Daily Devotion

“In his last years Francis Huberty James taught at the Imperial University in Peking; on 14 December 1898 he read a paper on Chinese Literature before the Royal Asiatic Society, arguing that it was "deserving of study" and that "when it is better known it will be more highly esteemed." On the afternoon of 20 June 1900, as the Boxers besieged the legations, he was shot dead crossing the bridge on his way back from the palace of a Mongol prince across the canal. W. A. P. Martin recorded that he and Dr. Morrison of the Times had there made arrangements for the shelter of native Christians: "He, too, sacrificed his life in a noble cause."”

W. A. P. Martin; F. Huberty James · W. A. P. Martin, The Siege in Peking (1900), pp. 81-82; F. Huberty James, Chinese Literature (Shanghai)

Scripture

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal things, and the glory of a king to find out things.

Reflection

God's glory does not deliberately hinder human reason, but rather buries truth like jewels within all things, inviting us to explore. Studying science (the investigation of things) and reading the Bible are not in conflict, because all truth comes from God. The glory of a king lies not in his lofty power, but in his responsibility and humility to investigate matters. We often feel anxious about unseen answers, forgetting that "concealment" itself is a sacred romance. When we diligently seek and examine the laws of nature and life, we are not merely learning knowledge, but walking alongside the wisdom of the Creator.