This past spring, I met Sen Lin and it became a lifetime friendship. It all started with Michigan football. Everything, of course, goes back to Michigan football.

 

When Sen came to faith in Jesus Christ, he received a wonderful promise from the Lord. God’s great promise to Sen, and to each of us, is found in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

 

“I have called you by name, you are mine” [Isaiah 43:1].

 

God’s special gift to Sen is that his name means “trees, forest.” On the day of Sen’s baptism several weeks ago, I became convinced that God planted Sen in the soil of Bethany Presbyterian Church so that we could witness the love and joy of Jesus who beamed in this man.

 

I love these words from the prophet Jeremiah, because they tell the story of what happened when God called Sen by name and said, you are mine.

 

“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.  It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit” [Jeremiah 17:7-8].