an answer to his prayer. While watching the light, he suddenly saw Jesus’ figure in the radiance. To his sheer amazement he saw not the face of any of his traditional gods, but of Jesus the Christ.
“Jesus Christ was there in the room, shining, radiating an inexpressible joy and peace and love, looking at him with compassion and asking, “Why do you persecute me? I died for you …” [Acts 9:1-5] At that time, Sundar realized that Jesus was not dead but alive. Sundar fell on his knees before Him and experienced an astonishing peacefulness which he had never felt before. The vision disappeared, but peace and joy lingered within him.”
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If you haven’t seen the photos from Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, check out the photos at wyrdbyrd. It’s eye-opening.
Topics: Christianity |
January 8th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I had never heard of this until I read it in Jan’s comment and your expansion of it here. This is an amazing story and a reminder of how ardently God pursues us.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
What an amazing story!
I was so excited to see that he is roughly a contemporary of the characters in my novel (although a bit younger) and he might have to make an appearance, when they get to India!!
January 8th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Thank you so much for posting about Sundar Singh! I like seeing his photograph.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
YM, Yeah! He could be in your story! That would be great.
Jan, Thank YOU—you’re the one who told me about him!
January 11th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
This is a beautiful story. I’m going to have to find out more about him. My list of mystics to research has gotten longer and longer from reading your blog!
PS How is balancing your blog & life going? Your comments last week helped me find more balance.
January 12th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
thank you SO MUCH FOR THIS!
January 13th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Painter, well, it’s getting better. I haven’t been on the computer at all for a couple of days—necessary for me sometimes, I think. Thanks for asking!