God’s Strange Ways
Kim Phuc, known as the "napalm girl," slowly returned to a fairly normal life as her wounds healed from the awful bombs. The picture shown in this devotion's artwork became very famous, and at some point the Vietnamese government realized that they could use Kim for their own purposes. People were curious about this little girl in the picture, and started inquiring of her. And so Kim, who was at this point studying at a university, kept being pulled out of class by government officials to meet with people and do interviews and answer questions from reporters.
At first, Kim felt quite important when this happened. But soon this became quite the burden, as it interfered with her studies. She also realized that the translators would often mistranslate her words on purpose, to say what the government wanted. And so one day, Kim decided to hide in the university library to avoid being whisked away for another interview, and – God being God – this was the moment when He did something profound in her life.
Finding God in Unexpected Places
You see, as Kim sat on the library floor, she noticed a pile of books about different religions. And mixed in with them was a New Testament. Kim picked it up and began reading the Gospels, and before the day was done, she had read all about Jesus and His death and resurrection. Could it be, she wondered, that this was the God who could actually help her?
Soon after, Kim began attending a local church, and God ended up meeting her in a dramatic way and she became a Christian.
Amazing, how God could use that moment of her hiding from a communist government, to begin to work in her life! How strange are His ways. He's always got a plan that we perhaps don't see.
God's Redemptive Purpose
Kim went on to have a remarkable ministry, telling people about this Jesus who saved her, and towards the end of the book she makes this startling statement. She writes: "as to the greater meaning behind my pain, for so long I had been in the dark. And yet here were so many people telling me that my picture had prompted them to pray. Had my suffering actually been the catalyst to bring me into God's family? Could such a thing be true?" Then she writes: "Those bombs led me to Christ."
Well friends, reading this, I was overcome. What faith, for Kim to see how God used her hiding from Communist goons to get a Bible in her hands, and how long term He used those bombs as a catalyst for an amazing ministry.
Romans 8:28 says "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” If you, listener, are in pain, being persecuted, or perhaps dealing with bombs of your own, be assured: if you will stick to Jesus, He will use even these painful things for good. He did it for Kim Phuc. He'll do it for you.
